a mighty fortress

is our God

We’re all a bunch of sinners free-riding on Jesus

This month we are going to celebrate something that happened 500 years ago; the day Martin Luther posted his 95 Thesis in Wittenberg and mailed them to his archbishop. The thesis concern the church practices of Luther’s day. Particularly the practice of buying and selling indulgences. Indulgences we’re a church authorized document, sponsoring the forgiveness of sins of loved ones who had died. 

Let me lift up a couple of often overlooked facts about this document’s history.

For one thing, it’s scholarly. Luther wrote it in Latin, the language of church professionals. 

For another, it wasn’t even Luther who broadcasted these thesis! Others who were sympathetic to the cause of reforming the church, saw the potential of Luther’s letter. So they translated and spread it throughout Europe. In other words, there’s no way Luther could have imagined the impact of these 95 thesis when he was writing them.

Finally, and most importantly, if you read the thesis carefully, you’ll notice that Luther’s full-fledged theology isn’t on display! 

However, the heart of the letter is a concern for the forgiveness of sinners.

So, while we can see Luther wants to know about forgiveness, he’s still on the same old treadmill of good works! The 43rd thesis Luther argues that giving to the poor is a better work than buying an indulgence.

Despite that, it’s the day those thesis were posted, that we celebrate the all aftermath!

I’ve been thinking about that lately. And not just because it’s that time of the year we give thanks for what God did for the church through the likes of Martin Luther. I’ve been thinking about how it all went down, because no one could have predicted it. No one could have controlled it. And no one could have seen where it would lead. 

YET, we look back on all that, and give thanks for what happened!

Isn’t that something?

These days, we’re so settled, so worried, so desperate to be certain, that we don’t undertake much. 

I mean, how often do we close ourselves off to what God would do through us because we’re unsure about the outcome? How often do we throw up our hands at first sight of a sudden twist or turn? How often does the prospect of any struggle whatsoever get us to throw in the towel?

Now I’m not saying this to lay on the Law. I’m saying this because, when you consider what God was able to do with just 95 thoughts about church practices, a monk and a handful of others; it’s truly staggering!

Here’s the Good News: We have a God who is resourceful. A God who can do an awful lot with a little. A God who can take twists and turns, and make something good happen.

We have a God who is more powerful than all the trials and tribulations we face! 

We’re going to start meeting to talk about the input we got from our postcards. That can make us a little anxious. And I think the antidote to our worry isn’t trying to control the outcome, but to remember our history, the Reformation. 

I’m looking forward to meeting with you all and talking about the future!