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FROM LUTHERS PRAYERS:

O dear God and Father, keep us wide awake and active, eager and diligent in your word and service. May we not beoverconfident, idle, and indifferent, as though we owned allthings. May the enraged devil not capture us by his treachery,nor rob us of your precious word, nor cause discord and

factions among us, nor somehow lead us into spiritual and bodily sin and shame. Give us wisdom and power throughyour Spirit, that we may bravely withstand him and triumphover him. Amen.

FROM LUTHERS SMALL CATECHISM:

The Sixth Petition of The Lords Prayer:

Save us from the time of trial.

What is this?It is true that God tempts no one, but we ask in this prayer thatGod would preserve and keep us, so that the devil, the world,and flesh may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief,despair, and other great and shameful sins, and that, althoughwe may be attacked by them, we may finally prevail and gainthe victory.

SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Lord God, use our lives to touch the world with love. Stir us, by your Spirit, to be a neighbor to those in need,

serving them with willing hearts; through your Son, Jesus

Christ our Lord.

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GOSPEL: Mark 6:14-29

King Herod heard of (the disciples preaching) for Jesus namehad become known. Some were saying, John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these

powers are at work in him. 15 But other said: It is Elijah.Others said, It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, John, whom I

beheaded, has been raised.17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John,

bound him, and put him prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philips wife, because Herod had married her. 18 For John had been telling Herod, It is not lawful for you to haveyour brothers wife. 19 And Herodias had a grudge againsthim, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for Herodfeared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man,and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly

perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21 But anopportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquetfor his courtiers and officers and leaders of Galilee. 22 Whenhis daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herodand his guests, and the king said to the girl, Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it. 23 And he solemnlyswore to her, Whatever you ask me, I will you, even half of my kingdom. 24 She went out and said to her mother, Whatshould I ask for? She replied, The head of John the

baptizer. 25 Immediately she rushed back to the king and

requested, I want you to give me at once the head of John the baptizer on a platter. 26 The king was deeply grieved; yet outof regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want torefuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guardwith orders to bring Johns head. He went and beheaded himin prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to thegirl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When the disciplesheard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in atomb.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?

For our gospel came not unto to you in word only, but alsoin power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.

I Thessalonians i. 5.

We Christians must be sure of our gospel and must beable firmly without any wavering to say YES or NO and stand

by it. How often the Apostle uses the Greek word plerophoria,which means such a certainty and fullness of faith that our heartsnever waiver but are full of certainty at all times. As I have said

before, Christians must know for certain what they believe, andmust witness to their belief. Therefore, if you take away thatcertain affirmation so that Christians are no longer sure of whatthey believe, they have ceased to be Christians, and you havetaken away their faith. For the Holy Spirit is given to them fromheaven in order that He may sanctify the hearts of the faithfuland make them firm and sure in their witness to Christ, so thatthey will live and die for it. And is not this the greatest certaintyif I stand so firmly by my YES that I am ready to die for it? Yes,it is.

The Holy Spirit is no skeptic. He has not written anuncertain delusion in our hearts, but a strong, great certainty,which does not let us waver, and (may it please God) will not letus waver; but (praise be to God) makes us as sure as we are thatwe are now alive, and that two and three make five.

On the enslaved will. 8 ff.

Taken from the book:Day by Day We Magnify Thee

by Martin Luther

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