Category: Catechesis

Rev. Mark Buetow

Advent is the season in the church year in which we wait in eager anticipating for the coming of our Lord Jesus. It has a double meaning since we are waiting and looking forward to celebrating His birth at Christmas but also to His coming again in glory on the Last Day. Early on, Advent developed as a season of fasting and preparation, much like Lent. That changed somewhat when churches nudged Advent into a less penitential purple and more “joyously expectant” blue season. (And people still like to debate whether blue is a proper option to use). Did you know that some people wouldn’t sing Christmas music or put up Christmas trees during Advent? After all, there are twelve days of Christmas, and they don’t start until Christmas!

But look around. The world knows nothing of Advent. For the world, the “Holiday Season” begins with Thanksgiving and ends with New Year’s Day. It’s full of feasts and lights and parties and lots of football and Christmas songs made famous by the Baby Boomer generation. And let’s face it, the church can’t really compete. Many churches already have their Christmas trees and lights up. Perhaps your pastor is a stickler for the old traditions and your sanctuary isn’t decorated yet. But even so, while we are waiting in eager expectation, the world is celebrating and it’s hard not to get caught up in all that. So many Christians will use Advent as the time to complain that there isn’t much Advent any more. Many others will just plough ahead with all the festivities and goings on that come with the season. Some people revel in the lights and tinsel. Others hurt in silent pain and loneliness.

So where did Advent go? Well, it didn’t go anywhere. It’s still here. Because Advent isn’t about decorating trees or not. And it’s not about baking cookies or waiting. It’s not about any of that. Advent is about Jesus. And so Advent is right where it should be: in the church, with the blue or the purple indicating it’s a special season and the readings from God’s Word telling us that Jesus is coming. Advent is Advent because we hear of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the donkey, of Christ’s coming in glory, of the preaching of John the Baptist and the announcement of Gabriel to Mary. The clouds of glory, the donkey and palms, the prophet in the Jordan river, the angel Gabriel: they’re all doing the same thing: pointing you to Jesus.

Maybe because there is so much hustle and bustle churches often decide to have additional worship services during Advent. Maybe there is the opportunity to receive Christ’s body and blood or join in the singing of Evening Prayer. Take advantage of those opportunities because they are the times in which we can tune out the world, even for just a little bit, and hear the Good News that Jesus is coming. He has already come, in the flesh, born in a manger, foretold by prophet. He will come again in glory, on the clouds of heaven, like lightning, with trumpets and angels and waking the dead. And between those two “advents” He is coming now, to you, right there in His church. When your pastor preaches that this Jesus came for you. To save you. To go to the cross for you. To die and rise for you. To deliver forgiveness to you. He comes upon the altar with His body and blood. We sing “Hosanna!” as the crowds did, welcoming Him.

So where did Advent go? Nowhere. It’s right where it’s always been, in the church, where the Spirit gathers Christ’s people to hear the Word which brings repentance and faith. In the church where the Word of God is heard, sinners are drawn out of the world which parties for no purpose and into the faith and joy and comfort and hope that Jesus brings by His saving gifts. And then, filled with that joy and peace, we go forth to enjoy the things of this world and life, parties and cookies and Christmas carols if you like, as the baptized children of God. And as we live we wait, we expect, and we rejoice that Jesus comes to us. Happy Advent!

Rev. William Cwirla

Advent is a fasting season. Fasting is a “fine outward discipline,” according to the Small Catechism. While it does not commend us before God nor is it to be seen by others (Mt 6:16), fasting is a valuable spiritual and physical discipline to train our appetites and bring them into conformity with our will.

Sadly, the excessive eating and drinking of the “holiday season” leaves us spiritually and physically debilitated. Many people make “resolutions” to diet and exercise in the new year in order to undo the damage of the holidays. Far better to exercise discipline and restraint in the days leading up to the feast of Christmas, so that we may enjoy the full twelve day feast with guilt-free joy. Fasting is really a part of ordered, disciplined feasting.

From the early centuries, Christians fasted each week on Wednesdays and Fridays. Wednesday was the day our Lord was betrayed by Judas, Friday the day He was crucified for our salvation. Fasting disciplines vary. Some eat nothing or simply a bit of bread and water. Others refrain from eating rich foods such as meats, cheese, or deserts. The time normally reserved for food preparation and eating is used for prayer and devotion. The money saved is given to the poor or to charities.

If you have never tried the discipline of fasting before, Advent would be a good time to start. Here is a simple program. On Wednesdays and Fridays in Advent, refrain from eating meat, cheeses, and desserts. If you are experienced at fasting, you may wish to extend this fast for the entire season, excepting Sundays. Sundays are always joyful little Easters.

If you have specific dietary requirements for health reasons, by all means, stay with them. Don’t starve yourself, but allow yourself to be hungry. As Luther once quipped, we must teach the belly god that he doesn’t need to be fed every time he growls. If you enjoy wine or other drink, limit yourself to a single glass of wine, or, if you wish, abstain from alcohol entirely (except of course, the Lord’s Supper!) during Advent. If you are unaccustomed to fasting, you may simply elect to eat a small lunch on Wednesdays and Fridays in Advent, and spend the lunch hour reading Scripture and devotions. You would be surprised how far an apple and a handful of almonds will take you.

Whatever you decide to do, do it prayerfully and intentionally. That is one reason why seasons and days of fasting are so helpful. They discipline you to fast even if you “don’t feel like it.” Don’t make a public display of your fasting. As Jesus teaches, wash your face, comb your hair, put a smile on your face, and keep your fast between you and God. Use the extra time for prayer, Bible reading, and devotion. Make an Advent “alms box” and collect the money you didn’t spend on food to give to someone in need or put it into the kettle of those bell ringing folks you see at this time of year. When you break your fast, don’t gorge yourself or make up for what you missed, but prayerfully enjoy each bite as a precious gift from God who gives seed to the sower and daily bread for our tables.

Should you lapse in your Advent discipline and unwittingly grab that slice of Christmas fruit cake (does anyone actually eat those things?), don’t beat yourself up over it, and by no means, do not lapse into religious guilt. This is a man-made discipline, not a commandment from God. But do take a reflective moment to recognize how our appetites control us, and how out of control our eating and drinking can be. “For freedom Christ has set you free,” therefore, let nothing, including your eating and drinking, enslave you.

You will likely find several benefits to your Advent fast. You will discover the joy of being in control of your eating and drinking. Or you may discover, much to your chagrin, how much of a slave to your appetites you actually are. Either way, this is a great benefit and blessing. You will rediscover the joy of food and drink and may even find freedom from the “religion” of dieting. You may lose a pound or two before Christmas, though the purpose of fasting is not to lose weight. You will realize the superiority of intentional devotional discipline over those silly new year’s resolutions, which are usually too little and too late. You will find your prayers and devotions increased and sharpened. You will have a little more to give to those whose stomachs are empty every day of the year.

And you may very well find yourself more relaxed and focused than ever before.

Rev. William Cwirla is pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Chuch in Hacienda Heights, CA. He is also president of Higher Things. This is the second article of a series on the season of Advent.

Vicar Aaron Fenker

Ever since the fall of Adam, humanity has had a problem: sin, death, the devil, and even our own flesh have had it in for us. There was no way for us to get out of this problem on our own. Adam hid and blamed God for his problem, Cain killed Abel, David committed adultery and murder, God’s chosen people Israel worshiped false gods. We all need a Savior, and throughout Advent we prepared for His coming. At Christmas we celebrated that our Savior, Jesus, was born not just a cute, cuddly baby, but as God in human flesh to die for our sins. In Epiphany He appears as the Light of the world. So we needed God our Savior to come, to take on human flesh in Jesus, He was confessed God and Savior by the Gentiles, and now our Savior needs to baptized?

That doesn’t make any sense at all. John the Baptizer doesn’t quite get it either. John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” God doesn’t need to be baptized. We all know what our catechism tells us about what Baptism gives: “It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation.” Jesus doesn’t need any of those things. He’s already sinless, He’s Lord over death and Satan, and He needs no salvation. Yet Christ assures John, and us: “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” For righteousness’ sake Jesus submits to this baptism of John.

What sort of righteousness is Jesus trying to fulfill? Yours! Jesus is in the fulfillment business. We needed a Virgin to conceive and bear a Son. Fulfilled. We needed a man who is God-in-human-flesh, Immanuel. Fulfilled. Everything that happens in the Old Testament is fulfilled in Jesus. He takes everything that was written and fulfills it. Here, on the banks of the Jordan River, Jesus yet again fulfills all righteousness by being baptized by John. He puts a seal of “fulfilled” on a big chunk of the Old Testament by being baptized. But wait, there’s more!

The Lord Jesus never does anything without giving some gift to His people. And so in this baptism of His, he secures your righteousness too! Jesus basically says, “This heav’nly washing now shall be A cleansing from transgression.” (LSB 406:1) Christ has taken the old and made it new. Jesus’ baptism works the opposite way ours does. We need to be baptized for our salvation. Jesus’ needs to be baptized not for His own salvation, but for yours. The Spirit and the Father appear at Jesus’ baptism so that you know they appear at yours. With this picture you know without a shadow of a doubt that name spoken over you brings what it says: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The waters of baptism make you clean because Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River consecrated and cleansed all waters.”

When Jesus is baptized we see an image of our own baptism. When you were washed at the font, you were cleansed of every sin you had committed, would commit, will commit, and could commit. No sin can escape this washing and those sins were washed off of you and washed over Jesus. The Spirit was given to you in baptism, and God now calls you His child. Jesus died wearing your sin and now through baptism you wear His everlasting and eternal righteousness. You are now pure as He is pure. You are now God’s own child, and you can gladly say it, “I am baptized into Christ!”

Aaron Fenker is serving as vicar at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Osman in Fisher, IL. Vicar Fenker is also the voice behind the audio version of the Higher Things Reflections.

Rev. Aaron Fenker

I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)

When it comes to the Solas, Sola Scriptura is an important one. After all, it’s in Scripture that God tells us that we are saved by grace alone and by faith alone. At the Diet of Worms Luther said, “Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.” As Lutherans we look to Scripture not just because that’s what Luther did. We don’t look to it because it tells us that our Lutheran beliefs are there and were right—as opposed to everyone else who is wrong. We look to Scripture because of Jesus.

This is exactly what Saint Paul tells us. The Scriptures tell us about Jesus. They tell us that He died for our sins, that He was buried, and that He rose again from the dead. This is why God caused Holy Scripture to be written. He was telling us what Jesus came to do to save us. And this isn’t just what’s written in the New Testament either. It’s even in the Old Testament!

The Old Testament is full of Jesus. Jesus says that the Scriptures of the Old Testament are “they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). They testify of His coming, His birth—the promise to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15). They testify of His death for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22). They testify of His resurrection on the third day—remember Jonah?

All of Scripture points to Jesus. This is what Paul delivers to the Corinthians. Paul’s preaching points to Jesus because that’s what the Scriptures do. Paul delivers Jesus’ Supper and Jesus’ Baptism because Jesus wants those things delivered to sinners, and we know that from the Scriptures.

The Scriptures tell you that Jesus died for you, that He rose from the dead for you. They tell you that you’ve been Baptized into His death. When you hear the voice of your pastor forgiving your sins, the Scriptures tell you that you’re really hearing the voice of Jesus forgiving your sins and opening the gates of heaven for you. The Scriptures tell you that Jesus gives you His body and blood to eat and drink in His Supper for the forgiveness of your sins. All these things Jesus does for you “according to the Scriptures,” that is, as the Scriptures say He does. Scripture tells you all this, and so we rejoice to receive Scripture alone.

On Reformation we can certainly rejoice in the Scriptures. They we’re inspired by God, after all. We can rejoice that “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21), but it’s more than just that the Scriptures are inspired, holy, inerrant, or whatever else. We rejoice in them because they tell you about Jesus and His saving you. “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow” (1 Pet. 1:11).

Jesus died for you. He’s risen for you. You are in Him and He in you by your Baptism and His Supper. You’ve heard His Final Judgment, “I forgive you all your sins.” We know all this by Scripture alone. And we trust it because “Christ rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Sola Scriptura? In the end it’s really all about Jesus.

Blessed Lord, You have caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that, by patience and comfort of Your Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which You have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Rev. Aaron Fenker is pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bossier City, LA. Pr. Fenker is also the voice and audio editor of the Higher Things Reflections.

by The Rev. George Borghardt

<“Sola” means “alone.” Solus Christus. Sola gratia. Sola fide. Sola scriptura. Christ alone, Grace alone. Faith alone. Scripture alone.

But no sola ever goes alone. Together they sum up the teachings of the Reformation. Christ’s death alone saves you by grace alone – that is, gift alone. All that He did for you on the Cross is received by faith alone. And it is certain because it flows from Scripture alone.

All together. No sola by itself. They are always together! Pull them apart and everything goes wrong! Seriously wrong – as in life and death wrong.

You’d think solus Christus could stand on it’s own, right? But you’d be wrong! Without sola gratia, sola fide, and sola scriptura, Christ doesn’t do you any good. If Christ is not delivered to you by grace alone, if He is not received for you by faith alone, then you are lost. And His Cross does us no good unless the Word is put into our ears.

“Grace alone” all by itself is no good either! Without the other solas we are left with an uncertain religion that says God is merciful to us apart from Christ and His Cross. It’s called “universalism.” You may not know the name, but you know the game. Universalism is the false belief that God – whatever “God” there is – is like an old grandpa who loves you just because you are you. He knows you do bad stuff, but still… He just can’t help loving you.

You know better. The truth about your sins troubles you. You know there is nothing save-able about you – nothing that God would find lovable. There is no comfort in grace alone apart from Christ, faith, and the Word. Grace all by itself isn’t grace at all – it’s slavery and uncertainty.

Sola fide all by itself is a nightmare called “fideism.” It’s believing in your believing. All you need is faith – just a bit. Muster it up, and you can move mountains. But do you have enough faith to save yourself? You don’t. You know it. I know it. Your faith in your believing won’t save you.

Have you ever heard the expression, “The Bible says it, I believe it and that’s it?” No, that is not it. Scripture all by itself is “fundamentalism.” Apart from grace alone and faith alone – apart from Christ – the Scriptures are nothing but a closed book. There may be interesting history and a good guide to living, but you won’t find comfort, peace, or eternal life. No, the Scriptures testify of solely of Christ (St. John 5:39).

Of course, we can deceive ourselves and think that God is like grandpa, or that our believing is enough, or that by obeying every last rule of the Scriptures, that God will love us and then save us. People will pay, pray, or do anything to get heaven. Who wouldn’t? Churches have been built on less.

The true Church, the one that the gates of Hades will not overcome, is built on Christ alone (grace alone) who saves us not by what we do or how much we believe but by faith alone. You can depend on that, you can die for that, cause it’s built on the Scriptures alone.

But you don’t have to die Christ already died for you. His death for your sins. His life for your eternal life. He saves you not because you deserve it, but despite what you have done. Not by good or bad works, but by the antithesis of all your works – He saves you sola gratia. Too good to be true? Can’t bring yourself to believe it? That’s why salvation is sola fide.

That’s the Gospel. Salvation is by the Cross alone, that’s grace alone, through faith alone. This is certain because it flows from Scripture alone. solo Christo. sola gratia. sola fide. sola scriptura. No sola goes alone.

Rev. Aaron Fenker

If we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. (Romans 6:5 NKJV)

You’re baptized. So, you’re ready to die! Not so sure? Well, you’ve already died! You died with Christ in the waters of Holy Baptism. And you not only died there, but you have been raised there. So, you’re baptized. That means, you’re ready to rise from the dead!

There’s no reason fear death. Christ Jesus has already redeemed you from death “with His holy precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death” (SC II). When death swallowed Him, it bit off more than it could chew! He burst forth alive on the third day. Death has been undone and defeated in God’s death for you. Death is just a shadow and toothless, old, weak lion. It can’t really devour you. Jesus’ resurrection proves it.

That’s what you’ve been baptized into: God’s crucifixion and death–God’s resurrection. Those are now your crucifixion and death–your resurrection. They can’t be taken from you. There’s nothing that the world, the devil, or even your own conscience can say to take that from you. There’s nothing–absolutely nothing–you can do to make Christ’s Baptism promise null and void. You’d have to unresurrect Him, uncrucify Him! He’s already died and raised from the dead. He’s baptized you into that. You’ve already died and been raised in Him.

You’re baptized. So, you’re ready to die. There’s no reason to be afraid of dying. Your body will die, but “God the Father, who created this body, God the Son, who by His blood redeemed this body, and God the Holy Spirit, who by Holy Baptism sanctified this body to be His temple,” will keep your remains until the resurrection of all flesh on the last day. We can have boldness and confidence–even in the face of death–because of our Baptism.

Polycarp was the bishop of a city named Smyrna, which is in modern day Turkey. When he was 86 years old, Polycarp was led to an arena and was given a choice: to renounce his faith or face martyrdom. One of the last things He said was this: “For 86 years I’ve served Him, and He’s done nothing wrong to me. How, then, can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” He was baptized. He was ready to die. He was baptized. He was ready to rise from the dead.

So also you. You can have boldness and confidence in the face of death and the grave. You’re ready to die. “Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews” has already died for you. Not only that, He is risen from the dead. You will rise from the dead, too. In fact, you already have. You died and rose at the font. Now death is just a nap. Once it’s done, and the Last Day is here, Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will raise your body from the grave. You will see Him then with your own eyes–face to face–and you will live with Him in righteousness and purity forever.

Are you ready to die? Are you ready to rise? Of course you are! You’re baptized!

Rev. Aaron Fenker serves as pastor of Bethlehem and Immanuel Lutheran Churches in Bremen, Kansas.

By Monica Berndt

The Purpose of Hymns for the Reformation: Part 4

Hymns worked well in the primarily oral culture of Late Medieval and Early Renaissance Europe. Because spoken word, not written word, was the primary way that people accessed information, hymns were not too revolutionary a technique for spreading information.¹ The best kind of propaganda is the one that fits perfectly into the culture, and Luther’s hymns were able to do exactly that. There are seven characteristics of oral culture that help knowledge become cemented in the minds of people and hymns have all seven characteristics.¹ They generally had familiar melodies, or simple, straightforward melodies, and these tunes made the text easier to remember, which in turn aided in teaching hymns to large congregations. Tunes were learned by rote and given titles that people could recognize, which allowed publishers to print the text for hymns with the name of the tune, without needing to set up type for musical notation.¹ Common people did not need to purchase a complicated book of theology to learn the things they needed to know about Luther’s doctrines because they had relatively easy access to the new texts, and tunes that were already in their memory. Luther understood how easy it would be to spread their idea through this medium, so he created hymns that articulated his beliefs in a simple, understandable way, creating propaganda for the Lutheran Church.

Catholic clergy bemoaned the fact that hymns contained so much doctrine and bitterly remarked that Luther “destroyed more souls with his hymns than with all his writing and preaching.”² This was because hymns were more pervasive than books or sermons could ever be. They could be sung both publicly in the church, and privately at home, at work, or in schools. An individual in Luther’s day could potentially sing the same hymn several different times a day and even use them to teach their children. While the spoken words of Scripture were still valued highly by Luther, “music added even to a Scriptural text a force beyond that of the words alone.”² In a world where the Bible had not been translated into the vernacular until Luther’s time, hymns opened a door into not just church doctrine, but also to the words of Scripture. The everyday church goer now had access to Luther’s teachings through hymns and could decide for themselves whether to join Luther’s movement or to stay in the Catholic Church. Given the success and lasting effects of the Reformation, it seems that many people were drawn to a church that could talk to them in their own language and let them learn theology, instead of keeping them from it. This is why hymns were influential during the Reformation: they brought hundreds of people to the knowledge of salvation in Christ.

Sources:
¹ Oettinger, Rebecca Wagner. Music as Propaganda in the German Reformation. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2001.

² Brown, Christopher Boyd. Singing the Gospel: Lutheran Hymns and the Success of the Reformation. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2005.

Monica Berndt is the music director at Messiah Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA and studies music and history at the University of Washington. This is the first part of a paper written for her Medieval Music History course last spring. She can be reached at acinomtdnreb@gmail.com.

By Monica Berndt

The Purpose of Hymns for the Reformation: Part 3

Luther believed that “music was an ideal means to come to know and proclaim the mystery of God.”¹ By placing hymns that the congregation could sing within the set structure of the Mass, he changed its purpose so that it educated the common people instead of making them mere spectators.² Luther began by drawing on the Psalms for inspiration when composing hymns, because he believed that the Psalmists also understood the connection between God’s Word, music, and their ability to affect and teach humans.¹ They helped draw people to the promises of God and were the earliest hymns of the church. Since singing Psalms was acceptable during the Mass, songs about God’s Word and the teachings of Christianity were equally as acceptable in Luther’s eyes. He progressed from writing hymns based solely on Biblical texts to hymns like Vater Unser im Himmelreich which taught doctrine as well. He believed that everyone could and should have access to music during the services because music was created by God for all people to enjoy.³ This justified the use of hymns in the church service, and more importantly, justified the ability of people outside the clergy to participate in the service as more than just observers. By allowing the congregation to participate in worship, Luther’s music became propaganda for spreading the Gospel across Europe.

The use of the vernacular was key to propagating doctrine. Luther emphasized that worship should be understood by the people participating in it, which meant that when he and other composers of his time composed hymns for their German speaking churches, they composed them in German.⁴ Luther’s German hymns brought people to him because they wanted to learn about the things they had been told to believe. Vater Unser im Himmelreich taught people the meaning of prayer, something they had been told to do without really understanding why it was important. Many of Luther’s other hymns outlined other parts of the Small Catechism, and others, such as Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott, simply taught people about the attributes of God. Luther did not believe that Biblical teachings were too complicated for ordinary people to understand. In fact, it was because common people did not understand the Bible that the church had been able to teach doctrines that Luther argued were Biblically false. The end of the second stanza of Vater Unser im Himmelreich translates to “let no false doctrines us pervert; all poor, deluded souls convert.”³ The main focus of these hymns was to teach people, and Luther’s concern that people receive proper teaching fueled his desire to spread this doctrine though the medium he felt best served both God and the people.

Sources:

¹ Loewe, J. Andreas. “Why Do Lutherans Sing? Lutherans, Music, and the Gospel in the First Century of the Reformation.” Church History, vol 82, no. 1. (2013): 69–89. Accessed April 16, 2017.

² Herl, Joseph. Worship Wars in Early Lutheranism: Choir, Congregation, and Three Centuries of Conflict. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

³ Leaver, Robin A.. Luther’s Liturgical Music: Principles and Implications. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007.

⁴ Schalk, Carl. Music in Early Lutheranism. Saint Louis: Concordia Academic Press, 2001.

Monica Berndt is the music director at Messiah Lutheran Church in Seattle, WA and studies music and history at the University of Washington. This is the first part of a paper written for her Medieval Music History course last spring. She can be reached at acinomtdnreb@gmail.com.

Rev. Mark Buetow

Martin Luther the monk. October 31. 95 Theses. The Diet of Worms. “I will not recant; Here I stand, so help me God.” Knight George. Popes. Councils. Excommunication. A staged kidnapping. Throwing an inkwell at the devil. Threats of being burned at the stake. A scholar and Bible translator. Wittenburg. Saxony. Augsburg. If you are familiar with the story of Martin Luther and the Reformation, you will recognize many of these images in the life of Martin Luther and the “Lutheran” Reformers. But even if you aren’t aware of all this history, that doesn’t matter. As exciting as these things are and as a great a story as they tell, the Reformation and being “Lutheran” isn’t about any of that. The irony of the Reformation and “daring to be Lutheran” is that it’s only about one thing. One person. Not Martin Luther. And not you.

It’s about Jesus Christ.

More specifically, it is about Jesus Christ who is true God, begotten of the Father, and true man, born of the virgin Mary who died for your sins on the cross of Calvary on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Easter. That’s what Martin Luther, the Reformation and anything genuinely “Lutheran” is all about.

The Reformation and being “Lutheran” is about Jesus Christ who gives to you the forgiveness He won for you on the cross in the waters of Holy Baptism, the Words of Holy Absolution, the preaching and teaching of the Holy Gospel and His body and blood in His Holy Supper. There is an unbreakable connection between what Jesus did for you and how He gives it to you and makes it yours by His Word, water, body and blood as the Holy Spirit calls you to faith and keeps you in that faith as He keeps you in His church.

Lutherans boast in those Reformation “solas” that confess we are saved by GRACE ALONE, apart from our good works or earning or deserving anything from God. This is through FAITH ALONE which is not some choice or decision but the gift of the Spirit by which we trust in Christ and His promises. This is revealed to us in the SCRIPTURES ALONE which are God’s Holy Word and teach and give us everything we need of Jesus to believe that He is the Christ and to have life in His Name. All of this is to boast and confess in CHRIST ALONE who has accomplished our salvation, delivers our salvation, conquered our enemies, seats us with Him in the heavenly places and will come again and raise us from the dead on the Last Day.

Lutherans rejoice to confess that they are “Christians” in a world full of religions of works, self-improvement, self-worship, and vague spiritualities. Lutherans rejoice to be called “Christians” in a world that hates Christ, doesn’t believe in God and would even persecute and harm them. But Lutherans also rejoice to confess that they are “Lutherans” when this helps distinguish them from other Christian churches which may have taken a wrong turn in their teaching. For example: to be “Lutheran” is to confess the gift that Jesus gives even to babies in the waters of baptism. To say we’re Lutheran reminds others that is what we teach in contrast to churches which don’t believe what Jesus says about Holy Baptism.

To be “Lutheran” is to humbly confess Christ and His gifts to others who may not be sure, who may be in doubt, and who are troubled by their sins. But it also means to boast mightily in Christ and His gifts against those who willfully twist God’s Word or teach falsely when they ought to know better.

Do you get it? The Lutheran Reformation and being “Lutheran” is about one thing and that’s NOT Martin Luther. It’s about just One Person. Jesus Christ. Savior. Lord. Prophet. Priest. King. Word. Lamb. The One who is about nothing other than taking away the sin of the world and delivering His forgiveness by His holy gifts. Our Lutheran heritage is a gift not because it gives us some exclusive tie-in to some great events in the history of the Western world. It’s a gift because it brings Christ to us and calls us to Him in repentance and faith. And that’s a gift not just from history but on into eternity. Happy Reformation from Higher Things!

Rev. Jacob Ehrhard

October 31, 2016 begins a year-long celebration leading up to the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. It was on this date in the year 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, protesting the Roman Catholic indulgence and the general system of works-righteousness devised by the medieval church.

But a lot has happened in 500 years. Is the Reformation still relevant today, beyond being an interesting historical footnote, or an opportunity to celebrate German culture? If the Reformation was simply a matter of history or culture, then its relevance would be limited to those interested in history or culture. But the Reformation is a matter of theology. It’s a matter of faith. And so it is as relevant today as it was 500 years ago.

The heart of the matter is expressed no better than in the fourth article of the Augsburg Confession, the foundational document of the teaching of the Lutheran Church. “Our churches teach that people cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works. People are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake. By His death, Christ made satisfaction for our sins. God counts this faith for righteousness in His sight (Romans 3 and 4).”

The Reformation’s relevance is for all people. Every religion devised by man is a system of offering our strength, merits, or works to make ourselves right with God, the universe, and everything. If this was the case, then no one would be saved. Even the most righteous person according to his own work has a pile of failures and offenses that excludes him from being right with God.

But by faith, our works are excluded from consideration. The righteousness that counts before God is a different kind of righteousness—one that is given as a gift. It’s a righteousness that exceeds that of the best and the brightest and the most spiritual and religious person. It is Christ’s righteousness, given by God’s grace, and received in faith.

Not only is the Reformation as relevant today as it was in 1517, but it is as relevant as it has been since the day when a man from Nazareth named Jesus, also called the Christ, did the works that we cannot do and suffered the punishment of death that we should have suffered. He is the only Righteous One, and He offers His righteousness as a gift. And that’s relevant for you.