Lectio Concordia

The Strength of His Might – Thursday

Preparing for Palm Sunday

Series: Lectio Concordia

April 10, 2025 By Rev. Mark Ryman

• Online jigsaw puzzle of today's reading • Index

• 2025 St. Paul Theological Conference ... Register today!

• Collect: I thank you, Father, that when I was powerless to effect any change in myself, you sent your only Son, so that in the weakness and curse of his cross he might become strength over sin in me, and the blessing of life forever. Amen.

• Psalm 73:21–28

• Habakkuk 3:17–19

• Paul says that God’s power “is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Therefore, because of God’s will, our bodies should be sacrifices and to declare our obedience, but not to pay for eternal death. God has another price for that: the death of his own Son. Gregory interprets the punishment of David in this sense when he says: “If God had threatened that David would be humbled by his son because of that sin, why, when the sin was forgiven, did he fulfill that which he had threatened against him? The answer is that this forgiveness was made so that people might not be hindered from receiving eternal life. The threatening followed, so that the piety of people might be exercised and tested even in this humility. So, because of sin God also inflicted humanity with the death of body. After the forgiveness of sins, he did not remove the afflication for the sake of exercising justice, specifically, in order that the righteousness of those who are sanctified might be trained and tested. [The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, More False Teachings]

• “Eternal Father, Strong To Save,” William Whiting Tune

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm does bind the restless wave,
Who bids the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Savior, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walked upon the foaming deep,
And calm amid the rage did sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Holy Spirit, who did brood
Upon the waters dark and rude,
And bid their angry tumult cease,
And give for wild confusion peace;
O hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and pow’r,
Your children shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire, and foe,
Protect them where-so-e’er they go;
Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

• Benediction: May you not die, but live to enter the gates of the heavenly kingdom through the righteousness of Christ Jesus who has become your strength and salvation. Amen.

• Memory Verse: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41

• Memory Verse Aid: WAP TYMNEIT. TSIIW, BTFIW. (M2641)