The meal your family can't live without

Verse for the week: “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”  Mt 20.28

Prayer for the week:  Almighty God, by the blood of the lamb, you give us what we cannot earn or deserve: forgiveness of our sins, life, and salvation. Send your Holy Spirit and grant us to believe with joy what the scriptures proclaim, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Bible reading for the day:  Exodus 12.21-27

²¹ Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. ²² Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. ²³ For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. ²⁴ You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. ²⁵ And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. ²⁶ And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ ²⁷ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Prayer (based on TRIP* method):  Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for rescuing me and your people from the Destroyer by the blood of the true spotless lamb, Jesus. Thank you!  Repent us of failing to teach our children your mighty acts in Egypt and on the cross. Bow our heads and lives before you… that our families and our neighbors’ may know true freedom and life in you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn: follow this link to sing a foretaste of glory divine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3TGrRKf4H8

What is the benefit of the eating and drinking the Lord’s Supper?

It is pointed out in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Through these words the forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation are given to us in the Sacrament, for where there is forgiveness of sin, there is also life and salvation. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

Benediction:  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.  Amen.  II Thess 2.16-17

 

*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).  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.