Luther's Little Instruction Book · Martin Luther
Introduction
Our Father, Who is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:9) What does this mean? 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. The First Request May Your name be holy. (Matthew 6:9) What does this mean? 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. How does this take place? It happens 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! The Second Request Your Kingdom come. (Matthew 6:10) What does this mean? Truly God's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. But we pray in this request that it come to us as well. How does this happen? It happens 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.
The Third Request May Your will be accomplished. As it is Heaven, so may it be on Earth. (Matthew 6:10) What does this mean? Truly, God's good and gracious will is accomplished without our prayer. But we pray in this request that is accomplished among us as well. How does this happen? It happens 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 us living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. This is His will, good and full of grace. The Fourth Request Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11) What does this mean? 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. What does "Daily bread" mean? 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.
What does this mean? 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. IV. The Sacrament of Holy Baptism The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household What is Baptism? Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water contained within God's command and united with God's Word. Where in the Word of God is this? Where our Lord Christ spoke in the last chapter of Matthew (Matthew 28:19): "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." What does Baptism give? What good is it? It gives us the forgiveness of sins, redeems us from death and the Devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, just as God's words and promises declare. What are these words and promises of God? Our Lord Christ spoke one of them in the last chapter of Mark (Mark 16:16): "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be damned." How can water do such great things?
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 (Titus 3:5-8): "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." What is the meaning of such a water Baptism? 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. Where is this written? St. Paul says to the Romans in Chapter Six (Romans 6:4): "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."
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.