Immanuel Lutheran Church, Mankato
Lord's Prayer -- Thy Will be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven
July 16, 2000
Lesson 5: Thy Will be Done on Earth as it is in Heaven
Luther’s Explanation:
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
What does this mean?
God’s good and gracious will is certainly done without our prayer all by itself, but we pray in this petition that it be done among us also.
How is God’s will done?
God’s will is done when He breaks and stops every evil will and plan of those who do not want us to hallow His name or let His kingdom come, such as the will of the Devil, of the world, and of our own flesh. His will is also done when He gives us strength and keeps us firm in His word and in faith for as long as we live. This is God’s good and gracious will.
Ezekiel 33:11
John 6:40
1 Timothy 2:4
2 Peter 3:9b
________
1 Thessalonians 4:3
Romans 12:2
Psalm 115:3
Isaiah 14:27/46:11
Romans 9:19
1 Peter 1:25
Acts 5:38-39
1 John 2:15-17
Ezra 7:11-12,15-18
Matthew 28:19-20
Matthew 10:29
Matthew 6:25-34
Psalm 103:20-21
The Setting – Numbers 22:1-6
Following God’s Will – Numbers 22:7-14
Weakness reveals itself in failure – Numbers 22:15-21
Lessons learned – Numbers 22:22-35
God’s will is done – Numbers 22:36-24:25
For no one believes how the devil opposes and resists them, and [how he] cannot suffer that any one teach or believe aright. And it hurts him beyond measure to. . . be exposed, and to be disgraced himself, and, besides, be driven out of the heart, and suffer such a breach to be made in his kingdom. Therefore he chafes and rages as a fierce enemy with all his power and might, and marshals all his subjects, and, in addition enlists the world and our own flesh as his allies. For our flesh is in itself indolent and inclined to evil, even though we have accepted and believe the Word of God. The world, however, is perverse and wicked; this he incites against us, fans and stirs the fire, that he may hinder and drive us back, cause us to fall, and again bring us under his power. Such is all his will, mind, and thought, for which he strives day and night, and never rests a moment, employing all arts, wiles, ways, and means whichever he can invent. . .
If we would be Christians, therefore, we must surely expect and reckon upon having the devil with all his angels and the world as our enemies, who will bring every possible misfortune and grief upon us. . .Now, this hurts our flesh and the old Adam; for the test is to be steadfast and to suffer with patience in whatever way we are assailed, and to let go whatever is taken from us.
Hence there is just as great need, as in all the others, that we pray without ceasing: "Dear Father, Thy will be done, not the will of the devil and of our enemies, nor of anything that would persecute and suppress Thy holy Word or hinder Thy kingdom; and grant that we may bear with patience and overcome whatever is to be endured on that account, lest our poor flesh yield or fall away from weakness or sluggishness."
Behold, thus we have in these three petitions, in the simplest manner, the need which relates to God Himself, yet all for our sakes. For whatever we pray concerns only us, namely, as we have said, that what must be done anyway without us, may also be done in us. . .
. . .This consolation and confidence we have, that the will and purpose of the devil and of all our enemies shall and must fail and come to naught, however proud, secure, and powerful they know themselves to be. For if their will were not broken and hindered, the kingdom of God could not abide on earth nor His name be hallowed.
--Luther’s Large Catechism, Concordia Triglotta, CPH. ã Public Domain
Martin Chemnitz gives four topics of "godly devotion and meditation" to be used with each petition. They serve well as a way to summarize/review that for which we pray:
what blessings we are to desire in this petition
what evils we are to pray against
for what benefits we must give thanks
what contrary sins of ours we must acknowledge and confess
{WCE}