Lectio Concordia

The Word of Authority – Monday

preparing for The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Series: Lectio Concordia

January 27, 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

• Isaiah 40:6–8

• Those who think that the Church authorized the observance of the Lord’s Day instead of the sabbath are very much mistaken. It was Scripture that ended the sabbath, for it teaches that, since the gospel has been revealed all the ceremonies of Moses may be omitted. Yet, the Church appointed the Lord’s Day since the people needed to know when they should assemble. Sunday seems to have been chosen all the more for this additional reason: that people might have an example of Christian liberty, and know that the neither keeping the Sabbath nor any other day is a requirement. [The Augsburg Confession, The Power of Bishops]

• "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)