FROM LUTHER’S PRAYERS:

Help us so that by our lives and good works others may be promptednot to exalt us but to praise you in us and to honor your name. Grantthat no one may be offended by our evil works or shortcomings, andso dishonor you and praise you less. Keep us from desiring anythingtemporal or eternal that does not praise and honor your name. If weshould ask you for any such things, we pray that you would not hear our foolishness. Help us so to live that we may be found truechildren of God, and that your fatherly name may not be used falselyor in vain because of us. Amen.

FROM LUTHER’S SMALL CATECHISM:

The Lord’s Prayer:

The First Petition

Hallowed be your name.

What is this?

It is true that God’s name is holy in itself, but we ask in this prayer that it may also become holy in and among us.

How does this come about?

Whenever the Word of God is taught clearly and purely and we, asGod’s children, also live holy lives according to it. To this endhelp us, dear Father in heaven! However, whoever teaches andlives otherwise than the Word of God teaches, dishonors God’sname among us. Preserve us from this, heavenly Father!

NINETEENTH SUNDAYAFTER PENTECOST

Almighty God, source of every blessing,your generous goodness comes to us anew every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us toacknowledge your goodness, give thanks for benefits,and serve you in willing obedience;through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

GOSPEL: Mark 10: 17-31

As (Jesus) was setting out on a journey, a man came up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do toinherit eternal life?”

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call megood? No one is good but God alone.

You know thecommandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commitadultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Youshall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’”

He said tohim, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.”

Jesus,looking at him, loved him and said, You lack one thing; go, sellwhat you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will haveyour treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”

When he heardthis, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “Howhard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were perplexed at these words. ButJesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdomof God!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needlethan for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then whocan be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it isimpossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

Peter began to say to him, “Look we have left everythingand followed you.”

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no onewho has left house or brother or sister or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news,

who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and field with persecution—and in the age to come eternal life.

But many whoare first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Second Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints frommarrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passedthrough the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable tosympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in everyrespect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.

Let ustherefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that wemay receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?

For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as weare, yet without sin.

Hebrews iv. 15.

When the devil tempts me, my heart is comforted and my faith isstrengthened, because I know Him who for my sake has overcome thedevil, and that He come to me to be my help and comfort. Thus faithovercomes the devil. Therefore, first, God teaches me faith, that Imay know that for my sake Christ has overcome the devil. Then,since I now know that the devil has no power over me but isovercome by faith, I must be ready to be tempted. The purpose of thisis that my faith be strengthened, and that my neighbor may be givenan example by victory over temptation, and may be comforted.And mark this: whenever faith begins, temptation soonfollows. The Holy Ghost does not leave you to rest to quietness, butsoon He throws you into temptation. Why? In order that your faithmay be confirmed, for otherwise the devil would blow us about likechaff. But if God comes and brings a weight on us, making usweighty and heavy, then it is manifest to the devil and to all mankindthat the power of God is at work. Thus God manifests His glory andmajesty in our weakness, therefore He casts us out into the desert, thatis, He casts us down, so that we are deserted of all creatures and cansee no help. We even think that God Himself has utterly forsaken us.For as He acts toward Christ, even so does He act towards us. It doesnot run smoothly. Our heart must faint within us.

Sermon from the year1523.

W.A.II. 22 f.

Taken from the book:

Day by Day We Magnify Thee

by Martin Luther