for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.” Psalm 98.1
Prayer for the week: Dear heavenly Father, not by the rule of men but by Christ Jesus born
under your eternal law and crucified for the unrighteous you have judged the
world with righteousness and us with equity. Thank you; through the same,
Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and forever. Amen.
Bible reading for the day: Isaiah 9.1-7, In
the opening chapters of Isaiah, the Lord tells the sad truth about us, his
beloved children: he brought us up, but we rebelled against him. We are sinful
people, laden with iniquity. To rescue us from the darkness of our own will, he
sends a child to us, his son.
1 But there will be no gloom for her
who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land
of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has
made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the
nations.
2 The people who
walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
3 You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle
tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Prayer for the day: Gracious and almighty Father,
thank you: Satan would hold us under the shadow of his constant accusations…
the deep darkness of ourselves. But in Christ Jesus given to us, you have
broken the Accuser’s yoke and the plunder we now divide is the best: not silver
or gold but the true treasure of the forgiveness of our sin. Thank you!
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, even as this world and our
own pride reject your governance, let your kingdom come to us and let there be
no end to it; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion gives further voice
to today’s conversation with the Lord. Here is a link, listen to as much as you
wish; attend the lyrics and come back to this again and again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwVW1ttVhuQ&ab_channel=NetherlandsBachSociety
And here is a link to an interlinear translation of the
lyrics: https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV244-Eng3.htm
“I believe in Jesus Christ…”
What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ – true God, son of the Father from eternity,
and true man, born of the virgin Mary – is my Lord.
At great cost he has saved and redeemed me, a lost and
condemned creature. He has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil
– not with silver or gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his
innocent suffering and death.
All this he has done that I may be his own, live under him
in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and
blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally.
This is most certainly true. (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 99th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading
from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.
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