3:305 – I’ve Got 95 Theses

#faithbites #faithjourney theses

Setting

Today many celebrate Halloween, it’s also Reformation Day. This is the day when in 1517, Marten Luther, posted his 95 theses or propositions for the abuses of the Catholic church. This led to the protestant reformation and the formation of the Lutheran Church. This was a major change for Christianity.

For me, the biggest take away from this is that God’s word and access to God is for everyone. We don’t need an interpreter or a middle person. We can read God’s word and go directly to God. That’s not saying that clergy don’t have a purpose, they are more of our Guides than our mediators.

I don’t know about you, but because of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses so many more people have a personal relationship with Jesus. If you want to read them, here is a link to all 95 theses.

How has the reformation impacted your life and your #faithjourney?

Scripture

• Matthew 4:17 – From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
• Matthew 13:25 – But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
• Matthew 4:4 – But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Reflection

Tonight we will keep it simple. The 95 theses show what was happening at the time in the Catholic Church and where the church diverged from God’s teaching. He also translated the word into German and made it more accessible to the people.

In our readings, we see that we need to repent and that we need the word of God to live. We also see, in Matthew 13:25, that the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. This was referring to Satan and the wrong teachings of the time.

Today’s Catholic church is not like the church of the 1500s so this isn’t about that Church. I’m personally blessed for Martin Luther taking a stand and bringing the Good News of Christ to all of us in a language that we could understand.

Now the hard part is taking advantage of this. How do we live our lives in direct relationship with Jesus? Now that we have access to the Word, how can we share it and live in it?

As we close tonight, and you may be eating your candy, remember that Reformation Day is important, and we can know Jesus directly because of it.

Challenge

Knowing about the Reformation and the 95 Theses, how does that change your life? What will you do to live with God and share God? Challenge yourself in this next season, as we approach Advent, to have a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Prayer

Father God, thank you for your servant, Martin Luther. Thank you for stirring in him good works that reminded us of your true word and help us all to have a deeper connection with you. Lord, we love you and want to be with you. Help us to reflect on this and how, by remembering this, we can cherish what we truly have in you. Thank you, Lord. In your name, Amen.