LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION/DELIVER US FROM EVIL

Digging Deeper:

1. The 6th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer deserves a little clearer translation. The more modern English version of the Lord’s Prayer goes like this: Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. That is more consistent with James 1:13 where we are reminded that “God himself tempts no one.” Martin Luther starts out his explanation to this petition the same way!

2. A verse that Pastor requires confirmation students to memorize is 1 Corinthians 10:13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. How might the truth of this verse help us get through a time of testing/temptation? How might it ‘save’ us from evil?

3. The 7th petition of the Lord’s Prayer is “but deliver us from evil”. We are often aware of some forms of evil in the world (and likely just as blind to other forms of evil!) Are we aware of the evil within? No, it may not be the form of evil displayed by ISIS in 2016. Yet Jesus was pretty clear in pointing out that all sorts of evil come from the human heart (see Mark 7:21f). Perhaps part of our prayer is that God may help us recognize evil, whatever the source, and resist evil with whatever it takes.

4. Martin Luther wrote a Small Catechism for use at home, and a Large Catechism for more adult-level instruction. Here’s a paragraph from his Large Catechism:

Hence you see again how God wishes us to pray to Him also for all the things which affect our bodily interests, so that we seek and expect help nowhere else except in Him. But this matter He has put last; for if we are to be preserved and delivered from all evil, the name of God must first be hallowed in us, His kingdom must be with us, and His will be done. After that He will finally preserve us from sin and shame, and, besides, from everything that may hurt or injure us.