“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and pow’r are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.” Martin Luther—1529
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther posted the 95 Theses, points to be discussed, on the Wittenberg Castle Church door and the world was forever changed. In no time at all they were printed and distributed to the community. Before long Luther was embroiled in a controversy with Rome that brought a split to the church and a new way of looking at the Holy Scriptures. We are the product of what began on that day so long ago.
A friend of mine from seminary puts “What Lutherans Believe” quotes on his
Facebook page pretty regularly and I find myself chuckling. I will just share of few of the quotes:
WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE: (209) God does not need our good works, but our neighbors do.
WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE: (89) God used nails to fix everything.
WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE: (154) God buried our sins and didn’t mark the grave.
WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE: (178) God loves us even when we don’t believe it.
WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE: (165) Just as Zacchaeus climbed the sycamore tree to get a glimpse of Jesus, Scripture is the tree into which we climb to see the Savior.
WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE: (155) The key to life was hung on a nail.
The reality is we Lutherans believe these things and more. We believe that God showed full commitment to us in and through Jesus. God came to earth with one desire to bring life and salvation to all. God now chooses to use us, sinners who have been redeemed, to share this message with everyone around us. I believe there is NO OTHER message that is as good, true or right as this one. It is what the Bible proclaims and what we are to live out.
Luther wanted EVERYONE to know and understand this message of hope and salvation… it is why Luther wrote the catechism… it is why Luther believed in teaching children the wonders of God in Christ… it is why Luther hoped for a church that would live the good news for the world. Because Luther was changed by the good news of Jesus he was on fire for others to be changed!
The “ancient foe” Luther addresses in his hymn is the devil who is still “seeking to work us woe”! All we have to do is look around and we know that “his craft and pow’r are great, and, (he is) armed with cruel hate, (and) on EARTH is not his equal.” Luther goes on to remind us that it is Christ Jesus who will help us in the battle, but the world is drawing us away… with excuses… problems… other commitments… anger… pain, and the list goes on.
In Christ,
Pastor Barb
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