[The following is a manuscript of my sermon delivered on Sunday morning, the 6th of November, 2016. Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
Do you know what this past Monday was, October 31st? Yes, it was Halloween. But it was also Reformation Day - a time to remember and reflect on the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation was a period of theological reform that led to the new Protestant branches of Christianity as they split away from the Roman Catholic Church.
Although the Reformation was not really a single, unified movement, its start is associated with Martin Luther nailing his “Ninety-five Theses” to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31st, 1517. From that point the Reformation was picked up by men like John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli who carried it into other countries in Europe. The reformers were motivated to restore the Bible to a central place in Christian doctrine, and to emphasize the importance of grace in making salvation possible for mankind, rather than works or “good deeds”.
Since we consider Martin Luther to be the father of the Protestant Reformation, I thought it fitting to read to you the passage that opened his eyes and led him to write and post those theses of protest against the Roman Catholic Church of his day. Listen and follow along as I read to you from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1, verses 14 through 18. And today, in honor of Martin Luther and the Reformation, I am going to be reading from the Geneva Bible, which was in widespread use during this time. I’ve asked our secretary Dama to do a split-screen on our slides so you can see the Geneva Bible version alongside something we’re more familiar with, the New Living Translation…
Although the Reformation was not really a single, unified movement, its start is associated with Martin Luther nailing his “Ninety-five Theses” to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31st, 1517. From that point the Reformation was picked up by men like John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli who carried it into other countries in Europe. The reformers were motivated to restore the Bible to a central place in Christian doctrine, and to emphasize the importance of grace in making salvation possible for mankind, rather than works or “good deeds”.
Since we consider Martin Luther to be the father of the Protestant Reformation, I thought it fitting to read to you the passage that opened his eyes and led him to write and post those theses of protest against the Roman Catholic Church of his day. Listen and follow along as I read to you from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1, verses 14 through 18. And today, in honor of Martin Luther and the Reformation, I am going to be reading from the Geneva Bible, which was in widespread use during this time. I’ve asked our secretary Dama to do a split-screen on our slides so you can see the Geneva Bible version alongside something we’re more familiar with, the New Living Translation…
14 I am debtor both to the Grecians, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise men and to the unwise.
15 Therefore, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you also that are at Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Grecian.
17 For by it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, which withhold the truth in unrighteousness.
--Romans 1:14-18 (GNV)
Let us pray… Father God, we come before You this morning as a church family steeped in the history of the Reformed tradition. Help us, please, to see how that tradition forms our belief and our faith. Speak to us that we might better understand how much our faith means to You. Inform us with Your message this morning. In the holy name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
A minister's car broke down on his way home one Monday morning. He walked the rest of the way and then called the town's only mechanic. The mechanic met the pastor where the stalled car sat and began his repairs. "I'm going to go easy with you on the cost, Reverend", the mechanic said after a few minutes. "Thank you so much", the minister replied. "After all, I'm just a poor preacher." "I know", the mechanic said. "I heard your sermon yesterday."
Sounds like they could both use a little “reforming”, doesn’t it.
Professor Steve Brown of the Reformed Seminary, once told of an interesting study… In the 1940s following India's independence from England, a group of British researchers wanted to study the impact of the end of British rule on the life of the nation. After six months the social scientists gave up and went home. Though the British had been present in India since the 1600s, many people in the villages of the country were not even aware that the British had ever been there!
We know that God Himself came down to earth in the person of Jesus. We live in a world where the King of kings has come. Yet how many people have lived and died without ever realizing Christ came? How many millions are totally unaware He is still here? The Reformation has a long ways to go in reforming the lives of so many souls.
The spirit of the Reformation is alive and well today, as is the Catholic tradition we split off from. Since I am celebrating the Reformation this morning, and recognizing Martin Luther’s role in that movement that eventually led to us, Pilgrim Reformed Church, I thought it might be interesting to look at some scripture that helps define the Reformation, some Bible verses that hold special significance to our tradition as a church and to our faith as individuals. Each passage I read will come from the Geneva Bible, so you might want to consider following along in your pew Bible.
And I’d like to begin with the verse that turned on the lightbulb over Martin Luther’s head. You’ve heard me read it before, three or four weeks ago, and actually just a few minutes ago. It’s from Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1, verse 17…
A minister's car broke down on his way home one Monday morning. He walked the rest of the way and then called the town's only mechanic. The mechanic met the pastor where the stalled car sat and began his repairs. "I'm going to go easy with you on the cost, Reverend", the mechanic said after a few minutes. "Thank you so much", the minister replied. "After all, I'm just a poor preacher." "I know", the mechanic said. "I heard your sermon yesterday."
Sounds like they could both use a little “reforming”, doesn’t it.
Professor Steve Brown of the Reformed Seminary, once told of an interesting study… In the 1940s following India's independence from England, a group of British researchers wanted to study the impact of the end of British rule on the life of the nation. After six months the social scientists gave up and went home. Though the British had been present in India since the 1600s, many people in the villages of the country were not even aware that the British had ever been there!
We know that God Himself came down to earth in the person of Jesus. We live in a world where the King of kings has come. Yet how many people have lived and died without ever realizing Christ came? How many millions are totally unaware He is still here? The Reformation has a long ways to go in reforming the lives of so many souls.
The spirit of the Reformation is alive and well today, as is the Catholic tradition we split off from. Since I am celebrating the Reformation this morning, and recognizing Martin Luther’s role in that movement that eventually led to us, Pilgrim Reformed Church, I thought it might be interesting to look at some scripture that helps define the Reformation, some Bible verses that hold special significance to our tradition as a church and to our faith as individuals. Each passage I read will come from the Geneva Bible, so you might want to consider following along in your pew Bible.
And I’d like to begin with the verse that turned on the lightbulb over Martin Luther’s head. You’ve heard me read it before, three or four weeks ago, and actually just a few minutes ago. It’s from Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1, verse 17…
17 For by it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
--Romans 1:17 (GNV)
Luther identified this verse as one of the key inspirations for his work. He viewed it as a powerful reminder that it is through God’s grace, and not through good works, that we humans are justified before God.
Another meaningful verse that emphasizes salvation as a gift of God’s grace rather than something we could ever earn through our own efforts comes from Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, chapter 2, verse 8…
This tenet – that we can never earn salvation on our own, that it can only come from God and His great grace – this was a key belief of the reformers, and it is still central to the Reformed Church today.
We know that the price for our salvation was paid by Jesus through His sacrifice on our behalf, but He also asked His Father God to send the Holy Spirit to be our constant Companion and Guide. When we accept Jesus as Lord, God’s own Holy Spirit comes and sets up residence within us. And since God is now living in us, that makes us His temple.
The Apostle Peter takes this one step further, in his 1st letter to the far-flung church, chapter 2 verse 5, when he says…
We are God’s temple, His spiritual house, where we can offer spiritual sacrifices through Jesus. Now a spiritual offering would be an offering of the spirit, and if we remember some of the fruits of the Holy Spirit Paul mentions in Galatians chapter 5, our spiritual offerings could include spreading love, joy, and peace, showing forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Then Peter says we are to be a holy priesthood. In our Reformed tradition, every one of us here this morning is a member of Christ’s holy priesthood. One of the most provocative and controversial beliefs among the reformers was that because every Christian is considered part of this holy priesthood Peter describes, there was no Scriptural basis for the office of priesthood the way the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches understood it. This remains a key distinction between these branches of Christianity to this very day.
There is a Latin term, “sola scriptura”, which means that scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and the practice of a Christian. Effectively, it affirms that the Bible is complete, authoritative, and true. We find a biblical basis for sola scriptura in Paul’s 2nd letter to his young protégé Timothy in chapter 3 verse 16, where he says…
The Bible contains everything we need to know for us to be reconciled to God and live righteously in His eyes. This affirmation was important to the reformers. It elevates scripture above all other authorities, including the church and Christian tradition.
The last passage I’d like to read that helps illustrate the distinction between the reformers and the Roman Catholic Church is in the 11th chapter of the Gospel according to the Apostle Matthew, verses 29 and 30. The words are from Jesus, and they are meant to comfort and assure us all…
The Protestant reformers claimed that centuries of church tradition had placed a heavy burden on the backs of believers. This is ironically similar to the burden the Pharisees placed upon the Jewish faithful, after centuries of adding to the Laws of Moses. Pointing to verses like this one in Matthew, the reformers reminded Christians that the Gospel of Christ is meant to free people from guilt and sin, not pile more on them.
Even though the Protestant Reformation was specifically a criticism of the Catholic church, believers from all branches of Christianity can find value in the reformers’ efforts to keep our focus on Jesus and His saving Gospel. And as we focus on Christ, we need to also turn our gaze inward, examining ourselves and our own motives. Are we serving Jesus, obeying His commands, truly accepting Him as our Lord and Master? Do we put anything else before God or is He our number one priority?
Reformed, reformers, Reformation… Those words go hand in hand with others, like renew, refresh, revive. They share more than their first two letters, although those are also telling. R-E, “re”, as used here denote something like “again”, or once more. Reformed, renewed, refreshed, revived… Formed again. Made new, made fresh, given life again.
All of these words carry a sense of rebirth, being born again, and that is what happens when we accept Jesus, truly accept Him as Lord. We are born again in the Spirit, reformed into a new person, refreshed and made new again. Are we still like that inside? Does the freshness of the breath of the Holy Spirit still course within us?
Focus on Jesus. Study God’s word and build a closer relationship with our Lord. Be refreshed, renewed, revived. In the tradition of our Reformed Church, be reformed into the person Jesus would have us all to be.
In the saving name of Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, our only Master. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, we are Your temple. And we are Your Son’s church, His body left on earth to continue His work. When our hearts are not aligned with Your will, we tend to ask for Your support for what we want to do, rather than for what You would have us do. Too many times we have no intention of following Your word even when we manage to hear it through the noise of the world. Help us, Father, to hear and obey Your word, trusting in You to lead us in righteousness.
Hear us now, Father, as we pray silently from our hearts, repenting of our disobedience to You, seeking Your forgiveness…
Lord Jesus, You established Your church to carry on the work You began. You left one church, one body. Sadly, the human hand came into play and Your church splintered along differing lines of belief. At one point we reformed Your church to again more closely align with its Biblical foundation. Help us stay focused on You, Lord Jesus. Fill us anew with God’s Holy Spirit. Revive us, that we may carry out Your mission across the earth.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Master, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith. Amen.
Another meaningful verse that emphasizes salvation as a gift of God’s grace rather than something we could ever earn through our own efforts comes from Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus, chapter 2, verse 8…
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God...
--Ephesians 2:8 (GNV)
We know that the price for our salvation was paid by Jesus through His sacrifice on our behalf, but He also asked His Father God to send the Holy Spirit to be our constant Companion and Guide. When we accept Jesus as Lord, God’s own Holy Spirit comes and sets up residence within us. And since God is now living in us, that makes us His temple.
The Apostle Peter takes this one step further, in his 1st letter to the far-flung church, chapter 2 verse 5, when he says…
5 Ye also as lively stones, be made a spiritual house, an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
--1 Peter 2:5 (GNV)
Then Peter says we are to be a holy priesthood. In our Reformed tradition, every one of us here this morning is a member of Christ’s holy priesthood. One of the most provocative and controversial beliefs among the reformers was that because every Christian is considered part of this holy priesthood Peter describes, there was no Scriptural basis for the office of priesthood the way the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches understood it. This remains a key distinction between these branches of Christianity to this very day.
There is a Latin term, “sola scriptura”, which means that scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and the practice of a Christian. Effectively, it affirms that the Bible is complete, authoritative, and true. We find a biblical basis for sola scriptura in Paul’s 2nd letter to his young protégé Timothy in chapter 3 verse 16, where he says…
16 For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to teach, to convince, to correct, and to instruct in righteousness…
--2 Timothy 3:16 (GNV)
The last passage I’d like to read that helps illustrate the distinction between the reformers and the Roman Catholic Church is in the 11th chapter of the Gospel according to the Apostle Matthew, verses 29 and 30. The words are from Jesus, and they are meant to comfort and assure us all…
29 Take My yoke on you, and learn of Me that I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy, and My burden light.
--Matthew 11:29-30 (GNV)
Even though the Protestant Reformation was specifically a criticism of the Catholic church, believers from all branches of Christianity can find value in the reformers’ efforts to keep our focus on Jesus and His saving Gospel. And as we focus on Christ, we need to also turn our gaze inward, examining ourselves and our own motives. Are we serving Jesus, obeying His commands, truly accepting Him as our Lord and Master? Do we put anything else before God or is He our number one priority?
Reformed, reformers, Reformation… Those words go hand in hand with others, like renew, refresh, revive. They share more than their first two letters, although those are also telling. R-E, “re”, as used here denote something like “again”, or once more. Reformed, renewed, refreshed, revived… Formed again. Made new, made fresh, given life again.
All of these words carry a sense of rebirth, being born again, and that is what happens when we accept Jesus, truly accept Him as Lord. We are born again in the Spirit, reformed into a new person, refreshed and made new again. Are we still like that inside? Does the freshness of the breath of the Holy Spirit still course within us?
Focus on Jesus. Study God’s word and build a closer relationship with our Lord. Be refreshed, renewed, revived. In the tradition of our Reformed Church, be reformed into the person Jesus would have us all to be.
In the saving name of Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, our only Master. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, we are Your temple. And we are Your Son’s church, His body left on earth to continue His work. When our hearts are not aligned with Your will, we tend to ask for Your support for what we want to do, rather than for what You would have us do. Too many times we have no intention of following Your word even when we manage to hear it through the noise of the world. Help us, Father, to hear and obey Your word, trusting in You to lead us in righteousness.
Hear us now, Father, as we pray silently from our hearts, repenting of our disobedience to You, seeking Your forgiveness…
Lord Jesus, You established Your church to carry on the work You began. You left one church, one body. Sadly, the human hand came into play and Your church splintered along differing lines of belief. At one point we reformed Your church to again more closely align with its Biblical foundation. Help us stay focused on You, Lord Jesus. Fill us anew with God’s Holy Spirit. Revive us, that we may carry out Your mission across the earth.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Master, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith. Amen.
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