Kenosis...

...in Greek: emptied.

Verse for the week: “O God, hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.” Psalm 54.2

Prayer for the week: Return us, O Lord, to you. Have pity on your servants. Teach us to number our days that we may gain a wise heart. Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Let your work be shown to us and your glorious power to our children; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Philippians 2.1-11  The Word of God is not a thing nor simply ink on pages. He is an actual person, who – though he was in the form of God – emptied himself and took on our form… in order to rescue us from the devil, the world, and our own sinful will.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Prayer for the week: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for the whole new heart, soul, mind and strength that are ours in Christ crucified for us and for our salvation. Each day, empty me of my will that by your grace I may become your obedient servant… that my knees bow in service to my neighbors and my tongue confess freely and frequently that Jesus is Lord, to your glory. Amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.google.com/search?q=o+for+a+thousand+tongues+to+sing&rlz=1C1RXQR_enUS1119US1119&oq=O+for+a+thousa&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyCggAEAAY4wIYgAQyBwgBEC4YgAQyBggCEEUYOTIHCAMQLhiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIHCAYQABiABDIGCAcQRRg80gEINDkxNmowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:913b58ce,vid:nx0rCabJ16c,st:0

What does baptism mean for daily living?

It means that our sinful self, with all its evil deeds and desires, should be drowned through daily repentance; and that day after day a new self should arise to live with God in righteousness and purity forever.  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.   Numbers 6.24-26

 

*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.