Lutheran Hour Ministries

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the Law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the Law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. … That is why it depends on faith, in order that [God’s] promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the Law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, and it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations …” [Abraham] did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in Him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:13-14, 16-17a, 19-25)

[God says:] I will return again to My place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face, and in their distress earnestly seek Me. “Come, let us return to the Lord; for He has torn us, that He may heal us; He has struck us down, and He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; His going out is sure as the dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” (Hosea 5:15-6:3)

It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (Psalm 119:71-72)

“Hark! The glad celestial hymn Angel choirs above are raising; Cherubim and seraphim, In unceasing chorus praising, Fill the heav’ns with sweet accord: Holy, holy, holy, Lord! “Lo, the apostles’ holy train Join Thy sacred name to hallow; Prophets swell the glad refrain, And the white-robed martyrs follow, And from morn to set of sun Through the Church the song goes on.”

[Jesus said] “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal.” Then they said to Him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” (John 6:27-29)

The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)

But Peter [said] … “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. For David says concerning Him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let Your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’ Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried …. Being therefore a prophet … he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, [Jesus] has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David … himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:14a, 22-29a, 30a, 31-34-36)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good …. And God said, “Let there be … Heaven … And God said, “Let the waters … be gathered together … and let the dry land appear.” … And God saw that it was good. And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation …” And God saw that it was good … And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night ...” And God saw that it was good … And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly …” And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them … And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures …” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness …” And God blessed them … And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:1-4a, 6a, 8b, 9, 10b, 14a, 18b, 20a, 21b-22a, 24a, 25b, 26a, 28a, 31a)

When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:3-5)