The Hymns of Martin Luther Part 19

A. When G.o.d's Word is taught clearly and purely, and when we live holy lives as G.o.d's children based upon it. Help us, Heavenly Father, to do this! But anyone who teaches and lives by something other than G.o.d's Word defiles G.o.d's name among us. Protect us from this, Heavenly Father!

III. The Second Request

Your Kingdom come.

Q. What does this mean?

A. Truly G.o.d's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. But we pray in this request that it come to us as well.

Q. How does this happen?

A. When the Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that we believe His holy Word by His grace and live G.o.dly lives here in this age and there in eternal life.

IV. The Third Request

May Your will be accomplished, as it is Heaven, so may it be on Earth.

Q. What does this mean?

A. Truly, G.o.d's good and gracious will is accomplished without our prayer. But we pray in this request that is be accomplished among us as well.

Q. How does this happen?

A. When G.o.d destroys and interferes with every evil will and all evil advice, which will not allow G.o.d's Kingdom to come, such as the Devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires. It also happens when G.o.d strengthens us by faith and by His Word and keeps living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. This is His will, good and full of grace.

V. The Fourth Request

Give us our daily bread today.

Q. What does this mean?

A. Truly, G.o.d gives daily bread to evil people, even without our prayer. But we pray in this request that He will help us realize this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

Q. What does ''Daily Bread'' mean?

A. Everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as: Food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and other things like these.

VI. The Fifth Request

And forgive our guilt, as we forgive those guilty of sinning against us.

Q. What does this mean?

A. We pray in this request that our Heavenly Father will neither pay attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because of our sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the things for which we pray. Yet He wants to give them all to us by His grace, because many times each day we sin and truly deserve only punishment.

Because G.o.d does this, we will, of course, want to forgive from our hearts and willingly do good to those who sin against us.

VII. The Sixth Request

And lead us not into temptation.

Q. What does this mean?

A. G.o.d tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request that G.o.d will protect us and save us, so that the Devil, the world and our bodily desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into heresy, despair or other serious shame or vice, and so that we will win and be victorious in the end, even if they attack us.

VIII. The Seventh Request

But set us free from the Evil One.

Q. What does this mean?

A. We pray in this request, as a summary, that our Father in Heaven will save us from every kind of evil that threatens body, soul, property and honor. We pray that when at last our final hour has come, He will grant us a blessed death, and, in His grace, bring us to Himself from this valley of tears.

IX. Amen.

Q. What does this mean?

A. That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the Father in Heaven and will be granted, that He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and that He promises to answer us. Amen.

Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way.

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism:

The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household

I. Q. What is Baptism?

A. Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water contained within G.o.d's command and united with G.o.d's Word.

Q. Which Word of G.o.d is this?

A. The one which our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter of Matthew: ''Go into all the world, teaching all heathen nations, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit.''

II. Q. What does Baptism give? What good is it?

A. It gives the forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the Devil, gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just as G.o.d's words and promises declare.

Q. What are these words and promises of G.o.d?

A. Our Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of Mark: ''Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be d.a.m.ned.''

III. Q. How can water do such great things?

A. Water doesn't make these things happen, of course. It is G.o.d's Word, which is with and in the water. Because, without G.o.d's Word, the water is plain water and not baptism. But with G.o.d's Word it is a Baptism, a grace-filled water of life, a bath of new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul said to t.i.tus in the third chapter: ''Through this bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that we, justified by the same grace are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.''