SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!
NEWS: We return to God’s house this morning with a guest preacher and a German potluck! Pastor Joel will lead our Bible study at 9 AM and continues teaching us about the Lord’s Prayer. In our 10 AM worship, we will have a guest preacher, but Pastor Joel will officiate the rest of the service. Our readings for the day are as follows: Genesis 4:1-15; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 and the Gospel lesson, Luke 18:9-17 After we’ve celebrated the Lord’s Supper and our service is complete, please proceed to the Community/Fellowship Hall for a German Potluck celebration! There will be brats served and much other good food, most with a German theme. If you missed the sign-up sheet for bringing food, NO PROBLEM! You can still bring something or JUST COME! ALL are welcome to participate.
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: Potluck (see below)
Flowers: The Neemia family
Techies: Ian Andrews, Josh Cerny
Reader: Margaret Paton
Acolyte: Josephine Neemia
Greeter: Margaret Paton
Ushers: Victor Dille, Keith Neblett
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Gordon and Lois Friske.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: O God, You have commanded us to love You above all things and our neighbors as ourselves. Grantn us the Spirit to think and do what is pleasant in your sight, that our faith in You may never waver and our love for one another may not falter; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with Youn and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
READINGS: Psalm 107; Deuteronomy 24:10-25:10; Matthew 16:12-28
GRADUAL: He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is withing me, bless his holy name.
DIGGING DEEPER: Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18; Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13; Matthew 22:34-46
Alleluia. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Alleluia.
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Chief of Sinners Though I Be”
“Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus shed His blood for me, Died that I might live on high, lives that I might never die. As the branch is to the vine, I am His, and He is mine.
“Oh, the height of Jesus’ love, higher than the heav’ns above, Deeper than the depths of sea, lasting as eternity! Love that found me—wondrous thought! Found me when I sought Him not.”
“Chief of sinners.” It is not the kind of information we would include on a job application. We might discuss our personal background, education, and achievements, while tactfully omitting the summary of our sinful condition. Sinfulness aside, the apostle Paul had an impressive résumé. He was born into God’s covenant people of Israel and educated in Jerusalem by the well-known rabbi Gamaliel. Paul was a Pharisee, zealous for the Law of God. Yet the apostle considers all of his accomplishments as just so much rubbish because he knew something better: “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8a).
Paul considered himself a living object lesson on the love of God in Christ Jesus. The apostle describes himself as the “chief,” or “foremost,” of sinners: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15b). Paul had persecuted Jesus’ followers, imprisoning them and calling for the sentence of death against them. As the chief of sinners, he was a very unlikely candidate for apostleship. Paul thinks that he defines what it means to be sinner. If you want to know what a sinner is like, the apostle says, look at me! Why would Jesus name this foremost of sinners as His chief ambassador? In calling such a sinner to be His apostle, Jesus displays “His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16b).
We share Paul’s sinful credentials and each one of us could readily claim the title “chief of sinners.” We may be very religious and well-educated in the faith, but we still seek to put ourselves ahead of others, following our own selfish desires and turning from the ways and Word of God. Yet by God’s grace, like Paul, we have come to know “the height of Jesus’ love,” a love that is as “lasting as eternity.” We were not even seeking His love when Christ Jesus sought us out and shed His blood on the cross to wash away every last stain on our sinful résumés. Our crucified and risen Lord is “the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent” (Colossians 1:18b). Jesus is foremost in glory and foremost in mercy. Each of us can say, “If you want to see a sinner, look at me, but if you want to know what a Savior is like, look to Jesus!”
WE PRAY: Jesus, in mercy You sought and found me. Help me to share that love with others. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn “Chief of Sinners Though I Be,” which is number 611 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ever felt like the “chief of sinners”? Have you been able to turn this over to God?
2. What does Paul’s overcoming life of faith say for those who struggle with their pasts?
3. As we deepen in our faith, how can we retain a genuine humility before God and others?
Today’s Bible Readings: Jeremiah 15-17 Colossians 2
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.
