For the student: Read along, fill in the blanks, and write your answers on the lines. Your parent has the answers.
Step 1 · Understand the Collect
Most collects follow a five-part pattern: the address (the One to whom we pray), the reason (what God has done or promised), the petition (what we ask), the purpose (what we hope will result), and the ending (the closing that names the Trinity).
Stir up, O Lord, the wills of Your faithful people that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by You be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
1. Mark each part of the collect. What is unusual about the order?
2. The collect asks God to stir up our wills. What does that admit about us?
3. If God stirs up the will and grows the fruit, how can He also "reward" it?
Step 2 · Understand the Gospel
Read the Gospel on your own.
Matthew 9:18-26
18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I will be made well." 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.
23 And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, "Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.
1. Under the Law, touching a bleeding woman or a dead body made a person unclean (Leviticus 15:25-27; Numbers 19:11). What happens instead when Jesus is touched, and when He touches?
2. The woman touched Jesus secretly from behind. Why did He turn and speak to her (v. 22)?
3. Why did Jesus say the girl was "not dead but sleeping" when she truly was dead?
4. Why did the mourners laugh (v. 24)?
Step 3 · Find the Collect in the Gospel
1. Find at least two places where the collect's words appear in the Gospel. Explain each one.
2. Today's Epistle prays that we would be "bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10). Where does that fruit come from, according to Colossians 1:13-14?
Step 4 · The Small Catechism
The Seventh Petition. But deliver us from evil. What does this mean? We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.
Cross-reference. "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)
1. Luther asks God to rescue us "from every evil of body and soul." Which evils does Jesus rescue from in Matthew 9?
2. Why does Scripture call a Christian's death "sleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)?
3. Does calling death "sleep" mean Christians do not grieve?
Think about it. What happens to a Christian who dies? Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 and Philippians 1:23 and be ready to talk about it.
Step 5 · Wrap It All Up
1. Write a short collect of your own for this day. Use all five parts.
Pray today's collect together. Then answer:
2. What does Jesus do for you against sin and death?
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible. Small Catechism quotation from Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, © Concordia Publishing House.