Zion Lutheran Church (LCMS)

A Guide for Daily Prayer and Meditation: Dec 22-29, 2024

Pray and confess out loud as much as you are able or based on your family size and ages. (Alternative orders in LSB pp295-8)

+++

The sign of the cross + may be made by all in remembrance of their baptism.

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

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Hymn of the Month for December LSB 357 O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

One or more verses from the hymn of the month are sung, or another hymn may be chosen.

Verse of the Week: Matthew 1:23

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.

Daily Lectionary

The Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.

The Apostles’ Creed is confessed † Lord’s Prayer † Prayers for Others and Ourselves (see LSB 305-318 for prayers)

In Our Prayers: Those who are suffering:  Shirley Arndt, Dan Drinkman, Lois Eichinger, Pastor David Ficken, Louis and Mary Gettler, Marlys Jones, Pastor Jones, Rick Lahner (Carter’s grandfather), Greg Leland, Missy Lien (Thomas family friend), Lacie Miles (Chrystal’s sister-in-law), Marlene Paulson (Dianne Schroeder’s sister), Kathy Peterson, Arlene Potts, Michael Potts, Mark Radl, Jesse Schweisthal, Sarah Schweisthal, Dianne Schroeder, Kara Simmons (Pastor & Susan Thomas’ goddaughter), Leah Sparks (Marty Swearingen’s sister), Pastor Szedlak, Jeff Thomas, Cookie Ziebarth

Collect for the Fourth Sunday in Advent

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever

Prayer based on the Seventh Commandment[1]

Lord God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to rejoice in the bounty of Your gifts given to our neighbors and curb our appetite to claim for ourselves by theft or dishonesty the money or possessions You have bestowed on them. Instead, give us cheerful hearts and willing hands to help our neighbors improve and protect their livelihood; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Let us bless the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Excerpts from the Large Catechism on the Seventh Commandment

-After the commandment about you personally and your spouse, next comes the commandment about temporal property. God always wants property protected. He has commanded that no one shall take away from, or diminish, his neighbor’s possessions…. Briefly, this includes all kinds of advantage in all sorts of trade to the disadvantage of our neighbor…. To “steal” means not only emptying our neighbor’s money box and pockets. It also means grasping property in the market, in all stores, booths, wine and beer cellars, workshops, and, in short, wherever there is trading or taking and giving of money for merchandise or labor. (384:223-224) 

-   Consider a manservant or maidservant who does not serve faithfully in the house, does damage, or allows damage to be done when it could be prevented. He ruins and neglects the goods entrusted to him, by laziness, idleness, or hate, to the spite and the sorrow of master and mistress. In whatever way this can be done purposely (I’m not talking about what happens by mistake and against one’s will), you can in a year steal thirty or forty florins. If another servant had taken that much money secretly or carried it away, he would be hanged with the rope. But here (while conscious of such a great theft) may even express defiance and become rude, and no one dare call you a thief. (384-385:225)

-       Therefore, let everyone know his duty, at the risk of God’s displeasure: he must do no harm to his neighbor nor deprive him of profit nor commit any act of unfaithfulness or hatred in any bargain or trade. But he must also faithfully preserve his property for him, secure and promote his advantage. This is especially true when one accepts money, wages, and one’s livelihood for such service. (385:233)

Bible verses for meditation on the Seventh Commandment                                                                                 

-The wicked borrows but does not pay back. Psalm 37:21

-For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 

2 Thessalonians 3:10   

-Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 

1 John 3:17

-2 Corinthians 8:9

[1] Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation. St. Louis: Concordia, 2017.