In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven
and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was
conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and
was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He
rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and
sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From
thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the
communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the
resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Ame
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.
Colossians 1:13-14ESV
The Central Thought
Every kingdom or nation on earth is continually
plagued with problems.
If God has ushered in His kingdom through the life,
death, and resurrection of Christ, why do we still see
so many problems in the world today?
Read John 18:33–40. How did Pilate
misunderstand the nature of Jesus’ kingdom and His
rule as King?
✠ As Christians, we believe and confess
that Christ’s present (but hidden) reign as
King is being extended by the Spirit through
the Gospel. It will be fully revealed when
Christ returns in glory.
Since we know that Christ will return to bring an end
to the devil’s present work of unbelief, sin, and death,
how should we live today?
OT Deuteronomy 10:12-21
Epistle 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Holy Gospel Matthew 22:34-46
Father in heaven, give us Your Holy Spirit so that we believe
Your Holy Word and live as members of Your gracious
kingdom here in time and finally, by Your mercy, be brought to
live as partakers of Your everlasting reign; through Jesus
Christ, our Lord. Amen.
*The Lord’s Prayer, Apostles’ Creed, central thought and
closing prayer are from the 2017 Luther’s Small Catechism
Luther. (2017). Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation. St.
Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.