Lectio Concordia

The New Life – Thursday

The Baptism of Our Lord

Series: Lectio Concordia

January 9, 2025 By Rev. Mark Ryman

• Online jigsaw puzzle of today's reading • Index

• Collect: Father God, source of all righteousness, grant us through Holy Baptism to die to self and live with you forever through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who himself lives in eternity with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever. Amen.

• Psalm 29:1–11

• Colossians 2:11–15

• How can water do such great things? Answer: It is not the water, if truth be told, that does them, but the word of God which is in and with the water, and faith, which trusts this word of God in the water. For without the word of God the water is simply water and not baptism. But with the word of God it is a baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5–7). This is a faithful saying.
(The Small Catechism, The Sacrament of Holy Baptism)

• “Shall We Gather at the River”

Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod;
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?

Refrain: Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

On the margin of the river,
Washing up its silver spray,
We will walk and worship ever,
All the happy golden day. Refrain

Ere we reach the shining river,
Lay we ev’ry burden down;
Grace our spirits will deliver,
And provide a robe and crown. Refrain

Soon we’ll reach the shining river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace. Refrain

• Benediction: Because Christ died the death we deserve, and gave us new life in himself, may we continue to live in him, walking with him in the new life of grace and peace with God. Amen.

• We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

• Memory Verse Aid: WWBT WH BBID, IOT, JACWRFTD BTGOTF, WTMWINOL. (R 6:4)