The Lord’s Prayer: The Hardest Part is the Best Part

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We are so accustomed to praying the Lord’s Prayer that we often go through the words without a second thought. However, in light of the recent events and bloodshed in the Middle East, this phrase has often caught me unawares and off-guard. Being a Christian, can often seem to be a losing battle. We pray and pray and pray and pray for God’s will to be done on earth. Yet, all around us, we see the devil with all of his rage and spite. We see Christians murdered in Iraq, Iran, and Northern Africa. We see small internet campaigns to bring awareness, but see very little of this news in the mainstream media. We pray for God’s will to be one on earth as it is in heaven, and we see violence and death. We see what we often take to be the very opposite of God’s will. We see His people suffering.

We do not even have to look overseas to get that feeling. Our own lives are racked and full of the evidence of the will of the devil and his minions. Divorce. Domestic disputes. Addiction. The death of a loved one. Abused children. Battered wives. Emotional wounds that leave deep scars. Lost jobs. Tanking economies. And, yet, we are encouraged to pray all the more:

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What does this mean?
The good an gracious will of God is done even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may done among us also.

How is God’s will done?
God’s will is done when He breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature, which do not want us to hallow God’s name or let His kingdom come; and when He strengthens and keeps us firm in His Word and faith until we die. This is His good and gracious will.

So what gives? If God’s will is to break and hinder every plan of the devil, why does it seem like evil is holding sway in the world? Why does it seem like Christians are the ones who are suffering? This can often be the hardest part of the prayer to pray… when we think like the world.

However, as people of God, we also know that our hope and our comfort is beyond this world because this world is doomed to destruction. Our hope is in the will of God that is seen in Christ. God’s will is seen in Christ as He dies on the cross, as he rises from the dead, as He comes back one day in the future. This world will pass away but the words and promises of God are forever. The promises that tell us that He is with us every step of this life and the next. The promises that encourage and strengthen our brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted and martyred overseas. The promises that our sins are forgiven and that through baptisms, proclamations of the Word, and through His Supper, God’s will is done in this world. What is that will of God? That all men are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4).

The violence should not surprise us. Luther has the following to say in the Large Catechism:

Therefore we who would be Christians must surely expect to have the devil with all his angels and the world as our enemies and must expect that they will inflict every possible misfortune and grief upon us. For where God’s Word is preached, accepted, or believed, and bears fruit, there the holy and precious cross will also not be far behind. And let no one think that we will have peace; rather, we must sacrifice all we have on earth – possessions, honor, house and farm, spouse and children, body and life. Now, this grieves our flesh and the old creature, for it means that we must remain steadfast, suffer patiently whatever befalls us, and let go whatever is taken from us.

…Such a prayer must be our protection and defense now to repulse and vanquish all that the devil, bishops, tyrants, and heretics can do against our gospel. Let them rage and try their worst, let them plot and plan how to suppress and eliminate us so that their will and scheme may prevail. Against them a simple Christian or two, armed with this single petition, shall be our bulwark, against which they shall dash themselves to pieces. We have this comfort and boast: that the will and purpose of the devil and of all our enemies shall and must fail and come to naught, no matter how proud, secure, and powerful they think they are. For if their will were not broken and frustrated, the kingdom of God could not abide on earth nor his name be hallowed.

Take heart! Many still believe in the midst of persecution. Your faith is still present and strong enough for your trials. You have all you need. You have Christ, and He has you.

The Lord’s Prayer: Kids of the Kingdom!

Kids of the kingdom
That’s what we are
Kids of the kingdom
That’s what we are
We love Jesus
We love the Lord
We love Jesus
We love the Lord

I grew up going to Vacation Bible School, Lutheran School gatherings, Sunday School, and a Lutheran camp. I sang the above lyrics more times than I care to count.

Seriously.

So. Many. Times. Still. Have. Nightmares.

The sentiments of the above children’s tune are admirable, but they are a little misleading. We are “kids of the kingdom”, that is true. However, we are not kids of the kingdom because we love Jesus. We are kids of the kingdom because Jesus loved us. And died for us. And rose for us. And called us through baptism. And enlightens us with His Word and Spirit. And feeds our faith with His holy Supper. Because Jesus loves us and does all these things… because we have been made part of His kingdom, we seek to love Jesus with all our heart and all our mind and all our soul.

Throughout Scripture, the english word kingdom is used quite often. It is usually in reference to the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. However, the connotations that go along with kingdom are different than our present conceptions. The term had much more to do with the reign of a king (i.e. their specific actions of rule) as opposed to a delineated physical kingdom. It dealt more with the actions of the king to care for his people and territories. Luther takes this kind of approach in his explanation of the second petition of the Lord’s Prayer.

Thy kingdom come.

What does this mean?

The kingdom of God certainly comes by itself without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may come to us also.

How does God’s kingdom come?

God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity.

God’s kingdom comes among us when God visits us with His grace and favor, and when that grace and favor empowers us to live as His people showing love and mercy to one another. The work of the Holy Spirit is active in extending God’s kingdom through His means of grace. Through these actions of God, we see His reign in our lives. It is an impressive and ever present power that gives us comfort in all of our vocations.

As a pastor, I am quite positive that God is working through me to be His instrument in this world. Proclaiming law and Gospel. Forgiving sins. Administering the Sacraments. As a father, I am a vehicle for God’s reign as I teach my children God’s Word. As I instruct them in the faith, the reign of God is reaching yet another generation. It is so wonderful when God gives us glimpses of His kingdom amongst us. When we are hidden from it or distracted from seeing it, we can still be sure that His promises are sure for He commanded us to pray in this way. May the peace and comfort of God’s reign visit you each and every day!

Wednesdays with Luther: Confession

Since I have been much more faithful at keeping up with this blog, I better start doing a much better job of organizing. So I introduce to you… drum roll please… Wednesdays with Luther. This is a chance for all 20 of you that read this blog to become more acquainted with the writings of our church’s confessional namesake. You might even get some expounding by yours truly. However, this will hopefully become one of regular places to find teaching and insights that are grounded in the Word of God and the historical confession of the church.

In light of my last post, I figured we should visit Luther and his teaching concerning confession today. So without further ado, Luther on confession from his Small Catechism.

Confession
HOW CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO CONFESS

What is Confession?
Confession has two parts.
First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

What sins should we confess?
Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.

Which are these?
Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt someone by your words or deeds? Have you stolen, been negligent, wasted anything, or done any harm?

[Martin Luther includes in the Small Catechism a short form of confession to be used in the household of Christian families. The gift of forgiveness is a gift given to every Christian. The gift of both hearing absolution (forgiveness) and giving absolution.]

A SHORT FORM OF CONFESSION

The penitent says:
Dear confessor, I ask you please to hear my confession and to pronounce forgiveness in
order to fulfil God’s will.
I, a poor sinner, plead guilty before God of all sins. In particular I confess before you that as a servant, maid, etc., I, sad to say, serve my master unfaithfully, for in this and that I have not done what I was told to do. I have made him angry and caused him to curse. I have been negligent and allowed damage to be done. I have also been offensive in words and deeds. I have quarrelled with my peers. I have grumbled about the lady of the house and cursed her. I am sorry for all of this and I ask for grace. I want to do better.

A master or lady of the house may say:
In particular I confess before you that I have not faithfully guided my children, servants,
and wife to the glory of God. I have cursed. I have set a bad example by indecent words and
deeds. I have hurt my neighbour and spoken evil of him. I have overcharged, sold inferior
merchandise, and given less than was paid for.

[Let the penitent confess whatever else he has done against God’s commandments and his
own position.]

If, however, someone does not find himself burdened with these or greater sins, he should not trouble himself or search for or invent other sins, and thereby make confession a torture. Instead, he should mention one or two that he knows: In particular I confess that I have cursed; I have used improper words; I have neglected this or that, etc. Let that be enough.

But if you know of none at all (which hardly seems possible), then mention none in particular, but receive the forgiveness upon the general confession which you make to God before the confessor.

Then the confessor shall say:
God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith. Amen.
Furthermore: Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness?

Yes, dear confessor.

Then let him, say:
Let it be done for you as you believe. And I, by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Go in peace.

A confessor will know additional passages with which to comfort and to strengthen the faith of those who have great burdens of conscience or are sorrowful and distressed. This is intended only as a general form of confession.

What is the Office of the Keys?
The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent.

Where is this written?
This is what St John the Evangelist writes in chapter twenty: The Lord Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” [John 20:22–23]

What do you believe according to these words?
I believe that when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His divine command, in particular when they exclude openly unrepentant sinners from the Christian congregation and absolve those who repent of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.

The only things that stands to be reiterated is that confession and forgiveness is at the heart of our relationship with God. Indeed, it is the only reason we have a relationship with God… because He first loved and forgave us. If forgiveness is the core of our relationship with God, it stands to reason that it is also the heart of our relationship with others also. Families and friendships will only improve when they focus on the forgiveness that Christ gives.

As always encouraged but never done, feel free to leave a message, comment or question below.

Excerpt taken from:
Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation. (Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis), 2005.

Baptism Primer… Lutheran Style

Excerpt from Luther’s Small Catechism concerning Baptism (it  never hurts to review).

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism
AS THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY SHOULD TEACH IT
IN A SIMPLE WAY TO HIS HOUSEHOLD

FIRST

What is Baptism?
Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.
Which is that word of God?
Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. [Matt. 28:19]

SECOND

What benefits does Baptism give?
It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.
Which are these words and promises of God?
Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” [Mark 16:16]

THIRD

How can water do such great things?
Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a lifegiving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St Paul says in Titus, chapter three:
“He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” [Titus 3:5–8]

FOURTH

What does such baptising with water indicate?
It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned
and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live
before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written?
St Paul writes in Romans chapter six: “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” [Rom. 6:4]