SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SUNDAY, JUNE 12, THE HOLY TRINITY
Alleluia. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! Alleluia.
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!
NEWS: Today we celebrate the HOLY TRINITY or TRINITY SUNDAY. The title of Pastor Joel’s sermon is, “What Does the Doctrine of the Trinity Mean to You?” It’s based on John 8:48-59 which is our gospel reading for the day. Our other readings are Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 and Acts 2:14, 22-36 After we celebrate the Lord’s Supper and our service concludes, we have our fellowship time with coffee and goodies outside. Then, for those hungry for lunch, we’ll be meeting at Jersey Mikes, up the road from church, right near Dollar Tree and Starbucks.
We pray all can join us for part of their Sunday but for those unable to worship in person, we stream our service live. The link is here: www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside Click on that, then click on the More dropdown arrow, then click Live. If you have a moment, please “Like” us and leave a brief comment about your online worship experience. Thank you! Also serving the Lord and our congregation today are:
Fellowship: Allen & Margie Latall
Flowers: The Neemia family
Techies: Ian Andrews, Chris Roth
Reader: Charlotte Neblett
Acolyte: Josphine Neemia
Greeter: Open
Ushers: Terry Reilly, Brandon Reilly
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for the Luckemeyer family: Pasto0r Joel, Amy, Jeremy and Lucy. We especially pray for Lucy, who has a routine pediatrician appointment in 10 days, that all may go well.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: Almighty and everlasting God, you have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, live and reign, one God, now and forever.
READINGS: Psalm 46; Numbers 35:9-30; Luke 24:28-53
DIGGING DEEPER: Genesis 1:1-2:4; Psalm 8; Matthew 28:16-20
GRADUAL: Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable. On your wonderous works I will meditate, and I will declare your greatness.
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Glory Be to God the Father”
“Glory be to God the Father, Glory be to God the Son, Glory be to God the Spirit: Great Jehovah, Three in One! Glory, glory while eternal ages run!
“Glory to the King of angels, Glory to the Church’s King, Glory to the King of nations; Heav’n and earth, your praises bring! Glory, glory to the King of glory sing!”
In the Athanasian Creed, sometimes spoken on Trinity Sunday, we confess that “the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.” That is what we do in our hymn; we give glory to the Triune God. It is really the only thing we can do. The Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—One God in three Persons—is a mystery beyond our limited understanding.
We know what Holy Scripture reveals to us concerning the Triune God we worship. We hear the “Unity in Trinity” in His plural expression on the sixth day of creation, as God says, “Let Us make man in Our image” (Genesis 1:26b). At Jesus’ Baptism, the three Persons of the Trinity were made known as the Son rose up from the water, the Spirit descended on Him like a dove, and the Father’s voice was heard from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17b). The crucified and risen Son commanded His disciples to make disciples of all nations, “baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19b).
Even with the revelations of Scripture, the mystery of the Trinity is just that, a mystery, but we do know what the Triune God has done to save us. God the Father sent His Son into the world to be our Savior. God the Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, took on human flesh. He was born among us and walked the earth. He suffered, died, and rose from death in triumph. The Son of God, our Savior Jesus Christ, ascended in glory to reign at the Father’s right hand. After Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples. It is the Spirit who calls people to faith through the Gospel and leads them in lives of love, worship, and service in Jesus’ Name.
When we finally live forever in the presence of God, will we understand the mystery of the Holy Trinity? We may know more then, but perhaps we will have no need to understand. We will know, as we do now, what “the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity” has done to save us. “While eternal ages run,” we will join the saints of every time and place to glorify the Three in One: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (Revelation 7:12).
WE PRAY: Triune God, You have saved me. I will glorify Your holy Name now and forever! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn “Glory Be to God the Father,” which is number 506 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. What purpose would the Christian Creeds serve for the early church?
2. Where do you go if you have questions about Baptism, Communion—that sort of thing?
3. Are the Christian Creeds still helpful today? How so?
Today’s Bible Readings: Proverbs 5-7 John 20
To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select “Save Link As” or “Save Target As” or “Download Linked File As”
Luther’s Morning Prayer
In the morning, as soon as you get out of bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:
“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”
Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:
“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ your dear son, that you have protected me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you that you would also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please you completely. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”
After singing a hymn or whatever else may serve your devotion, you can go about you day joyfully!
Luther’s Evening Prayer
In the evening, when you go to bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:
“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”
Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:
“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected me today, and I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously to protect me tonight. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”
Now you can go to bed quickly and cheerfully.
OTHER RESOURCES:
Our church website is: https://www.svlchurch.org/
Below is our Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside
Here is the website for Lutheran Hour Ministries: https://www.lhm.org/
Lutheran Public Radio is listener supported and has two channels, one for sacred music and the other for talk, including news, current issues, politics and spiritual matters from a Lutheran perspective. Hosted by Pastor Todd Wilken, Issues, Etc. airs live Monday thru Friday from 1 to 3 pm Pacific, with the “Best Of” running at other hours: https://lutheranpublicradio.org/
KFUO is the listener supported radio station owned and operated by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Based in St. Louis, their format consists of teaching, preaching, ministry and sacred music: https://www.kfuo.org/
A very blessed Lord’s Day and Sunday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us.
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
