Walking Together in the Word

These devotional materials guide you through the Bible readings for the July 18, 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.

• What assurance do we find for our own lives in Jesus’ compassionate ministry?

• When problems threaten us and needs overwhelm our resources, what is our reaction? Where do we turn? As this story makes clear, where should we turn? And why?

Read Mark 6:30-44 .

Think about a time when you were really hungry. What did you do? You probably asked your parents for some food, right? You knew they could help you. Who else helps us? Jesus. Everything we need comes from Him, including forgiveness of 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.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. Psalm 23:1–3

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.

• Without good leaders (“shepherds”), what happens to God’s people (“sheep”)? Why? (see Jeremiah 23:2,4)

• Jeremiah describes the One who will gather God’s people. What titles does Jeremiah use to describe Him? (Jeremiah 23:5–6) What is the significance of these titles?

Read Jeremiah 23:1-6.

Jeremiah is another man God chose to be His prophet, to speak His words to the people. Through Jeremiah, God promised that He would send a good shepherd to care for His sheep (we are His sheep!) Can you guess who that good shepherd is? Yes, Jesus! He is “The Lord Our Righteous Savior.”

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.

• A key phrase in this passage is “in Christ” (or “in Him”), which appears six times here in this passage. What six things happen “in” (or through) Him?

• What are the characteristics of the Church as God’s holy temple? (see especially Ephesians 2:19-22)

Read Ephesians 2:11-22.

It’s lonely to be an outsider, not part of the group. God gathers people from many different nations to become one family through faith in Jesus. Together, we are the Church, and Jesus is our foundation!

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.

• Memorize Psalm 23 and recite it each day this week.

• How does Psalm 23 relate with the other readings for this weekend?

Read Psalm 23.

Psalm 23 is one of the most well-know chapters of the Bible. Many people have memorized this whole chapter. Why do you think that is? Look at the words of this chapter again: "The Lord is my shepherd . . . " If God is our shepherd, that means we are the sheep! Sheep need someone to take care of them. That's exactly what our God does for us. He cares for all our needs!

• Read Psalm 23. How does this psalm describe the ways that God cares for us?

• Work on memorizing Psalm 23 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.

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 Church’s one foundation

Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;

She is His new creation

By water and the Word.

From heav’n He came and sought her

To be His holy bride;

With His own blood He bought her,

And for her life He died.

Elect from ev’ry nation,

Yet one o’er all the earth;

Her charter of salvation:

One Lord, one faith, one birth.

One holy name she blesses,

Partakes one holy food,

And to one hope she presses

With ev’ry grace endued.

Though with a scornful wonder

The world sees her oppressed,

By schisms rent asunder,

By heresies distressed,

Yet saints their watch are keeping;

Their cry goes up, “How long?”

And soon the night of weeping

Shall be the morn of song.

Through toil and tribulation

And tumult of her war

She waits the consummation

Of peace forevermore

Till with the vision glorious

Her longing eyes are blest,

And the great Church victorious

Shall be the Church at rest.

Yet she on earth has union

With God, the Three in One,

And mystic sweet communion

With those whose rest is won.

O blessèd heav’nly chorus!

Lord, save us by Your grace

That we, like saints before us,

May see You face to face.

Public domain

• Think about or discuss how this hymn echos so powerfully and poetically the words of our Lord Jesus Christ when he prays in John 17:21.

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