when brothers dwell in unity!” Psalm 133.1
Prayer for the week: Almighty God, make me to know your ways, even as it means the death of my
will, lead me in your truth and teach me; for you are the God of my salvation,
for you my soul waits all the day long; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
Amen.
Bible reading for the day: Galatians 5.1-15 (Paul writes to the Galatian congregation
around the year 52 AD. False teachers had crept into the congregation, seeking
to reintroduce legalistic practices and teaching justification by works of the
law rather than by faith.)
1 For freedom Christ has set us
free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke
of slavery.
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you
that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to
you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts
circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You
are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the
law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For
through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of
righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith
working through love.
7 You were running well.
Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This
persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A
little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have
confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one
who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But
if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being
persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I
wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!
13 For you were called to
freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the
flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the
whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one
another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
Prayer of the Day: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for establishing Christ alone as
our righteousness. Protect us from all false teaching that severs us from him
and leaves us bound to our own fleshy works. FROM the devil, the world, and my
own sinful self and FOR my neighbors’ good, you have freed me, O Christ; hallow
your name among us. In Jesus’ name I ask this, 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=otQ3cakDr-c&ab_channel=MartijndeGroot
“Hallowed be thy name…”
What does this mean?
God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we ask in this prayer that
we may keep it holy.
When does this happen? God’s name is hallowed whenever his Word is
taught in its truth and purity and we as children of God live in harmony with
it. Help us to do this, heavenly Father!
But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to the Word of God
dishonors God’s name among us. Keep us from doing this, heavenly Father. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)
Benediction: For the Lord takes pleasure
in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation. Psalm 149.4
*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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