SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!
NEWS: This morning we return to the Lord’s house. At 9 AM, Pastor Joel leads our Bible study. Our worship service begins at 10 and the title of Pastor Joel’s sermon is, “Dishonest Rewards.” It’s based on our Gospel reading for the day, Luke 16:1-15 Our other two readings are Amos 8:4-7 and 1 Timothy 2:1-15 After we’ve taken the Lord’s supper and our service is complete, we have a beach outing in the afternoon! If you haven’t signed up but would like to go to Del Mar beach on Camp Pendleton, please see Rick Adams or Bill Sperberg. Carpools will be forming to leave the parking lot around Noon. This is the best way for everyone as access to Camp Pendleton is limited to those with passes.
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: Open
Flowers: The Neemia family
Techies: Keith Neblett, OPEN
Reader: Keith Neblett
Acolyte: Josephine Neemia
Greeter: Allen Kolkman
Ushers: Victor Dille, OPEN
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for the Luckemeyer family: Pastor Joel, Amy, Jeremy and Lucy Joy. Pastor and Amy ask prayers for their children and for God’s wisdom, grace and joy in their parenting.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: Lord God, heavenly Father, since we cannot stand before You relying on anything we have done, help us stand in Your abiding grace and live according to Your Word; through Jesus Christ,m Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, nopw and forever.
READINGS: Psalm 118; Nehemiah 1:1-2:10; 1 Timothy 1:1-20
DIGGING DEEPER: Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 27:1-9; Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30; Matthew 20:1-16
Alleluia. By grace you have been saved through faith.And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Alleluia.
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Lamb of God, Pure and Holy”
“Lamb of God, pure and holy, Who on the cross didst suffer, Ever patient and lowly, Thyself to scorn didst offer. All sins Thou borest for us, Else had despair reigned o’er us: Have mercy on us, O Jesus! O Jesus!”
In the first scriptural account of sacrifices, by faith Abel offered to God “of the firstborn of his flock” (Genesis 4:4b). Generations later, God tested Abraham by commanding him to sacrifice his son Isaac. As he sets out in obedience to God’s command, Abraham told Isaac, “God will provide for Himself a lamb” (Genesis 22:8a). God provided a substitute sacrifice and Abraham’s firstborn son was spared. When the time came for God to set His people free from slavery, He acted in mighty power to save them. Before God destroyed the firstborn of Egypt, the Israelites were to kill lambs and paint the blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. When God saw the lambs’ blood, He would pass over those homes and spare the firstborn of Israel (see Exodus12:7).
Faith and the firstborn, lambs and sacrifices—all of these things pointed forward to the final perfect sacrifice, the day long foretold when God would once again act in mighty power to save. Jesus, the firstborn Son of Mary and the Son of God, began His public ministry and John the Baptist announced the arrival of the perfect sacrifice: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29b). The Lamb of God, “ever patient and lowly,” took our sins onto Himself and carried them in His body to the cross. Enduring the scorn of His enemies, Jesus offered Himself up as a sacrifice, “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7b). He suffered and died for us as our Substitute, shedding His blood to save us from slavery to sin and death.
“Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7b). Jesus, the Lamb of God, offered Himself to save us. It is not the doors of our homes, but our lives, that are marked by His holy, precious blood. As Abel offered his sacrifice in faith, so now we look to Jesus in faith and His blood cleanses us from all sin. Celebrating the Passover with His disciples, the Lamb of God gave to them, and to us, His own body and blood to eat and drink. On the next day, Good Friday, He offered up His body and blood as a sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. We confess our sins, confident that the Lamb we love died and rose from death to heal and save us. With repentant humility, we pray, “Have mercy on us, O Jesus!”
WE PRAY: Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on me and forgive my sins. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “Lamb of God, Pure and Holy,” which is number 434 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. Are there things in your life you sacrifice or offer to God?
2. What role did sacrifices play in the Old Testament? Did that change in the New Testament? How so?
3. What is it about Jesus that makes Him the final, ultimate sacrifice before God?
Today’s Bible Readings: Isaiah 20-22 Ephesians 5:1-16
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 Lutherans for Life: https://lutheransforlife.org/
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
