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XXXIII. Erhalt' uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort
Lord, keep us in Thy Word and Work
A Children's Song against the two arch-enemies of Christ and his Holy Church
Melody, 1543. Harmony by WM. STERNDALE BENNETT, 1865.
1. Lord, keep us in thy word and work,
Restrain the murderous Pope and Turk,
Who fain would tear from off thy throne
Christ Jesus, thy beloved Son.
2. Lord Jesus Christ, thy power make known,
For thou art Lord of lords alone.
Shield thy poor Christendom, that we
May evermore sing praise to thee.
3. God, Holy Ghost, our joy thou art,
Give to thy flock on earth one heart.
Stand by us in our latest need,
And us from death to glory lead.
1.Erhalt' uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort
Und steure deine Feinde Mord,
Die Jesum Christum deinen Sohn,
Wollen stuerzen von deinem Thron.
2.Beweis' dein Macht, Herr Jesu Christ,
Der du Herr allen Herren bist;
Beschirm' dein' arme Christenheit,
Dass sie dich lob' in Ewigkeit.
3. Gott heil'ger Geist, du Troester werth,
Gieb' dei'm Volk ein'rlei Sinn' auf Erd'
Steh bei uns in der letzten Noth,
G'leit uns ins Leben aus dem Tod.
XXXIV. Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam
To Jordan came our Lord the Christ
This melody, known also by the title, "Es soll uns Gott genaedig sein," is supposed to have been taken from a secular tune of much earlier date.
Harmony by A. HAUPT, 1869.
1. To Jordan came our Lord the Christ,
To do God's pleasure willing,
And there was by Saint John baptized,
All righteousness fulfilling;
There did he consecrate a bath
To wash away transgression,
And quench the bitterness of death
By his own blood and passion;
He would a new life give us.
2. So hear ye all, and well perceive
What God doth call baptism,
And what a Christian should believe
Who error shuns and schism:
That we should water use, the Lord
Declareth it his pleasure;
Not simple water, but the Word
And Spirit without measure;
He is the true Baptizer.
3. To show us this, he hath his word
With signs and symbols given;
On Jordan's banks was plainly heard
The Father's voice from heaven:
"This is my well-beloved Son,
In whom my soul delighteth;
Hear him." Yea, hear him every one
Whom he himself inviteth,
Hear and obey his teaching.
4. In tender manhood Jesus straight
To holy Jordan wendeth;
The Holy Ghost from heaven's gate
In dovelike shape descendeth;
That thus the truth be not denied,
Nor should our faith e'er waver,
That the Three Persons all preside,
At Baptism's holy laver,
And dwell with the believer.
5. Thus Jesus his disciples sent:
Go teach ye every nation,
That lost in sin they must repent;
And flee from condemnation:
He that believes and is baptized,
Obtains a mighty blessing;
A new-born man, no more he dies,
Eternal life possessing,
A joyful heir of heaven.
6. Who in this mercy hath not faith,
Nor aught therein discerneth,
Is yet in sin, condemned to death,
And fire that ever burneth;
His holiness avails him not,
Nor aught which he is doing;
His inborn sin brings all to naught,
And maketh sure his ruin;
Himself he cannot succor.
7. The eye of sense alone is dim,
And nothing sees but water;
Faith sees Christ Jesus, and in him
The lamb ordained for slaughter;
She sees the cleansing fountain red
With the dear blood of Jesus,
Which from the sins inherited
From fallen Adam frees us,
And from our own misdoings.
1. Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam
Nach seines Vaters Willen,
Von Sanct Johann's die Taufe nahm,
Sein Werk und Amt zu ' rfuellen.
Da wollt' er stiften uns ein Bad,
Zu waschen uns von Suenden,
Ersaeufen auch den bittern Tod
Durch sein selbst Blut und Wunden,
Es galt ein neues Leben.
2. So hoert und merket alle wohl,
Was Gott heisst selbst die Taufe,
Und was ein Christen glauben soll,
Zu meiden Ketzer Haufen:
Gott spricht und will, das Wasser sei
Doch nicht allein schlecht Wasser,
Sein heilig's Wort ist auch dabei
Mit reichem Geist ohn' Massen,
Der ist allhie der Taeufer.
3. Solch's hat er uns beweiset klar,
Mit Bildern und mit Worten,
Des Vaters Stimm man offenbar
Daselbst am Jordan hoerte.
Er sprach: das ist mein lieber Sohn,
An dem ich hab' Gefallen,
Den will ich euch befohlen han,
Dass ihr ihn hoeret alle
Und folget seinen Lehren.
4. Auch Gottes Sohn hie selber steht
In seiner zarten Menschheit,
Der heilig' Geist hernieder faehrt
In Taubenbild verkleidet;
Dass wir nicht sollen zweifeln d'ran,
Wenn wir getaufet werden,
All' drei Person getaufet han,
Damit bei uns auf Erden
Zu wohnen sich ergeben.
5. Sein' Juenger heisst der Herre Christ:
Geht hin all' Welt zu lehren,
Dass sie verlor'n in Suenden ist,
Sich soll zur Busse kehren;
Wer glaubet und sich taufen laesst,
Soll dadurch selig werden,
Ein neugeborner Mensch er heisst,
Der nicht mehr konne sterben,
Das Himmelreich soll erben.
6. Wer nicht glaubt dieser grossen G'nad,
Der bleibt in seinen Suenden,
Und ist verdammt zum ew'gen Tod
Tief in der Hoellen Grunde,
Nichts hilst sein' eigen' Heiligkeit,
All' sein Thun ist verloren.
Die Erbsuend' macht's zur Nichtigkeit,
Darin er ist geboren,
Vermag ihm selbst nichts helfen.
7. Das Aug' allein das Wasser seiht,
Wie Menschen Wasser giessen,
Der Glaub' im Geist die Kraft versteht
Des Blutes Jesu Christi,
Und ist fuer ihm ein' rothe Fluth
Von Christus Blut gefaerbet,
Die allen Schaden heilen thut
Von Adam her geerbet,
Auch von uns selbst begangen.
XXXV. Was fuercht'st du, Feind Herodes, sehr?
Why, Herod, unrelenting foe
From the Hymn of Coelius Sedelius, of the Fifth Century, "Herodes hostis impie."
Harmony by M. PRAETORIUS, 1609.
1. Why, Herod, unrelenting foe,
Doth the Lord's coming move thee so?
He doth no earthly kingdom seek
Who brings his kingdom to the meek.
2. Led by the star, the wise men find
The Light that lightens all mankind;
The threefold presents which they bring
Declare him God, and Man, and King.
3. In Jordan's sacred waters stood
The meek and heavenly Lamb of God,
And he who did no sin, thereby
Cleansed us from all iniquity!
4. And now a miracle was done:
Six waterpots stood there of stone;
Christ spake the word with power divine,
The water reddened into wine.
5. All honor unto Christ be paid,
Pure offspring of the holy maid,
With Father and with Holy Ghost,
Till time in endless time be lost.
1. Was fuercht'st du, Feind Herodes, sehr,
Dass uns gebor'n kommt Christ der Herr?
Er sucht kein sterblich Koenigreich,
Der zu uns bringt sein Himmelreich.
2. Dem Stern die Weisen folgen nach,
Solch' Licht zum rechten Licht sie bracht';
Sie zeigen mit den Gaben drei,
Dies Kind, Gott, Mensch, und Koenig sei.
3. Die Tauf' im Jordan an sich nahm
Das himmelische Gottes Lamm,
Dadurch, der nie kein' Suende that,
Bon Suenden uns gewaschen hat.
4. Ein Wunderwerk da neu geschah;
Sechs steinern' Kruege man da sah
Voll Wasser, das verlor sein Art,
Rother Wein durch sein Wort d'raus ward.
5. Lob, Ehr' und Dank fei dir gesagt,
Christ, gebor'n von der reinen Magd,
Mit Vater und dem heiligen Geist
Von nun an bis in Ewigkeit.
XXXVI. Der du bist drei in Einigkeit
Thou, who art Three in Unity
An imitation from the Gregorian hymn, "O lux beata trinitas."
Original Latin Melody. Harmony in VON TUCHER, 18—.
1. Thou who art Three in Unity,
True God from all eternity,
The sun is fading from our sight,
Shine thou on us with heavenly light.
2. We praise thee with the dawning day,
To thee at evening also pray,
With our poor song we worship thee
Now, ever and eternally.
3. Let God the Father be adored,
And God the Son, the only Lord,
And equal adoration be,
Eternal Comforter, to thee.
1. Der du bist drei in Einigkeit,
Ein wahrer Gott von Ewigkeit;
Die Sonn' mit dem Tag von uns weicht:
Lass leuchten uns dein goettlich Licht.
2. Des Morgens, Gott, dich loben wir,
Des Abends auch beten fuer dir,
Unser armes Lied ruehmt dich
Jetzt und immer und ewiglich.
3. Gott Vater, dem sei ewig Ehr,
Gott Sohn der ist der einig' Herr,
Und dem Troester heiligen Geist,
Von nun an bis in Ewigkeit.
Luther's Little Instruction Book
(The Small Catechism of Martin Luther)
Translation by Robert E. Smith
May 22, 1994
I. The Ten Commandments: The Simple Way a Father Should Present Them to His Household
A. The First Commandment
You must not have other gods.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear, love, and trust God more than anything else.
B. The Second Commandment
You must not misuse your God's name.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not use His name to curse, swear, cast a spell, lie or deceive, but will use it to call upon Him, pray to Him, praise Him and thank Him in all times of trouble.
C. The Third Commandment
You must keep the Sabbath holy.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not look down on preaching or God's Word, but consider it holy, listen to it willingly, and learn it.
D. The Fourth Commandment
You must honor your father and mother. [So that things will go well for you and you will live long on earth].
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither look down on our parents or superiors nor irritate them, but will honor them, serve them, obey them, love them and value them.
E. The Fifth Commandment
You must not kill.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither harm nor hurt our neighbor's body, but help him and care for him when he is ill.
F. The Sixth Commandment
You must not commit adultery.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that our words and actions will be clean and decent and so that everyone will love and honor their spouses.
G. The Seventh Commandment
You must not steal.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither take our neighbor's money or property, nor acquire it by fraud or by selling him poorly made products, but will help him improve and protect his property and career.
H. The Eighth Commandment
You must not tell lies about your neighbor.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not deceive by lying, betraying, slandering or ruining our neighbor's reputation, but will defend him, say good things about him, and see the best side of everything he does.
I. The Ninth Commandment
You must not desire your neighbor's house.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not attempt to trick our neighbor out of his inheritance or house, take it by pretending to have a right to it, etc. but help him to keep & improve it.
J. The Tenth Commandment
You must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals or anything that belongs to him.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not release his cattle, take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge them to stay and do what they ought to do.
K. The Conclusion to the Commandments
Q. What does God say to us about all these commandments?
A. This is what He says:
``I am the Lord Your God. I am a jealous God. I plague the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with their ancestor's sin. But I make whole those who love me for a thousand generations.''
Q. What does it mean?
A. God threatens to punish everyone who breaks these commandments. We should be afraid of His anger because of this and not violate such commandments. But He promises grace and all good things to those who keep such commandments. Because of this, we, too, should love Him, trust Him, and willingly do what His commandments require.
The Creed: The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household
I. The First Article: On Creation
I believe in God the Almighty Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth.
Q. What does this mean?
A. I believe that God created me, along with all creatures. He gave to me: body and soul, eyes, ears and all the other parts of my body, my mind and all my senses and preserves them as well. He gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and land, wife and children, fields, animals and all I own. Every day He abundantly provides everything I need to nourish this body and life. He protects me against all danger, shields and defends me from all evil. He does all this because of His pure, fatherly and divine goodness and His mercy, not because I've earned it or desrved it. For all of this, I must thank Him, praise Him, serve Him and obey Him. Yes, this is true!
II. The Second Article: On Redemption
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, descended to Hell, on the third day rose again from the dead, ascended to Heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Almighty Father. From there He will come to judge the living and the dead.
Q. What does this mean?
A. I believe that Jesus Christ is truly God, born of the Father in eternity and also truly man, born of the Virgin Mary. He is my Lord! He redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, bought and won me from all sins, death and the authority of the Devil. It did not cost Him gold or silver, but His holy, precious blood, His innocent body – His death! Because of this, I am His very own, will live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him righteously, innocently and blessedly forever, just as He is risen from death, lives and reigns forever. Yes, this is true.
III. The Third Article: On Becoming Holy
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the community of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and an everlasting life. Amen.
Q. What does this mean?
A. I believe that I cannot come to my Lord Jesus Christ by my own intellegence or power. But the Holy Spirit call me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as He calls, gathers together, enlightens and makes holy the whole Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus in the one, true faith. In this Church, He generously forgives each day every sin committed by me and by every believer. On the last day, He will raise me and all the dead from the grave. He will give eternal life to me and to all who believe in Christ. Yes, this is true!
The Our Father
The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household
I. Introduction
Our Father, Who is in Heaven.
Q. What does this mean?
A. In this introduction, God invites us to believe that He is our real Father and we are His real children, so that we will pray with trust and complete confidence, in the same way beloved children approach their beloved Father with their requests.
II. The First Request
May Your name be holy.
Q. What does this mean?
A. Of course, God's name is holy in and of itself, but by this request, we pray that He will make it holy among us, too.
Q. How does this take place?
A. When God's Word is taught clearly and purely, and when we live holy lives as God's children based upon it. Help us, Heavenly Father, to do this! But anyone who teaches and lives by something other than God's Word defiles God's name among us. Protect us from this, Heavenly Father!
III. The Second Request
Your Kingdom come.
Q. What does this mean?
A. Truly God's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. But we pray in this request that it come to us as well.
Q. How does this happen?
A. When the Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that we believe His holy Word by His grace and live godly lives here in this age and there in eternal life.
IV. The Third Request
May Your will be accomplished, as it is Heaven, so may it be on Earth.
Q. What does this mean?
A. Truly, God's good and gracious will is accomplished without our prayer. But we pray in this request that is be accomplished among us as well.
Q. How does this happen?
A. When God destroys and interferes with every evil will and all evil advice, which will not allow God's Kingdom to come, such as the Devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires. It also happens when God strengthens us by faith and by His Word and keeps living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. This is His will, good and full of grace.
V. The Fourth Request
Give us our daily bread today.
Q. What does this mean?
A. Truly, God gives daily bread to evil people, even without our prayer. But we pray in this request that He will help us realize this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
Q. What does ``Daily Bread'' mean?
A. Everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as: Food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and other things like these.
VI. The Fifth Request
And forgive our guilt, as we forgive those guilty of sinning against us.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We pray in this request that our Heavenly Father will neither pay attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because of our sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the things for which we pray. Yet He wants to give them all to us by His grace, because many times each day we sin and truly deserve only punishment. Because God does this, we will, of course, want to forgive from our hearts and willingly do good to those who sin against us.
VII. The Sixth Request
And lead us not into temptation.
Q. What does this mean?
A. God tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request that God will protect us and save us, so that the Devil, the world and our bodily desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into heresy, despair or other serious shame or vice, and so that we will win and be victorious in the end, even if they attack us.
VIII. The Seventh Request
But set us free from the Evil One.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We pray in this request, as a summary, that our Father in Heaven will save us from every kind of evil that threatens body, soul, property and honor. We pray that when at last our final hour has come, He will grant us a blessed death, and, in His grace, bring us to Himself from this valley of tears.
IX. Amen.
Q. What does this mean?
A. That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the Father in Heaven and will be granted, that He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and that He promises to answer us. Amen. Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way.
The Sacrament of Holy Baptism:
The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household
I. Q. What is Baptism? A. Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water contained within God's command and united with God's Word.
Q. Which Word of God is this?
A. The one which our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter of Matthew:
``Go into all the world, teaching all heathen nations, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and of the Holy Spirit.''
II. Q. What does Baptism give? What good is it?
A. It gives the forgiveness of sins, redeems from death and the Devil, gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just as God's words and promises declare.
Q. What are these words and promises of God?
A. Our Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of Mark: ``Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be damned.''
III. Q. How can water do such great things?
A. Water doesn't make these things happen, of course. It is God's Word, which is with and in the water. Because, without God's Word, the water is plain water and not baptism. But with God's Word it is a Baptism, a grace-filled water of life, a bath of new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul said to Titus in the third chapter: ``Through this bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that we, justified by the same grace are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying.''
IV. Q. What is the meaning of such a water Baptism?
A. It means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by daily sorrow and repentance, and die with all sins and evil lusts, and, in turn, a new person daily come forth and rise from death again. He will live forever before God in righteousness and purity.
Q. Where is this written?
A. St. Paul says to the Romans in chapter six: ``We are buried with Christ through Baptism into death, so that, in the same way Christ is risen from the dead by the glory of the Father, thus also must we walk in a new life.''
How One Should Teach the Uneducated to Confess
I. Q. What is confession?
A. Confession has two parts:
First, a person admits his sin
Second, a person receives absolution or forgiveness from the confessor, as if from God Himself, without doubting it, but believing firmly that his sins are forgiven by God in Heaven through it.
II. Q. Which sins should people confess?
A. When speaking to God, we should plead guilty to all sins, even those we don't know about, just as we do in the ``Our Father,'' but when speaking to the confessor, only the sins we know about, which we know about and feel in our hearts.
Q. Which are these?
A. Consider here your place in life according to the Ten Commandments. Are you a father? A mother? A son? A daughter? A husband? A wife? A servant? Are you disobedient, unfaithful or lazy? Have you hurt anyone with your words or actions? Have you stolen, neglected your duty, let things go or injured someone?
The Sacrament of the Altar:
The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to his Household
I. Q. What is the Sacrament of the Altar?
A. It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under bread and wine for us Christians to eat and to drink, established by Christ Himself.
II. Q. Where is that written?
A. The holy apostles Matthew, Mark and Luke and St. Paul write this:
``Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the night on which He was betrayed, took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to His disciples and said: ``Take! Eat! This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me!'' In the same way He also took the cup after supper, gave thanks, gave it to them, and said: ``Take and drink from it, all of you! This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you to forgive sins. This do, as often as you drink it, to remember Me!''
III. Q. What good does this eating and drinking do?
A. These words tell us: ``Given for you'' and ``Shed for you to forgive sins.'' Namely, that the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation are given to us through these words in the sacrament. Because, where sins are forgiven, there is life and salvation as well.
IV. Q. How can physical eating and drinking do such great things?
A. Of course, eating and drinking do not do these things. These words, written here, do them: ``given for you'' and ``shed for you to forgive sins.'' These words, along with physical eating and drinking are the important part of the sacrament. Anyone who believes these words has what they say and what they record, namely, the forgiveness of sins.
V. Q. Who, then, receives such a sacrament in a worthy way?
A. Of course, fasting and other physical preparations are excellent disciplines for the body. But anyone who believes these words, ``Given for you,'' and ``Shed for you to forgive sins,'' is really worthy and well prepared. But whoever doubts or does not believe these words is not worthy and is unprepared, because the words, ``for you'' demand a heart that fully believes.
How a Father Should Teach His Household to Conduct Morning and Evening Devotions
Morning Devotions
As soon as you get out of bed in the morning, you should bless yourself with the sign of the Holy Cross and say:
May the will of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be done! Amen.
Then, kneeling or standing, say the creed and pray the Lord's Prayer. If you wish, you may then pray this little prayer as well:
My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You kept me safe from all evil and danger last night. Save me, I pray, today as well, from every evil and sin, so that all I do and the way that I live will please you. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy Angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.
