Reformation Day

As I think about our reasons for thanksgiving as sons and daughters adopted into the family and kingdom of our God, they are many. Indeed, proper theology always leads to thanksgiving and adoration of our subject—Theos. I know we are thinking more about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday; time off school and work, time with family, and hopefully time for genuine worship. However, I cannot help but bring something up from a few days ago that is on my mind. How many of you celebrated that “holiday” at the end of last month? Come on, I know its controversial but I want to encourage you to celebrate October 31^st with your whole family. This is a time we should remember, and proclaim for the generations ahead. (For those who just gasped, I want you to know my family and I do not celebrate Halloween, it just happens that we celebrate on Halloween…keep reading).  I celebrate the value of what began during the Reformation on October 31. In case you don’t know why, here it goes.

Many call Dr. Martinus Luther, aka Martin Luther, the “Father of the Reformation.” It was on October 31, 1517 that he nailed the famous 95 Thesis to the door of the Wittenburg Chapel in Germany. This paper spoke out against the evils of the Roman Church in his day. Its original title was Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences since it was 95 statements against the practices of selling pardon from sins and purgatory so that cathedrals and the like could be built. Luther wrote it in Latin to be read by his fellow professors and priests and did not think it would have such an impact, but it was the catalyst for a widespread move amongst the Church to return to salvation by faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed in the Scriptures alone. Sure, there are many negative things that happened in those days, and the man, Martin Luther, was far from perfect. Yet, I believe he was one of God’s champions, used mightily by our King to bring the Word of God to common people and call them to trust in it. His intentions were not to split the Church, but to bring her back to the Truth. He believed every believer should study theology and not just be told what they need to believe. So he translated the Scriptures into German, the common vernacular of the people he lived amongst.

Has your opportunity to study the Word been a blessing in your walk with God? Imagine life without being able to read the Word and thank God for the boldness of men who have gone before us and stood on it in the face of opposition. I call October 31^st Reformation Day and henceforth extend the invitation in years to come for all who want to join me in celebration…Not sure how we will celebrate, but we will! For starters, even though it is late, you should get some popcorn and buy the movie Luther and watch it.

I leave you with some good insight from Martin on studying scripture, “If in a text I find a nut with a shell too hard to crack, I fling it on the Rock Christ and I get the sweetest kernel out of it.” Happy Belated Reformation Day, add some content to your Thanksgiving this year.