Always Reforming
Reformation Sunday
October 30, 2022
Christ, Preston, MN
John 8.31-36
Five hundred and five years ago Martin Luther nailed 95 theses, or propositions for debate, to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. That was the mode of argumentation before the internet and social media. Like now, his posting drew a flurry of activity. Chief among Luther’s quibbles with the Institutional Church was the selling of indulgences, or certificates of grace, that purportedly would hasten a loved one’s journey to heaven. That was something Luther felt should be free since grace is, well, free. Luther wasn’t the first to argue against this and other perceived abuses, but a confluence of events pushed him and the issues to the fore. The Reformation would change the church, society and even the government permanently.
Along the way, Luther would translate the Bible into the tongue of the people, coincidentally solidifying the German language. In doing so, Luther would make the Bible accessible for anyone who could read. He would also produce other widely read tracts, all fueled by the technological innovation of the day: Gutenberg’s printing press that made mass production possible. Also along the way, he insisted on four “solas” or “onlys:” Christ alone, grace alone, faith alone, and Scripture alone. In short, we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone as revealed in Scripture, which is our sole authority, and this is not of our doing but a free gift from God.
The institutional church was not happy with Luther and attempted to shut him down. But Luther at his trial, asked to be proved wrong from Scripture, uttering the famous words, “Here I stand, I can do no other.” The actions of Luther and other reformers led them to be called “Protestants,” a name that embraced them as they embraced it and would be welcomed by many. Though not Luther’s desire, the formation of not just one but many new churches. Still, Luther’s overriding concern was the truth shown in Scripture, that we are made right with God by faith apart from our own works, and that the truth of this shall be known and set us free.
It is tempting to think of the Reformation as a past event, albeit an important one, merely an artifact of history. But I would argue, and I think Luther would agree, that we shouldn’t just celebrate the Reformation but also embody it, much like we embody the Incarnation of Christmas and the dying and rising of Easter. We tend to think of freedom as being able to do whatever we want. But the witness of Scripture is that we are not only freed from the brokenness of sin, death, and the power of evil but also freed for a new life. Luther in his essay, Freedom of a Christian says it this way: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”
Here’s what I think the bottom line is: God has a mission to love and bless the world, to bring people back into relationship with him, and for that mission, God has a church, like Christ Lutheran Church. We need to acknowledge that we don’t always get that right, that God’s grace often gets muted, if not obliterated. The church of the Reformation is always reforming because God is always on the move and because each generation is in a different place and time. So, the Good News of Jesus Christ’s love for everyone, which never changes, is declared in new ways so that people can hear it in their own language.
My Siblings in Christ, as you prepare for your next settled pastor, you have a wonderful opportunity to discern what that means for Christ Lutheran Church in Preston, MN in 2022 and beyond. That can be daunting, but today we remember and celebrate that we are an ordinary people who have an extraordinary God, a God whose love has set us free. Thanks be to God. Amen.
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