Sermon: Reformation Sunday. From Gutenberg to Google.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in Germany. This powerful image is embedded in our Lutheran DNA forever, as the beginning of the change that was coming. The change that was coming through a pursuit of truth, a need for reforms, renewal and rebirth, a clanging bell that shook the Holy Catholic church in its core and like an earthquake changed the church and even more history.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in Germany, and today on October 31 in 2021, - some 504 years later, we are gathered here in this beautiful Danish Lutheran Church that is a testament to the reformation that swept through Germany to Denmark and throughout Europe, and then brought these reformation born denominations to US with the pioneers and immigrants.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in Germany, and that was the seed of reformation, change and growth that gave us a diverse, differentiated and multi denominational church. Branches grew of Reformed churches, Church of England, Baptist, Amish, Adventist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, Quaker, Unitarian and Pentecostal …. All these denominations were born of the reformation and we as one of these churches born of reformation, carry the name of our reformer, Martin Luther. His name is nailed on our church door and glued to our name.
We are a Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, proud of the past, present in the moment and pursuing the future. A reformed church, that is always reforming.
And we do modestly agree with Garison Keilors’s description of Lutherans in Lake Wobegon: “… where all women are strong, all men good looking and all children above average.”
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in Germany. The Reformation was a grass-roots movement, sparked by Martin Luther to return the Church to Biblical principles in faith and practice.
This led to the “Five Solas” (“sola” being Latin for “alone,” or “only”): Sola Scriptura (the Bible alone), Sola Gratia (saved by grace alone), Sola Fide (saved by faith alone), Solo Christo (Christ alone), and Soli Deo Gloria (our salvation is the unmerited work of God alone).
What happened after Martin Luther nailed the 95 theses on October 31, 1517, was startling. Dr. Roland Bainton, late historian of Yale, wrote,
“Luther took no steps to spread his theses among the people. He was merely inviting scholars to dispute and dignitaries to define, but others translated the theses into German and gave them to the press. In short order they become the talk of Germany. …. Luther was like a man climbing in the darkness a winding staircase in the steeple of an ancient cathedral. In the blackness he reached out to steady himself and his hand laid hold of a rope. He was startled to hear the clanging of a bell.”
The entire Continent of Europe and the British Isles were changed forever. America was founded on the principles of the Reformation when both English Pilgrims and other Protestants forged a new land on religious liberty, a hallmark of Reformation thinking.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in Germany, and his ideas spread farther and faster than he could have ever expected due to Johannes Gutenberg’s recently invented printing press, and this printing invention catalyzed the Reformation. The new Guttenberg printing and mass communication possibility made the Reformation possible and powerful.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in Germany, and today on October 31, 2021, we still preach from our pulpits, but we also livestreaming and posting on social media. You might claim that “Google is the new Guttenberg,” and if so, then in our interconnected, interdependent, information age of constant emails, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts, - we as pastors reach a much broader congregation and audience that we can image or predict, just like Luther did with the blessings of Guttenberg. We as pastor never know who actually listen in the pews, who may read our sermon, how many may read it, who may link to our livestream or YouTube, or read the Sunday sermons online, and who may be influenced by our sermons, posts and live streams.
This past 1 ½ years truly has pushed the church into a virtual reformation and change, that we were just slowly embracing when Covid19 hit.
We sure have come a long way from Guttenberg to Goggle, haven’t we?
And as we celebrate and highlight the freedom that the Protestant Reformation brought not only to the church but also to the civil societies, - we must ponder on the freedom we have today, and how we constantly worry about our freedom in our digital ages.
We are asking if Facebook truly is a forum of free speech and freedom?
We are questioning the information monopoly of Google?
We are mistrusting the media and only trusting the ones we select to believe.
As we consider ourselves as freer than the disciples in the age of Jesus, as the farmers in the age of reformation, as the slaves brought to US, - we still constantly must debate and define what true freedom is. Is it the free world, when we are slaves of economic inequality, alcohol or opioid addictions, homelessness, etc.
From Jesus story being told and retold, to being written and canonized, to Guttenberg’s printing and Luther’s translation of the Bible, to Goggles worldwide communication and interaction, - there always will be the question about freedom and truth. And from age to age, from different contexts, our definitions of freedom will differ.
The Gospel today is a conversation that Jesus had with the Jews who claimed to be free as they were the proud ascendants of Abraham and had never ever been slaves to anyone.
Jesus answered them: “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. … So, if the son makes you free, you will be freed indeed.”
The freedom from sin. The justification of faith alone. Grace Alone. Forgiveness. Mercy. Gospel.
This is at the center of what the reformation is all about. And the Lutheran church is all about.
When Jesus says, “The truth will make you free.” We are asking what truth, which truth, as we are marked by the time we live in with alternative facts, fake news, conspiracy theories, mistrust, many points of views, and division.
But Jesus’ answer is easy: He is the truth, the way and the life. Jesus will make us free. Jesus will set us free. Through Jesus we receive grace.
In a world of “fake news’ and social media, it is good to know that Jesus is the truth.
“Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.” Oh, we know that to be the truth of our lives and actions. We can become slaves of sin in so many ways: addiction, lies, deceit, neglect, indifference, violence, gossip, calories, games, or our laws and rules that we deem master and the truth and nothing but the truth.
“You can’t handle the truth!” Jack Nicholson shouted in a known movie…. And the Jews back then, the Roman Catholic church and the Pope certainly could not handle the truth – and we still have a tough time handling the truth.
But the truth sets us free, as Jesus promised. The truth lifts our sins, shortcomings, failures and best but failed intentions, - and forgives us to live again.
Grace alone. Jesus alone.
“For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. “(Rom. 3:38) O, how Lutherans since the reformation have loved this verse.
Slide 34 In the spirit of reformation and renewal, let me share with you how Eugene Peterson translated and interpreted that central sentence in the Message: “God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does.”
Isn’t that a beautiful way to express the old truth? Isn’t it a beautiful way to renew a key sentence and teaching for our time….?
“God does not respond to what we do: we respond to what God does.”
That is the truth and nothing but the truth. That is the truth that can make us free and set us free.
Justification of faith alone certainly does not suggest that we can sit back and relax. Justification of faith alone, says that we start with faith, but we do not end there.
Faith alone justifies. But in our Christian life, faith never is alone.
In his lectures on Genesis, Luther wrote: “We know indeed that faith is never alone but brings with it love and other manifold gifts.” And Luther described faith as “a living, busy, active, mighty thing.” And he said: “It is impossible to separate works from faith, quite as impossible as to separate heat and light from fire.”
Our faith, our works, our actions, our creeds, our freedom, our sin is all interconnected in this busy active life of ours.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in Germany, and in 2005 Matthew Fox reflected on the 95 theses and listed his new 95 theses or articles of faith for a Christianity of the Third Millennium. He presented 95 faith observations drawn from his 64 years of living and practicing religion.
I am not going to read all the 95 these, - but share some:
10: God loves all of creation and science can help us more deeply penetrate and appreciate the mysteries and wisdom of God in creation. Science is no enemy of true religion.
17: Jesus taught us that we are sons and daughters of God and are to act accordingly by becoming instruments of divine compassion.
62. The universe does not suffer from a shortage of grace and no religious institution is to see its task as rationing grace. Grace is abundant in God’s universe.
Grace is abundant in God’s universe.
Grace alone. Faith alone.
“God does not respond to what we do: we respond to what God does.”
That amazing grace is calling us to be in the world: as compassionate, humble, courageous witnesses that knows a thing or two about sin but does give up. As God is with us.
On this reformation day we give thanks for Mary and Magdalene, Peter and Paul, Luther and Melanchthon, Katarina Luther the supporter, Cranach the artist, Bach the composer, Grundtvig the hymn writer, Kierkegaard the philosopher, Bonhoeffer the martyr, Hammarskjold the statesman and Nobel Peace laureate Laylah Gbowee.
We give thanks for the countless servants of reformation, change and compassion. We are rooted in the past, present in the moment and praying for the future.
As we sing in the hymn:
We all are one in mission,
We all are one in call,
our varied gifts united
by Christ, the Lord of all.
We all are called to service,
to witness in God’s name
Our ministries are different,
our purpose the same:
To touch the lives of others
with God’s surprising grace,
So, every folk and nation
may fell God’s warm embrace.
“God does not respond to what we do: we respond to what God does.”
Amen