Verse for the week: I am the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for
evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Revelation 1.18
Prayer for the Week: “Almighty God, by the death of your Son you have destroyed sin and
death, and by his resurrection you have restored innocence and everlasting
life, in order that, delivered from the power of the devil, we may live in your
kingdom. Grant that we may believe this with our whole heart, and, steadfast in
this faith, may praise and thank you evermore; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.” (Martin Luther, Klugsches
Gesangbuch, 1553; text in Allgemeines Evangelisches Gebetbuch, 1955,
p.430)
Bible reading for the day: John 20.19-25 (setting is evening on the day Christ
rose)
19On
the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being
locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and
stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When
he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the
disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus
said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent
me, even so I am sending you.”22 And when he had
said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy
Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the
Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So
the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to
them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my
finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will
never believe.”
prayer(based on
the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty
Father, not even the tomb nor our fears can keep Jesus from getting to us.
Thank you! Deliver me and my congregation from our doubts and fears because
they keep us from our mission. Authorized by you, your risen Son, and the Holy
Spirit, send us to our families and neighbors every day to turn the key: to forgive
sin when it needs be forgiven and to retain it when it needs be retained. I ask
this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: https://vimeo.com/46203440
What is the Office of the
Keys?
It is that authority which
Christ has given to his church on earth to forgive the sins of penitent
sinners, and to declare to those who do not repent that their sins are retained.
As Christ himself declares:
“If you forgive the sins of
any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is
withheld” (John 20:23 ESV).
“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed
in heaven” (Matthew 18:18 ESV). (The
Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
benediction:
And after you have suffered for a
little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal
glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you
this day. To him be the power forever
and ever. Amen. (1 Pet 5:10)
*There are many patterns for devotions. This pattern has been followed by God’s
people for centuries.
**The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin
Luther prayed and taught others to pray. It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid
Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN www.dailytext.com). The
method is founded on scripture and easy to remember: T:
thanksgiving
R:
regret (repentance)
I:
intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
P:
plan or purpose
Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives
one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps
one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.
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