Sermon for Refromation Sunday 10/26/2008
Sermon
Location Faith Lutheran – Date 10/26/08
Reformation Sunday
Primary Text: Romans 3:19-28
On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door of the cathedral in Wittenberg. These 95 topics for public argument were not meant to divide the church, but to bring about discussion. Discussion turned to argument and Luther realized that his problems with the Roman Catholic Church ran so high that it called for a reform of the whole church. Luther saw that the church had become a place for power and wealth and not about God’s grace and mercy. Finally these differences, and perhaps a little bit to do with Luther’s temper, he did excommunicate the pope first, the pope in turn excommunicated him, led to the church splitting. But it was not until late stages of this split that Luther said that the split was necessary. Until that time he was still hoping for reformation of the Roman Catholic Church. He then settled for the formation of the Protestant Churches, Protestant because they protested the Roman Catholic Church. Luther believed so much in the message of the reformation that it was needed to split the western church. Luther was seeking to reform the church, not simply change the church. Reform means to change for the better, to correct social and economic conditions. This however quickly became impossible for the whole church and so Luther sought to reform those churches that followed his thoughts.
Why do we celebrate Reformation day with a festival though? We remember the history of the reformation, but why we celebrate is different. Today we celebrate God’s message of love and grace that inspired Luther, for that message still speaks to us powerfully today. The message of the reformation, of God’s unending love, shown through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, and continued through the work of the Holy Spirit in the world today. It is the message of not just a single reformation, but continual reformation. We look at what God has done for us, for through God’s work in Jesus Christ we have been set free. God worked through Luther to show how the practices of that time were not giving freedom but in fact being used in struggles for power and money. Luther saw in scripture the wondrous love of God, how it is not about what we do, but what God has done.
That is what Luther saw in Romans, when people were concerned because they were being told that they were not doing the correct things, Paul responds by saying that it is not about their deeds but about what God has done in Jesus Christ. Responding to their fear of the law and through the law only seeing their sin and destruction, Paul tells them of Jesus Christ and that through Christ’s death and resurrection they are made free. Romans 3: 22-24 says, “For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Because we all sin, we cannot by our own work achieve salvation, but through the gift of God’s grace, we are free, we are forgiven, we are loved.
On Reformation Sunday we also celebrate that God speaks to all equally. As Lutheran’s we understand there to be a universal priesthood of all believers. God speaks to each and everyone of us in the same way, through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Bible. It means that God calls to each and everyone of us. We all receive calls to certain vocations, God does not just call to those entering ministry. Luther was adamant about this point, that the pastor does not have better access to God, simply that he or she has gifts that work to that vocation. There are others who are called to be farmers, doctors, nurturers, teachers, and every other profession. God calls all of us to work to reform the world through our professions. Farmers work to help provide food to those in need, doctors heal the injured and sick, nurturers help to raise children that will grow up to best use their own gifts, teachers to help nourish and discover the gifts that each of us have. That is the message of the reformation, that we have been made free. So we don’t have to worry about our salvation but can give praise and thanks to God by helping to reform the world God created for us.
There is a continued need for reform, every day the world changes, and the church must respond and be formed anew and then help to reform the world. We need to show God’s love and forgiveness for all those in need. Reform took place when the ministerial fellowship that we are apart of in Booneville created the family resource center, working to help those in need in this county. Reform takes place when we help to finish a habitat for humanity house. Reform takes place when we build school kits for kids in Africa or any where in the world. When we change the lives of those who we help, that is reform. Giving a quilt to a needy child in the hospital helps to change their outlook from pain and suffering to comfort and warmth, that is Reform. When we do these things because of God’s love for us, we are living the reformation message.
The message of the reformation is not about the split of the church and how we got it right and they are so wrong, it is about God’s concern for all, and that no matter what we do God loves us and cares for us and we know this because of the reforming action of Christ Jesus.
Let us pray, Lord of grace and reform, be with us in the challenging times ahead, help us to know your will and to help us to reform the world around us. Give us the strength to seek for justice and peace for all.
Location Faith Lutheran – Date 10/26/08
Reformation Sunday
Primary Text: Romans 3:19-28
On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis to the door of the cathedral in Wittenberg. These 95 topics for public argument were not meant to divide the church, but to bring about discussion. Discussion turned to argument and Luther realized that his problems with the Roman Catholic Church ran so high that it called for a reform of the whole church. Luther saw that the church had become a place for power and wealth and not about God’s grace and mercy. Finally these differences, and perhaps a little bit to do with Luther’s temper, he did excommunicate the pope first, the pope in turn excommunicated him, led to the church splitting. But it was not until late stages of this split that Luther said that the split was necessary. Until that time he was still hoping for reformation of the Roman Catholic Church. He then settled for the formation of the Protestant Churches, Protestant because they protested the Roman Catholic Church. Luther believed so much in the message of the reformation that it was needed to split the western church. Luther was seeking to reform the church, not simply change the church. Reform means to change for the better, to correct social and economic conditions. This however quickly became impossible for the whole church and so Luther sought to reform those churches that followed his thoughts.
Why do we celebrate Reformation day with a festival though? We remember the history of the reformation, but why we celebrate is different. Today we celebrate God’s message of love and grace that inspired Luther, for that message still speaks to us powerfully today. The message of the reformation, of God’s unending love, shown through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, and continued through the work of the Holy Spirit in the world today. It is the message of not just a single reformation, but continual reformation. We look at what God has done for us, for through God’s work in Jesus Christ we have been set free. God worked through Luther to show how the practices of that time were not giving freedom but in fact being used in struggles for power and money. Luther saw in scripture the wondrous love of God, how it is not about what we do, but what God has done.
That is what Luther saw in Romans, when people were concerned because they were being told that they were not doing the correct things, Paul responds by saying that it is not about their deeds but about what God has done in Jesus Christ. Responding to their fear of the law and through the law only seeing their sin and destruction, Paul tells them of Jesus Christ and that through Christ’s death and resurrection they are made free. Romans 3: 22-24 says, “For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Because we all sin, we cannot by our own work achieve salvation, but through the gift of God’s grace, we are free, we are forgiven, we are loved.
On Reformation Sunday we also celebrate that God speaks to all equally. As Lutheran’s we understand there to be a universal priesthood of all believers. God speaks to each and everyone of us in the same way, through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the Bible. It means that God calls to each and everyone of us. We all receive calls to certain vocations, God does not just call to those entering ministry. Luther was adamant about this point, that the pastor does not have better access to God, simply that he or she has gifts that work to that vocation. There are others who are called to be farmers, doctors, nurturers, teachers, and every other profession. God calls all of us to work to reform the world through our professions. Farmers work to help provide food to those in need, doctors heal the injured and sick, nurturers help to raise children that will grow up to best use their own gifts, teachers to help nourish and discover the gifts that each of us have. That is the message of the reformation, that we have been made free. So we don’t have to worry about our salvation but can give praise and thanks to God by helping to reform the world God created for us.
There is a continued need for reform, every day the world changes, and the church must respond and be formed anew and then help to reform the world. We need to show God’s love and forgiveness for all those in need. Reform took place when the ministerial fellowship that we are apart of in Booneville created the family resource center, working to help those in need in this county. Reform takes place when we help to finish a habitat for humanity house. Reform takes place when we build school kits for kids in Africa or any where in the world. When we change the lives of those who we help, that is reform. Giving a quilt to a needy child in the hospital helps to change their outlook from pain and suffering to comfort and warmth, that is Reform. When we do these things because of God’s love for us, we are living the reformation message.
The message of the reformation is not about the split of the church and how we got it right and they are so wrong, it is about God’s concern for all, and that no matter what we do God loves us and cares for us and we know this because of the reforming action of Christ Jesus.
Let us pray, Lord of grace and reform, be with us in the challenging times ahead, help us to know your will and to help us to reform the world around us. Give us the strength to seek for justice and peace for all.
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