1

As we gratefully remember the many blessings you have showered upon your church through Dr. Martin Luther, we know that he would protest if he were given any glory that belongs to you, O God. As you began a great reformation of your church by revealing to your chosen servant that your righteousness is your gift to us, so create clean hearts in us, O God, and restore unto us the joy of your salvation, that we may boldly proclaim you to be our mighty Fortress. We ask this in the name of your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

2

Dear Lord, as we contemplate your gifts to the church, we stand in awe of those whom you have allowed to lead the church militant. As we set aside time to recall the activities of the past, we are thankful that through the dedicated zealous efforts of your servants you have preserved to us the wonderful gospel in its truth and purity. May the Holy Spirit not only bring to us the joy and peace of your love in Jesus, but may He also fire us with the unquenchable desire to share that love with others. May we never yield on one point of doctrine, lest we loose our Reformation heritage, our faith in Jesus, and have nothing to pass on to those who may follow us. We ask this in the name of Christ crucified and risen, the Savior of the world, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, throughout all eternity.

3

Dear God, we praise you for your mercy which raised up Martin Luther as a zealous and able reformer. Through the gospel which declares salvation by grace through faith, a precious truth you brought again to light through Luther, you reached out to us, and drew our hearts in faith to Christ. Now we are your children. Now we are rescued from the slavery of sin. Do not let us loose this gospel and our faith, or set truth aside for error. Nor let us trust in our works to merit heaven. Fill us with zeal for your Word so that we eagerly proclaim it. We ask this for Jesus' sake, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, throughout all eternity.

4

O God, our Shield, protect us now as you have in the past from the deceptions of Satan. Cause us to cherish the blessings of your pure Word as our fathers in faith have delivered it to us. We are truly thankful for the gift of pastors and teachers. Give them courage, wisdom and zeal to proclaim the gospel faithfully. Give us the desire to support the work of your kingdom with the talents and means you have provided. Stir up the hearts of our sons and daughters to eager service in your church. Send laborers into your harvest. And give your Word free course to bring the joy of salvation to the many who are yet in darkness; for Jesus' sake who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity.

5

Dear heavenly Father, through an unlikely candidate for honor in your church, a struggling fearful man, Martin Luther, you restored to our world the great truth of the gospel. By faith we now see heaven's door open to us through the perfection of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died to set us free forever from the tyranny of sin. Help us to live our faith in this blessed Redeemer, daily reforming what needs correction in our lives, and finally dying confidently in him. We ask this in his name, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity.

6

What a heritage you have given to your church, sovereign Lord. We have the gospel in all its truth, and receive the Sacraments according to divine command. Teach us to appreciate that godly persons were willing to sacrifice their lives for these treasures. Keep us in this truth and make us instruments for its preservation for generations to come. Do not let Satan prevail in your church again so that another reformation would be needed. Let us this day rededicate our entire being to that which we have as a sacred trust. We ask this in your name, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

7

Lord Jesus, the Lord of the church, we thank you for revealing the name of the Father to us through your Word. We also thank you that after a thousand years of spiritual darkness, idolatry, superstition and the yoke of manmade traditions yet sent forth your servant Martin Luther and through him restored to Christianity the open Bible, salvation by grace and salvation by faith in you alone, Oh, make us truly grateful for our precious heritage, purchased with your blood on the cross and sealed with the blood of countless martyrs down through

the ages. Keep us ever vigilant so that these priceless treasures of religious liberty and the open Bible are not taken from us. Preserve the purity of your Word to us and to all members of your church. Raise up pastors in your church who have the courage to face persecution and death rather than surrender one word of Scripture. Help us to walk worthy of our heritage and to do all we can to spread the saving truth of the gospel to others. We ask this in your name, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity.

8

Almighty God, gracious Lord, we thank you for preserving your holy church against the very forces of hell. For the gift of the blessed gospel we praise your name. For the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection from the dead and life eternal in Christ, we thank you, loving Father, we treasure the rich heritage handed down from our fathers in the faith. Continue, O God, to raise up faithful leaders among us in the spirit of Martin Luther, so that we can carry on your saving work to the end of time. All glory to your name! Hear our prayer which we ask in the name of your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, through all eternity.

9

Great Captain, lead your fighting church to war! Arm us with the weapons of the gospel to defend the holy ground our fathers contended for. Stamp out the spirit of compromise, and keep us from yielding even the least particle of faith that was once entrusted to the saints. Be our mighty Fortress to protect us from the devil. As the clouds of evil darken and the stress of the last times increases, give us a double portion of the martyr-spirit, that we may be bold and steadfast in battle and appear at last before your throne with fearless hearts. We ask this in your name, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity

10

O Jesus Christ, you are the Lord of the church. We thank you for your servants in every age whom you have used to preserve the gospel among us. On this festival day we thank you especially for your servant Martin Luther. Through him you established once again the principle that we are saved by grace alone, by faith alone, and by Scripture alone. Give us the courage and the conviction of this witness to your Word and keep our great heritage pure in our churches. In your name we ask this, you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, throughout all eternity.

11

Lord of the church, just as every individual Christian is a sinner who at times strays from the pleasant pastures of your Word, so the devil unrelenting tempts your flock to deny the faith once delivered to it. Preserve us in the true confession of your name. Stir us by the example of the prophets, apostles and martyrs who shed their blood for the gospel. Make us aware of how little we have done to hand on the faith which was brought to us through so much peril and pain. Continually renew and reform us, that we may not merely cling to tradition, but put our precious heritage into practice by vibrant faith and godly living, to the glory of your name, you who live and reign with the Father

and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity.

12

O Lord, we come before you with gratitude in our hearts for the work which you enabled your servant, Martin Luther, to accomplish. Through him you brought into clearer focus the unique authority of your Word and the comforting gospel message of salvation by grace through faith. Assist us to cherish the great spiritual heritage you have given us. Empower us daily to live with faith in Jesus and in submission to the Bible, we pray in Christ's name, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity.

13

Lord God, we thank you for preserving your word in all its truth for us today. Through your Word keep us secure in the faith that we are saved by grace, not by our merits. Cause us to put our trust in the all-atoning death of Christ, not in our good deeds. Keep all of our pastors, professors, and teachers true in doctrine. Lead all who are teaching or believing false doctrine to see their error, to repent, to find the truth, to believe, and to proclaim your Word in its truth, through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, through all eternity.

14

Heavenly and divine Savior, Bishop and Ruler of the Church, we thank you this day for your unchanging grace by which you have preserved to us the glorious Gospel of reconciliation and made us heirs of eternal glory. We thank you for your many mercies throughout the years by which you have upheld your Church amid persecution and defeat. You have given to the Church mighty leaders and defenders of the truth. We acknowledge your goodness and grace toward us. We thank you for the privilege of membership in your Church Universal into which we

were born through your Holy Spirit. We rejoice in the fellowship with all who, following in the footsteps of the saints of old are dedicated to the truth that we are saved by grace through faith in your redeeming sacrifice. We ask you to continue the blessings coming forth from your unerring Word and the privilege of fellowship with faithful people. Teach us to use the talents entrusted to us with fervent testimony, dauntless courage, and hallowed zeal. We give ourselves to the task of bringing the saving message of forgiveness to the world and thereby give evidence of our loyal devotion to you. Kindle in us a greater love that we may serve you as the heroes of faith of yesteryear. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

15

Lord God of hosts, the Refuge of every sinner and the Strength of all who put their trust in you, we praise you for having made us partakers of the blessings of the Reformation. Without any merit on our part, you have sent your Holy Spirit into our hearts and brought us to faith in your dear Son, Jesus Christ. You have made known to us the worthlessness of our own good deeds and the perfect merit of Christ. You have directed our faith away from the commandments of men and cause us to rest our hope only and solely on the exceedingly great and precious promises of your Gospel. You have revealed the beauty of your grace, which rescued us from a just condemnation and assured us of certain salvation in Christ. Grant us your grace that we may receive your forgiveness with thanksgiving and reflect your mercy in thanks-living. Use us as your witnesses in bringing the message of pardon in Christ to our fellow men everywhere. Open our eyes to a better understanding of your Word and a deeper appreciation of your grace that our faith in Christ Jesus may grow and flourish with the fruits of righteous living. Grant purity of doctrine and practice to you. Amen.