The Festival of the Reformation (Observed)
October 27, 2013 - Pastor Adam Moline
Revelation
14:6-7 Romans 3:19-28 John 8:31-36
Grace, mercy and
peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our text today comes from the first reading, especially these words,
“Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to
proclaim to those who dwell on earth”
Thus far our text.
Dear friends in
Christ. Today’s another Reformation Day,
it’s another Pot Luck and special service with both congregations
together. Services are a bit longer, but
atleast there is free food afterward. But
why do we celebrate this day? Why the
pomp and circumstance? What is so
special about the last Day of October, besides Halloween?
Some would say
it’s a day to brag about being Lutheran, about telling everyone else how our
theology is right, and theirs is wrong.
Some would say it’s a day to put down other faiths and religions for not
being as smart and doctrinally correct as we are. Some would say it’s a day to remember our
German heritage, if we’ve got it, and some would say it’s a celebration of the
great reformer himself, Martin Luther.
But in reality,
none of these are quite right. None of
them s the reason we celebrate today. As good as our doctrine is, in this
sinful world, who are we to say we’ve got everything perfectly right? Today shouldn’t be about putting down other
faiths, as the members of those churches who believe in Christ alone will be
saved as well. And for certain none of
our Bible lessons for the day mentioned Martin Luther in them at all.
Rather, today is
about something even more precious than our Lutheran heritage – The
Gospel. The message of Good News about
Jesus Christ. The message that says, we
cannot by our own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ our Lord or come
to him, but that the Holy Spirit has feely called us to believe in the death
and resurrection of our Lord.
That’s what our
first reading is all about – an angel flying about in the sky with an etneral
Gospel to proclaim. A Gospel that tells
us how we are saved, “By Grace through faith you have been saved, not by
works. A Gospel that says you, yes you
dear Hankinsonian, are justified by his grace as a gift, through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put
forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. Youre
saved by Christ. And that’s the bottom
line.
This idea is not
one that is popular in our world. It is
an idea that is often trod on and despised by the people of the world. There are countless religions that say to be
saved, you must do xyz. Islam says, you
must confess the creed, you must visit Mecca, you must give 10% of your money
to the mosque, and more if you desire to be saved. Judaism says you must obey God’s law
completely and perfectly, or you will not be saved. Buddhism says you must meditate and discover reality to be released from this
world. Mormonism says you must be good,
and know the secret tokens to enter heaven.
Works, work work. Requirement
after requirement.
And in the face of
all these things, Christ tells us the truth.
He has already done everything necessary for your salvation, and you
cannot add or subtract from it. No
matter how hard you work, he’s accomplished it all. It’s what He said isn’t it, from the cross,
with his last breath – “It is finished.”
Not mostly done, not started, but that everything required to get you
into heaven for ever is done. Jesus has
died for you.
And not only was
that Good News accomplished for you by Jesus on the cross. It is also delivered
to you, here in this church building week after week. God’s word that creates faith In Jesus is
spoken to you in the scripture readings, and in the word preached. God’s forgiveness, the very blood of Jesus,
was poured over you to wash away all your sins, even your most secret and dark,
in the waters of Holy Baptism. That
blood still covers your guilt, and even today, you are a baptized Child of
God.
And finally,
today, we are united together in a common belief in the work of Christ on our
behalf, and sharing our faith together as one body of Christ, we partake in the
true body and blood of Jesus, given and shed for us for the forgiveness of
sins. We eat Jesus in with and under the
bread and wine, so that we might have life, and life to the full.
Today is
Reformation Day. It means that no matter
what, the world cannot take the goodnews of Jesus away from us. It means no matter how its hidden or clouded,
Christ is still ours. And even should
the world take our lives, our goods, fame child or wives. Those these all be gone, the victory has been
won. And that at the last, the kingdom
of God ours remaineth.
Dear friends, A
most blessed and Happy Reformation Day to you all, and may we be united
together in the free and clear Gospel, even forever more. Amen.
