Verse for the week: The Pharisees sought an observable kingdom… but Jesus answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed… Behold, the kingdom of God is inside you.” Luke 17.20-21
Prayer for the week: “Lord, you have promised to
grant what we pray in the name of your Son. Teach us to pray aright and to laud
and praise you with all your saints in the fullness of life everlasting;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
(K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirche, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.
152).
Bible reading for the day: Ephesians 4.1-16 (Earlier
in this letter Paul has stated that God has predestined you and me for adoption
to himself, 1.5. This is the premise to his “therefore” in this section.)
1 I therefore, a prisoner for
the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which
you have been called, 2 with all humility
and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in
love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body
and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs
to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is
over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace
was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's
gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He
ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower
regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one
who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill
all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles,
the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to
equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body
of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity
of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature
manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be
children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind
of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking
the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the
head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body,
joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when
each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up
in love.
Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious
and almighty Father, thank you for laying your will, your call upon me and my
congregation in Christ… for reconciling us sinners to yourself and giving us
gifts for the work of ministry. Deliver us from the immaturity and
self-deception that tosses us about and hinders our proper growth. Give us ears
that hear and lips that speak the truth in love… that we may grow up in every
way you intend, into Christ, our head. In Jesus’ name I pray, 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=1LFe8b2U7wc
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven…
What does this mean?
The good and gracious will of God is surely done without our prayer, but
we pray in this petition that it may be done also among us.
How is this done?
God's will is done when he hinders and destroys every evil design and
purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature that would keep us from
hallowing his name and prevent the coming of his kingdom. And God’s will is
done when he strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in his Word and in faith to
the end of our earthly lives. This is his good and gracious will. (from The
Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing,
2011).
Benediction: The
God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in
hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. (Romans 15.13)
T: thanksgiving
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