Martin Luther preaches a sermon on the final two petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. This is the eighth sermon (of eleven) in Luther’s first (of three) series of sermons on the Catechism preached in 1528. As I have not found an English translation of these catechism sermons, in lieu of an excerpt from the sermon preached on May 27, we have a second except from the Large Catechism‘s (1529) treatment of the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer.
Quotation:
[continued from the previous post] This, then, is what “leading us not into temptation” means: when God gives us power and strength to resist even though the temptation is not being taken away or removed. For while we live in the flesh and have the devil prowling around us, no one can escape temptation and allurements; and it cannot be otherwise than that we must endure trials, indeed, be engulfed in them; but we pray for this, so that we may not fall and be drowned in them.
To feel temptation is, therefore, a far different thing from consenting or yielding to it. We must all feel it, although not all in the same way, but some to a greater degree and more severely than others. For example, young people suffer especially from the flesh; middle-aged and older people are tempted by the world. Others who are occupied with spiritual matters, that is, strong Christians, are tempted by the devil. But such an attack can harm no one, as long as it is against our will and we would rather be rid of it,. For if we did not feel it, it could not be called a temptation. But to consent to it is when we give it free rein and do not resist or pray against it.
Therefore we Christians must be armed and daily expect to be incessantly attacked, so that no one may go along securely and heedlessly, as though the devil were far from us. But we must at all times expect and parry his blows. For though I am now chaste, patient, kind, and in firm faith, the devil will this very hour send such an arrow into my heart that I can scarcely stand. For he is an enemy who never desists nor becomes tired, so that when one temptation ceases, new ones always arise.
Accordingly, there is no help or comfort except to run here and to take hold of the Lord’s Prayer, and thus speak to God from the heart: “Dear Father, you have commanded me pray; let me not fall because of temptation.” Then you will see that the temptation has to cease and finally admit defeat. Otherwise, if you attempt to help yourself by your own thoughts and counsel, you will only make matters worse and give the devil more a wider opening. For he has a serpent’s head. If it finds an opening into which it can slither, the whole body will follow without check. But prayer can resist him and drive him back.
Today's Luther 