October 26 - Reformation – Back to
the Basics
Scripture, Christ, Faith, Grace
The final presidential debate was a week ago. In the gospels for the last few weeks we’ve
witnessed the final debate between Jesus and the religious leaders - the
priests, the Sadducees and the Pharisees.
In this debate, these opposition figures have tried to trap Jesus with
tricky questions.
Why?
Jesus challenged their authority, and thus their
exalted position. He seemed to encourage
ordinary people to ignore all the detailed religious rules they were trying to
enforce. Jesus is a radical, they
said.
So today’s gospel is appropriate for Reformation Day,
when we remember that reform movement that was initiated by Martin Luther. Because Luther challenged
the religious leaders of his day. The bulletin cover depicts Luther
posting his 95 Theses – 95 propositions for debate. Luther is a radical, they said.
Both Jesus and Luther were radical in a similar
way. They both called for the change,
but the change was not something brand new, but rather a return to the
fundamentals.
Just look at the scene in today’s gospel, where the
topic is the Law of God. Jesus’
opponent, an expert in the Law, asks which is the greatest Commandment?
There are over 600 commandments in the Old Testament
law, so pick one.
Like a good debater, Jesus is not limited by the
question, and picks two: 'You shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment.
And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Matthew 22:37,39
Actually He’s quoting two different verse from Old Testament. [Deut. 6:5 & Lev. 19:18] Then Jesus says
On these
two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 22:40
If you put these two together, you have the
interpretive key to understanding all of the Law and the prophets. The law of love does not lessen our
obligations, but make them more radical and comprehensive. Love’s claim is without restriction or
limitation.
Jesus points them the fundamentals - love of God and
love of neighbor - back to the basics.
In that sense Martin Luther and the reform he started
had something in common with Jesus and his debate with the religious leaders.
Luther swept away all the additions and distractions the medieval church had
added to Christianity and directed people back to the basics – which can be
expressed in four words: Christ, faith, grace, and scripture.
First, the only authority for faith and life is the
Bible, the Holy Scriptures. We are
people of the book – of the Bible – because the scriptures reveal Christ to us
– and the words of the Bible show us God’s goodness, his grace and lead us to
faith.
Second, Christ is at the center – it’s all about
Jesus.
Third, we are saved by faith in Christ.
Fourth, that is a gift from God that we can’t earn -
hence, we call it grace.
Almost four years after that event pictured on the
bulletin cover – after much writing and several debates, Martin Luther was
called before the authorities and told to “Recant” – to deny and take back what
he had written. Luther replied:
“Unless I am convinced by the
teaching of Holy Scripture and plain reason… I am bound by the scriptures and
by my conscience. I cannot and will not
recant anything…”
That quote is at the heart of being Lutheran. Scripture – the Bible – is the ultimate
authority in all matters of faith and life. Our conscience is to be shaped and guided by
the words of the Bible.
And the central truth of the gospel is
neither an idea nor a proposition.
It is a person -- Jesus Christ.
We study the Bible, not to gain information,
but to be drawn closer to Christ
and his way.
Lutherans say the Bible points us toward Christ. The scriptures help us to know Christ and
love him. More than that, Jesus comes to
us in, with and though the words of the Bible.
If you are listening, you can hear Him speaking to you as you
prayerfully study the Bible: “I was reading the psalms, and God spoke to
me.”
You can hear Christ as you listen to the lessons and
the sermon. “Pastor, God spoke to me through your sermon today.”
You can hear Him through the words of other believers
as you study scripture together.
For Jesus promised that His Spirit would be our
teacher as we listen to His word – and that gives the scriptures, the Word of
God, power unlike any other words.
Whenever Christians read the word of God, the Spirit
of the living God shows up to lead and guide, to challenge and judge, to
comfort and encourage.
So faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes from the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
The Bible creates faith in those who hear it. And it is the word of God – the promises of
God – that sustain us when our faith is challenged.
The personal experience of God’s presence isn’t reliable
enough to build one’s faith on. In fact,
assigning too much value to personal experience when it comes to God can be
dangerous.
What happens when you feel far away from God? Do you actually believe God is far away?
For much of her life, Mother Teresa lamented that she
did not feel a warm, personal sense of God’s presence. She didn’t hear Jesus’ voice speaking
personally to her as she meditated in silence.
Yet she continued to give herself in service in
Christ’s name. She ministered even as
she faced a feeling of spiritual emptiness.
Because her faith was built on more
than subjective feelings and personal experiences.
As valuable as they are, our faith needs an objective foundation outside
ourselves. And that foundation is the
Word of God.
For the basis of our faith is not within us, but
rather is found in the promise of God in His word. A healthy faith is in part a “head”
thing. It is supported by our study of
the Bible. And that in turn is
reinforced by brothers and sisters as we gather for worship and study and
conversation. Faith takes hold of
Christ’s words and trusts His promises.
“God conceals his grace before our face, that we may
not estimate Him according to our feelings and thinking, but strictly according
to His word.”
In the second lesson, Paul writes:
There is no distinction. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory
of God. Romans 3:23
We’re all sinners - we’re all in the same boat - and
that boat is sinking.
That kind of talk isn’t popular today. We more inclined to self-esteem and positive
self-image. We don’t want to think of
ourselves as having anything fundamentally wrong with us - like being in
bondage to sin - or by nature sinful and unclean - or “We admitted that we
were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become
unmanageable.” We tend to minimize
our sins, as if they make no difference.
Luther saw sin for what it really is - that which separates us from God.
His life-changing insight came a few years before
that scene on the bulletin cover. Luther
was both a priest and a professor of Scripture. For years he had tried to live a righteous
life, following all the rules. But no
matter how hard he strived, he realized he was still a sinner. He reasoned “God is holy and just. I am a poor sinner. How can a holy God possibly love a sinner
like me?”
As professor Luther prepared his lectures on Romans,
he pondered these words of
They are now justified - put right with God - by his grace
as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Romans
3:24.
We become acceptable to God by trusting in Christ,
“...by the law of faith. For we hold that a person
is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.” Romans 3:28
Luther rediscovered the gospel, the good news of
Jesus Christ. It had been right in front
of him all along, but it had been obscured and covered by the medieval church’s
rules and traditions.
As Luther put it, saving faith is saying to Christ,
“Yes, I know I am unworthy. I know I
have sinned. But you, Jesus, have come
to save sinners, and you have come to save me.”
Faith is taking the word of law, of judgment: “You
are a sinner.” and hearing the gospel, the word of grace: “Because you are a
sinner, Christ is for you.”
The bottom line isn’t our deserving, but the Lord’s
forgiving - and that is grace - the free gift of His love and mercy.
Salvation is by grace - the gift of God
-
Received by faith - trusting God’s promises -
Faith in Jesus
Christ and His Word.
Listen God is calling, through His
word inviting, offering forgiveness, comfort and joy.