Good Evening, Lord!
Words of Comfort
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (Isa. 26:3 ESV)
Prayer of Confession
Most merciful God, we confess
that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in
thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as
ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake
of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us,
so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your
holy name. Amen.[1]
Catechism Reflections
If you were going to teach
someone everything they need to know about the Christian faith, where would you
begin? The answer to that question might change depending on what the person
you are teaching already knows. I suspect you might start in one place for a
person who knew nothing about Christianity, another place for a person who grew
up in a different religion, and yet another place for a person who grew up in
the faith.
The Small Catechism is written
with an assumption that the reader is a Christian … or at least familiar with
Christianity. This is a tool to remind you of the basics of the faith. It
equips you with the foundational teachings of Holy Scripture. Some people
disdain dealing with elementary principles. But listen to what Martin Luther
said about this:
Many
regard the catechism as a simple, trifling teaching, which they can absorb and
master at one reading and then toss the book into a corner as if they are ashamed
to read it again.[2] … But this I say
for myself: I am also a doctor and a preacher, just as learned and experienced
as all of them who are so high and mighty. Nevertheless, each morning, and
whenever else I have time, I do as a child who is being taught the catechism
and I read and recite word for word the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments,
the Creed, the Psalms, etc. I must still read and study the catechism daily,
and yet I cannot master it as I wish, but must remain a child and pupil of the
catechism – and I also do so gladly.[3]
So, where would you begin? What would
you want people to know and believe? Obviously, you want people to know Jesus,
your crucified and risen savior. How do you present him? Perhaps, the answer to
that question begins with spending time listening to Jesus, learning from his
Word, and resting in his grace and forgiveness. Perhaps a habit of listening to
Jesus in the Scriptures, and in tools like the catechism can prepare you to
share this Christian faith when and where God gives you the opportunity.
Questions for Meditation
What does this reading teach
you?
What does this reading lead you
to be thankful for?
What behavior, thought, or
attitude does this reading challenge? What sin does it lead you to confess?
How might you pray for God to
have a richer impact on your life through this reading?
Petitions of the Lord’s Prayer
The Fourth Petition: “Give us
this day our daily bread.”
Heavenly Father, You give daily
bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in
this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily
bread with thanksgiving. Make us mindful of all that You give us that has to do
with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes,
house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout
children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good
weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful
neighbors, and help us to always give thanks to You; in Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.
Verse of Benediction
The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you
all. (2 Cor. 13:14 ESV)
[1] Lutheran Service Book, p.
213-4
[2] Large Catechism, Preface,
5
[3] Large Catechism, Preface,
7 & 8
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