SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2022
REFORMATION SUNDAY
(The Lutheran Hour devotions should return on Monday)
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!
NEWS: Today we are celebrating Reformation Sunday in Gods house. Our liturgical color for the day is red. At 9 AM we meet for Bible study. Pastor Joel continues to teach us about the Lord’s prayer, including parts from Martin Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms. Our worship takes place at 10 AM. The readings for this day are: Revelation 14:6-7; Romans 3:19-28 and the Gospel reading, John 8:31-36 After we’ve celebrated the Lord’s Supper and our service is complete, please join us outside for fellowship time, with coffee and goodies. Then, fellowship time continues at Carl’s Jr., on Douglas, between the Arco gas station and CVS.
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: Suzette Prokopin
Flowers: Deanna Dille
Techies: Bruce Woodward
Reader: Darryl Finley
Acolyte: Josephine Neemia
Greeter: Margaret Paton
Ushers: Rick Adams, Bill Sperberg
GRADUAL: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Blessed are those whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Doug Lara.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: Merciful and gracious Lord, You cause Your word to be proclaimed in every generation. Stir up our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that we may receive this proclamation with humility and finally be exalted at the coming of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
ADDITIONAL READING: Psalm 46 (See our other readings for the day above in News)
Alleluia. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Alleluia.
DEVOTION: (Taken from Portals of Prayer)
Readings: Matthew 20:1-16 and Psalm 73:1-17
Not Fair
If you worked all day and your co-worker worked only half the day, would you expect to get the same paycheck? What if you did? You would probably be frustrated that your co-worker got paid for a full day without doing the work.
Some of us have been Christians all of our lives. We have been serving Jesus for many years. Other people become believers on their deathbeds. They were living for sinful pleasures all their lives while we served God.
It may not seem fair that God would deal in the same way with someone who lived a sin-filled life and came to faith a few seconds before death as He does with others who were believers and, in faith, strove to serve God faithfully. Why do they both get the same treatment?
God can do what He wants with His mercy. He chose to save all who through faith believe that Jesus is their Savior. It doesn’t matter when a person comes to faith. Every believer will go to heaven.
If we want to talk about fairness, then all of us deserve hell. No one deserves heaven. Jesus is the One who earned it, and He gives it to us out of His great mercy. Thanks be to God for sending Jesus to earn a place for all believers in heaven, no matter how long we have had faith.
Thank You, Jesus, for earning heaven for all believers. Amen.
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
