Oct. 31: Reformation Day
There is a special day coming up on October 31st!
Reformation Day
It’s not just the one where you get to dress up in fun costumes and get candy. Reformation Day is the day on the church calendar where we celebrate when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses onto the door of the Church in Wittenburg in 1517. There are details of that story which are contested, but what is not contested is that he saw some things that the church of his day was doing which were outside of scripture, and he stood up to them.
John 17 is the prayer Jesus prayed for His disciples, and for us (v.20). In verse 17 He asks the Father to make us holy by His word which is Truth....John 1 tells us that Jesus is the Word....John 14:6 Jesus tells us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Whenever we are tempted to simply listen to someone else read scripture to us and give us their interpretation and not go back and pray and read for ourselves, we are at risk of believing something other than the Truth. Unfortunately in Luther's day, they did not have that luxury until Luther completed his translation of the Bible into German in 1534.
We are blessed to have pastors that are very diligent to bring us truth every time they step up to teach. Even so, we are as responsible for learning and teaching scripture as they are, through our everyday conversations, through our love for our neighbors, through our whole lives.
This Monday the 31st let's celebrate what God did through Martin Luther by reading scripture for ourselves, in our own language, and let's be the church! As families come to your home with their kids dressed in cute costumes, give the best candy, maybe also add a Gospel tract. Even better, invite them to come to your porch for some tea and talk to them, give them one of our invites to come and join us on Sunday or to Kids 6:19. Get to know them and let them get to know you. Share your freedom in Christ!
Read more about Reformation Day
Be Free,
~Michelle Negron