Power for Good Works – July 24, 2024

Read: Hebrews 13:7-8,17-21

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20,21

Power for Good Works

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

Flip a light switch on in your house, and what happens? The light bulb turns on. But where does your electricity come from? It could be wind turbines near your home. It might be a hydraulic dam using water to generate electricity. Maybe you have solar panels on your roof that make electricity using sunlight. The power for electricity in our homes comes from somewhere else.

Is creating faith in people’s hearts as easy as flipping on a light switch? Not exactly! This power doesn’t come from the people themselves. All people are sinners whose every action is tainted by sin. David says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). If we were relying on our own power, there would be no good works.

God doesn’t leave us powerless, though. We can see God’s power through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. God then connected everything Jesus did for us through faith. Faith is created in our hearts through the Word and sacrament—a constant source of power for our lives! God’s power is what prepares us to do good works. It’s not our power. It’s power that comes from God.

Pastors are great examples of God empowering people for lives of service. Wonderful pastors like to share God’s Word with their congregations. They spiritually feed their flock with God’s Word and Holy Communion. They carefully baptize children and adults in need of it. These things have the power to create and strengthen faith. But the power doesn’t come from the pastor; it comes from God. Jesus equips them to do his will. “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7).

So God has prepared good works for us to do and gives us the power to do them and leaders as models of faith to imitate. For example, you might hear about someone in need in your church or community. As a congregation, you can do a food drive to fill that need. It’s a way to show and share your faith. Don’t be afraid to talk with your pastor! Most importantly, you can have complete confidence that God is with you every step of the way. As you let your light shine, you can depend on him to power it.

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me and giving me the power to serve you. Continue to work in me to do the things you have prepared for me to do. Amen

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• Sing or listen to the song “This Little Gospel Light of Mine.” What does the song encourage you to do?
• Doing good works starts at home. Name one way you can show and share your faith to someone at home.

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• If God’s Word is like a power pack for your faith, what are some ways to stay connected to it
• If you could meet someone from the Bible whose faith you would love to imitate, who would you pick? And why?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• If it’s important to stay connected to God’s Word, assess the tools and resources available to you in your home or bedroom? For example, do you have a favorite devotion or prayer book? How might a hymnal help?
• Think of someone in your life whose faith you want to imitate. What aspect of their faith do you especially admire?