Walking Together in the Word

These devotional materials guide you through the Bible readings for the July 25, 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.

• Why did Jesus need some time alone for prayer? (see John 6:15)

• What do Jesus’ words and His walking on the water show? (see Isaiah 41:10, 13; Job 9:8; Psalm 77:19)

Read Mark 6:45-56.

What makes you afraid? Spiders? Heights? The dark? Jesus’ disciples were afraid. They were in a boat in a stormy sea at night, and they saw something coming toward them on the water! “Don’t be afraid!” a voice called out. It was Jesus! Jesus says the same to us: Don’t be afraid! I am with you.

• Listen the the song above ("Consider the Stars") and sing along with the refrain: "Do not be afraid." Why don't you need to be afraid? God holds you in His powerful hand.

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.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

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.

• This “Noahic Covenant” is God’s promise never to destroy all creation with a natural catastrophe. Look up other major covenants God made with his people (Genesis 15:9-21; Genesis 17; Exodus 19-24; 2 Samuel 7:5-16; Jeremiah 31:31-34)

• After the flood, the rainbow took on new meaning as a sign of God’s covenant with His people. Why is this special to us even today?

Read Genesis 9:8-17.

When people make a promise, they sometimes seal it with a handshake, or write it on paper and sign it. After the flood, when God promised to never again destroy the earth, but to care for His creation always, He sealed it with a beautiful sign: a rainbow.

• Review the account of Noah, the flood, and God's rainbow using the video below.

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.

• How does our heavenly Father strengthen the whole family of Christ for the growth that He desires?

Paul prayed that the Ephesians would be “rooted and grounded in love.” “Rooted” points to living things that send their roots deep into the soil to gain nourishment for life. “Grounded” refers to having a good, solid foundation on which to build.

• How are both metaphors significant for us as we seek to grow in love?

Read Ephesians 3:14-21.

How deep is the ocean? How tall is the tallest mountain? How far is it from one side of the world to the other? How high is it to the stars? God’s love for you is deeper, taller, wider, and higher than all of those!

• Sing along with the song above. How great is God's love for you!

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.

• This psalm is a liturgy of praise to the Lord as our Creator and Redeemer. Pray the psalm by yourself or together with your family.

• Why is the phrase “His love endures forever” repeated so very often (26 times!) in this psalm?

Read Psalm 136:1-9.

Everything we know has a beginning and an end. Summer vacations. Ice cream cones. You and me. But God doesn't! God always was and always will be. God is eternal. God's love is also eternal--it will never, ever end!

• Say a prayer of thanks to God for His love for you that will never, ever, end!

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.

Jesus, Savior, pilot me

Over life’s tempestuous sea;

Unknown waves before me roll,

Hiding rock and treach’rous shoal.

Chart and compass come from Thee.

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

As a mother stills her child,

Thou canst hush the ocean wild;

Boist’rous waves obey Thy will

When Thou say’st to them, “Be still!”

Wondrous Sov’reign of the sea,

Jesus, Savior, pilot me.

When at last I near the shore

And the fearful breakers roar

Twixt me and the peaceful rest,

Then, while leaning on Thy breast,

May I hear Thee say to me,

“Fear not, I will pilot thee.”

Public domain

The author of this hymn, Rev. Edward Hopper, was the pastor of the Church of Sea and Land in New York City, a church especially attended by sailors.

• How do the images of the sea and sailing (and God’s watchful and protecting hand) fit the experiences of the life of the Christian?

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