Everyone knows that October 31 is Halloween, but there’s another, much more significant holiday that takes place on the 31st also. It’s Reformation Day, in memory of Luther’s posting his 95 theses against the Catholic church on October 31, 1517.
Last Sunday, known as Reformation Sunday, our church learned about the history of the Protestant Reformation and its significance for us today.
Problems with the church. Things looked pretty bleak by the beginning of the 16th century. The church suffered from serious doctrinal error, superstition, corruption of leaders, and ignorance of lay people. One pope, Alexander VI, was notorious for skipping worship services, mutilating a priest, setting houses on fire, committing homicide, adultery, and rape, drinking to the health of the devil, and turning the papal palace into a brothel. No wonder these were called the Dark Ages.
Major Reformers. This included men like the converted monk Martin Luther (1483-1546), the Swiss reformer Huldreich Zwingli (1484-1531), and the brilliant theologian John Calvin (1509-1564). God raised up each of these men “for such a time as this” to draw people back to the Word of God and bring reform that continues to impact us today.
Main Protestant Doctrines. Five doctrines stand out as the banner cries of the Reformation: sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), sola christus (Christ alone), and soli deo gloria (glory to God alone). Each of these stand at the very heart of the Gospel we cherish and defend.
Questions for thought and discussion:
According to Ephesians 5:25-27, what is Christ’s purpose for His bride, the church?
Is Christianity is in need of another “Reformation” today? Why or why not?
Singing songs, praying to God, and reading the Bible in our own language are all blessings of the Reformation. Am I taking full advantage of these forms of worship?
While I may never have the global influence of a Reformer, what has God called me to do? How can I pray, give, teach, serve, etc. to make an eternal impact in someone’s life?
What are the greatest threats to the Gospel today? Am I faithfully guarding what has been entrusted to me? (1 Tim. 6:20-21)
Sunday’s message has been uploaded to our podcast site and is now available for free download.
Last night at our annual meeting, the Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association unanimously adopted a resolution to pray for the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force and its work; to pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit in reviving churches; and to recommit ourselves to the comprehensive work of making disciples according to the Great Commission.
It was a joyful moment that made me thankful and proud to be part of our association.
While we don’t know what recommendations the Task Force will bring to Orlando next summer, I expect they will be truly bold and innovative. Still in the research phase of their discussion, Dr. Danny Akin has penned a number of helpful articles to dispel some of the more popular “Task Force myths.” He concluded his series this morning. Here are links to all the articles:
One more time the bottom-line is simply this: the nations need to hear the gospel. Without it they are eternally lost. We have the gospel and God has graced us with the personnel and resources to get the good news of Jesus to them. The question we all must ask and answer is this: what will I do to see this happen? Let’s not live wasted lives. Let’s not be a wasted Convention of churches. Jesus deserves better. Those who have never heard the gospel deserve better. I believe, by God’s grace, we can step up and be better. Dear Lord, please make it happen!
Tim Challies is writing this week on pornography and sexual sin. Excellent counsel so far. Here’s an excerpt…
Every Christian guy who looks at porn wants to stop, but many of them want to stop just a little bit less than they want to keep going. And so sin prevails. The only way you will stop is if you begin to see the monstrous nature of the sin you are committing.
And then, this advice which I totally affirm:
If you truly want to overcome pornography, go to your pastor. There is not a pastor in America who is not helping someone deal with the fight against pornography (says I with only a small measure of hyperbole). Take your willingness to talk to somebody about your problem as a sign that you are actually, finally, willing to deal with it. The local church is the ideal context for battling this kind of sin since in the local church you will find the authority and the support to help you fight and, ultimately, to help you win. If you want to overcome pornography, truly overcome it, you will be willing to humble yourself and talk to someone about it.
Christ’s appearances after the resurrection strengthen our faith and also help us understand His new role in the life of the Church. In John 21:1-14, Jesus appears to His disciples along the Sea of Galilee, performs a miracle, and then shares a meal with them. It’s a fascinating story that teaches us three things:
A proof that Jesus is alive. This is the third time Jesus appears to His disciples after rising from the dead. Jesus did not appear once or twice, but many times, to many people, showing many convincing proofs that He was really, truly alive in the flesh (1 Cor. 15:3-8; Ac. 1:3; Ac. 10:40-41). The resurrection of Jesus is at the very core of the gospel and is what makes Christianity unique from all other religions. It is what gives us the hope that Mary Jo (a dear member of our church who just passed away) is now in heaven with the Lord, and that we will all one day rise up together with new bodies, free from sin and defect.
A promise that Jesus will provide. As Jesus had done once before early in His ministry (Lk. 5:1-10), He once again causes a huge number of fish to swarm into the net. It was a vivid way for God to promise He would continue to provide for His disciples, even after Jesus ascended back into heaven! (cf. Phil. 4:19)
A picture that Jesus is tender. Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances can seem pretty strange at first. He appears suddenly in a room with the disciples, but then is gone. He walks incognito with two disciples toward Emmaus, but then He vanishes. Revelation 1 describes His eyes like a flame of fire, and a voice like many waters. These accounts should not frighten us or lead us to think He has become distant or unreliable. Sharing breakfast with His disciples reminds us that Jesus is still full of love, tenderness, and meekness toward His disciples. He has a ‘holy tenderness.’ He cares for us as our Good Shepherd, and prays always for us as the Great High Priest (John 10:3, 14-15, 28; Heb. 7:25).
Questions for thought and discussion:
How can I know for sure Jesus is alive?
Why is the resurrection so foundational to our faith?
What is a fear or need I have right now?
How can this passage help me?
Do I need to re-evaluate some of the ‘needs’ in my life and admit they are actually just ‘wants’?
Am I exploring all the different ways God might be offering to meet my needs?
What does it mean that Jesus has a ‘holy tenderness’?
What should we expect Christ to be like in heaven? Does this make me excited to go there?
Sunday’s sermon will be uploaded soon to our podcast site for free download.
On Thursday October 22nd at 10:00 am, Southern Seminary will be hosting a panel discussion titled “Southern Baptists and the Great Commission Resurgence” during chapel. At the request of Dr. Albert Mohler, Baptist21’s very own Jonathan Akin and Nick Moore will be on the panel representing younger pastors in the SBC. Other panelists include Dr. Chuck Lawless, Dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism at Southern and Dr. Russell Moore, Senior Vice President for Academic Administration and Dean of the School of Theology at Southern. Dr. Mohler will be moderating the panel discussion.
We want to encourage every pastor and seminary student who is in the Louisville area to make this chapel service a priority. For those of you who cannot attend, you can live stream the Southern Chapel services at www.sbts.edu. Jon and Nick, along with the rest of the panel will address important issues about the future of the Southern Baptist Convention. We are grateful to Dr. Mohler for allowing us to be apart of the conversation, and our hope is that in a small way this panel will further the conversation about change within the SBC. Please pray for the panelists and ask God to grant them grace and wisdom.
Everyone knows that October 31 is Halloween, but there’s another, much more significant holiday that takes place on the 31st also. It’s Reformation Day, in memory of Luther’s posting his 95 theses against the Catholic church on October 31, 1517.
Pinch Of Clay 