R E F O R M A T I O N   S U N D A Y  

This Sunday we celebrate the anniversary of the Protestant Reformation which took place 507 years past on October 31.  Only a limited number of Churches in the United Kingdom will make a special service, and I suspect many members will have no knowledge of its importance and significance, which is due to the fact their Church has not preached about it.  In the United States, it has to their credit, been given a rightful place on their Church programmes.  God bless America!
The Protestant Reformation was a revival of religion, and a return to the preaching of the gospel. It is one of the great events in Christian history, which is widely remembered and celebrated across the world.  In Europe understandably, there may be some reluctance.

On 10^th of November 1483, Martin Luther was born in Germany, and was studying to become a lawyer. Whilst walking home with friend one day, there was a severe weather storm with thunder and lightning. His friend was struck by the lightning and died, causing Luther to become very frightened, so much he prayed, that if delivered safe he would become a monk. This he did, entering an Augustine Monastery in Erfurt in July 1705.

He was zealous and studied hard, but became disheartened by feeling he was too unworthy of God, and burdened by guilt,  he bound himself to confessions. He would pray every day for at least two hours; he would fast and sleep, on stone floors of the Monastery. He was doing his very best to earn his way to heaven, but never thought he had done enough. In the cold winter nights in Northen Germany, he would stay out all night to purify his soul. He would confess his sins to a Priest

Each day, then return to his cell and remember there was something else ,  The harder he tried the less peace he had.

His  tutor Joseph Staupitz intervened, and suggested he went to University of Wittenberg and teach the Bible. He did so and became a Professor in Bible teaching. It was whilst doing this, he came to Romans 1 v. 16/17, and he recognized the answer to all his problems. He read that no one should be ashamed of the gospel, which was the power of God saving everyone who believes, and tells that God makes us righteous, and the gospel accomplishes from start to finish by faith, that a righteous person through faith has life. 

Luther understood the just are saved by faith through faith, and the Church was giving false teaching. It is God who makes us righteous, we cannot do it ourselves, purely by God’s grace which is unmerited and freely given through Jesus Christ.

The words, the just shall live by faith, were the start of the Reformation. Now, inspired by his discovery, he found a copy of the Holy Scriptures in the library of the Monastery.

Staupitz sent Luther to Rome, hoping he would find comfort for his soul, but the city was a disappoint meant to him. He found many shrines and Churches, and he prayed in each one. He also found Rome was an immoral place, and had done nothing to impress him.

He found the Church where it was thought Jesus had attended, with stairs leading to the top of the building, and the stairs had to be taken by knees with a prayer being made.

As Luther started, he felt a voice was saying to him, the just shall live by faith, until he reached the final stair.  He could not understand what was happening to himself.  Suddenly, he realized. We are justified by faith. 

He then returned to Wittenburg, and began to preach the good news of the free grace of God, and that God wanted all people to be saved, if they turned and followed Jesus.  Luther felt a sense of guilt in leaving out Jesus.

The Gospel spread in Wittenburg, and further, but then Luther was to face another practice.

At that time, a new Pope wanted to rebuild the basilica of St Peter’s cathedral in Rome, and sent a missionary named Johann Tetzel around to all the Churches to raise money. The Roman Church, which was Catholic at that time, was using indulgences, as it was held when a person died they went to a place called purgatory, whilst their ultimate fate was decided, but if you paid a sum of money to the Church, your soul would be released and go straight to heaven. It was even extended, so that you could pay an indulgence for someone close, and further extended so you could pay for any sins you may commit in the future.

Tetzel toured around the Country selling the indulgences with a little rhyme, ‘when in the box a coin dings, a soul from heaven flings.’

Luther realized the corruption in the Church’s message, there was no such place as  purgatory, for one could only be saved by  believing in Jesus Christ. He then posted a list of 95 theses on the door of the Cathedral in Wittenberg, in which the gospel message was explained.

Luther’s intention was to start a debate by theologians, and the theses were in Latin for that purpose. The printing press had been established, and without his knowledge the words he wrote were translated into German, and other languages, and the message spread across Europe.

He was called before the Pope and Church leaders, and told he must recant, but said the epic words, ‘my conscience is taken captive by the Word of God, I cannot recant so help me God. Here I stand I can do no other.’

How wonderful, if all clergy could say likewise when we are called to compromise on our preaching.

Luther was challenged to engage in a debate with a Dr Eck, a reputed debater, and although told not to attempt to face a man of such fame, he did so and caused his opponent to be the loser.  He was then ordered to attend a Council at Worms.

Luther was warned by friends not to attend, because sometime earlier a man named John Hus had attended, having been assured of his safety, but was nevertheless sentenced to be burned at the steak.

Luther went to the meeting, at which were Archbishop, bishops, Dukes and Counts, and Vatican authorities, representatives of other countries.

Luther, with copies of his writings laid out on a table, he was asked if the books were his and whether he stood by their contents. Luther confirmed he was the author, but requested time to think about the answer to the second question. He  was given twenty  hours.  He prayed, consulted friends, and gave his response the next day.

I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted, and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.

At that time, the Emperor Charles 5th from Spain came to power as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He was not pleased with Luther’s stance and wanted to kill Luther, but he needed the co-operation of Germany where Luther lived.

He was  called to consider his statements, and when he persisted, was ordered to be taken away to be killed.

On his journey to the place of execution, he was seized by supporters and taken to Wittenberg Castle where he was given a room. He translated the whole of the New Testament from Greek to German.

Luther’s courage and brilliance of mind, caused seismic reaction throughout the Church in Europe, and across eventually the world, and still has effects today. How dearly there is a need for a new Reformation in the Church today, which has capitulated to outside forces, obsessed with causes which are abhorrent to Scripture, yet are readily accepted by the highest echelons of the Church. How God must weep, when he sees how his Church has let Him down and betrayed Him. This is why we cannot expect God to bless the Church, when it colludes with a decadent society.

Luther was aided by  John Calvin, John Knox to Philipp Melanchthon. 

All Christians, especially those of the Protestant Church, but also embracing members of to-day’s Roman Catholic Church, who are treasured members of Christian Church body, and are not represented by the past, should remember with grateful appreciation Luther’s restoration of the Bible.  How tragic there are members of Christian Churches who live and endorse words and actions which are contrary to the Scriptures.

May God’s Holy Name be praised and may God be glorified