Luther’s Small Catechism:
Lead us not into temptation.
What does this mean? God tempts no one. We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice. Although we are attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory.
Since the devil, the world, and our sinful nature continually tempt us to sin, God has provided means for us to be strengthen against this onslaught. Those means are the word and sacraments.
One of the greatest temptations of Satan is his attempt to have us doubt God’s love and grace. Therefore, in God’s holy word we learn—Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Luther asks this question: What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?
He answers this way: These words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for giving your very body and blood on the cross for my salvation. Strengthen me with your word and Spirit when I receive this body and blood in, with and under the bread and wine at your holy table. Amen.
God’s richest blessings in Christ,
Pastor Philip Quardokus
Download a pdf of all the Lenten devotions here.
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