Learning the Faith by Heart
Speaking, Praying, and Singing God’s Word Together
The Week of Sept 8 –Sept 15, 2024
Preparing for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Hymn of the Week: Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (849)
GLCA Learn by Heart Hymn: Now Thank We All Our God (895)
Catechism Memory: Apostles’ Creed
Bible Verse Memory: “these [things] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” – John 20:31
Monday: Catechism Bible Story – Jesus Appears to Thomas (John 20)
Three times in this Bible story Jesus says, “Peace be with you.” How does Jesus’ death and resurrection bring you peace? How can you share this peace with others? Why did Thomas want to see and touch the marks in Jesus’ hands and side? Who did Jesus say would be blessed? Why? According to the last paragraph, why did God cause the Bible to be written? – 120 Bible Stories, pg. 233
Tuesday: Old Testament – Isaiah 50:4–10
Why does God send out His Word according to Isaiah 50:4?
Wednesday – Hymn of the Week – Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (849)
This hymn is deeply descriptive of the life and works of Jesus. It is filled with biblical imagery. Yet Jesus is not explicitly mentioned by name until the third stanza. If stanza 3 were removed from this hymn, would it be as powerful? Would you still know who the hymn was about? How? What images come to mind when you think about Jesus? Are they mostly divine? Mostly human? A mixture? Who do “others” today say Jesus is? In the face of confusing and conflicting images of Jesus, where do we go for answers? – LCMS Worship Hymn of the Day Bible Studies
Thursday: Holy Gospel – Mark 9:14–29
We believe that [we] “cannot by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel.” (SC, II:3) Read 1 Cor. 2:14; Ephesians 2:1; 1 Cor. 12:3. Why can you not come to faith in Jesus by your own reason or strength? Why does the fact that the Holy Spirit is the one who gives us faith in Jesus bring us comfort when we are struggling with doubts? Why does Jesus respond to the man who cried out to Jesus, “I believe, help my unbelief!” bring us comfort when we are struggling with doubts?
Friday: Epistle – James 3:1–12
Why do you suppose those who teach the Word of God “will be judged with greater strictness”? (James 3:1) What does this say about the way God uses the preaching and teaching of His Word in the world (think back to the reason God gives us His Word according to John 20:31)?
The Order of Meditation and Prayer
The sign of the cross + may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism
Invocation
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty…
Bible Verse Memory
“these [things] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” – John 20:31
Catechism Memory: Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life + everlasting. Amen.
Bible Reading for the Day (From Upcoming Readings for Sun, Portals of Prayer, or other Daily meditation)
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Hymn of the Week
Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (849)
Family Prayers
For___________________, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord’s Prayer