SVLC DEVOTION TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2023

by | May 15, 2023 | Daily Devotions

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS

TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2023

 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

 NEWS: It’s Tuesday and time for Bible study at the home of Debbie and Allen Kolkman. The study theme is, “Life in Year One: the Holy Lands.” It starts at 6:30 PM with a short devotion, followed by the study material. Then fellowship time happens with everything concluding around 8 or a little after. All are invited to attend! The Kolkman’s address is 710 Fredricks Ave., Oceanside.

Please mark your calendars as our twice-yearly congregation meeting takes place next Sunday after our worship service. Your Board of Directors and Pastor Joel will each be giving their respective reports. We will also be voting to elect for our congregation the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Financial Secretary and Recording Secretary. At this time the only candidates are those currently serving. We are open for anyone else who would like to step up to run for one of those. Please let Bruce Woodward know by emailing him: bruce_woodward@hotmail.com  

 PRAYERS: Today we lift up Margaret Paton in prayer. Margaret requests prayers for friends of hers (unspecified). She gives thanks to God for the blessings in her life and asks prayers for safe travels as she drives to Arizona for a visit with her daughter.

 READINGS: Habakkuk 3:1-8; Psalm 119:49-56; Luke 22:54-65

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“Why the Resurrection Matters”

May 16, 2023

 

Acts 1:21-22, 24a, 26b – [Peter said,] “One of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to His resurrection.” … And they prayed … And the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Peter is in a hurry to replace Judas. We can argue about whether he was in too much of a hurry—there are different views on this, and whether the first Christians should have waited till after Pentecost—but it’s worth looking at the reason for the hurry. What did they want this replacement apostle to do?

Peter says, “One of these men must become with us a witness to Jesus’ resurrection.” That’s what mattered to those first believers. Jesus’ resurrection was more important than anything else, and they wanted the Twelve at full strength to bear witness to it.

Why? What’s so important about the fact that Jesus rose from the dead? So many things.

To start with, we have a very simple human comfort in Jesus’ resurrection. It means that, of all the people we love who have died, we have at least One who has risen and will never die again. That particular grief at least is ended. And so we are comforted, because His resurrection is a foretaste of the resurrection of all God’s people, including those we grieve for right now.

But there’s much more. The resurrection is God’s stamp of approval on everything that Jesus said or did. God would never raise a liar from the dead, or even someone who was sincere but wrong. But He did raise Jesus! By doing that, God made it clear that He approves of what Jesus taught—including the bits where He calls Himself the Son of God.

The resurrection also makes it clear that Jesus’ work is finished. He has taken away our sins, and we have peace with God the Father. He has broken the power of the devil, and we are set free from slavery. And Jesus has broken the power of death—not just for Himself, but for all of us who trust in Him. Now we have these gifts—forgiveness, freedom, and everlasting life. No one can take them from us.

The fact that Jesus rose from the dead means that He can keep His promise to be with us forever, and to return visibly at the end of the world. That gives us hope as we live in a dark and broken world. It also gives us help right now, because we can call on Jesus for help whenever we need it. We know He will hear us and help us, because He is not gone. He is alive and keeping His promises.

Peter and the rest wanted a twelfth witness to Jesus’ resurrection, one who had been an eyewitness from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. We are not eyewitnesses, but we are witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection anyway—because we have the Holy Spirit living in us, and Jesus is alive and working in our lives. And someday we, too, will rise from the dead—because Jesus has risen, and He has promised to raise us, too.

WE PRAY: Dear Father, thank You for raising Your Son from the dead. This is our comfort and joy. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. Why do you think the early Christians wanted as many strong witnesses as possible to the resurrection? Who would they be testifying to?

2. How would things be different if Jesus had not risen?

3. Why does the resurrection matter to you?

 

Today’s Bible in a Year Reading: 2 Samuel 16-18; John 5:1-24

 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 your 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.”

You can now 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 Tuesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us

 Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org