Joshua and Jesus...

 and you.

Verse for the week: “Save us, O Lord our God,
    and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.”  Psalm 106.47

Prayer for the week: Almighty Father, your living Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. You judge each and all of us in righteousness, and in Christ alone you promise forgiveness for us, the unrighteous. Thank you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Joshua 1.1-9 (“Joshua denotes Christ, because of his name – both Joshua and Jesus mean “God saves” – and because of what he does. Although he was a servant of Moses, yet after his master’s death he leads the people in and parcels out the inheritance of the Lord. Thus Christ, who was first made under the Law – Galatians 4.4 – served it for us; then, he ends it – Romans 10.4 – and establishes the ministry of the Gospel, by which we are led through him into the actual spiritual kingdom of a conscience joyful and serene in the Lord.” – Martin Luther LW 9.43).

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, ² “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. ³ Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. ⁴ From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. ⁵ No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. ⁶ Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success^[a] wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Prayer for the week: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you that Christ is our champion and for your promise that the righteous live by faith in him. Daily rescue me and your whole church from wandering in our own will. Keep on placing your Word in our ears and subsume our will in his… that we may indeed be strong and courageous and even serene in following you. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsb6quBWxlw&ab_channel=ParksideEvangelicalChurch

“Thy will be done…”

What does this mean?  The good and gracious will of God is indeed done without our prayer; but we ask in this petition that it may be done also among us.

When does this happen?  God’s will is done when he hinders and defeats every evil scheme and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful self, which would prevent us from keeping his name holy and would oppose the coming of his kingdom.

And his will is done when he strengthens our faith and keeps us firm in his Word as long as we live. This is his gracious and good will. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”
    Praise the Lord!   Psalm 106.48

 

*This is now our congregation’s 99^th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.