Reformation Day 2006

I was buying bird seed. The nuthatches have been snooping around the empty feeders, so it is time. As I was leaving the establishment, I began saying to the two women there, “Let me be the first to wish you a…..” One of the women chimed in before I could finish with “…a Happy Halloween.” That in itself is not remarkable. However, what is startling is that the woman is a ruling elder in a local main line Presbyterian Church! Wouldn’t you think a church officer in a Reformed church would know the significance of 31 October? And, should not this Reformation Day be preeminent in her mind and heart to Halloween?

Such is the state of the church today. We revolt against historical authority. Luther and his ilk had their lives in their particular world and we have ours. What has he done that has any relevance to 21st century American Christian. We ignore the small fact that the Lord of history placed Luther in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1517 for a purpose. And, what he did to reintroduce the Gospel to the church is an inheritance to us and a warning not to depart from the Gospel again. Needless to say we have squandered the inheritance and ignored the warning.

On 31 October, 1517, Martin Luther posted on the door of the Castle Church his Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences which came to be popularly known as the 95 Theses. They were written in Latin but were soon translated into the vernacular and widely distributed. Public controversy ensued that lead to the Reformation. Luther had no idea of what would happen with this little academic exercise. In fact he wrote:

A disputation on the power and efficacy of indulgences: out of love for the truth and the desire to bring it to light, following propositions will be discussed at Wittenberg under the presidency of the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and of Sacred Theology, and Lecturer in Ordinary on the same at that place. Wherefore, he requests that those who are unable to be present and debate orally with us, may do so by letter.

Hardly revolutionary language. Today we would say Brother Martin just wants to have a “dialogue”! But, in the providence of God, Luther was used to “upset the world” and bring about changes that would forever affect Western Civilization.

Everyone you know who is a descendant of western culture was impacted by the Reformation. Yet, no one sees to know or care; even those who consider themselves committed Christians. But, that makes it a great teaching opportunity. With Halloween becoming the great autumn holiday for the masses, you can answer “Happy Halloween” with “Happy Reformation Day”. And, this gives you an opportunity to tell folks about the recovery of the Gospel and why that is so important to them. And, you can even say Reformation Day is also a costume day…it is about new garments provided by God to those “brands plucked out of the fire” by Him. (See Zechariah 3 for the wonderful details.)

Let us no longer minimize the Reformation. Be thankful for men like Hus, Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, and others. Their stance for the Truth of the Gospel, at great peril and death for many, made it possible for those of us who are also “brands plucked from the fire” to believe, proclaim and live the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Had it with the contemporary church with its “self-focused” programs? Do you recoil when you walk through an evangelical bookstore? Tired of preaching that is not centered on Christ, His life, death, resurrection and ascension but on what makes folks “feel good”? Be bold, reintroduce the Gospel to your church and challenge the cultural notions of “doing church” and “living a self empowered life.” It is time for us to understand our Gospel inheritance and be ready to pass it on with blessings to those whom we are given to nurture and teach maturity in the faith. All to God’s glory alone…Soli Deo Gloria!