Christ in Our Home - Jan 10-17, 2016

God’s Word is the only thing that convicts, comforts, and saves. Therefore, we want to immerse ourselves in as much Word as we can on a daily basis. One of the ways to do that is to do family devotions. However, many of our families struggle with getting started.

I have created a brief devotional liturgy that you can you personally or with your family. It is called “Christ in Our Home.” The liturgy itself takes about 7 minutes to do. One of the blessings of this liturgy is that your children will grow up memorizing the Invocation, Luther’s Morning and Evening Prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Apostles’ Creed. But during the week, they also get to hear lessons and prayers that they will hear on Sunday morning – The Prayer of the Day, the Psalm of the Day, the Verse of the Day, and the Hymn of the Day.

For the devotion portion, you may wish to use the suggested Scripture lessons. You can also use the Worship Helps Bible study. Or here are links to other devotional materials that I use in my own daily devotions: WELS devotions; Time of Grace devotions; and Lutheran Hour devotions. You may also wish to use Meditations or Forward in Christ.

May the Lord bless you as you bring Christ into your home.  

Christ In Our Home Devotions

2nd Sunday after Epiphany

Jesus is an invited guest.

1. Make the sign of the cross over yourself and say:

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

2. Pray Luther’s Morning or Evening Prayer:

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger. Keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please you. Into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.

I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day. Forgive me all my sins, and graciously keep me this night. Into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.

3. Pray the Lord’s Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

4. Pray the Prayer of the Week

Almighty God, you gave your one and only Son to be the light of the world. Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and believed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and forever. Amen.

5. Say the Apostles’ Creed:

     I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.

     I believe 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 is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there 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.

6. Pray the Psalm of the Week: Psalm 133-134

Refrain: Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

How good and pleasant it is*

when brothers live together in unity!

For there the LORD bestows his blessing,*

even life forevermore.

Refrain

Praise the LORD, all you servants of the LORD*

who minister in the house of the LORD.

Lift up your hands in the sanctuary*

and praise the LORD.

May the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth,*

bless you from Zion.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son*

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,*

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Refrain

7. Say the Verse of the Week:

Alleluia.  He said to me, “You are my servant in whom I will display my splendor.”  Alleluia.  (Isaiah 49:3)

8. Read a Devotion or the Following Suggested Scriptures

M: Mark 2:18-22; Isaiah 61:10,11

T: Mark 3:1-6; Exodus 20:1-17

W: Matthew 19:3-9; Deuteronomy 4:5-13

T: Matthew 5:17-26; Deuteronomy 32:45-47; 33:1-4

F: John 1:15-18; Hebrews 12:18-24

S: Acts 7:35-40, 51-53; Micah 6:6-9

S: Worship in the House of the Lord

9. Prayer of JOY: Jesus; Others; and Yourself

10. Sing or Say the Hymn of the Week: 

CW 82— “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”

1  Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to you we raise,

Manifested by the star To the Magi from afar,

Branch of royal David’s stem, In your birth at Bethlehem.

Anthems be to you addressed, God in man made manifest.

2  Manifest at Jordan’s stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme,

And at Cana, Wedding Guest, In your Godhead manifest;

Manifest in pow’r divine, Changing water into wine.

Anthems be to you addressed, God in man made manifest.