PRAYER FROM LUTHER’S PRAYERS:

O gracious God, I am fully aware that I am unworthy.

THIRD SUNDAY
I deserve to be a brother of Satan and not of Christ. IN LENT
But Christ, your dear Son, died and rose for me. I am
his brother. He earnestly desires that I should believe
him, without doubt and fear. I need no longer regard
myself as unworthy and full of sin. For this I love and
thank him from my heart. Praise be to the faithful
Savior, for he is so gracious and merciful as are you
and the Holy Ghost in eternity. Amen.

FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM:

The Apostle’s Creed
The First Article

I believe in God, the Father Almighty

Creator of heaven and earth.

What is this?
I believe that God has created me
together with all creatures. God has given me
and still preserves my body and soul: eyes,
ears, and limbs and senses; reason and all
mental faculties.
In addition, God daily and abundantly
provides shoes and clothing, food and drink,
house and home, spouse and children, fields,
livestock, and property – along with all the
necessities and nourishment for this body and
life. God protects me against all danger and Eternal Lord, your kingdom has broken into our
shields and preserves me from all evil. troubled world through the life, death, and
God does all this out of pure, fatherly, resurrection of your Son. Help us to hear your Word
and divine goodness and mercy, without any and obey it, so that we become instruments of your
merit or worthiness of mine at all! For all of redeeming love; through your Son, Jesus Christ our
this I owe it to God to thank and praise, serve Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
and obey him. This is most certainly true. Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Gospel: Luke 13: 1- 9 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?
At that very time there were some present who told
Thy will be done.
him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had
Matthew xxvi. 42
mingled with their sacrifices. 2 (Jesus) asked them,
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in
Who is the man to keep this holy command to let go
this way they were worse sinners than all the other
all things and seek his will in nothing? Therefore
Galileans? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you
learn here how important and necessary it is, and with
will all perish as they did. 4 Or those eighteen who
that earnestness of heart this prayer must be prayed,
were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them --
and what a mighty thing it is that our will be slain,
do you think that they were worse offenders than all
and solely God’s Will be done. And thus you must
the others living Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless
confess yourself a sinner, powerless to do the will of
you repent, you will perish just as they did.”
God, and then must pray for help and grace that God
forgive you for what is lacking and help you to do
6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree
what is required. For our will must perish, if God’s
planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit
Will is to be done; for they are set against each other.
on it and found none. 7 So he said to the gardener, ‘See
Notice that when Christ our Lord prayed in the
here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on
garden, that His heavenly Father would take the cup
this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why
from Him, He prayed even then: ‘Not my will, but thy
should it be wasting the soil?’ 8 He replied, ‘Sir, let it
will be done’. If even Christ’s Will, which was
alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put
always truly good, and the best that ever was, had to
manure on it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, well and
cease, that His Father’s Will should be done, how
good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
shall we poor and wretched worms glory in our will,
which is always tainted with evil and always deserves
to be impeded?

Expositions of the Lord’s Prayer for W.A. 2. 102.

simple lay-folk

Taken from the book:

Day by Day We Magnify Thee by Martin Luther

Page 131