Luther's Sermon on Prayer

Chartres Cathredral Rose Window

Luther's Sermon for Rogate  - Fifth Sunday after Easter

Second Sermon

KJV John 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

A SERMON ON PRAYER.

1. First we note that in order for a prayer to be really right and to be heard five things are required. The first is, that we have from God his promise or his permission to speak to him, and that we remember the same before we pray and remind God of it, thereby encouraging ourselves to pray in a calm and confident frame of mind. Had God not told us to pray, and pledged himself to hear us, none of his creatures could ever, with all their prayers, obtain so much as a grain of corn. From this, then, there follows that no one receives anything from God by virtue of his own merit or that of his prayer. His answer comes by virtue of the divine goodness alone, which precedes every prayer and desire, which moves us, through his gracious promise and call, to pray and to desire, in order that we may learn how much he cares for us, and how he is more ready to give than we are to receive. He would have us seek to become bold, to pray in a calm and confident spirit, since he offers all, and even more, than we are able to ask.

2. In the second place, it is necessary that we never doubt the pledge and promise of the true and faithful God. For even to this end did God pledge himself to hear, yea, commanded us to pray, in order that we may always have a sure and firm faith that we will be heard; as Jesus says in Matthew 21:22: “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Christ says in Luke 11:9-13: “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. And of which of you that is a father shall his son ask a loaf, and he give him a stone? or a fish, and he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” With this and like promises and commands we must consolingly exercise ourselves and pray in true confidence.

3. In the third place, if one prays doubting that God will hear him, and only offers his prayers as a venture, whether it be granted or not granted, he is guilty of two wicked deeds. The first is, that he, himself, makes his prayer unavailing and he labors in vain. For Jesus says: “Whoever will ask of God, let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6-7. He means that the heart of such a man does not continue stable, therefore God can give it nothing; but faith keeps the heart calm and stable and makes it receptive for the divine gifts.

4. The other wicked deed is, that he regards his most true and faithful God as a liar and an unstable and doubtful being; as one who can not or will not keep his promise; and thus through his doubt he robs God of his honor and of his name of truth and faithfulness. In this, such a grievous sin is committed that by this sin a Christian becomes a heathen, denying and losing his own God, and thus he remains in his sin, and must be condemned forever, without comfort. Moreover, if he receives that for which he prays, it will be given, not for his salvation, but for his punishment in time and eternity and it is not for the sake of the prayers, but because of his wrath that God rewards the good words which were spoken in sin, unbelief and divine dishonor.

5. In the fourth place, some say: Yes, I would gladly trust that my prayer would be heard, if I were only worthy and prayed aright. My answer is: If you do not pray until you know and experience that you are fit, then you will never need to pray. As I have said before, our prayers must not be founded nor rest upon ourselves or their own merits, but upon the unshakable truth of the divine promise. Where they are founded upon anything else, they are false, and deceive us, even though the heart break in the midst of its great devotions and we weep drops of blood. The very reason we do pray is because of our unworthiness; and just through the fact that we believe we are unworthy and confidently venture upon God’s faithfulness to his Word do we become worthy to pray and to be heard. Be you as unworthy as you may, only look to it, and with all earnestness accept it as true, that a thousandfold more depends upon this, that you know God’s truth and not change his faithful promise into a lie by your doubting. Your worthiness does not help you, but your unworthiness is no barrier. Disbelief condemns you, and trust makes you worthy and sustains you.

6. Therefore, be on your guard all through life that you may never think yourself worthy or fit to pray or to receive; unless it be that you discover yourself to be a freebold character risking all upon the faithful and sure promises of your gracious God, who thus wishes to reveal to you his mercy and goodness. Just as he, out of pure grace, has promised you, being so unworthy, an unmerited and unasked hearing, so will he also hear you, an unworthy beggar, out of pure grace, to the praise of his truth and promise. This he does in order that you may thank, not your worthiness, but his truth, by which he fulfils his promise, and that you thank his mercy that gave the promise, that the saying in Psalm 25:8-10 may stand: “Good and upright is Jehovah: Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in justice; and the meek will he teach his way.

All the paths of Jehovah are loving kindness and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.” Loving-kindness or mercy in the promise; faithfulness and truth in the fulfilling or hearing of the promises.

And in another Psalm he says: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10. That is, they come together in every work and gift we receive from God through prayer.

7. In the fifth place, one should so act in this confidence of prayer as not to limit God and specify the day or place, nor designate the way or measure of the prayer’s fulfillment; but leave all to his own will, wisdom and almighty power. Then confidently and cheerfully await the answer, not even wishing to know how and where, how soon, how long, and through whom. His divine wisdom will find far better ways and measures, time and place, than we can devise, even should we perform miracles. So, in the Old Testament, the children of Israel all trusted in God to deliver them while yet there was no possible way before their eyes, nor even in their thoughts; then the Red Sea parted and offered them a way through the waters, and suddenly drowned all their enemies. Exodus 14.

8. Thus Judith, the holy woman, did when she heard that the citizens of Bethulia wished to deliver the city to their enemies within five days if God, in the meantime, did not help. She reproved them and said, Now who are ye, that have tempted God? They are not designs by which one acquires grace; but they awaken more disgrace. Do you wish to set a time for God to show you mercy, and specify a day according to your own pleasure?

Judith 8:10-12. Then the Lord helped her in a wonderful manner, in that she cut off the head of the great Holofernes and dispersed the enemies.

9. In like manner, St. Paul says that God’s ability is thus proved, in that he does exceeding abundantly above and better than we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20. Therefore, we should know that we are too finite to be able to name, picture or designate the time, place, way, measure and other circumstances for that which we ask of God. Let us leave that entirely to him, and immovably and steadfastly believe that he will hear us.

Big Plants for the Creation Garden

 I photographed the Easy Does It roses before I cut them for the wedding arrangements. They were at their peak, 40 blooms on two bushes, ahead of all the rest and astonishingly productive.

Wows and Vows

The rain seemed to be endless, but the roses did not mind. Two Easy Does It bushes were well established, came through the winter, and began blooming like they were long-stemmed Knock-Outs.

My siblings asked, "Did you grow them?" I said, "It runs in the family." Mom grew superb roses and so did our paternal grandfather.

Various wedding guests were wowed by them.

I thought Fever Few would grow a few inches tall. The ones I bought last fall are four feet tall and blooming like crazy. They attract beneficial insects and the leaves are supposedly good for headaches, even migraines, when brewed in a tea.

No, this is not!

I planted plenty of Joe Pye because there was a discount last year. This is a better butterfly weed than Butterfly Weed, a better butterfly bush than Butterfly Bush. The scent is lavender, the plant is hardy, and all beneficial insects love it.

Joe Pye Weed in bloom is better looking than this, but that is true of all photographs of flowers.

The LutherQueasies Can Run, But They Cannot Hide!What Did Missouri Teach in 1901?

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2011/01/lcms-1901-catechism-justification-by.html

By Norma Boeckler

JUSTIFICATION --

AS TAUGHT IN LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM

(KLEINER KATECHISMUS)

Concordia Publishing House, 1901 Edition

Translation from German by V. H. Harley

P. 164 ff. II. Of The Forgiveness of Sins or Justification.

305. Why do you say in this article: I believe in the Forgiveness of Sins?

Because I hold with certainty that by my own powers or through my

own works I cannot be justified before God, but that the forgiveness of sins is

given me out of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. For where there is

forgiveness of sins, there is also true justification.

Ps. 130, 3.4; Ps. 143, 2; Is. 64, 6; Job 25, 4-6 (Q.124).

306. What is Justification?

Justification is that activity (Handlung) of God by which He out of

pure grace and mercy for the sake of Christ’s merits forgives the sins of a poor

sinner who truly believes in Jesus Christ and receives him to everlasting life.

307. How then do you become righteous before God and receive

everlasting salvation?

Not out of any merit or works or through an indwelling and infused

righteousness, but alone out of God’s grace and mercy through and on account

of the sole merit of Christ which I with true confidence of the heart have taken

hold of and appropriated to myself.

Or:

Through the most holy obedience, as also through the suffering and

death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not through any other works. This I

hold on to with unwavering faith (ungezweifeltem Glauben), and upon this I

place the full confidence of my heart.

308. With which testimonies of the Scripture do you prove this?

Rom. 3:23-25; Rom. 3:28 (Q.147); Eph. 2:8 (Q.147); 2 Tim. 1:9;

(Q. 288); Rom. 4:5 (Q. 140); Rom. 10:4 (Q.125); Ps. 32:1.2 (Cp. Rom. 4:6-8),

Gen. 15:6 (Cp. Rom. 4:3); Is. 53:11; Rom. 11:6.

309. But how can one say that we are justified alone out of grace, alone

for the sake of Christ’s merits, and alone through faith, and yet also through the

Word and Sacraments?

We become justified:

1) Out of God’s grace and mercy as the activating cause

(bewirkedende Ursache).

2) For the sake of Christ’s merit as the sole meritorius cause

(alleinigen verdienstlichen Ursache).

3) Alone through faith, as the sole instrumental cause (die einige

Mittelursache) or hand which takes hold of salvation.

4) Finally through the Word and Sacraments, as through the Means of

Grace, which partly offer and partly seal the salvation

(Gnadenmittel, die die seligkeit theils darbieten, theils

versiegeln).

310. Can and should believers be certain of their faith and of their

justification and salvation?

Yes, most certainly; because: Since the evangelical promises of the

forgiveness of sins, of perseverance in faith, and of obtaining eternal life are

1) entirely firm and certain (1 Cor. 1:20),

2) affirmed by a divine oath (Ezek. 33:11 -Q.180, Cp. Heb.

6:17.18),

3) sealed by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the pious (2 cor.

1:21.22),

4) and affirmed through the holy Sacraments as seal

(Rom.4:11, Q.453),

therefore they can and should be certain that neither death, nor life may

separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:

38.39, 2 Tim. 1:12, Q. 139).

+++++++

NOTE: The above was translated from the edition done by Dr. Johann Conrad

Dietrich, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Mo.. 
This was the official Catechism of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Missouri, Ohio and other States at the beginning of this century.

Over 7 Million Views Since 2007 - More Than 17,200 Posts

Mrs. Ichabod and I had a watch party this morning, waiting for the Google counter to roll over to 7 million.

Pageviews today

536

Pageviews yesterday

1,129

Pageviews last month

36,115

Pageviews  all time history

7,000,008

Posts - All time total - 17,210

Favorite responses from readers - "When you finally die, everyone will be so happy."

"You are a coward."
Signed Anonymous

"Just because I am anonymous does not mean I am a coward."
Signed Anonymous

"No one reads Ichabod."
Various ELS and WELS pastors

"Most of the views are from news articles."

"Sure, you published Luther's Sermons, no wonder there are a lot of views."

"I ignore the content and enjoy the graphics."

"I enjoy the content and then look at the graphics."

 Six Million Post

Five million views - November, 2016.

Four million views in 2015.

Three million views in 2014.

Two million views in 2013.

Posts with More Than 5,000 Views

The Holy Spirit Teaches Better Than Man - 122,000+ views

Dr. Lito Cruz Suggested Using PayPal - Over 88,000 views

Rev. Anonymouse Hates These Luther Sayings - Over 22,000 views

List of Hyles Related Clergy Sex Abuse Cases - over 17,600 views

WELS Discussions on Facebook - Over 17,000 views

WELS Discussions on Facebook II - Above 13,000 views

48 Detroit Parishes May Close - Over 13,000 views

Book of Concord Selections, Luther Resources - over 12,000 views

Famous Lutherans - over 10,600 views

The Pileated Woodpecker Sighted Again - almost 10,000 views

Craig Groeschel Facts Page - over 8,700 views

LCMS Seminary Cost Scandal - Tuition and Loans Support Prof Salaries - over 7,600 views

Lutheran Seminary Fraud - 7,000 views

Chesterton's Donkey Poem - 7,000 views

Navigation Page - Luther's Sermons, Lenker, 8 Volumes - Over 6,700 views

Luther's Sermons - Quinquagesima, 1 Corinthian 13 - 6,700 views

Otten Accuses Harrison of Sexual Harassment Settlement - Over 6600 views

UOJ Study Would Threaten the Rat Temple - 6,000 views

Top Ten Crimes in WELS - 5,000 views

Project Gutenberg - Apology, Love and Fulfilling the Law - 5,000 views

Scaer Admitted the Political Side of the Righteous Brothers Going after Walter A. Maier II

 David Scaer has all the evidence, spilled like dropped jar of raspberry jam, in his disorganized and self-conflicting book, quoted and cited below.

Scaer - WAM II's Doctrine Is Not Justification by Faith (As Revealed by the Holy Spirit) But Denial of UOJ.

"Maier II’s lectures on Romans were the source of seminary legends. Students had transcribed them, and at last count three different versions existed—something like Luther’s lectures. Since his lectures were the same year after year, students would read one or more of the transcriptions as Maier II lectured. All this anecdotal information, including that Maier II held to only subjective and not objective or universal justification, was common knowledge among students and faculty. Once or twice I got hold of library copies of these notes and his dissertation in attempting to get to the bottom of the concerns about his position. This proved futile, perhaps because I did not have the fortitude to wade through these materials. I was not asked to be a member of the faculty committee assigned to handle this matter and was a bit befuddled by the final solution."

Scaer, David P. Surviving the Storms: Memoirs of David P. Scaer. Luther Academy. Kindle Edition. #5632.

"Relations between the Preus brothers were not without their rough spots. Yet both Robert Preus and Jack Preus could not accept what they saw as the denial of objective justification by both Walter Maier I and his son Walter Maier II. His views also became an issue in September 1989 with the calling of Walter Maier III, whose views were seen by some faculty members as virtually identical with his father’s view. Neither understood this doctrine according to traditional Missouri Synod definitions." (sic)
GJ - Scaer is gilding the latrine when he claims UOJ was the traditional LCMS dogma. No, the early publications were definitely Justification by Faith - until the Pieper faction gained dominance and wrecked the synod by gradual infiltration and subtle excommunication. See the essays of LCMS Pastor Vernon Harley - http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2012/02/vernon-harleys-essays-also-linked-on.html

Scaer, David P.. Surviving the Storms: Memoirs of David P. Scaer. Luther Academy. Kindle Edition. #5640.