SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SUNDAY, APRIL 24
THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!
NEWS: A beautiful Sunday is in store as we return to God’s house for the first Sunday after Easter. God’s house is a great place to be and spend about an hour a week with fellow believers. We are still celebrating our Lord’s glorious resurrection with spoken word and song! Pastor Al, Allen Kolkman, will be leading our worship as Pastor Joel spends time with his wife and kids in Tucson, AZ Pastor Al’s sermon is based on John 20:19-29 and is titled, “Doubt and Faith.” We will have our fellowship time after the Lord’s supper and the conclusion of our service. Coffee and goodies will be served! Then, for those hungry for lunch, please meet up at El Pollo Loco, in the Mission Marketplace, on College Ave. (near Target and Fitness19). Also serving our Lord and congregation this morning:
Fellowship: Margaret Paton
Flowers: The Neemia family
Techies: Ian Andrews, Bruce Woodward
Reader: Chris Roth
Acolyte: Open
Greeter: Margaret Paton
Ushers: Darryl Finley, Keith Neblett
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Ian Andrews.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: Almighty God, grant that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess in our life and conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
READINGS: Psalm 119:9-16; Psalm 91; Exodus 20:1-24; Luke 4:1-15
DIGGING DEEPER: Acts 5:29-42; Psalm 148; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again: death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Alleluia.
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! The strife is o’er, the battle done; Now is the victor’s triumph won; Now be the song of praise begun. Alleluia!
“The pow’rs of death have done their worst, But Christ their legions hath dispersed. Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!”
To all outward appearances, it was not much of a battle. The powers of sin, death, and hell were arrayed against a weak and helpless victim nailed to a cross. It was a battle that had been foretold long before in Eden. Satan, the ancient serpent, sought to destroy the work of God and tempted Eve to sin. Eve, together with Adam, ate the fruit God had forbidden to them. They tried to hide, but God confronted them in their sin and shame and announced the broken relationships brought about by their sin. Yet God also gave our first parents a promise of hope. One day an Offspring of the woman would be born. God would put enmity between the serpent’s offspring and the Offspring of the woman, enmity that would—according to God’s definite plan and foreknowledge—lead to triumph over the tempting serpent.
When the right time came, Jesus, the woman’s Offspring, was born in Bethlehem. During His earthly ministry, many rejoiced in Jesus’ coming and believed in Him. Others rejected Him and denied that He was the Messiah and Savior. They responded to Him with hatred and accused Him of having a demon, Speaking of these hostile unbelievers, Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44a). Through betrayal and lies, the offspring of the serpent arranged for Jesus’ arrest and unjust condemnation. Jesus was beaten, crowned with thorns, and crucified. He died and was sealed in a guarded tomb. The “pow’rs of death” under the serpent’s command had “done their worst” to the promised woman’s Offspring. The Son of God was dead and buried, and it appeared that the serpent had won. But appearances can be deceiving. By His death, according to the promise of God given so long before, Jesus destroyed “the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14b).
The serpent and the woman’s Offspring both fell in bruising battle. Only One arose in triumph. On the third day after Jesus’ death, the stone was rolled back to reveal His empty tomb. Jesus Christ had risen from the dead! In His victory over death, He dispersed the legions of hell. “The strife is o’er, the battle won!” The Gospel promise made in Eden was fulfilled. The enmity set in place between the serpent’s offspring and the woman’s Offspring resulted in the defeat of that ancient, tempting serpent. Through faith in Christ Jesus, our sins are forgiven and our relationships—with God, with one another, and with creation—are restored according to God’s design. For all of these blessings and so much more, “Let shouts of holy joy outburst. Alleluia!”
WE PRAY: Lord, strengthen me in times of temptation with the good news of Your victory over sin, death, and Satan. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn “The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done,” which is number 464 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. How has Jesus’ pain and strife on the cross resulted in our victory over sin and death?
2. In what way did God fulfill His Genesis 3:15 promise through Jesus?
3. God is all about the business of relationships. How have you seen Him at work in yours?
Today’s Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 4-6 Luke 18:1-23
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:
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.
