On October 31st, 1517 Martin Luther nails his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg church door and adds these doctrines to church history. This is the location where scholars post their documents for open dialogue, perhaps like forerunner of our academic, peer-reviewed journals. I’ve always wondered, are we celebrating the right holiday on October 31st?
There is a good film from 2003, simply called Luther
The cast includes: Jonathan Firth, Alfred Molina, Joseph Fiennes, and Sir Peter Ustinof. The acting is actually really tremendous.
I watched the film Luther, because it was a mandatory assignment for a Church History course at Asbury Theological Seminary.
Luther tells the story of the 95 Thesis and the Reformation. What makes this video unique is the way Martin Luther is portrayed, as a driven man, but also as a humble man. He’s reluctant, but he knows he hears from God. It has been rated PG-13 for some violence.
Luther Official Trailer #1
It is obvious among all of the Continental Reformers that they are more comfortable with Reformation. However, their followers want Revolution immediately… or within a couple generations.
Why is it important to consider who Martin Luther is as a person?
Why do we need to know that he’s reluctant and troubled about the turn of events, when he’s only preaching the truth? You’ll find this humility among all the Reformers. It’s important because we all have our own stories to tell, we all are humble in our own ways.
It’s important because the Spirit intercedes for us, giving us new life, overcoming life, or strength despite weakness, as we see in Romans 7-8. The Spirit is calling us out into a better life, so that we can become fully human, all we’re created to be.
It’s also important because the whole earth is waiting on you. There’s no one else like you, and you have a distinct mark to leave on history.
History has led up to you. Creation waits for you to lean-in…
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Romans viii.18-22.
We can easily glorify God for what He accomplishes through surrendered people like Martin Luther. However, what about ourselves?
Remember, according to Romans 8 all creation waits for you to take your place.
This is a reissued article, originally written during a strenuous time (11.07.2020). To see what reparative and preventative measures we are committing to: CLICK HERE
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