Walking Together in the Word

These devotional materials guide you through the Bible readings for the March 21, 2021 Sunday worship service. We pray they are a blessing to you and your family!

Why study God's Word and pray together?

• Bible study and prayer strengthens faith and brings you closer to God and to one another.
• Study of readings and hymns for the weekend prepares you for worship.
• The way parents express and model their faith helps shape young people’s faith lives.
• God's Word gives life!---new life now and eternal life with Jesus in heaven. (John 20:31)

• Five Days of devotional material. Catch up or review on the 6th day, worship on Sunday!
• Bible Readings are the LCMS 3-year lectionary readings for the upcoming Sunday.
• Talk about It and Dig Deeper guide discussion and meditation on the Bible passages.
• Kid Talk has questions and activities especially for kids and families.
• Prayer starters are given--add your own as well! Scroll to the bottom for the Lord's Prayer and Luther's Morning and Evening Prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

“The cup” that Jesus was to drink is a figure of speech for intense suffering.

• When did Jesus drink the cup of suffering? When did the disciples?

Read Mark 9:33-37. Note how both passages deal with true greatness and both follow a prediction of Jesus’ suffering and death.

• Why are the disciples so spiritually undiscerning? Can you identify with their sinful and self-centered attitude?

Read Mark 10:35-45.

Who doesn’t like going first? We like to be first in line, first to get dessert, and first to play. Jesus’ disciples wanted to be first too. But that’s not how God wants us to act. Jesus said, “put others first.” Jesus showed us how to do that as He cared for others and then went to the cross for our sins.

• How can you put others first this week?

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Throughout the week, write prayers of praise, thanksgiving, and requests in a prayer journal or on a sheet of paper. Take turns praying when you gather for devotions.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

God states that the Israelites had broken His covenant.

• What incidents from the Old Testament can you think of to illustrate this? Why were the Israelites unable to keep the covenant?

• Through Jeremiah, God promised to establish a new covenant with His people. This new covenant would not be written on stone, but where? (see verse 33)

Read Jeremiah 31:31-34.

God made a covenant, a promise, with the Israelites: love and obey Me, and I will be your God. But they didn’t always love and obey God. So God made a new covenant: My Son will pay for your sins, and the Spirit will give you faith, so that you can be with Me forever.

• How will you thank God for His covenant of love?

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

• What is it that makes us ”alive with Christ?” (verse 5)

• How do Paul’s words emphasize that it is entirely by God’s grace that we have been saved?

Read Hebrews 5:1-10.

Priests in the Old Testament offered sacrifices for the sins of the people. Jesus is the last and greatest priest—He offered Himself on the cross to pay for all our sins!

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

The psalmist shares that he has “hidden God’s word in my heart.”

• In ways do we “hide” God’s word in our hearts? How can this be a great blessing to us?

Note the three verbs the psalmist uses in verses 14-16 in regard to God’s law.

• Think about how you can rejoice in following God’s law, how you can meditate on it, and how you can delight in it.

Read Psalm 119:9-16. Focus on verse 11.

Have you ever watched a squirrel hide an acorn in the ground? Why does it do that? It wants to keep that acorn stored in a safe place so it can eat it later on, right?

Verse 11 of Psalm 119 says, "I have hidden your Word in my heart so that I might not sin against you."

• How does "hiding," or keeping, God's Word in your heart help you to keep from doing something wrong? How can you hide God's Word in your heart?

Meditate on this section of Scripture, using these prompts:

• What thoughts come to mind as you read this passage?
• What is confusing or surprising about this passage?
• What does this passage teach you about God, His love for you, and His will for your life?

Then pray over the passage, talk about it with a friend or spiritual mentor, and explore further by reading the notes in a study Bible.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, bless our time together as we study Your Word. Amen.

My song is love unknown,

My Savior’s love to me,

Love to the loveless shown

That they might lovely be.

Oh, who am I

That for my sake

My Lord should take

Frail flesh and die?

He came from His blest throne

Salvation to bestow;

But men made strange, and none

The longed-for Christ would know.

But, oh, my friend,

My friend indeed,

Who at my need

His life did spend!

Sometimes they strew His way

And His sweet praises sing;

Resounding all the day

Hosannas to their King.

Then “Crucify!”

Is all their breath,

And for His death

They thirst and cry.

Why, what hath my Lord done?

What makes this rage and spite?

He made the lame to run,

He gave the blind their sight.

Sweet injuries!

Yet they at these

Themselves displease

And ’gainst Him rise.

They rise and needs will have

My dear Lord made away;

A murderer they save,

The Prince of Life they slay.

Yet cheerful He

To suff’ring goes

That He His foes

From thence might free.

In life no house, no home

My Lord on earth might have;

In death no friendly tomb

But what a stranger gave.

What may I say?

Heav’n was His home

But mine the tomb

Wherein He lay.

Here might I stay and sing,

No story so divine!

Never was love, dear King,

Never was grief like Thine.

This is my friend,

In whose sweet praise

I all my days

Could gladly spend!

Public domain

• What do you think the author of this hymn means by referring to the saving work of Jesus as “love unknown?” (see Ephesians 3:16-19)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Pray the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning or Evening Prayers, and/or add your own prayers.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

I thank you my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ Your dear Son, that you have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.

Chapel of the Cross--Lutheran exists to show the love of Jesus to North County and beyond, so that all may have a living relationship with Christ.

Our Core Values:

• Empowered by the cross of Christ
• People working together
• Opening the Word to all people
• Showing the love of Jesus
• Warm and supportive environment

Email: pastorlaesch@chapelofthecross.org
Website: http://www.chapelofthecross.org/
Location: 11645 Benham Rd, St. Louis, MO, USA
Phone: (314) 741-3737
Facebook: facebook.com/ChapelSTL