Verse for the week: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth
is full of his glory. Isaiah 6.3
Prayer for the week: “Lord God, almighty, immortal, invisible, the mysteries of your being
are unsearchable: Accept our praises for the revelation which you have made of
yourself, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons and one God; and
mercifully grant that, ever holding fast this faith, we may magnify your
glorious name; for you live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen. (John Dowden, Book of Common
Prayer, Scotland; Suter, The Book of English Collects, p.
34.)
Bible reading for the day: Acts
2.14a,22-36
14 But
Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them:
22 “Men
of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by
God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through
him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this
Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan
and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of
lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the
pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by
it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence
about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried,
and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being
therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he
foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not
abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This
Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being
therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received
from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured
out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David
did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain
that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you
crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the
heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what
shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to
them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the
promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off,
everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And
with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them,
saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So
those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day
about three thousand souls.
prayer(based on
the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty
Father, thank you that it was not possible for even death on the cross to hold
Christ in; he has made our sin, our death, and the Devil into his footstool.
Alleluia! I am yours in baptism, so every minute save me from the sinful ways
of this corrupt generation and use me to deliver your promise to my children
and to everyone I meet. In Jesus’ name I ask this of you, amen.
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx0rCabJ16c
“I believe in
Jesus Christ…”
What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ —
true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the
Virgin Mary — is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature,
and has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil, not with silver
and gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and
death. He has done all this in order that I might be his own, live under him in
his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness,
even as he is risen from the dead and lives and reigns for all eternity. This
is most certainly true! (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther
©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
benediction:
May the God of peace himself grow you
in his will entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he
will do this. Amen. I
Thess 5.23
*There are many patterns for devotions. This pattern has been followed by God’s
people for centuries.
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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