Yesterday was Martin Luthers birthday. Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany, November 10, 1483 The following is from Resurrection Lutheran Church in Winter Haven, Fl. He looked like an ordinary young man. October 31, 1517 posting 95 Theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany, Dr. Martin Luther took a stand that resulted in the Reformation of the Holy Christian Church. The force against which he stood was the great power of the Western world of the day. He countered the Pope. Here we can think of the plague of the inquisition, the threat of excommun-ication and worse. He stood against the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V. He had the power of life and death. Some have called him a radical but then all too many call our Lord Jesus a radical. Luther was a pastor and a theologian. His beloved Church had strayed from the foundation set by Jesus in His word. Luther called for debate to restore the church. In a neighboring town, Johan Teztel had the contract from the Roman Church to sell indulgences to pay the debt brought about by the building of St. Peter’s Basilica. Luther was outraged by indulgences and what did to the precious souls in his care. He was angered hearing about member after member purchasing a coupon to get out of purgatory. Teztel guaranteed them grace and comfort, for themselves, or for loved ones who had died. They clung to their indulgence receipt, instead of the crucified Lord. They believed that with their act of penance and contribution to the construction of St. Peter’s in Rome, God would smile on them and make things easier for them after their death. Dr. Luther hoped to bring the Holy Christian Church back to Jesus. Luther said after the controversy was under way: “I never wanted to fight, either with the strongest or the weakest. My single intention was to stay hidden in the corner. But now that I have been, as it were, grasped by the ear, and dragged into the public eye by a single debate placard, I believe that this has happened according to God’s will. . . . I will fear neither the strong nor the loud. . . neither will I despise weak or any other completely unlearned man. Then I would be a truly miserable Luther . . . if I would not fight entirely in the faith of the God who alone works in me.” [Brecht, 1:387] His was the face of a pastor, a priest and a theologian. By his actions, God changed the world. God turned away the threat of the pope and the Emperor. God protected this man from execution. The Yorktowne Hotel western world was changed. No longer did the Roman Pope control and dominate. At least for those who listened to Luther, Jesus was restored to His place of prominence in the preaching and teaching of God’s church. You and I gathered in this place at this time, heirs of the reformer, believe and confess that in spite of ourselves, God is gracious to us in Jesus. By His life, death and resurrection, Jesus earned for us all this verdict from God: We are not guilty of our sins. Jesus was found guilty. Jesus was punished. Jesus paid our debt. There is no purgatory. We have been freed from Hell. “Not guilty,” by faith, we are the eternal, holy children of God. This is the face of Luther, the Reformer. Copyright 2009 Resurrection Lutheran Church - Winter Haven. All rights reserved.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 02:21:44 +0000
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