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Trinity 26 Family Devotions (11/20/23–11/25/23)

Artwork: Christ Separating the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31–46)

Parents, this is a basic outline of how you might do family devotions each day this week. Each devotion takes less than five minutes, though time will vary depending on your child’s participation and questions. When you do devotions, remember to pick a familiar spot each day, whether it’s at a family altar or bedside before going to sleep. Whatever the case, consistency is critical. Remember that “repetition is the mother of learning” (repetitio est mater studiorum). If you have any questions, please feel free to call, text, or email.

Divine Service Setting Three – Offertory (Lutheran Service Book, pg. 192)

Monday (11/20/23)

  1. Say the Invocation – “In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” You may teach your child to make the sign of the cross.
  2. Say the Ten Commandments (Have your child use their fingers to count the commandments.)
  3. Read “John’s Vision of Heaven” in The Story Bible (pgs. 467–68). Parents, you should also read Revelation 21–22 by yourselves before talking to your children about heaven, as verses are omitted from this version of the account. Answer any questions your children may have.
  4. Sing the Offertory. A recording is provided at the top of this page.
  5. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
  6. Teach your kids our responsory. “Christ is surely coming. Amen, Come Lord Jesus.”

Tuesday (11/21/23)

  1. Say the Invocation – “In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” You may teach your child to make the sign of the cross.
  2. Say the Ten Commandments (Have your child use their fingers to count the commandments.)
  3. Teach the Eighth Commandment. Parents, you should read the Small Catechism on the Eighth Commandment by yourselves (pgs. 110–14). Ask your children: What does it mean to “give false testimony against your neighbor”? Explain to your children that God wants us to always speak the truth, but he also wants us to do so in a loving and kind manner.
  4. Sing the Offertory. A recording is provided at the top of this page.
  5. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
  6. Teach your kids our responsory. “Christ is surely coming. Amen, Come Lord Jesus.”

Wednesday (11/22/23)

As a reminder, there will be Thanksgiving Divine Service at Winside today at 6:30 PM.

  1. Say the Invocation – “In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” You may teach your child to make the sign of the cross.
  2. Say the Ten Commandments (Have your child use their fingers to count the commandments.)
  3. Teach your children about thanksgiving. Ask your children: Where does everything we have come from? Who gave it to us? What is the greatest gift that God gave to us? Do we deserve any of things? What does this tell us about God?
  4. Sing the Offertory. A recording is provided at the top of this page.
  5. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
  6. Teach your kids our responsory. “Christ is surely coming. Amen, Come Lord Jesus.”

Thursday (11/23/23) – Thanksgiving Day

  1. Say the Invocation – “In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” You may teach your child to make the sign of the cross.
  2. Say the Ten Commandments (Have your child use their fingers to count the commandments.)
  3. Take some time to list all the things which God has given to us. Try to include not only physical earthly gifts (First Article of the Apostles’ Creed), but also spiritual heavenly gifts (Second and Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed). See Small Catechism, pgs. 16–18 for ideas.
  4. Sing the Offertory. A recording is provided at the top of this page.
  5. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
  6. Teach your kids our responsory. “Christ is surely coming. Amen, Come Lord Jesus.”

Friday (11/24/23)

  1. Say the Invocation – “In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” You may teach your child to make the sign of the cross.
  2. Say the Ten Commandments (Have your child use their fingers to count the commandments.)
  3. Read Jesus’s teaching about the final judgment in your Family Bible (Matthew 25:31–46). Ask your children: Why do the sheep get into heaven? (It is not their works! They think they haven’t done these things). Why do the goats go to hell? Teach your children: We get to heaven not because we do enough good, but because Jesus did everything perfectly for us and because we are forgiven because of his suffering and death for us. Therefore, knowing we are forgiven, we also want to do good to our neighbor.
  4. Sing the Offertory. A recording is provided at the top of this page.
  5. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
  6. Teach your kids our responsory. “Christ is surely coming. Amen, Come Lord Jesus.”

Saturday (11/25/23)

  1. Say the Invocation – “In the name of the Father, and of the ☩ Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” You may teach your child to make the sign of the cross.
  2. Say the Ten Commandments (Have your child use their fingers to count the commandments.)
  3. Show the Art Card (see above), “Christ Separating the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31–46). Review the story. Tell your children that tomorrow we go to be with Jesus and be part of his flock (his sheep).
  4. Sing the Offertory. A recording is provided at the top of this page.
  5. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
  6. Teach your kids our responsory. “Christ is surely coming. Amen, Come Lord Jesus.”
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