Comforting Reassurance of the Holy Supper. Ev. Luth. Gebets-Schatz

Comforting Reassurance of the Holy Supper (322)

—Martin Luther, 1483-1546

 

Be gracious to me, O merciful God.  I am indeed a poor, sinful person and have merited nothing besides wrath.   But even though I have lived however I wanted, I hold on to this: that I know, and will not doubt it, that I am baptized for the forgiveness of my sins and am called as a Christian, and that my Lord Jesus Christ was born, suffered, died, and rose again for me.  His body and blood has been given to me for the nourishment and strengthening of my faith.  Lord Jesus Christ, I am absolved and loosed from my sins in Your name.  Therefore nothing evil can befall me, nor can I be lost; as little as God’s Word can fail or be false.  Because God Himself is to me a refuge and fortress through His Word.  Amen.

Luther on Spiritual Warfare (part 7)

18. How a Common Christian has Need of Such Power in His Station.

It belongs in common to all Christians that they preserve the doctrine and their faith, but especially they which carry out the preaching office, that each in his particular station can stand up for it and answer useless talkers. “Do you not hear that God has applied this station to me, and commanded me faithfully to wait upon it, and threatens me with His wrath if I were to leave it undone, and do something else?” That is not only to remain firm in his own station, unhindered and undefeated, but instead also to beat, reject, and refute with the Word of God whatever hinders us and wants to draw us back. St. Paul shortly before this text teaches how this is to be done through all stations—man, woman, young, old, lords, servants, maids, etc. For it is determined that each Christian, in whatever station he is in, must always stand in the midst of struggle, where the devil attacks and storms against him with his promptings, with false, evil thoughts, or through evil, useless talkers, which would incite him to leave his station, not to mention what our own flesh does. Therefore it is not enough that we keep our own castle safe…rather also, that we drive the devil away and beat him back through God’s Word, which is our sword, as we shall hear.

19. For this an Armor is Required.

                PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD.

That we should be strong and have such power with us wherewith we can beat the foe, he now wants to interpret himself and clarify how and through what we must do this, or what our armament and weapons should be. And he first calls us to buckle on armor, as people of war who are armed for a fight, and who will put up stiff resistance. But he indicates not the kind of armor which one uses here on earth to protect the body, but instead that which is called “the armor of God.” That is a curious kind of armor. Where would we get it, or where is the armorer who can forge such armor? Well then, he will hereafter name what it is and explain, one after another, the things that belong to this armor of God.

20. And indeed an Armor of God.

But here he is still talking generally. This armor must be an armor not of a man, but instead of God Himself. Here on earth one finds no armorer who can forge armor that will work against the devil. Here then there exists no human strength, power, nor wisdom and understanding that will work against this foe. He can turn everything into powder and ashes simply by blowing on you with his breath. Therefore, because you are a different kind of warrior, he wants to say, and because you have another kind of foe against you, so you must also have another kind of armor than the world has or can make.

21. For the Matter over Which we Must Fight is of God.

But he also therefore calls it the armor of God, to indicate what the matter is over which we are fighting, namely, that the war belongs to God Himself. And we are His warriors. Since we fight for Him and His cause, we must also use His armor, with which He makes war. As if he should say, “You have a Lord, who is the foe of the devil. His is the crown and the Godhead. Therefore if you want to have Him for your Lord, and you want to hold with Him and become a partaker of His good things, then you must also have His foes against you, and you must go to war and struggle against them.” Everyone who wants to be under a lord must also march under his banner, and have his enemies for enemies. Since now the devil is God’s enemy, and wants to destroy His Kingdom, you should not think that you will be secure from him. Instead arm yourself for war, and indeed even with the armor with which He Himself makes war through His Christendom. So He wants with this to give us courage, because we in the world and through our whole life must stand in struggle and controversy, and suffer that all will bluster and storm against us. He wants us to know that these things do not happen on account of ourselves, but rather by God’s will. And our struggle is not ours, but rather belongs to God Himself. He wants to encourage us that we stand in His service, and much more to comfort us that He will not leave us, but instead will most faithfully stand by us and help. He wants us to be encouraged that we are not working in vain, but rather that He, powerfully working through us, will be victorious.

22. Because God wants to take honor from the proud devil through weak people.

For He is man enough for the devil, and could easily fight the devil with a finger, yea, with a Word, and could restrain all his ranting and raging. Still He wants to use us for this purpose, and play a trick on the proud, wrathful spirit, that he puts against him and taunts him by one such poor, weak vessel, which stands against him as a little spark against a strong wind, that he might blow us out with a breath. Still he wants to beat him through such weak vessels, and through us to take honor from such a proud, mighty foe, that He might make known His divine power in our weakness. This [angers?] the devil, that God taunts him with such frail junk, and he attacks us wrathfully and ferociously, and would in a flash smash us like a heap of pottery. Therefore we must be armed against him, and also have an armor wherewith we can defend ourselves. This armor is not ours, but rather alien, namely God’s power and might, so that we might not glory in ourselves, nor give up within ourselves, as we would if we tried to stand with our own might against this foe.

23. The Great Cunning of Satan.

                THAT YOU CAN STAND AGAINST THE CRAFTY ATTEMPTS OF THE DEVIL.

Here he begins now to paint and show what kind of foe we have, and how he prepares himself to make war and to attack us. He reveals to us his works and arts wherewith he pursues us. He says this, and will say further, so that we will therefore protect ourselves and well arm ourselves with the armor of God. But he calls his conflict and war arts “crafty attempts” to show that the devil is such a foe who is not only mightier than we (as he soon hereafter will say), but rather also very tricky, and wicked. He sets up all his attacks with cunning and trickiness. He does not attack us openly and freely under our eyes, like a foe from whom we can protect ourselves, and see where he would break in. Rather he creeps up on us and looks where he may secretly and treacherously take us captive, where we least expect it. So you need not worry that he will attack you where he sees you armed, where you yourself expect him and have grasped the sword. Rather, look where you are run down and undefended. There he can find a hole, where he creep up to you, that he may suddenly and unforeseen catch and fell you.

continued

Prayer for the Speedy Return of Christ to Judgment. Luther

362. Prayer for the Speedy Return of Christ to Judgment

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen and bring to completion the work that You have begun in us. Yes, hurry to us with the glorious day of our redemption, which by the grace of God we heartily desire, and for which we sigh and wait in a true faith and with a good conscience. Because of this your judgment we have served the unthankful world. But no improvement is to be hoped for it; instead it is the enemy both of their salvation and ours. Come, dear Lord Jesus! And whoever loves You, let him say, “Come, dear Lord Jesus.” Amen.

Luther on Spiritual Warfare (part 6)

 

And in the might of His strength.

14. Paul here uses quite emphatic words.

This is certainly unclearly spoken, and it is neither good German, Latin, nor Greek, but instead quite Hebrew. Still we must retain the words, because he had reason to talk this way. He saw and thought farther than we do in the way we are accustomed to talk. We said it with more words according to our way like this: “Stand firm, and hold on, that you do not become lazy and lax, nor become delinquent in that which you intend to do. And each should do and think that this is the teaching of God’s Word, which it has commanded, and is to God well-pleasing, a true service of God, and so on.” But this is said much more strongly and nobly, that he says, “If you do this, then you are strong in the Lord.” And he adds to this further, “In the might of His strength,” that is, in our German, “in His mighty strength,” or “in His great power.”

15. We have need of two powers: a power for defense and a power for victory.

But for this reason he puts the two parts forward, “be strong” and “in the might of His strength”, to indicate that there are two powers which we must have. The first is that we remain firm in that which we should believe and do, and not desist. That is called “being strong” for yourself. The second is that one not only firm and well keep safe what we already have, and protect himself, rather also that one resist, that we not be taken, and our foes be beat back, so that we afterwards stand. Like a captain in a city—he needs not only to keep the city safe and have everything in his keeping, that the city might not be conquered and overcome. Rather also, he needs to be able himself to strike back against the foe, and rout them, and beat them into flight. The first serves to the end that I might not be overcome; the second, that I overcome the foe and become victorious over him. The first is a power of defense, but the second is called a war-power and a power for victory, which not only for himself stands and is strong, but can also sally forth and undercut the foes. The second requires much greater armament than the first.

16. Both must come from God.

Therefore he calls it a might of divine strength, or the mighty strength of God. For we have such tremendous, mighty foes against us, namely the spirits in the air (as he will say), which are above us, and we beneath them, and one of them is stronger than all men. And they mean business against us, and set against us with all powers, where they see that we have the faith and want to strengthen ourselves in it. Then they direct all weapons, guns, and arrows against us, in order to overthrow such firmness. Because they do not gladly let us come to the point that we begin to grasp the word and believe, but much less that we remain with it, and that we arm ourselves against them and hide ourselves away, that they should not find us out and destroy us. There are very few such people which bear up until the end under such blows against them, and gallantly win the victory, even if they begin very well. But in the struggle, when the devil presses them hard, and continues without ceasing, they let him make them tired, and do not continue to stand. For it is finally not possible for a man to persist where this mighty strength of God does not come to enable one to withstand these unremitting storms of the foes, and to beat them back.

17. How a preacher must be armed with these twofold powers.

You may now show examples of this through all manner of stations. For instance: for a pastor and preacher it is not enough that he be certain of his doctrine, and faithfully carry out his office without regarding what would hinder him—poverty, being despised, unthankfulness, and all manner of opposition. But instead it also belongs to his office that he can face the devil, confute and rebut false doctrine and error, as St. Paul requires both parts in Titus 1, that a bishop should not only be so skilled that he holds to the word, both to teach and exhort, but that he also be mighty through the same saving doctrine to punish those who speak against it, and to stop the mouth of the unnecessary washers (Anabaptists?). Because it never fails that as soon as the Word and doctrine will be purely and clearly handled, the devil will send his messengers and sow his tares. There one must fight that they be put down and the error eradicated. Even though it is not possible that one can so stop the mouths of the devil and his rotten-spirits, so that they quit and keep silence, still it is enough that one so drive them, and turn around their thing, that they cannot preserve its appearance, and thus deny them some souls and get back some from out of the error. Because Christ Himself had his Pharisees and Sadducees whom He could not entirely silence nor convert; still He so turned them around and drove them, that they could not muster anything [against His teaching]. Such people Christianity also must have, who can strike down the adversary and the opposition, take from the devil his weapons and armor, that he be put to shame. But strong warriors are required for that, who have the Scriptures in full might, and can turn around their false interpretation, and know how to take their own sword, that is, the same passages of Scripture which they use, and with them to strike them on the head, so that they bounce back. Not all can be so skilled so as to contend for the doctrine and the articles of the faith. Therefore they must have preachers and teachers, which daily study in the Scriptures, and handle them, that they before all others can debate and fight. Nevertheless every Christian should be so armed, that he is certain for himself of his faith and the doctrine, and that he ground himself with passages out of God’s Word, so that he can persist against the devil, and also fight himself when he wants to guide someone else, and so help preserve and contend for the doctrine.

continued

Luther on Spiritual Warfare (part 5)

13. But a Christian Should Firmly Abide by His Calling

Therefore, as one must, through the Word make himself firm and certain in the Lord against the attacks of unbelief or the despising of the Word, so also we have here to bring it about, that we strengthen ourselves well with the same Word of the Lord, which is our only strength and armor (as we will hear), that we remain firm in our calling. For we know that God included our station and work in His command, is well-pleased with it, and that we could do nothing better. So each servant or maidservant in the house should look upon their station and work, as that God has called them to it, so that they faithfully serve their masters and say, “I know that my station and work pleases God well, and that there is no more precious work on earth.” The reason? Because God has commanded me no other. Therefore I want to remain in it, and not allow myself to be torn away from it to another, nor to be swayed to impatience and unfaithfulness. Likewise a pious wife, if he is a Christian, and knows and believes God’s Word, and afterward waits upon her station—she does the most precious work on earth. She must not seek something else, nor go into a cloister or become an anchoress, but instead firmly remain with her calling, and say: “My Lord Christ has suffered for me, and through His death has relieved me, and redeemed me from sins, made me righteous and blessed. And He requires nothing more of me than that I should believe this, and calls me afterwards to wait diligently upon my office. Here I want to remain.” See! If each in his station or office strengthened himself and made himself firm upon the Word of God, then everything would go right and well, and we would have a paradise, yes, a kingdom of heaven here on earth, and each could do his work with pleasure and joy, without all trouble and care. On the other hand, wherever this certain and firm understanding is not found, there a person does his work maliciously and with displeasure, and gets blows and misfortune as his wages, making for himself both an ungracious God, and a sour life.

continued

Luther on Spiritual Warfare (part 4)

But such strength is quite rare in the world. For how many are they now, who so take up the subject, that they be certain of their faith and life in their hearts, that they can firmly hold to them and despise all other things? Yes, the whole world does not come to this point that they intend to have God’s Word and to live according to it. It is desired nowhere, rather despised in the highest degree. The majority live according to their insolence toward God’s Word and strengthen themselves only in their wickedness and devilish ways…But we talk now of those which would gladly be Christians and who are serious about the Word, which have trouble and labor with it and must defend themselves with all might so that they do not also get into such ways, that they do not regard the word or faithfully wait upon their calling.

As the devil cannot let faith go unattacked, so that he may tear us away from the Word, so also can he not leave our life in peace either, and he has no rest until he makes you falter. He drives such thoughts into the heart that you should find your station tedious, not desire it, and become impatient with it. Whoever now here is not armed so that he can stand fast, nor knows how to defend himself with the Word, the devil soon overcomes, as he did the others, which he totally rules with lack of desire and boredom in their stations. He lets no one find pleasure in his station and work. Even the heathen lament this, because they saw and felt it everywhere, what a noxious plague it is, that no one lets himself be satisfied with his office and station, but instead always gapes after another and holds it to be better. As they say, an ox would gladly be a horse, and again the horse an ox; a farmer or townsman would gladly be a nobleman, the nobleman a prince, the prince emperor, etc. Out of displeasure with one’s calling follows unfaithfulness, that no one his commanded office and work diligently waits upon, but instead despises it and either undertakes another, or cheats his neighbor in it and does him wrong.

Continued

Luther on Spiritual Warfare (part 3)

7. How This Must Happen in the Preaching Office and Other Stations

As, for instance, he who wants to be a pious preacher or pastor. He has his hands full that he rightly carry out his office, preach pure and clear, exhort, pray, and watch, that the devil not secretly cause sects and hinder him in his office, or allow him to be made sullen and impatient by the unthankfulness of the world and evil mouths. In addition to this he has to beat back the devil and the flesh for his own person, that he remain in the faith, etc. Likewise in other stations, each must first learn God’s Word, and not despise it (as the majority of the world does). Then let him see what his station demands. There you will find enough that hinders and fights you, both in regard to your faith and your office. Therefore you must arm yourself against this, and think, “This is what is required of me to believe, and to live as a husband or wife, son, daughter, mayor, lord, servant, maid, etc. Here I want to remain, and not let anything hinder me, or irritate or scare me off from it.”

8. A Great Seriousness is Required for This

See! For this reason St. Paul uses just these words: “Be strong in the Lord.” Otherwise he had just as well said with plain words (as he otherwise speaks, and as we take care to speak, when we make known the doctrine): “Each of you see to it, that you rightly believe, and do what is commanded you [in your vocation.]” But here he uses such mighty words: “Strengthen yourself,” or “Be strong” with care and not without reason, namely, because, as said already, whoever wants to remain with this doctrine and his office must arm himself and be vigorous about it, because it is not a thing that goes so easily and accomplishes itself without hindrance and opposition. Instead, it does not happen without tribulation. Therefore it is necessary that one wake himself up and be brave, and not listen to anything else…

9. For this One has Need of God’s Power

Because he does not want such lax Christians, who bring away nothing more from [his preaching] than to know it and be baptized [?], and do not think how they may bring it forth in life. He wants them to understand that the doctrine must be lived and done. Therefore it requires strength, and such strength which is of God, not of the world nor flesh and blood. It requires divine strength that a person, informed by God’s Word as to how he should stand before God and live correctly, who thinks, “I want to remain with this and hear and listen to no other”—that that person could stand if some rotten spirit came and wanted to pervert the doctrine and understanding of Christ, or if some idle tongue wanted to draw and tear him from his commanded office and works. For the devil leaves no one without affliction and tribulation, if not through the world, then inwardly, in the heart, through his promptings, false thoughts, and through our own flesh. Because the devil does nothing else than fight and hinder you, so that you do not remain with the pure doctrine. He is afraid that a tree will grow out of the little root [of your faith in Christ.] Therefore it is before all things necessary, that as soon as you have begun to believe, you strengthen yourself and become firm—not otherwise than through the Lord, or in the Lord, that is, the Lord’s strength. You will not find this in your bosom nor in the world, because it must be a strength and power that stands not only against the world’s might and power, but also against the devil’s, who indeed is a mighty lord and emperor in the whole world, as we will hear later.

10. Which before the world appears weak, and yet does great things

But it is a particularly wonderful strength, although it is nothing in the eyes of the world, because it does no more than ground itself on and hold to the bare Word. I mean, if it is to be so great a strength, it must have another foundation than to be built on a strong rock, or to hide in a firm castle. The world calls it “strengthening yourself” when you put on a good suit of armor, when you are armed and secured with a gun. But all this counts for nothing against this foe, the devil. Instead it must be a spiritual, eternal strength, which grasps the Lord Christ in His Word through faith. And even if it does not appear to the eyes how strong He is, yet He is man enough that whoever clings to him can defy the devil and all his might and power, because He remains with those who are His. Therefore, Paul says, if you want to be strong and unconquerable, then let the Lord Christ be your strength. Grasp him well, and practice yourself well in Him. See that He is well-known to you, and you keep his word pure, that you with all diligence learn it, and daily drive it into your heart so thoroughly that your heart and God’s Word become one thing, and the matter become as certain, and much more certain, than your own life. When you have that, then you are right strong and firm, so that you cannot be overturned, and could remain secure, whether the devil comes, or his messengers, whether enthusiasts or the Pope’s gang. Then you yourself will teach and lead others, or raise up something new.

continued

Luther on Spiritual Warfare (part 2)

6. What “Be Strong in the Lord” Means

This is so much as to say, be so minded that you hold fast and remain with that which you have received, and each carry out his faith and his office well, and not follow or give in to the devil’s promptings or his own flesh and the world’s enticements. Guard yourself, that you do not allow yourself to be hindered, nor to be made tired and faint, that you let up from your faith and office, or become lazy and sluggish. It is necessary to be strong and fight, because we have such a foe (as we will hear) who everywhere attacks and harries us with all his might and powers, and without ceasing [attacks?] with evil thoughts and poisonous, destructive tongues, and [bruises?] both the ears and the heart, in order that we should not regard the word, nor with seriousness carry it out. [He works] that in our station or office we become careless, inattentive, depleted, and impatient, until he brings it about that you no longer stand firm, but instead, loose and unstable, stagger here and there, and fall from one thing to another, both in doctrine and life. To be strong in the Lord means to stand firm and fixedly, and to hold to the doctrine which you have received from the Lord, which teaches us how we should believe in Christ. And thereafter we should so live, that each one serve his neighbor in his station and calling, and faithfully and diligently wait upon [our office.]

(continued)

Luther on Spiritual Warfare (part 1)

Edifying Treatment of the Armor and Weapons of a Christian

Preached by Luther in 1532

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take up the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:10-17

1. These words comprise an exhortation.

This is the last part of the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, and it is not teaching how they should believe and live (which he has already done before in the whole Epistle.) But instead it is an exhortation, that, because they have the doctrine of faith, they see to it and know what each one should do as a Christian in his station, and that they remain in the same, and not turn from it in anything.

2. Likewise a battlefield sermon by Paul.

And he does like a pious, true captain, who addresses his people in battle formation. He preaches a battlefield sermon, and exhorts that they stand firm, that they should fight boldly and bravely. It could easily be called “An Army Sermon for Christians.” Because he shows here that those baptized into Christ, who want to hold on to Him, must and should be warriors, always armed with their shield and weapons; he shows that the station of a Christian is not an idle one, nor one of peace and security, but that it consists in always being on the battlefield and warring.

3. Because Christians are surrounded by nothing but foes.

Because we do not sit here in quiet, like a farmer, townsman, or craftsman in a city, where he lives in peace and has nothing to fear. Instead we lie in a dangerous place, in the middle of foes and murderers, who mean business with us, and who want to take our treasure if we make a mistake, so that we are not secure for a moment from them. Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian must understand that he marches under his Lord’s banner, and while he lives here, without ceasing, he stands on the precipice, and the foe watches him at all times.

4. Therefore they have need to be awakened to the fight by means of God’s Word.

Since daily we stand and live in such danger, it is necessary that one awaken, drive, and push us through God’s Word, as through our army-drum, so that we do not snore or become lazy and lax, but rather always be and remain awake and armed. For it is not enough, that we have the Word and knowledge of faith and life, but it takes constant care and diligence that we keep both, that the devil not tear away the doctrine, nor change and falsify it, or lead you away from your station, nor bait and lure you from it through the evil mouths and example of the world, yea, even through your own flesh. As the wise say, it is as great an art to keep the goods one has already won as to win them in the first place, and requires no little labor and diligence. Just as it belongs to a good house-father not only to acquire money and goods and bring them home, but when he can and does do that, that he also keep them safe in the house. These two virtues must both be together, otherwise everything is lost—trouble, cost, and labor which one spent to acquire the goods in the first place.

5. How Paul carries out this battlefield sermon.

Thus St. Paul wants to say in this text, in summary: Because you have now become Christians and renounced the devil, and have been brought again to your true Lord, and know and have received everything that belongs to being a Christian, so see to it, and let it be from now on, that your only care be how you may remain in these things and not allow yourself to be taken away from them, whether by might or by deception. Nor allow yourself to be made lazy and tired with regard to these things, because you have an evil and tricky foe against you, who does not sleep for a moment nor take a holiday. With all malice and with every art he tries how he may hinder and fight you in your faith and office, in order that he may catch you and bring you into submission to him again. Also he has helpers in his world and your own flesh, which you bear around your neck, and always draws you back, that you should become secure and inattentive, and neglect to be awake and to struggle. Therefore Paul now begins with such words to cultivate people of war, to address and to exhort them, that they gallantly stand and fight, and says, “Be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.”

(continued)

Place Yourself Beside the Publicans. Luther

The Gospel is spoken to those only who acknowledge their sins, and their sins they acknowledge when they repent of them. But this Gospel is of no use to the Pharisees, for they do not acknowledge their sins. To those, however, who do acknowledge them, and are about to despair, the Gospel must be brought…

Therefore, when you feel your sins gnawing at you, and feel your heart trembling and agitated, place yourself beside the publicans where they are standing. These are the very ones who shall receive the Gospel. Do so joyously, and say: “Oh God! It is thy word that says there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance, and that all the righteous and angels are to interpose and cover up sins. Now, Oh, God! I have come to this that I feel my sins. I am already judged. I need but the one Shepherd who seeketh me; and I will therefore freely venture on thy Gospel.”

It is thus that you come to God. You are already the sheep placed upon his shoulders. You have found the Shepherd. You are the piece of silver in the hand. You are the one over whom is joy in heaven in the presence of all the angels. We are not to worry, if we do not experience or feel this at once. Sin will daily decrease, and its sting will drive you to seek God. You must struggle against this feeling by faith, and say: “Oh God! I know thou hast said this, and I lean upon thy Word. I am the sheep and the piece of silver; thou the shepherd and the woman.”

You might say: Yes, this I will gladly do; but I cannot atone for my sins. I can render no satisfaction for them. Consider then the publicans and sinners. What good have they done? None. They came to God, heard his Word and believed it. Do the same.

Luther, Sermon for the Third Sunday after Trinity, Lenker, vol.2, p.65-66.