Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Wednesday of Holy Week, March 23, 2016


Wednesday, March 23, 2016    Lead Us Not into Temptation          



Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,’” and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” 1Peter 2:7-8

Citizenship in the New Jerusalem is not something earned; it is a gift of God that honors us. Isaiah 8:14 explains that although Christ was to be a sancturary for Judah and Israel, those who rejected Him would fall in unbelief and be crushed. Unless they repent and come to faith, sin will destroy them. [1]

What is the Sixth petition? 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.[2]

Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen[3]



[1] The Lutheran Study Bible, © 2009 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO Pp.2151
[2] Luther’s Small Catechism, 6th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer © 2008 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
[3] Collect for Wednesday of Holy Week, http://www.liturgies.net/Lent/LentenCollects.htm

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