SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2022
ALL SAINTS SUNDAY
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!
NEWS: Today we commemorate All Saints Day in our worship. This is where we remember those friends, family and loved ones who went to be with the Lord this past year. The morning starts with Sunday Bible study at 9 AM. Pastor Joel continues to lead us in learning about the Lord’s prayer. In our 10 AM worship, the title of Pastor Joels sermon is, “Sealed and Washed.” It’s based on our first reading of the day, Revelation 7:1-17 Our other readings are 1 John 3:1-3 and the Gospel lesson, Matthew 5:1-12 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 continues as we meet up at the Oceanside Bakery, near police headquarters and the Pit Stop, on Mission Ave. It’s a great place to grab some late breakfast or lunch, not to mention a great place to socialize!
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: Bruce & Carole Woodward
Techies: OPEN, OPEN
Reader: Allen Latall
Acolyte: Josephine Neemia
Greeter: Rick Adams
Ushers: Victor Dille, Bill Sperberg
Hey techies: both spots are open as of this writing.
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Margaret Paton.
COLLECT OF THE DAY: Lord God, heavenly Father, send forth Your Son to lead home His bride, the Church, that with all the company of the redeemed we may finally enter into His eternal wedding feast; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
READINGS: Psalm 118; Jeremiah 8:18-9:12; Matthew 23:13-39
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.
DIGGING DEEPER: Amos 5:18-24; Psalm 70; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13
Alleluia. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Alleluia.
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“For All the Saints”
“But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day: The saints triumphant rise in bright array; The King of Glory passes on His way. Alleluia! Alleluia!
“From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Alleluia! Alleluia!”
“Look!” our hymn calls out, “there breaks a yet more glorious day.” A more glorious day? What glorious day came before this even more glorious day still to come? Earlier verses of the same hymn celebrate the saints on earth who are still engaged in warfare against sin and Satan. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they fought long and hard, but the day came when their Lord and Captain called them home to Himself. They enjoyed “the golden evening” of rest in the “sweet calm of paradise the blest.” That blessed rest, won by Jesus through His death and resurrection, marked a glorious day for each and every saint who was called home.
That peaceful rest would seem to be reward enough, but something “more glorious” is going to happen. On a more glorious day, the King of Glory will pass by and the saints whose bodies have been laid to rest will “rise in bright array.” The hymn echoes the words of the apostle Paul as he describes Jesus’ return on the Last Day: “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven … and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). As Jesus, the King of Glory, passes on His way, the triumphant saints will rise from death as their Savior had risen. The saints still living on that great day will, with the rising saints, be clothed in the bright array of immortality. On that more glorious day the “countless host,” the “great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Revelation 7:9b), will stream through heaven’s gates of pearl and offer eternal praise to the God who saved them.
After describing that more glorious day, Paul reminds us, “Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:18). As we face warfare in this earthly life, fighting against temptation, illness, strife, personal loss, and even death itself, we do not look back in time to some imagined golden era or to “better days” we might once have known. We set our sights firmly on that more glorious day that lies ahead for us. The King of Glory is coming, and when He descends from heaven on the day of His return, we will be raised in glory and dressed in bright array to share in His eternal victory. When the battle is long and difficult, those are the words we must use to encourage one another. We turn our hearts and minds to the hope and promise of that “yet more glorious day.” Come, Lord Jesus!
WE PRAY: Lord Jesus, I long for the day of Your return. Help me to encourage others in this blessed hope. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn “For All the Saints,” which is number 677 in the Lutheran Service Book.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do you prefer sunrises or sunsets? Why? Do you remember one in particular?
2. What does Jesus returning and the dead rising from their graves look like to you?
3. How does knowing that Jesus is coming back strengthen you in your life today?
Today’s Bible Readings: Jeremiah 41-42 Hebrews 11:1-19
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.
