St. Andrew's Lutheran Church and Campus Center
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Martin Luther on the Gospel for Invocabit
Trial and Temptation
"For we have not a high priest which cannot he touched with the feeling of our infirmities; hut Was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) When the devil tempts me, my heart is comforted and my faith is strengthened, because I know Him who for my sake has overcome the devil, and that He comes to me to be my help and my comfort. Thus faith overcomes the devil. There- fore, first, God teaches me faith, that I may know that for my sake Christ has overcome the devil. Then, since I now know that the devil has no power over me but is overcome by faith, I must be ready to be tempted. The purpose of this is that my faith may be strengthened, and that my neighbour may be given an example by my victory over temptation, and may be comforted. And mark this: whenever faith begins, temptation soon follows. The Holy Ghost does not leave-you to rest in quiet- ness, but soon He throws you into temptation. Why ? In order that your faith may be confirmed, for otherwise the devil would blow us about like chaff. But if God comes and hangs a weight on us, making us weighty and heavy, then it is manifest to the devil and to all mankind that the power of God is at work. Thus God manifests His glory and majesty in our weakness, therefore He casts us out into the desert, that is, He casts us down, so that we are deserted of all creatures and can see no help. We even think that God Him- self has utterly forsaken us. For as He acts towards Christ, even so does He act towards us. It does not run smoothly. Our heart must faint within us.(Sermon from the year 1523. W.A. 17. 11.2.2. f)
