Sermon for Reformation Day October 28, 2007
October 29th, 2007 Posted in Sermons+ In Nomine Jesu +
The Rev. Evan P. Gaertner
Reformation Day (Observed)
Psalm 46
October 28, 2007
I am a Christian and I live in a world where this is not true for everybody. How do I handle the truth that not everyone believes like me?
I think this question of how to handle the reality that not everyone has the same beliefs that we do is at the heart of why there was a Reformation and why we continue to be a church of the reformation.
Take a moment to consider that there are hymns like “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “A Mighty Fortress is our God.”
There is a militant, aggressive, determined character to some of our language of faith and evangelism and defending the faith.
Reformation Sunday for many years has been a time when Protestants gathered to celebrate and give thanks to God that they were not Roman Catholic. There is a tradition on Reformation Sunday to remember Martin Luther, but also to remind everyone how scary it would be to be Roman Catholic. Like the story of the publican and the Pharisee, in which the publican pleaded with God to forgive him his sins, while the Pharisee thanked God that he was not like that publican.
The militant/aggressive/determined theme of being a Christian in a non-Christian world can lead to hostility. Northern Ireland has experienced years of hostility between the Protestants and Catholics. While that conflict often was less about religion and more about cultural identity, there is the danger that we turn our joy of being saved by Jesus Christ into hostility towards others.
The Reformation did not happen to give us an excuse to be hostile, angry, belligerent, mean, or belittling of others. The Reformation did not happen so that Lutherans could stand on top of the mountain like we were playing some sort of game of King of the Hill. My concern is that in the game of King of the Hill the victor has knocked everybody else down in order to stand at the top.
Do Christians stand on Mount Zion, the mountain of the Lord, in the kingdom of God, in the New Jerusalem because we have successfully pushed down everybody else?
The Reformation was not about celebrating that we are not Roman Catholic.
Martin Luther in 1517, nearly 500 years ago, saw abuses in the church. On October 31, 1517 fifteen minutes changed the world forever. Fifteen minutes is how long it would have taken Martin Luther to walk from the door of his Augustinian monastery to the Castle Church in Wittenberg to post ninety-five theses. 2,000 steps, fifteen minutes. Martin Luther chose to post 95 items for debate on the Castle Church on October 31 because that evening and the next day there would be a high number of people that would come because of the festival worship services surrounding All Saints Day.
Luther was outraged by a system of indulgences that allowed a person to buy or work his way into heaven. He was concerned not just on an academic level, but more importantly because what this false teaching was doing to the souls he cared for at the city church of St. Mary. The people told Luther of how they bought an indulgence that gave them assurance of grace and comfort, for themselves, or for loved ones who died. They clung to their indulgence receipt, instead of the crucified Lord Jesus Christ.
Luther could not remain silent. He spoke, wrote, preached, taught, and debated. Why? Not so he could be the king of the hill. Not so he would be remembered five hundred years later.
In fact Luther said, “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 the 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.”
The power and promise of the Word of God sustained Luther.
The Reformation happened because the care of souls was involved. Luther spoke up not to be contentious or difficult. The Lord God caused Luther to stand up so that the salvation of many might be accomplished the proclamation of the word and the right administration of the sacraments.
How do we handle being Christians in a non-Christian environment?
Listen to the words of Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Be bold and courageous in this world but do so by not standing on your own strength or good works. Continuing the perception of Christians as self-righteous hypocrites is damaging to the sharing of the good news of salvation by Christ Jesus.
Luther spoke up boldly and acted courageous because he desired that God’s Word would be faithfully proclaimed. Where God’s Word is obscured in our lives we confess our sins to the Lord and beg for his mercy. Where God’s Word is obscured in somebody else’
s life we tenderly speak the law, which will by the power of the Holy Spirit convict their soul. And at that moment of conviction when the full weight of sin is felt by a person we do not stand victorious because we have defeated our foe by showing how wrong he was. Instead we point to Jesus Christ and quickly proclaim the comforting words of the gospel.
On October 31, 1517, fifteen minutes changed the world forever. Martin Luther stood up for the sake of the Gospel and the care of souls. Martin Luther could only successfully speak up and defend the faith because his faith was not centered on any human authority or building, was not built upon his own good works or education, but was established by the work of Jesus Christ. When we stand on Jesus Christ we stand on the cross and the empty tomb. Christ went to the cross to reach to us in our death. When we stand on the cross we must recognize our mission to reach to others in their death of sin.
Please reach with me out to a world dying in sin and lost in self-righteousness.
Soli Deo Gloria
