FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM: SIXTH SUNDAY

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism:

OF EASTER
1.What is Baptism?
Baptism is not simply plain water. Instead it is water used
according to God’s command and connected with God’s Word.
What then is this Word of God?
Where our Lord Jesus Christ says in Matthew 28:19 “Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
2. What gifts or benefits does Baptism grant?
It brings about forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the
devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe it, as the
Word and promise of God declare.
What is this Word and promise of God?
Where our Lord Jesus Christ says in Mark 16:16, “The one who
believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not
believe will be condemned.”
3. How can water do such great things?
Clearly the water does not do it, but the Word of God, which is
with, in, and among the water, and faith, which trusts this Word
of God in the water. For without the Word of God the water is
plain water and not a baptism, but with the Word of God it is
baptism, that is, a grace-filled water of life and a “bath of the
new birth in the Holy Spirit.” As St. Paul says to Titus in 3:5-8,
“He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that
we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of
rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured
out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having
been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to
the hope of eternal life. The saying is sure.”
4. What then is the significance of such a baptism with water?
It signifies that the old person in us with all sins and evil desires
is to be drowned through daily sorrow for sin and repentance,
and that daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live
before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written? O God, from whom all good things come: Lead us by the
St. Paul says in Romans 6:3-4, “Do you not know that all of us inspiration of your Spirit to think those things which are
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his right, and by your goodness help us to do them; through your
death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of
life.”
GOSPEL: John 14: 23-29
Jesus answered Judas [Judas (not Iscariot),] “Those who love me
will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will
come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not
love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is
not mine but is from the Father who sent me.
25“I have said these things to you while I am still with you.
26But 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. 28 You heard me say to
you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved
me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; because the
Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it
occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
PRAYER FROM LUTHER’S PRAYERS:
I thank, praise, and glorify you, my Lord Christ, with heart and
voice before the world that you are merciful to me and do help
me. This I have received in baptism, that you and none other
shall be my Lord and God. Amen.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?
If a man love me, he will keep my words.
John xiv. 23.
The Church on earth must exist, and fight in
weakness, poverty, and affliction, fear, death, shame, and
blame,. Calamity will force you to step out of yourself and
not to rely on counsel, help, and strength of men, but you
must have Christ in your heart, so that you hold His Name,
Word, and Kingdom higher, dearer, and more precious than
all things on earth. To him who does not do this but loves his
own honor and power, the world’s praise, lust, joy, and
friendship more, this word is preached in vain; as Christ,
soon after, Himself says: ‘He that loveth not me keepeth not
my sayings’.
But it does not say to love with words alone. There
must be living works and the evidence of love, as the words
‘keep my sayings’ mean. That is, a love which fights and
overcomes. For it is the nature of true love to do all things
for the sake of the beloved, and there is nothing too hard for
her to suffer and to bear, that she would not do with joy.
If His unspeakable goodness were to go right to our
hearts, nothing would be too vexing or too hard for us to
suffer or to bear for His sake, that we only abide in His love.
That means, then, not only hearing the Word with joy, but
holding on to it firmly and winning the victory.
Sermon on John xiv.23-31 W.A 21. 453 f.
Taken from the book:
Day by Day We Magnify Thee
by Martin Luther
Page 249