PRAYER FROM LUTHER’S PRAYERS: THE DAY OF PENTECOST

Lord God, dear Father, through you Holy Spirit you have
taught and enlightened the hearts of your believers.
Through the same Spirit give us a right understanding, to
be glad at all times in his comfort and power, through your
Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

From Luther’s Small Catechism:

The Third Article of The Apostles’ Creed:
On Being Made Holy
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

What is this?
I believe that by my own understanding or strength I
cannot believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him,
but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the
gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy, and
kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers,
enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church
on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one
common, true faith. Daily in this Christian church the
Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins-mine and those
of all believers. On the last day the Holy Spirit will raise
me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as you sent upon
in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true. the disciples the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, look upon
your Church and open our hearts to the power of the Spirit.
Kindle in us the fire of your love, and strengthen our lives for
service in your kingdom; through your Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Gospel: John 14:8-17 (25-27)
Philip said to (Jesus), “Lord, show us the Father, and we
will be satisfied. “ 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with
you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me?
Whoever has seen me has seen my Father. How can you
say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am
in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say to
you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells
in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father
and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me
because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you,
the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do
and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am
going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my
name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in
my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another
Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of
truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither
sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he
abides with you, and he will be in you.”
[25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with
you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in my name, will teach you everything, and
remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave
with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as
the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do
not let them be afraid.”]
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.
John xiv. 16.
Therefore must we learn to know the Holy Spirit and
believe Him to be as Christ describes Him and sets Him
before the eye of the soul, namely, that He is not a Spirit of
wrath and terror but of grace and comfort, and that thus the
whole Godhead shows nothing but comfort. The Father wills
to comfort us, for He gives the Holy Ghost; the Son gives
comfort, for He prays the Father to send Him; and the Holy
Ghost is Himself the Comforter. There is therefore no terror,
threat, or wrath over Christians, but only gracious laughter
and sweet comfort in heaven and on earth. And why is that?
The reason is (He says) because you have already enough
torturers and hangmen to plague and frighten you.
This is the right way of teaching the Holy Ghost, that
He is called a Comforter, and that that is His nature,
character, and ministry. His divine essence or substance we
will not now discuss in any detail. As regards His Godhead,
He is of indivisible divine essence with the Father and the
Son; but to us He is called a Comforter, and a comforter is
one who makes a sad heart glad and joyful toward God and
tells you to be of good cheer for your sins are forgiven, death
is slain, heaven is open, and God smiles upon you. Whoever
could grasp this definition rightly would have already won
the victory and would not find or see anything but sheer
comfort and joy in heaven and on earth.
Exposition of John xiv. W.A 45. 562 ff.
Taken from the book:
Day by Day We Magnify Thee by Martin Luther
Page 222