Lessons in the Lutheran Confessions
Scripture Text: Revelation 3:8
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From the Word: I know your works. See, I have caused there to be an opened door before you, which no one can shut. I know that you have little power, yet have kept my word and not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)
From the Confessions: The Small Catechism
The Third Petition
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
What does this mean?
The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it will also be done among us.
How is this done?
God’s will is done when he hinders and destroys every evil design and purpose of the devil, the world, and our sinful nature that would keep us from hallowing his name and prevent the coming of his kingdom. And God’s will is done when he strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in his Word and in faith to the end of our earthly lives. This is his good and gracious will.
Pulling It Together: Who can shut the open door of the gospel’s invitation to faith in Christ? It is God’s will that we are strengthened to keep the faith, to remain steadfast in his Word. So, though we have little or no power in our human nature, God supplies us with enough to keep us in the faith and remain faithful to his Name. It is he who “encourage[s ]our hearts and strengthen[s us] in every good deed and word” (2 Thes 2:17). His will be done.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the open door of the gospel. Amen.
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A Latin phrase meaning “Scripture Alone,” Sola Scriptura is one of the traditional Lutheran slogans used since the time of the Reformation. It expresses our confession that Scripture is “the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged.” Using the familiar phrase as its title, Sola Scriptura is an advanced-level Bible Study in a two-part series, of six chapters each, on the functional authority of Scripture. For those who would like to cover the topic in detail, there is enough material to cover one chapter in two sessions, making each part a 12-week study.
Part 1 Leader's Guide • Part 2 Participant Book • Part 2 Leader's Guide
Author
Rev. Mark E. Ryman serves as Pastor for St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury, NC. Previously, Pastor Ryman has served other congregations in North Carolina and Ohio, as well as a call to specialized ministry with Sola Publishing.
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