Adhering to God’s Command
Today’s Bible Verse:
Mark 7:8 ESV
(Jesus said) “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”
This verse from Mark's Gospel, which we will hear this weekend in church, cuts to the heart of the human condition. We often find ourselves caught in a tug-of-war between God's commands and the allure of human traditions. It's a struggle that echoes through the ages and one that we continue to face today.
Jesus challenged the religious leaders of his day to prioritize the core principles of God’s Law over their interpretations and traditions. This is a timeless warning that we must heed, for it's easy to become entangled in the complexities of religious practices and lose sight of Jesus' simple yet profound teachings.
As Lutherans, we believe in the priesthood of all believers. This means that each of us has a direct relationship with God and is responsible for discerning His will through the study of Scripture and prayer. We must be vigilant in guarding against the subtle ways human traditions can creep into our faith and obscure the clear message of the Gospel.
Let us seek to follow Jesus with wholehearted devotion, allowing His teachings to shape our thoughts, words, and actions. In doing so, we will find true freedom and fulfillment and bear witness to the transformative power of God's grace.
PRAYERS
Keep in Your Prayers:
All people dealing with cancer
Those who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
A Prayer for Today:
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of Your Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Help me discern Your will and live a life that is pleasing to You. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Luther’s Morning 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; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
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.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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