Lectio Concordia

The Word of Authority – Saturday

preparing for The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Series: Lectio Concordia

February 1, 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

• Proverbs 30:5–6

• Although we expected the adversaries to defend human traditions on other grounds, we did not imagine they would condemn the doctrine that we do not merit the forgiveness of sins or grace by the observance of human traditions. Since this teaching has been condemned, we have an easy and plain case. The adversaries openly Judaize and blatantly suppress the gospel with the doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1). Scripture calls traditions doctrines of demons when these say that performing religious rites earn the forgiveness of sins and grace, for they are then obscuring the gospel, the benefit of Christ, and the righteousness of faith. The gospel teaches that we receive the forgiveness of sins and are reconciled to God freely by faith because of Christ. The adversaries, on the other hand, appoint another mediator, namely, their traditions. They wish to acquire forgivenss of sins and to appease God’s wrath through their human traditions. But Christ clearly says, “In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). [The Defense of the Augsburg Confession, Human Traditions in 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)