Learning the Faith by Heart
Speaking, Praying, and Singing God’s Word Together
The Week of Feb 16 – Feb 23
Preparing for the Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
Hymn of the Week: My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker (820)
Psalmody for Matins: Psalm 103:1-13 (Thurs)
GLCA Learn by Heart Hymn: What Is This Bread (629)
Catechism/Bible Verse Memory: Sacrament of the Altar: Who receives this Sacrament worthily?
Monday: Catechism Bible Story – “Am I good enough?” Almost everyone wonders that at some time. Many people come to the Lord’s Supper with the same question. Am I good enough to deserve Jesus’ body and blood? The simple answer is no! The better question is “How do we make sure we’re receiving Jesus’ body and blood properly?” First, relax. When the time is right, your pastor and parents will guide you in how to receive the Lord’s Super. Second, we receive it properly by having faith in Jesus Christ and believing His words that His body and blood given in the Lord’s Supper are given for the forgiveness of all our sins. – LCMS Chapel Talks, 2013-14
Tuesday: Commemoration of Martin Luther, Doctor and Confessor Martin Luther died in Eisleben, Germany on this day in 1483. Pray: “O God, our refuge and our strength, You raised up Your servant Martin Luther to reform and renew Your church in the light of Your living Word, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Defend and purify the Church in our own day, and grant that we may boldly proclaim Christ’s faithfulness unto death and His vindicating resurrection, which You made known to Your servant Martin through Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Wednesday: Old Testament – Genesis 45:3–15 Joseph could have made his brothers pay for selling him into slavery. Instead, how did he show mercy to them? Why does God show you mercy? Describe a time that God made something good happen to you, even though things started out badly. What is the best “good thing” that God has done for you? (120 Bible Stories, pp 42-43).
Thursday: Holy Gospel – Luke 6:27–38 Imagine a valentine commercial that encouraged everyone to send a valentine or gift to someone they did not like or perhaps even hated. Jesus says, “Love your enemies” (VV. 27, 35). Jesus teaches us to pray for those who hurt us and to do good things for those who may not do good things for us. How is this even possible? By our own power or strength, it’s not! But read 1 John 4:10, Romans 5:8-10 and Luke 6:36. Where do we look when it’s hard to love our enemies?
Friday: Epistle – 1 Corinthians 15:21–26, 30–42 Your inheritance as a child of Adam is sin and death, but in Christ you are made alive through His resurrection from the dead (1 Cor. 15:21–22). As you have died with Him in Holy Baptism, so are you raised with Him to newness of life. Therefore, “do not go on sinning” (1 Cor. 15:34). Instead of serving your desires and harming your neighbors, how do children of God live (see Luke 6:27-38)? And when we fail? See 1 John 1:9.
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…
Catechism Memory/Bible Verse Memory: Sacrament of the Altar (LSB pg. 327)
Who receives this Sacrament worthily?
Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training. But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”
But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words “for you” require all hearts to believe.
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
My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker (820)
Family Prayers
For___________________, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.
Collect of the Day for Epiphany 7 – O God, the strength of all who put their trust in You, merci- fully grant that by Your power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.