​
DEVOTION THEME OF THE WEEK : 
HE SUFFERED ALL THE PENALTIES OF HUMAN SINS
God Manifested in the Power of Jesus
to Create Forgiveness and faith seem useless to the world.
They’re not tangible and the only occasions they appear to be worth much
is for personal advancement or political maneuvering.
To those who are under the law and terrified by their sins,
those who lack forgiveness, and see God’s demand for justice,
however, forgiveness and faith through Christ Jesus makes all the difference.
For us who possess Jesus’ resurrection as our own,
forgiveness and faith are inestimable gifts from the risen Lord and His Spirit,
worthy of highest praise and thanksgiving.
Our heartfelt prayer is to never be robbed of Christ, His Word or Sacraments,
but always be kept in the one true faith to life everlasting.


​​​BLESS YOURSELF WITH THE HOLY CROSS AND SAY : 
In the name of the Father
and of the Son
​and of the Holy Spirit.

​
SAY THE 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.


PRAY 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 u s 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.


PRAY THE MORNING OR EVENING PRAYER :​
Morning :
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.
Evening :
​I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day;
and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night.
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. 


PRAY THE PSALM OF THE WEEK :
1 PETER 2 : 2
PSALM 81 : 1 , 7 , 10 , 16
As newborn babes, Alle- | luia,*                                                               
desire the pure milk of the Word. Alleluia. Alle- | luia.    
Sing aloud to | God our strength;*                                                          
make a joyful shout to the God of | Jacob.                        
You called in trouble, and I de- | livered you;*                                       
I answered you in the secret place of | thunder.              
I am the | Lord your God,*                                                                         
who brought you out of the land of | Egypt;                    
open your mouth wide, and I will | fill it.*                                               
With honey from the rock I would have sa- | tisfied you.


SAY TOGETHER THE VERSE OF THE WEEK :
1 PETER 1 : 18 - 19
“…you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers,
not with perishable things such as silver and gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ,
like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”


SUNDAY APRIL 16, 2023
SCRIPTURE: EVEN SO I AM SENDING YOU
JOHN 20 : 19 - 31
“That we may obtain this faith…”
begins Article V of the Augsburg Confession.
What faith?
Article IV: “People are freely justified for Christ’s sake,
through faith, when they believe their sins are forgiven…
By His death, Christ made satisfaction for our sins.
God counts this faith for righteousness in His sight.”
Jesus has conquered sin and death,
and through His disciples justification by faith
will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.
Jesus gives His Spirit to His terrified disciples
to open their minds and equip them to preach, teach, and administer the Sacraments,
bringing forgiveness and faith to all who hear and believe.
It would be awful if Jesus rose from the dead
and the gospel just stayed put at the empty tomb!
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving Your Spirit and sending Your ministers.
Amen.


MONDAY APRIL 17, 2023
SCRIPTURE: I WILL GIVE THANKS WITH MY WHOLE HEART
PSALM 111
The Lord is worthy of highest praise.
Who else can create?
Who else can give life?
Who else is perfectly patient and loving?
The Psalmist calls all Christians to give thanks together,
to be with those who delight in hearing and studying the
Lord in worship, prayer, and the Holy Communion.
Knit together, Christians call upon and receive from the Lord
those things He has caused us to remember (vv. 3, 5, 7, 9):
His Son’s life-giving death in Word and Sacrament.
“As often as ye drink this cup,
ye proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
The saving acts of the Lord
bring us forgiveness and faith for Christ’s sake.
Therefore we thank, praise, serve, and obey Him.
O Saving God, You have refreshed Your whole church on heaven
and on earth with Your salutary gifts and we are glad.
Amen.


​TUESDAY APRIL 18, 2023
SCRIPTURE: THESE THREE AGREE
1 JOHN 5 : 4 - 10
“In this world you will have trouble,
but take heart I have overcome the world.”
Jesus’ promise of victory over sin and death (Jn. 16:33)
is imparted to believers in verse five.
The Lord Jesus gives to you living testimony
of His victory in water and blood by the Spirit.
The Spirit creates faith in you,
a supply line to the inexhaustible love of God.
In Holy Baptism’s waters you are sealed to His saving Name
by the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
In the Holy Communion, His atoning blood
is given for you to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins.
These Means of Grace are given for growth, maturity, and daily assurance,
and signal that you possess the true gift of Christ:
victory over sin.
O God, Keep me always in life eternal, life in Your Son.
Amen.


​WEDNESDAY APRIL 19, 2023
SCRIPTURE: IN MY FLESH I SHALL SEE GOD
JOHN 19 : 25 - 27
Job’s jubilant confession is especially comforting
when heard or sung (LSB 461, TLH 200)
near death and especially at funerals and committals.
Yet, it saturates through the whole Christian life.
When our bodies groan under the consequences of sin
(chronic, severe illnesses, eyes dimming, joints wearing out)
and cry out in faith to God for comfort,
we are exceedingly glad and confident the Lord has graciously promised
us a bodily resurrection of imperishable flesh.
The Lord Jesus’ own resurrection secures ours;
Jesus will come in glory,
as a real living man in true flesh and blood,
no ethereal spirit.
Our praise and thanksgiving confess the assurance
of beholding the Lord Jesus in His full glory
and our future glory, without fear of death, and life forever.
Almighty God, I know that my Redeemer
lives to bring me safely to You.
Amen.


​THURSDAY APRIL 20, 2023
SCRIPTURE: FEED WITH FORGIVENESS
JOHN 21 : 15 - 19
“Lord, how often shall my brother
sin against me and I forgive him?
Up to seven times?”
Even after Peter denied the Lord three times,
the glorified Lord Jesus delights to forgive him seventy-seven times.
As He forgives, Jesus sends Peter out to pastor.
In feeding weak lambs and tracking down wandering sheep,
Peter will preach, teach, rebuke, reprove, and exhort to Christ’s flock
the very same forgiveness shown to him.
He has been shown the goodness and mercy of the Lord in Christ,
and in this, by God’s grace he will remain all his days.
By this forgiveness, he will live and die,
even by crucifixion, and remain in the house of the Lord forever.
You too, have heard, and believed this.
Shepherd of the Sheep, Preserve Your under shepherds
and Your sheep in true fidelity to You.
Amen.


​FRIDAY APRIL 21, 2023
SCRIPTURE: FAILURE AND A FUTURE
1 PETER 1: 17 - 2 : 3
We don’t like it when things fail:
the phone, the car, friends, spouses,
banks, customer service reps.
They’re supposed to have integrity.
It’s aggravating for those who
“do it right, do it once.”
Every time something does go wrong,
it’s a gentle reminder of the consequences of sin in creation.
The world is passing away.
It is dying and can’t be trusted.
In His great love, God has answered with the immortal and imperishable:
the eternal Son’s death and resurrection for you.
And this death and resurrection given as the eternal Word
is more precious than silver and gold, for it has eternal worth.
Jesus priceless treasure, Thou art mine O Lamb divine!
Amen.


​SATURDAY APRIL 22, 2023
SCRIPTURE: WHERE THERE IS FORGIVENESS,
LIFE, AND SALVATION, YOU ARE NOT ALONE
PSALM 4
The devil loves to convince us
that our particular anxieties and worries are fatal.
We’re tempted to buy his lie
because of our individualized culture.
Satan seeks to isolate us from God.
Isolated by militant enemies,
David prays “Answer me…O God!”
He can pray so because God has made him righteous
by grace though faith in the coming Christ.
Believing in God’s promise of grace
opens the door to the assurance of the steadfast love of God.
David and all Christians confess God hears our prayers
when we are surrounded by enemies who seem to endlessly prosper.
The Lord fills us with joy even in sorrow.
He prospers us by joining us to His Son’s Holy Body,
​with all the saints, made alive forever.
Lord, hear me for Jesus’ sake.
Amen.


PRAY THE PRAYER OF THE WEEK :
Almighty and merciful God,
as You have brought us to celebrate the festival of the Lord's resurrection,
cause us by Your grace to bring forth the fruits thereof in our life and conduct;
through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.


PRAYER FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS

​​
SING OR SAY THE HYMN OF THE WEEK :
I AM CONTENT! MY JESUS LIVETH STILL