Learning the Faith by Heart

Speaking, Praying, and Singing God’s Word Together

The Week of Oct 19 – Oct 26, 2025

Preparing for Reformation Sunday (Observed)

Hymn of the Week: Salvation unto Us Has Come (555)  

GLCA Learn by Heart Hymn: These Are the Holy Ten Commands (581:10)

GLCA Catechism Memory: The Ninth Commandment

Bible Verse Memory: “And [Jesus] said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15

Monday: Catechism Bible Story – Joseph’s Dreams (Genesis 37)

         The Ninth Commandments teaches us to not covet our neighbor’s house, but it includes much more than that.  To “covet” means to have a sinful desire for anything that God has not given you. What else can it include? Why does Colossians 3:5 call covetousness, “idolatry”?

Tuesday: First Reading – Revelation 14:6–7

The Reformation is a return to the Good News of the forgiveness of sins that Jesus purchased and won for us on the cross and gives to us for free! This Gospel was not a new idea that Martin Luther came up with. Read Rev 14:7. Instead, how long has it been around?

Wednesday: Epistle – Romans 3:19–28

The word justified is a courtroom term. Paul describes the Gospel in legal or forensic terms. It is Good News that God “justifies” sinners (that is, He declares them “not guilty”) freely by His grace (vs. 24), through the “redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith.” How does the legal nature of our justification before God bring comfort and consolation to troubled consciouses. Hint: faith believes God’s external Word.

Thursday: Festival of St. James of Jerusalem, Brother of Jesus and Martyr – Matt. 13:54-58

The brother of our Lord, St. James of Jerusalem, also called “the Just,” is commemorated on October 23rd.  An apostle, author, martyr, and the first bishop of Jerusalem, St. James is an important character in the New Testament. Go to hymn 518 and read stanza 27. According to this stanza, what are some of the things that make this James (there are few different ones in the NT), worth remembering?

Friday: Holy Gospel – John 8:31-36

The Jews in this text did not think they needed the freedom Jesus offered because they were under the delusion that they were not enslaved to anyone. How does Jesus’ response to them function like a mirror? Consider the Ten Commandments. Is there something enslaving you that you can’t see?

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.

Verse of the Week 

“And [Jesus] said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15

Catechism Memory 

What is the Ninth Commandment?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor’s inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it.

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. 

Apostles’ Creed 

            I believe in the God the Father Almighty…

Hymn of the Week  

Salvation unto Us Has Come (555)  

Family Prayers 

For___________________, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.  

Lord’s Prayer