SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS AND PRAYERS
SUNDAY, MAY 28, 2023
I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord! Psalm 122:1
NEWS: Today is the day of Pentecost and we’ll start our day in the Lord’s house at 9 AM with Bible study. Pastor Joel will continue to lead us in studying the book of Genesis. In our 10 AM worship service Pastor Joel has entitled his sermon, “It’s More About the Message Than the Power.” It’s based on our second lesson of the day, Acts 2:1-21 Our first reading, from the Old Testament, is Numbers 11:24-30 The Gospel comes from John 7:37-39 After we have taken the Eucharist and our service closes, please join us for fellowship time with coffee and goodies. Then, the fellowship continues at El Pollo Loco, in the Mission Marketplace, on College Ave., near Target.
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:
Techies: Ian Andrews OPEN
Reader: Allen Kolkman
Acolyte: Josephine Neemia
Greeter: Rick Adams
Ushers: Terry Reilly, Bill Sperberg
Flowers: The Neemia family
Fellowship: Rick and Gail Adams
PRAYERS: Today we remember Noah Adams in prayer. We ask the Lord to be with him and all those he is serving with in the military.
Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Alleluia.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: O God, on this day You once taught the hearts of Your faithful people by sending them the light of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
READINGS: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 139:1-16; Acts 2:1-21; John 15:26-27 and John 16:4-15
GRADUAL: I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sonsyou’re your daughters shall prophesy. With the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
“Finish then Thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be; Let us see Thy great salvation perfectly restored in Thee, Changed from glory into glory, till in heav’n we take our place, Till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise!”
Changes come in life. Some are not very welcome, such as failing health or the loss of loved ones. We enjoy other changes and we are happy, at every age, to celebrate another year of growth with a birthday. Through faith in Christ, there is a tremendous change that has already taken place. Our lives were turned upside down or, rather, right side up! Baptized into Christ, we have been made new: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We were buried with Jesus in Baptism and raised up to new life. We grow and learn in our new life in Christ, but the changes of this new life are different than those we experience in our earthly lives. Ordinary life on earth begins with conception and birth and continues on into death. Life in Jesus begins with our baptismal death and leads to new life now and finally to eternal life. As a new creation, the change is complete right now—we are righteous now in the sight of God—yet it is a change in which we continue to learn and grow throughout our earthly lives. Instead of being conformed to the world and its values, we are continually transformed as we seek, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to do the will of God. We live in love and service to others as we learn to reflect our Savior’s kindness and compassion. Even through the trials and sorrow we experience, God is continually shaping us as we are “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29b).
In our hymn we pray, “Finish then Thy new creation.” Inwardly righteous now in the sight of God, we grow in grace as our outward righteousness becomes ever more apparent in our earthly lives through our works of love and words of witness. As we are conformed to the life of our Savior, we are “changed from glory into glory” until this work of God in us is finished when Jesus returns on the Last Day. The apostle Paul writes, “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). On that day, our bodies will be raised from death and transformed into glory to live in the new heavens and the new earth that God will create. His new creation will be finished—and just beginning.
WE PRAY: Come, Lord Jesus, and finish Your new creation! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” which is number 700 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do you like change in your life? What has been one of the best to come along lately?
2. How does our old, sinful life die when we’re made new in Christ?
3. What can we do to continually become more like Jesus in our words and actions?
Today’s Bible Readings: Psalms 24-26 John 10:22-42
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/
Here is the website for Lutherans for Life: https://lutheransforlife.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
