SELECTED SCRIPTURES | FUN WITH THE 500TH!

FUN WITH THE 500^TH!

SELECTED SCRIPTURES

OCTOBER 29, 2017

HAVE YOU EVER SAT DOWN WITH A PAD AND A PEN, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT SOMETHING, MAKING A LIST OF PROS AND CONS, THEN WEIGHING THE EVIDENCE, AND DECIDING WHAT TO DO?

EVER FIRED OFF A LETTER TO THE EDITOR ABOUT SOMETHING STUCK IN YOUR CRAW?

EVER SECRETLY SUBMITTED A COMMENT TO THE CITIZEN’S VOICE TO GET SOMETHING OFF YOUR CHEST?

EVER POSTED ON FACEBOOK, TWEETED OUT A COMMENT, OR BLOGGED ABOUT WHAT’S REALLY GOTTEN UNDER YOUR SKIN?

IF YOU ANSWERED “YES” TO ANY OF THE ABOVE, THEN, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT MARTIN LUTHER MUST HAVE BEEN FEELING, 500 YEARS AGO, WHEN HE NAILED HIS 95 THESES TO THE DOOR OF THE WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH IN GERMANY.

HE DID IT ON HALLOWEEN – ALL HALLOWS EVE – IN 1517 – 500 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK.

HE WAS FED UP WITH THE CHURCH.  HE WAS QUESTIONING MANY OF ITS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES.  HE WANTED TO KNOW WHY THE POPE DID SOME OF THE THINGS HE DID.  AND HE WANTED TO GIVE THE CHURCH TO THE PEOPLE.

CHANCES ARE, MARTIN LUTHER NEVER REALLY MEANT TO START THE REFORMATION; TO BREAK WITH ROMAN CATHOLICISM; HE SIMPLY WANTED ANSWERS, AND HE WANTED THE CHURCH TO BE BETTER THAN IT WAS.

SO, HE WROTE OUT 95 IDEAS, QUESTIONS, AND PROPOSITIONS, THAT HE BELIEVED WOULD MAKE THE CHURCH BETTER, AND IN DOING SO, LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT HE WOULD START THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION.

YOU CAN LOOK UP THE 95 ONLINE, AND SEE WHAT HE HAD TO SAY;

BUT THIS MORNING WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT FIVE BIBLE VERSES, FIVE THEMES, FIVE IDEAS OF THE REFORMATION THAT REMAIN THE BEDROCK BELIEFS OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH TODAY.

MOST OF US PROBABLY SPEND LITTLE TIME THINKING ABOUT HISTORY.

WE PROBABLY HAVEN’T CRACKED A HISTORY BOOK SINCE WHATEVER WAS OUR LAST SCHOOLING.

TODAY, MOST OF US, ARE FOCUSED ON THE PRESENT, OR THINKING FORWARD, TO THE FUTURE, OF WHAT COMES NEXT, WITH LITTLE REGARD FOR WHAT CAME BEFORE.

THAT’S NOT A KNOCK ON US, I JUST THINK THAT’S THE WAY MOST OF US PROCESS THINGS TODAY.

BUT EVERY SO OFTEN, IT’S GOOD TO LOOK AT FROM WHENCE WE CAME, HOW WE GOT HERE, SO AS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE, AND WHERE WE’RE GOING.

THIS MORNING, I WANT US TO DO THAT ABOUT THE CHURCH, AND ABOUT OUR BELIEFS, OUR FAITH, AND WHAT IT IS WE DO WITH OUR FAITH.

WE’VE PRINTED THE FIVE VERSES ON THE INSERT THAT IS IN YOUR BULLETIN.

ROMANS 1:7 – “FOR IN IT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED THROUGH FAITH FOR FAITH; AS IT IS WRITTEN, ‘THE ONE WHO IS RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY FAITH.”

THIS VERSE WAS ONE THE OF THE KEY INSPIRATIONS FOR MARTIN LUTHER’S WORK.  LUTHER SAW IT AS A POWERFUL REMINDER THAT IT IS THROUGH FAITH IN GOD’S GRACE, NOT THROUGH GOOD WORKS, THAT WE ARE JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD.

LUTHER WAS CHALLENGING MANY OF THE PRACTICES OF THE CHURCH IN HIS DAY WHICH HAD EQUATED FAITHFULNESS TO GOD WITH GIVING TO THE CHURCH, WITH THE PURCHASE OF INDULGENCES, WITH BEING GOOD ENOUGH, FAITHFUL ENOUGH, IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE CHURCH, OR YOUR PRIEST, OR THE POPE, AS A MEANS TO SALVATION.

“NO!”  LUTHER EXCLAIMED, IT IS ONLY BY FAITH IN GOD’S GRACE THAT ANY OF US HAVE A CHANCE TO LIVE JUST LIVES BEFORE GOD.

OUR SECOND SCRIPTURE VERSE FOR THIS MORNING REITERATES THIS IDEA:

EPHESIANS 2:8 – “FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH, AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD…”

GRACE IS NOT EARNED, GRACE IS A GIFT.

A GIFT FROM GOD – NOT SOMETHING WE DESERVE, OR HAVE EARNED THROUGH OUR OWN MERIT.  THIS WAS A KEY BELIEF FOR ALL THE REFORMERS IN THE REFORMATION.

WANT TO KNOW WHAT GRACE IS?  GET RON ZEMLICKA TO TELL YOU HIS ICE CREAM STORY.

“GRACE,” FREDERICK BUECHNER WRITES, “IS SOMETHING YOU CAN NEVER GET ONLY BE GIVEN.  THERE’S NO WAY TO EARN IT OR DESERVE IT OR BRING IT ABOUT ANY MORE THAN YOU CAN DESERVE THE TASTE OF RASPBERRIES AND CREAM, OR EARN GOOD LOOKS, OR BRING ABOUT YOUR OWN BIRTH.”

THEN HE TRIES TO DESCRIBE GRACE: “A GOOD SLEEP IS GRACE AND SO ARE GOOD DREAMS.  MOST TEARS ARE GRACE.  THE SMELL OF RAIN IS GRACE.  SOMEBODY LOVING YOU IS GRACE.  LOVING SOMEBODY IS GRACE.”

BUECHNER FINISHES BY REMINDING US THAT GRACE IS A GIFT.  “BUT,” HE SAYS, “LIKE ANY OTHER GIFT, THE GIFT OF GRACE CAN BE YOURS ONLY IF YOU’LL REACH OUT AND TAKE IT.  MAYBE BEING ABLE TO REACH OUT AND TAKE IT IS A GIFT TOO.”

OUR THIRD VERSE FOR THIS MORNING IS I PETER 2:5 – “LIKE LIVING STONES, LET YOURSELVES BE BUILT INTO A SPIRITUAL HOUSE, TO BE A HOLY PRIESTHOOD, TO OFFER SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES ACCEPTABLE TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.”

ONE OF THE MOST PROVOCATIVE AND CONTROVERSIAL BELIEFS OF THE REFORMERS WAS THAT BECAUSE EVERY CHRISTIAN IS CONSIDERED PART OF THE PRIESTHOOD THERE WAS NO SCRIPTURAL BASIS FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PRIESTHOOD AS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC AND EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES UNDERSTOOD IT.

THIS REMAINS A KEY DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE BRANCHES OF CHRISTIANITY TODAY, AND WHY, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WENT ON AND ON ABOUT OUR BELIEVING THAT WE ARE “A PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS;”

THAT IS, THAT WE FUNCTION AS PRIESTS, AS MINISTERS TOGETHER, TO EACH OTHER, AND TO OTHERS; AND THAT THERE IS NO HIERARCHY OF MINISTERS, ELDERS, AND MEMBERS IN OUR CHURCH – JUST DIFFERENT GIFTS, AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF SERVING.

VERSE FOUR IS II TIMOTHY 3:16 – “ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, AND FOR TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNOW LATIN TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE THE WORDS SOLO SCRIPTURA – SCRIPTURE ALONE – THE BELIEF THAT THE BIBLE CONTAINS EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD, AND TO LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY.

THE IDEA ELEVATES SCRIPTURE ABOVE ALL OTHER AUTHORITIES (AT THE TIME OF THE REFORMATION – ABOVE THE PRIEST, THE POPE, THE KING, THE CHURCH, OR WHOMEVER, WHATEVER).

FOR THE REFORMATION, IN VERY PRACTICAL TERMS, WHAT THIS MEANT WAS THAT THE BIBLE WAS NO LONGER IN THE SOLE POSSESSION OF THE PRIESTS, BUT WAS NOW PLACED INTO THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THEM TO READ, INTERPRET, UNDERSTAND FOR THEMSELVES, AND BELIEVE.

THIS IS A REFORMATION LESSON WE ARE STILL LEARNING TODAY.  WHAT WE BELIEVE, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCRIPTURES, HOW WE INTERPRET AND APPLY THEM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING OTHERS SHOULD TELL US HOW TO DO…

RATHER, IT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD COMMIT OURSELVES TO DOING ON OUR OWN; FOR OURSELVES; FOR OUR OWN ENLIGHTENMENT, EDIFICATION, AND APPLICATION.

DOES THIS MEAN WE CAN MAKE THE BIBLE SAY ANYTHING WE WANT IT TO SAY?  SADLY, YES; AND PEOPLE HAVE DONE THAT THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, AND ARE STILL DOING IT TODAY!

DOES THAT MAKE IT RIGHT?  NO!  DOES IT MAKE THEM RIGHT?  NO!  WHAT THE REFORMATION TAUGHT US, WHAT IT CONTINUES TO TEACH US, IS THAT WE OUGHT NOT ABDICATE OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS BELIEVERS TO OTHERS –

LETTING THEM TELL US WHAT WE BELIEVE; HOW WE SHOULD THINK; WHAT WE SHOULD DO; THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW THEM, OR THE CROWD, OR WHATEVER…

INSTEAD, WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN FAITH AND BELIEFS;

AND WE SHOULD WORK AT IT; WE SHOULD STUDY; WE SHOULD CONVERSE WITH OTHERS; WE SHOULD LISTEN; WE SHOULD LEARN FROM EACH OTHER;

BUT IN THE END, IT IS UP TO EACH OF US TO DECIDE WHAT WE BELIEVE, WHAT OUR FAITH IS, AND HOW WE PUT OUR FAITH AND BELIEFS INTO ACTION.

HISTORICALLY, THE WAY WE PRESBYTERIANS HAVE SAID THIS (FOUND IN OUR BOOK OF ORDER) IS:

“THAT GOD ALONE IS LORD OF THE CONSCIENCE, AND HATH LEFT IT FREE FROM THE DOCTRINES AND COMMANDMENTS OF MEN WHICH ARE IN ANYTHING CONTRARY TO HIS WORD, OR BESIDE IT, IN MATTERS OF FAITH AND WORSHIP.”

IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS BETWEEN GOD AND ME, GOD AND YOU, AND WHAT WE READ IN GOD’S WORD, THAT DETERMINES OUR FAITH AND BELIEFS, OUR WORSHIP AND SERVICE.

OUR FINAL VERSE IS MATTHEW 11:29-30 – “TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU, AND LEARN FROM ME; FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.  FOR MY YOKE IS EASY, AND MY BURDEN LIGHT.”

THE PROTESTANT REFORMERS BELIEVED THAT CENTURIES OF CHURCH TRADITION HAD PLACED A HEAVY BURDEN ON THE BACKS OF BELIEVERS;

AND POINTING TO VERSES LIKE THIS ONE, THEY REMINDED CHRISTIANS THAT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS MEANT TO FREE PEOPLE FROM GUILT AND SIN.

FREE PEOPLE… NOT ADD TO THEIR GUILT AND SIN!  IT IS A LESSON WE ARE STILL LEARNING!  IT IS A LESSON WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LEARN!

IS YOUR FAITH A BURDEN?  DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL WORSE, RATHER THAN BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF?  IF SO, YOU MAY BE DOING IT WRONG!  WE, THE CHURCH, MAY BE DOING IT WRONG!

JESUS INVITES US TO JOY!  JESUS INVITES US TO LEARN; TO REST; TO A FAITH THAT IS GENTLE, HUMBLE, LIGHT, AND EASY.

NOT A BURDEN – BUT A BLESSING!

NOW GIVEN MY SERMON TITLE: FUN WITH THE 500^TH!  YOU MAY BE ASKING YOURSELF, “ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?”

WELL, I HOPE SO, BUT MAYBE I HAVE A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF FUN:

STUDYING 500 YEARS OF CHURCH HISTORY!

RECITING THE NAMES OF REFORMERS – LUTHER, CALVIN, ZWINGLI, KNOX!

DISCUSSING THE FIVE MAJOR THESES OF THE REFORMATION!

FAITH, NOT WORKS;

BEING SAVED BY FAITH THROUGH GRACE;

THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS;

SCRIPTURE ALONE;

FAITH AS A BLESSING NOT A BURDEN;

WHAT’S NOT FUN ABOUT ALL THAT?

NOW, IF YOU’VE GOT SOME KIND OF FANCY NEW DICTIONARY THAT DEFINES FUN DIFFERENTLY…!

BUT, SERIOUSLY, THE REFORMATION, EVEN IF WE DON’T THINK OF IT IN THOSE TERMS, CONTINUES TO IMPACT OUR FAITH, OUR CHURCH, AND EVEN OUR CULTURE TODAY – AS WE PUT OUR FAITH AND BELIEFS INTO PRACTICE.

I DO HAVE ONE MORE FUN THING FOR US TO DO THIS MORNING.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT STUCK TO YOUR BIBLE VERSE INSERT WAS A STICKY NOTE.

IF YOU THOUGHT IT WAS STUCK THERE ACCIDENTALLY, OR THAT YOUR BULLETIN WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD A STICKY NOTE ATTACHED, IT WASN’T.

NOW THERE AREN’T QUITE 95 OF US HERE THIS MORNING, SO IT’LL BE HOW-MANY-EVER-THERE-ARE- OF-US THESES THAT WILL BE TACKING UP;

BUT HERE’S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO – (OUR MEMBERS AND OUR VISITORS) I WANT YOU TO WRITE ONE THING – ONE NEW THING – YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR CHURCH DO;

OR WHAT YOU WISH THE CHURCH WAS DOING OUT THERE IN TODAY’S WORLD.

WHAT’S THE ONE, MOST COMPELLING THING, YOU THINK THE CHURCH SHOULD (OR MAYBE, SHOULDN’T, THAT’S OKAY TOO,) BE DOING IN TODAY’S WORLD.

WHAT NEW IDEA, THOUGHT, ACTION, MINISTRY, MISSION, ETC. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OUR CHURCH/THE CHURCH DOING RIGHT NOW?

WRITE THAT ON YOUR STICKY NOTE; AND WHEN YOU’RE DONE, I WANT YOU TO STICK THAT NOTE TO… HOLD ON, WE NEED A DOOR ON WHICH TO “NAIL” THEM UP…

THEN, WE’LL LOOK AT THEM; PUBLISH THEM FOR EVERYONE TO SEE; AND WE’LL SEE WHERE YOUR HOW-MANY-EVER-THESES TAKE US IN 2018.

PLEASE, PLAY ALONG – THIS IS THE FUN PART!

WHILE I DOUBT YOU WILL SEE ANY TRICK-OR-TREATERS DRESSED UP LIKE MARTIN LUTHER, JOHN CALVIN, OR ULRICH ZWINGLI THIS HALLOWEEN…

DON’T FORGET, ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT – 500 YEARS AGO – MARTIN LUTHER THOUGHT ENOUGH OF THE CHURCH, ENOUGH OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, TO WANT IT TO BE BETTER THAN IT WAS…

AND THAT SHOULD ALWAYS BE OUR HOPE AND PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH – THAT IT IS ALWAYS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER AT WHAT IT DOES, AT WHO IT IS…

FOR THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THE CHURCH REFORMED, AND ALWAYS REFORMING.  HAPPY 500^TH  ANNIVERSARY!