Lord’s Day 52: Q&A 127-129: Amen

We are finally here at the end of the Heidelberg Catechism and our walkthrough of it. Here we find the last petition of the Lord’s Prayer and the closing.

Bonhoeffer wrote that asking God to not bring us to the time of trial but deliver us from the evil one is a request that should remind us of Job. That is, we do not know the mind of God and should not pretend to. We are asking God to do what he wills and not what we want.

This also leads into the closing praise and affirmation of God. God is sovereign and above all and in all and through all. When we pray, we desire for God to align our wills with his; to make us see where he is at work in the world for his glory and power and dominion.

Lord’s Day 52

Q&A 127-129

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!

You are our all-powerful king.

You are willing and able to give us all that is good.

Your holy name alone deserves all the praise and glory that we could possibly muster.

We thank and praise you for your providence for us.

We know and trust that you keep us safe from harm

You, O Lord, empower us with your Spirit to allow us to resist temptation and sin.

We praise you for your work in our lives and how you desire for us to work for your purposes in the world.

Now Lord, continue to hear our prayers. 

Show us what you desire, not what we desire.

Amen and Amen, Lord our God: Father, Son, and Spirit.

Q&A 127

CONFESSION OF SIN (Psalm 103, 1 Peter 5, John 15, Galatians 5)

One: Lord, you know that we are weak when it comes to resisting evil.

All: We are blown over like grass in the wind.

One: Lord, we have been attacked by the evil one.

All: The devil who prowls around like a roaring lion. 

One: Lord, we have felt the sin of the world.

All: The world hates us because it hated you first, Jesus.

One: Lord, we have even sinned against us in our flesh.

All: Our flesh desires things contrary to you, Holy Spirit. 

One: Lord, we fall short of your glory by evil from the Devil, the world, and even ourselves. So we offer our confession to you, Our Savior, who defeated evil on the Cross.

[Silent confession]

Q&A 129

ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Isaiah 65, 2 Corinthians 1)

One: This is what the Lord says, “Before they call I will answer;

All: “while they are still speaking I will hear.”

One: We offer our prayer of confession to our God who has made promises to us. 

All: Promises to pardon us when we confess our sins.

One: This promise of pardon is made yes in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

All: This shall truly and surely be! Amen.