{"id":62481,"date":"2024-03-03T01:41:13","date_gmt":"2024-03-03T06:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/bibleandculture\/?p=62481"},"modified":"2024-02-16T10:40:59","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T15:40:59","slug":"lessons-from-luther-by-ckb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/bibleandculture\/2024\/03\/03\/lessons-from-luther-by-ckb\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons from Luther– by CKB"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the reason for this subject?\u00a0 We are still living in the 15th century, and it has not everywhere been observed.\u00a0 And we are celebrating a church anniversary and we are a church of the Reformation.\u00a0 I am not so much telling the story as drawing out lessons, but some of the story must be told.<\/p>\n

Luther was born in 1483, son of a miner.\u00a0 Luther\u2019s home was a good but cold one.\u00a0 There was pride in the brilliant and lively young student Martin.<\/p>\n

In 1505 he gave his schooling for a Augustinian convent. Was this because of a death of a friend? Perhaps possibly, but Luther himself said to get rid of my sins, to find peace, to find a gracious God and relevance.\u00a0 Being devoted to God, nothing could be more relevant.\u00a0 To this end he did his best to make \u2018religion\u2019 work.\u00a0 It did not.\u00a0 \u00a0He was told if you are penitent God will pardon, but how can I be penitent enough?\u00a0 Am I sure I have confessed everything? Most were satisfied, but Staupitz knew a better way.\u00a0 His advice: Theoretical\u2013 cling to the wounds of Jesus; Practical\u2013take up a lectureship at Wittenburg.<\/p>\n

These lectures have been discovered: 1) lectures on the Psalms 1513-15;\u00a0 2) lectures on Romans 15-16; 3) lectures on Galatians 1516-17.\u00a0 I pick out two points\u2014 Ps. 22.1\u2014 all the desolation and terror Luther had experienced, Christ himself had experienced too, and \u2018for me\u2019 said Luther, enduring the wrath of God.\u00a0 But in truth it is his love God sent forth his Son.\u00a0 \u00a0Rom. 1.17\u2013 How can God\u2019s righteousness be Gospel?\u00a0 Justitia Dei ad causa salutis.\u00a0 God\u2019s gift is justifying, saving righteousness.\u00a0 Here I break off the story, urging you to read Bainton\u2019s biography\u00a0Here I Stand.<\/em><\/p>\n

I turn now to the lessons.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What is the Church? A child of God knows. But the complicated definitions and endless fruitless attempts at getting definitions of ministry, sacraments etc.\u00a0 \u00a0Note a)\u2013 the need for simplicity. If God wants everyone we cannot rely on the basis of ability to understand endless polity; b) the need for individual response\u2014 hearing the Shepherd\u2019s voice and answering the call.\u00a0 The gathered church? (Luther here has a problem with the hangover from the Middle Ages). c) The hearing implied obedience, living according to the mind of Christ; the holy believers.\u00a0 There is more to say but notice how Methodists (which is\u00a0the English version of Lutheranism<\/em>) at its best emphasizes all these things.\u00a0 \u00a0Do we in this society?<\/li>\n
  2. The importance of the Word of God\u2013 Luther stressed this while answering questions and sitting drinking beer. Take the story at the most famous scene of all at the Imperial Diet at Worms \u201cif there were as many devils\u2026. Here I Stand!\u2019\u00a0 \u00a0Luther is kidnapped and finds himself at Wartburg castle, and begins to translate\u2013 September 1522.\u00a0 Sometime in this period is when he discovers faith \u2018the cribe in which Christ is laid\u2019.\u00a0 It is preaching which creates the church, preaching that properly expounds Scripture.\u00a0 This is not bibliolatry. What is apostolic?\u00a0 Judgment by theme.\u00a0 \u00a0But again I ask about Methodism. John Wesley emphasized he was \u2018homo unius libri\u2019. What about us today?<\/li>\n
  3. The importance of sound doctrine. Where some of you cease to be interested. But take two of the things Luther insisted on; a) justification. It starts by taking God and his holiness seriously. A picture of a law court, code for a standard witness to prove. But the verdict is not guilty (Luther\u2019s dream).\u00a0 The judge is now our friend.\u00a0 A creative act, not fiction, but Christ the friend of sinners.\u00a0 This is primarily because it is where God must begin. Anticipation of the last judgment, leading to the universal priesthood.\u00a0 The whole body shares Christ\u2019s priesthood, and so all are priests and kings.\u00a0 Not appointed ministers, as priesthood is not a category of clergy.<\/li>\n
  4. How does Methodism today stand in relation to these things?\u00a0 We follow Wesley\u2019s stress on justification and practice universal priesthood better than most. Today there is much to make us wonder- do we hope to achieve salvation by our works?\u00a0 By sacerdotal clericalism?\u00a0 Why do we allow people to preach but not to serve communion?\u00a0 What is the source of assurance? Nothing but the free grace of God. There is nothing else but this is for all.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    What\u2019s the reason for this subject?\u00a0 We are still living in the 15th century, and it has not everywhere been observed.\u00a0 And we are celebrating a church anniversary and we are a church of the Reformation.\u00a0 I am not so much telling the story as drawing out lessons, but some of the story must be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":62478,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[14256],"class_list":["post-62481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-luther-and-methodism"],"yoast_head":"\nLessons from Luther-- by CKB<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What's the reason for this subject?\u00a0 We are still living in the 15th century, and it has not everywhere been observed.\u00a0 And we are celebrating a church\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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