Lectio Concordia

The Word of Authority – Friday

preparing for The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Series: Lectio Concordia

January 31, 2025 By Rev. Mark Ryman

• Online jigsaw puzzle of today's reading • Index

• Collect: Your word, Holy Lord, is a lamp to our feet and a light along the way. Open your word to us; disclose your truth so that we may know Christ and the power of his resurrection. Amen.

• Psalm 33:1–9

• John 17:13–1

• Our opponents insist that universal traditions are to be observed because they are supposedly handed down by the apostles. What religious men they are! They wish that rites derived from the apostles be retained but they do not wish the teaching of the apostles to be kept. They should consider these rites in the same manner the apostles judged rites in their writings. For the apostles did not wish us to believe that we are justified through such rites, that such rites are necessary for righteousness before God. The apostles did not wish to impose such a burden upon consciences by making righteousness and sin depend on things like the observance of days and food. Paul calls such opinions “teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). The will and advice of the apostles ought to be derived from their writings. [The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, The Church]

• "How Firm a Foundation, Ye Saints of the Lord" Tune

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in God's excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you God hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake."

• Benediction: May the Word of God be active in you, piercing heart and soul like a two-edged sword, accomplishing the will of the Lord. Amen.

• Memory Verse: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)

• Memory Verse Aid: TGW, TFF, BTWOOG WSF. (I408)