Sermon Romans 11:2-5 “The Doctrine of Divine Election”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Romans 11:2-5 “The Doctrine of Divine Election”
Presbyterian Church of Easton
June 27, 2021

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Today we will be concluding our celebration of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s trial before the Diet of Worms..  As we have seen, Martin Luther became one of the great reformers of the church.  His study of scripture and knowledge of theology led him to develop important doctrines for the church.  The doctrine of the Sovereignty of God gives us great comfort knowing that God is in control of our lives.  The doctrine of the Total Depravity of Humankind leads us to total dependence on God for our salvation which is assured through Jesus Christ.  Human suffering is a mystery which cannot be fully understood, but God has given us worship, prayer and anointing oil to help us through it.  Today we will be looking at the doctrine of Divine Election where we find that God has chosen us as his children before we were even born.  But before we get to this important work, let's pray. 

Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen. (John Calvin)

Romans 11:2-5  2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?  3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life."  4 But what is the divine reply to him? "I have kept for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."  5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

Ephesians 1:3-6  3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,  4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.  5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,  6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

The Doctrine of Divine Election was not a central theme in the 16th century protestant reformation.  It did not even appear in Calvin’s, Institutes of the Christian Religion, until its final edition.  And even there it is just a short paragraph.   In Calvin’s thinking Divine Election was based on the scriptures that you have heard this morning.  It is also the logical conclusion to the doctrines of the Sovereignty of God and the Total Depravity of Humankind.  If you believe that God is totally in control and if you believe that we are so stained by sin that we are unable to know God or even believe in Jesus Christ without God’s help, then you have to conclude that it is God and not us who chooses who will be saved.  It is greatly comforting to know that our experience of calling and our faith are clear indications that God has chosen us as his children before we were even born.  The doctrine states that God knew our destiny before we were even created, in other words we were predestined.

This doctrine of predestination created problems for the theologians who followed Calvin, and was the central topic of discussion in the 17th century.  The problem they faced was known as the doctrine of double predestination.  Everyone loves the idea that God chose us as his people before he laid the foundations of the world, but we are troubled by the idea that God may have chosen others for eternal damnation.  How could a loving creator God choose some people to suffer for eternity?  This just doesn’t make any sense to us.

A 17th century theologian, James Arminius, offered a solution.  He said that it is not God’s selection but our decision to believe that determines whether or not we are adopted as God’s children.  But given Total Depravity, how could we ever come to this decision?

Arminius agreed with Calvin and others that because of Total Depravity we are unable to make this decision.  So what God has done is to give us just enough grace to give us the ability to choose to believe or not.  Arminius called this “prevenient grace”.  God, who desires everyone to be saved, gives us a little prevenient grace, not saving grace, prevenient grace, which allows us to believe in Jesus Christ.  If we choose to believe then we are adopted as God’s children, but if we choose not to believe then we are damned.  This doctrine of prevenient grace was extremely controversial in the 17th century and led to gathering of Reformed theologians in an assembly called the Synod of Dort.

The Synod of Dort disagreed with Arminius and developed what has been called the Five Points of Calvinism.   These are:  

The Total Depravity of Humankind, where the effects of the fall extend to all aspects of human existence, 

Unconditional Election, where God and God alone chooses who will be saved, 

Limited Atonement, where Jesus’ death was solely for the elect, 

Irresistible Grace, where the elect cannot resist God’s offer of grace, 

and Perseverance of the Saints, where the elect are assured that they will continue in the faith for a lifetime.  These Five Points of Calvinism form an acronym:  TULIP

The 17th century saw a hardening of the differences between the Calvinists on the one side and Arminians on the other. Theologians argued over whether someone could reject grace or not.  Some theologians suggested that a loving God would never choose some people for destruction therefore all people must be saved.   Evangelists wondered how people could be converted if they had already been chosen by God.  And ethicists complained that some people could be so bad that the idea of the perseverance of grace was troubling, certainly, they thought that evil doers could lose their salvation.   All of these debates splintered the Protestant Church. This accounts for the diversity of churches here in Easton.  Our tradition, as Presbyterians, was to follow the Calvinist doctrines, but even we were divided over the doctrines of Divine Election and especially Double Predestination. 

When thinking about these issues which divide the church even today we have to remember the reformed principle that the foundation of our faith rests in the Word of God.  Doctrines are only true if derived from scripture.  So if we have problems with doctrine it helps to return to scripture to see where we stand.

As we read the Bible we see God interacting with his people.  God directs, encourages and corrects those who follow the wrong path.  God wants all to believe and worship him and grieves over those who fall away.  The God of Scripture is a personal God who is with us, not an impersonal transcendent God who decided what was to happen before we were born and then sits passively watching it all play out.  God prefers to be a participant and has given us freedom to make interaction between God and us possible.  This God of Scripture is very different from the God of the philosophers.

The Doctrines of the Sovereignty of God and Divine Election are ways that theologians combine the god of Greek Philosophy and the God of the Bible.  Greek philosophers talked about a transcendent God who is all powerful, all knowing, and all loving.  Christian theologians have taken the concept of an all powerful God and developed the Doctrine of Sovereignty, but as we have seen the God of scripture gave away some of his power so that we may have freedom to love him as he loves us.  Theologians have also taken the concept of an all knowing god and developed the Doctrines of Predestination and Divine Election, but as we have seen the God of the Bible gives us limited freedom to act which has led to our disobedience that in some ways thwarts God’s plan.  We have to remember that we worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and who was the Father of Jesus Christ, not the supreme god of Aristotle and Plato.

Let’s turn to Genesis and see how all this works out.

Genesis 25:19 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, 20 and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. 21 Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. 22 The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,

    and two peoples born of you shall be divided;

the one shall be stronger than the other,

    the elder shall serve the younger.”

24 When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. 25 The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. 26 Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. 28 Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. 30 Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

It is clear that God ordained, before they were even born, that Esau, the older son, would serve the younger son, Jacob.   So Jacob’s inheritance of the family blessing was predestined by God.  But it still had to be worked out in life.   Jacob developed a scheme to steal the birthright from his older brother Esau.   And it worked, 

Jacob’s life was not determined by God.  In fact Jacob’s behavior was often at cross purposes with God.  God even changed Jacob’s name to Israel which means the man who wrestled with God.  So even though we have been chosen by God as his people we have also been given the freedom to struggle with God in that process.  

So when we think about the Doctrine of Divine Election we must remember certain things. 

First, the Doctrine of Divine Election is a statement of the wonder of God’s grace for us expressed through Jesus Christ.  You have been chosen by God for a purpose.   You worship and pray that God will use you in the advancement of his kingdom.  But we must never speculate on who has been chosen and who has not been chosen.  We just don’t know the extent of God’s grace.

Second, Divine Election is an affirmation of the Sovereignty of God which is really good news because it tells us that salvation comes to those who are in Christ.   So we know of our election because we have received the gift of faith.  Our faith assures us that we have been saved.   But we can’t speculate on others.  We can never know from someone's behavior if they have the gift of faith or not.   All we can do is encourage people to nurture their faith and experience that transformation that comes from it.  

Third, the appropriate response to our election is gratitude for all Christ has done for us.   We have been richly blessed by God.   God has chosen us to receive these blessings.   What is the appropriate response?  Nothing short of thanksgiving will do.  And we are thankful for all Christ has done for us. 

Fourth, the Doctrine of Divine Election reminds us that we have received an overwhelming gift, adoption as God’s own people.  And as God’s people we live lives of service and discipleship.   We deliver meals to Talbot Interfaith Shelter.  We attend worship, Bible studies and prayer services.  We grow in faith. 

So the Doctrine of Divine election is really good news.  We who profess our faith in Jesus Christ have been chosen by God for redemption and everlasting life.  And God is right here walking with us as we lead our new regenerated lives.  Remember that God loves us and this allows us to love one another.  Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for choosing us as your people before we were even born.  We thank you Lord for giving us a purpose and gifts to achieve it.   We thank you for forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life.   And we promise to reach out to your people in our community so that their faith will be nurtured in worship, Bible study and prayer services.  All this we pray in Jesus’ name.   Amen   

Grace and Peace Episode 40

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 40
Presbyterian Church of Easton
June 20, 2021

Watch Episode 40

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

81Q.  Who should come to the Lord’s table?

A. Those who are displeased with themselves because of their sins, but who nevertheless trust that their sins are pardoned and that their remaining weakness is covered by the suffering and death of Christ,and who also desire more and more to strengthen their faith and to lead a better life.  Hypocrites and those who are unrepentant, however, eat and drink judgment on themselves.

82Q.  Should those be admitted to the Lord’s Supper who show by what they profess and how they live that they are unbelieving and ungodly?

A. No, that would dishonor God’s covenant and bring down God’s wrath upon the entire congregation.  Therefore, according to the instruction of Christ and his apostles, the Christian church is duty-bound to exclude such people, by the official use of the keys of the kingdom, until they reform their lives.

1 Corinthians 11:27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

Many years ago church sessions took their responsibility for “guarding the communion table” very seriously.   And they would deny access to anyone they knew was actively engaging in sin.  But often they would focus more on what we had to do to get ready for communion and less on God’s grace drawing us there.

When Jesus administered communion he invited one who was about to betray him, another about to deny him, and ten more who were about to abandon him.   Everyone at the table was a sinner.   And sinners have sat around this table ever since.

If you falsely believe that you do not sin, or that your sin is unimportant, or that you can correct your sin without God’s help then you should stay away from the table. It is not a safe place for you.   But, if you desire to come to the table, humble yourself, confess your sin, repent, and trust in God’s forgiveness, then the table is open for you. Come to the table! Experience God’s love.  

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your sacrifice which allows us to come around your table.   Help us to confess and repent and receive your grace as we eat the bread and drink the wine of communion. In your glorious name we pray.  Amen.  

Sermon Job 38:1-11 “The Problem of Suffering”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon  Job 38:1-11  “The Problem of Suffering”

Presbyterian Church of Easton

June 20, 2021

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Today I am preaching my fourth sermon in a series celebrating 500 years since the trial of Martin Luther.  Luther was trying to reform the church.  He wanted the church to conform to biblical standards.  The church’s response was to excommunicate him and declare him a heretic.   But Luther’s writings were extremely popular and this led to the Protestant Reformation.   

We have been looking at some of the reformer’s ideas.  We first looked at the sovereignty of God.  God is the creator and has control over everything that happens, but has chosen to give us freedom.   We used this freedom to introduce sin into the world.   This has resulted in depravity which makes it impossible to be good enough.  But we rejoice because Jesus was good enough and his righteousness has been given to us making us righteous in God’s sight.

Today we will look at the problem of human suffering.  And ask, with the reformers, why the people of God suffer?    We will get to this, but first, let's pray.

“Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)

As your pastor I have come to realize that there is a question you would like to ask me, or God, but many of you are afraid to ask.  This question is implied in most of our prayers and is often just below the surface of many of our conversations.  It is a question that has plagued humankind since creation.  And this question is fundamentally tied to who we think God is.  But we don't ask it, because we think it is not OK to ask this question of God.  

Thankfully, Job asked it, and God responded with an answer.  Let's see how God answers the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  

For 37 chapters Job asks the same question over and over again.  We are told that Job is a blameless person.  He did not sin.  He was faithful to God.  But when an invading army killed his sons he asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  When a fire destroyed his farm he asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  When a hurricane destroyed his home with his family inside he asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”   When skin cancer covered his body he asked, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

The same question is on our hearts too.  When a granddaughter who has just given birth suffers from cancer don't we ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  When you have been unemployed for two years and the day you finally get a full time job your truck breaks down and you have no money to repair it or get a new one don't we ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

When you get lung cancer, having never smoked, or have liver disease without drinking heavily, don't we ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”    

The problem is that we think God's justice requires that the good be blessed and the evil be cursed.  But sometimes this is reversed.  Good people suffer while the evil doers go on with their lives.  So with Job we ask over and over again, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”

While Job was asking this question his friends came over trying to help.  They told Job that at some point in his life he must have disobeyed God.  He must be a sinner even though he can't remember doing it.  These friends explained that God is just and blesses the righteous and curses the sinner.  The curses that Job has received are from God, punishment for his sins.  So Job has to repent.  He has to change from being a sinner; he has to stop sinning.  So said his friends.

But Job wasn't a sinner.  The Bible tells us he was blameless.  The curses he received were not a punishment for sin.  Something else was going on. 

 Job's life became so bad that he began to curse the day he was born.  He demanded an answer from God.  “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Beginning in the 38th chapter of the Book of Job, God answers this question.  

Job 38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:  

2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? 

3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.  

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? 

Tell me, if you understand.  

5 Who marked off its dimensions? 

Surely you know! 

Who stretched a measuring line across it?  6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone--  7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?  

8 "Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,  

9 when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,  

10 when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,  

11 when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?  

God's answer to Job was not what he expected and not at all what we expect.  Rather than answer our question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” God asks us questions.  "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?”  What's going on here?  

God wants us to know that our idea of who He is is way too small.  We think that our God is a God that mechanically passes out blessings every time we do something good and punishes us whenever we do something bad.  But that is not what God is about.  God is so much more than just a dispenser of blessings and curses.  

God also wants us to know that He is the creator and sustainer of the whole world.  God's responsibility is to make everything work together.  God creates each day, sends the sunshine and the rain.  God nurtures the seed in the ground to make it grow.  But sometimes the seed dies for lack of water because God has sent the rain to water someplace else.  If we focus only on ourselves we would think that God is unjust.  But if we could see things from God's perspective we would know that God is good and acting justly.  So when we see bad things happening to good people we need to remember that this is only a small part of the much larger plan that God is managing.  Since this larger plan is hidden from our sight we are left with a mystery.

Sin is the general cause of suffering.   Without sin in the world all suffering would cease.   This is our great hope when Jesus returns in the great resurrection.  Sometimes there is a clear connection between sin and suffering.  I worked for a man who chain smoked all day long.   This led to suffering with lung cancer and a premature death.  It appears his suffering was caused by his smoking.  But we can never know for certain why someone is suffering.   All we can do is trust that God loves us and knows what He is doing.   

Jesus confirmed all of this when he healed a man blind from birth.  Jesus had been teaching on the Mount of Olives.  He and his disciples were entering Jerusalem when they saw a man born blind.   Here is what happened.

John 9:2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

The disciples, like Job’s friends,  assumed that all birth defects had to have sin as the underlying cause.  And they figured that Jesus could explain what happened, who sinned, what they did, and how this caused the blindness.    But Jesus’ response must have surprised them.

John 9:3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

So the man’s blindness had nothing to do with sin.   But it was a part of a much larger plan of God.   And God used this blindness to display his glory and Jesus’ power to heal.

So when a loved one loses her health, or a family member loses a house or a job it is OK to ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  But we have to be prepared not to receive an answer, at least not the answer we want, because the world we live in is mysterious.  We don't know fully what God is up to.  So all we can do is to trust God to do what is best for the whole world.  And if God is at work in the world we will be truly blessed.

Not knowing fully what is going on around us is difficult for us.  We like to be in control.  So we pray to God asking God to do what we want done.  But if our prayers are not answered and we ask God, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” be prepared to receive not an answer but a question.  God may ask you, "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?”  And you will be left with a mystery that somehow your loss and pain and suffering are part of God's plan for the whole world.  

We need something to sustain us as we face this mystery.  That's why God has given us prayer and a Bible to meditate on.  The Apostle James put it this way.

James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Speculating on why someone is suffering is of no use.  We will never know fully why God allows someone to suffer.   But when someone is suffering there is something we can do.   We can gather together with those who are suffering.  We can pray over them.  We can anoint them with oil.    

So many people in this church are suffering.   That is why we follow these directions from Apostle James, and have prayer services every Tuesday at 2 and Wednesday and Sunday at 7 where we gather, pray and anoint with oil.  If you are suffering or if anyone you know is suffering please come and pray with us.  

Moses told us what will happen if we do all this.

Exodus 23:25 Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you.

And David said this.

Psalm 103:1 Praise the Lord, my soul;

    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins

    and heals all your diseases,

What happened to Job?   He lost everything.  His friends told him it was his fault.   God told him to look at the bigger picture.  Here is what God did for his servant.

Job 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

So, why do bad things happen to good people?  Only God knows for certain how human suffering fits into his plan.  But we know that God is a loving God who wants the best for all people.   We know that sin has something to do with suffering.   What we can do to deal with suffering is to gather in worship, pray, and anoint all those who suffer with oil.  Come Tuesdays at 2 and Wednesdays and Sundays at 7  and make this church a healing church.  Let’s pray.  

Father in heaven, we know that you love us and always do what is best for us.  But sometimes we just can't figure out, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Sustain us in this mystery with your love and presence and assure us that whatever happens you are in control.  We worship you O God, our creator and sustainer.  Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 39

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 39
Presbyterian Church of Easton
June 13, 2021

Watch Episode 39

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism

79Q.  Why then does Christ call the bread his body and the cup his blood,or the new covenant in his blood, and Paul uses the words, a participation in Christ’s body and blood?
A. Christ has good reason for these words. He wants to teach us that just as bread and wine nourish the temporal life, so too his crucified body and poured-out blood are the true food and drink of our souls for eternal life.  But more important, he wants to assure us, by this visible sign and pledge, that we, through the Holy Spirit’s work, share in his true body and blood as surely as our mouths receive these holy signs in his remembrance, and that all of his suffering and obedience are as definitely ours as if we personally had suffered and made satisfaction for our sins.

Luke 22:19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 

Whenever we celebrate the Lord’s Supper we remember these words and actions of Jesus.   As Jesus picked up bread and broke he said, “This is my body.”  What exactly did he mean?  In the medieval church there was a belief that Christ was sacrificed each day in a ceremony called the “Mass”.  The bread of the sacrifice became the body of Christ and the wine became his blood.  

The Protestant Reformers wanted to emphasize that Christ’s sacrifice occurred only once, on the cross.  Zwingli said that communion is merely a memorial meal, the bread and wine do not change.  Luther said that Christ’s spirit comes upon the bread and wine in communion  Calvin said that when Jesus said, this is my body, he was referring to himself.  We have to see Jesus in communion.  And the only way for that to happen is if the Holy Spirit lifts us up to be with Jesus in heaven every time we gather around the communion table.

Of course, the “Body of Christ”  refers to the church.   As we gather around the communion table we see others in the church;  we see the “Body of Christ”.  So we can never do communion alone.   We have to be able to see the body of Christ whenever the bread is broken and the juice poured out.  Let’s pray.

Father in Heaven send your Spirit to be with us as we gather around the communion table.   Lift our hearts to heaven where we may commune with your son.   And bless us as we look into the eyes of other believers whenever we communion on the Body of Christ.  In whose name we pray.  Amen.

Sermon Genesis 3:1-6 “Radical Depravity”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Sermon Genesis 3:1-6 “Radical Depravity”
Presbyterian Church of Easton
June 13, 2020

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Today I will be preaching my third in a series of five sermons celebrating the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation with the trial of Martin Luther.  As we saw two weeks ago, Luther was a protestant reformer in the 16th century whose views about scripture and church have been very influential.  

Last week we looked at the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of God and the comfort it gives us knowing that God is in control of our lives.  But we also saw that since there is evil in the world God must have given us some freedom of independent action which allowed sin to enter creation.  Today we will look at this sin and the effect it has on our lives.  But first please pray with me.

Grant unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy Heavenly wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own edification. Amen. (John Calvin)

Genesis 3:1-6  Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?"  2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;  3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'"  4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die;  5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."  6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

For the first four centuries of the church, theologians considered the nature of God.  They were concerned about our belief in one God as experienced as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  And they were concerned with the person of Jesus Christ, fully human and fully divine.  These issues were talked about and eventually settled with the Nicene Creed.  This solution allowed theologians to think about other issues and they turned to questions about sin and our relationship with God.  

As we saw last week our idea of the sovereignty of God must be adapted to include an element of human freedom to account for evil in the world.  The questions facing theologians of the fifth century concerned how much freedom we have and to what extent is God in control.

One group of fifth century theologians was the Manicheans.   The Manicheans believed that God was totally in control.  Everything that happened was determined by God.  This meant that there was no responsibility for our actions on our part .  Since God is in control of everything, why should we experience any kind of guilt at all for what we do?  This belief opened the door for all kinds of licentious behavior, drinking, sex, whatever.  If you have no liability for your actions you might as well live it up.  It is party time!  

You can imagine how attractive this thinking was for Christians in the fifth century.  They could do whatever they wanted to do without having to pay the consequences for their actions.  Even St. Augustine was seduced into the Manichean way of thinking early in his career.

An opposing group in the fifth century was the Pelagians.   The Pelagians believed in free will.  Human beings were free to act for good or evil.   Evil actions had their consequences.  Humans, said the Pelagians, were to be good.  Perfection was the goal that all Christians should strive for.  Do away with your drinking and sex outside of marriage, they said.  Obey the commands of God fully, because God would never tell us to do something we are not able to do.

Augustine, the fifth century bishop of Hippo in North Africa, was familiar with both views.  He realized that the Manicheans were denying the reality of free will for human beings and that the Pelagians were denying the sovereignty of God.  Augustine knew that both were needed.  To explain how we live in a world that is both controlled by God and one where we have freedom and responsibility Augustine developed the concept of depravity.

Augustine looked back at the creation story in Genesis and realized that the disobedience of Adam and Eve had far reaching implications.  It destroyed the relationship they had with God.  It affected all of creation as they were expelled from the garden.  And it even afflicted their children, Cain and Abel, and those who followed.  Augustine began to think that sin was like a disease that was passed on from parent to child.  Sin seemed to have the power to hold people captive; they couldn’t get away from it.  And sin resulted in guilt passed down from generation to generation.  Augustine believed that this “original sin” of our ancestors now corrupts all of creation including all of humanity.  This is the doctrine of Total or Radical Depravity.

King David was well aware of this idea.   He wrote this”

Psalm 51:5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.

The theological term “original sin”  does not refer to the sin of Adam and Eve when they disobeyed God.   It refers, rather, to the effect that their sin has on us today.  We live in a general state of fallenness.  Of course this creates a big problem for us.  We are so stained by the actions of our earliest ancestors that sin is a part of our very nature; we cannot stop sinning.  We are also responsible for our sin and experience guilt for our actions because those actions were voluntary.   The Heidelberg Catechism

7Q.  Then where does this corrupt human nature come from?

A. The fall and disobedience of our first parents,Adam and Eve, in Paradise.  This fall has so poisoned our nature that we are all conceived and born in a sinful condition.

Our depravity is total or radical.  This does mean that we are utterly depraved.  We are not as bad as we could be.   Rather total depravity means that the fall of Adam and Eve affects our whole person.   Depravity grips our human nature.  It is like we have an illness and can’t get out of bed.  The Apostle Paul put it this way.

Roman 7:15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Imagine a scale with good on the one side and evil on the other.  Imagine also an incredible weight, called original sin, placed on the evil side so that the scale is already tipping.  Now imagine that you are required to do enough good to bring the scale back to balance, but you can’t do it.  That’s the problem, original sin so weighs us down that we can never get back to balance no matter what we do.  

The Manicheans were wrong:  we are responsible for our actions.  The Pelagians were also wrong:  we can never do enough good to overcome our sinful nature.  Augustine concluded that we are depraved by nature and deserve to be punished.  Our only hope is in the grace of God.

It was John Calvin, in the sixteenth century, who offered a solution to this mess.  He said that since we are overwhelmed with sin we cannot know God.  We need help.  He called this help “justification”.

Think about using a typewriter or a computer.  As the words go on the page it is important to line them up in the proper way.  Usually the words on each line are lined up with the left margin.  This is called left justification.  The words on the page cannot line themselves up along the left margin.  They require the work of the typist or word processor to justify them.  A typist hits the return carriage at the end of the line.  A word processor wraps the words automatically.  Either way the words are justified along the left margin by an outside force.  

Just as the words on a page need to be justified with the left margin, so too must we be justified with God.  And just as the words need help in being justified on a page, so too do we need help being justified with our creator.  According to Calvin we are justified, put right with God, by Jesus Christ.

According to Calvin, justification works this way.  Once we believe in Jesus Christ our faith unites us with Christ.  When this happens our depravity is replaced by Christ’s righteousness. Once we are clothed with Christ’s righteousness then we can approach God.  This then leads to our regeneration as we reclaim our birthright of being created in the image of God.  The Apostle John put it this way.

1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

This is why we worship the way we do on Sundays.  We come to church conscious of our sinful nature and knowing our own unworthiness to come into the presence of God.  We then say a prayer of confession where we humble ourselves and admit to God and to one another our sins of willfully violating God’s law.  We admit that sin has affected our whole nature.  We experience guilt for turning away from God.   And we are prepared to receive the punishment we deserve.

 Then, suddenly, the good news is proclaimed:  By accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we take Christ’s sinless nature upon ourselves, and approach God in righteousness.  God then forgives all of our sins including the original sin that has stained us since birth.  And we are united with Jesus Christ in new reborn lives that are now pleasing to God.  This is why worship is so important.  It is where we are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ.

  So the answer to the fifth century questions about free will and sovereignty of God is: that we have free will, but because we are also so stained by original sin that our exercise of that will is always tilted toward evil.  For this we experience guilt and hide from God.  But God loves us so much he sent his son Jesus to live a sinless life.  And if we believe in Jesus Christ, God will decree that Jesus’ sinless life is really our own.  And amazingly, God welcomes us as if we truly were sinless like Jesus.  God does this because God loves us and knows that this is the only way to give us new lives. Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your gracious gift of justification.  We thank you that even though we are sinners and have been stained by sin since birth, you have redeemed us by washing away that sin with the blood of Christ.  We thank you for the gift of forgiveness and the promise of new life.  This we pray in our savior’s name.  Amen.

Grace and Peace Episode 38

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 38
Presbyterian Church of Easton
June 6, 2021

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism
75Q.  How does the holy supper remind and assure you that you share in Christ’s one sacrifice on the cross and in all his benefits?
A. In this way:  Christ has commanded me and all believers to eat this broken bread and to drink this cup in remembrance of him. With this command come these promises:  First, as surely as I see with my eyes the bread of the Lord broken for me and the cup shared with me, so surely his  body was offered and broken for me and his blood poured out for me on the cross.  Second, as surely as I receive from the hand of the one who serves, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, given me as sure signs of Christ’s body and blood, so surely he nourishes and refreshes my soul for eternal life with his crucified body and poured-out blood.

Every month we gather around the communion table for the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.   We do this because Jesus commanded us to do it. 

Luke 22:19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 

So whenever we gather around the communion table we remember the meal when Jesus told this to his disciples.   Communion is therefore a memorial feast.  But it is much more.  It is also spiritual nourishment, the food we need as we prepare for eternal life.  

But Jesus also said that in communion we eat his body and drink his blood.  What could he possibly mean by this?  It means that as we come around the communion table we accept Christ’s suffering and death through which we receive forgiveness and eternal life.  We also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit so that through our lifetimes we become more and more like Christ.  

So every time we come for the Sacrament of the Lord’s supper we remember all that Jesus did for us.  We eat the spiritual food our souls need for eternal life.   We accept the forgiveness and eternal life paid for by Christ’s sacrifice.   And with the aid of the Holy Spirit we become more and more like Christ.  Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessing of the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.   Help us to remember all the things Jesus did for us and all the Holy Spirit is doing for us now.  We thank you for allowing us to feast on your heavenly food.   In Jesus’ name we pray.   Amen.

Sermon Mark 4:38-41 The Sovereignty of God

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Sermon Mark 4:38-41 The Sovereignty of God

Presbyterian Church of Easton

June 6, 2021

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We are continuing our celebration of the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.  As we saw last week, in 1521 Martin Luther was charged with heresy and convicted by the Diet of Worms.  But the reforms of the church that he started were needed and had popular support.   Luther’s protestations and suggested reforms became what now call the Protestant Reformation.

Over the next few weeks we will be looking at some of the important doctrines of the Protestant Reformation.    Today we will be looking at the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God. We will get to this, but first, let’s pray.

Father in heaven, creator of the universe, our King and Lord, we bow before you as your faithful subjects.  We acknowledge that you are in control of the world and our lives.  And since you are a God of love we trust that you rule with our best interests in mind.  In this we take great comfort.  Amen.

How do we know God?  And how do we know ourselves?  These were central questions for the protestant reformers. They believed that if you try to know yourself you are immediately confronted with a problem.  Sin so stains us that we cannot fully know ourselves until we first know God.  So, how can we come to know God?

Calvin said that we know God in two ways.  First everyone knows God from creation, the work of God.  We see God in the beauty of creation all around us, the sun, the warm temperatures we enjoy, the delicious food we eat, the blessings of family and friends.  Calvin called this the “general knowledge of God” and is shared by all of us.  

But because of sin our general knowledge of God is limited.  We can never fully know God just by experiencing his creation.  So we need help to fully know God.  And God gives us this help by revealing himself in scripture and by using language that we can understand.

As God reveals himself in scripture, we find God’s providential nature.  God did not create the world and then leave it to go someplace else.  Scripture teaches us that God remains with all of creation and uses his power for its benefit.  God blesses us.  This gives us great comfort knowing that there is nothing that we have to worry about because the God, who created us, loves us and is still in control.  

Each week we pray, “For Thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever.”   Each week we confess, “I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth.”  When we do these things we are affirming our belief in the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God.

But is God in total control of the world and our lives?  Current events cause us to ask some very important questions:  If God is in control, how could the Holocaust happen and 6 million Jews die in Europe? If God is in control how could the killing fields happen in Cambodia?  If God is in control, why would thousands die in a terrorist strike on the World Trade Center?  If God is in control, why are members of this congregation having health problems? Our recent history has shaken our confidence in the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God.  So we no longer take comfort in God’s providence because we just don’t trust it anymore.  And when we lose confidence that God will care for us, our only choice seems to be to care for ourselves.

   The problem is not about God and God’s apparent lack of control over or indifference to the problems of the world.  No, God is a God of love and passionately wants the best for all of creation.  What must by flawed is our understanding of the relationship between God and the world.

The Bible teaches us that God is a loving parent, and we are told to call God abba.  God is responsive to our needs but does not exert dictatorial control.  There is a give and take between us and our God.  It is within this give and take relationship that history is made. God does not determine everything, but everything is determined in the interaction of God with humankind.  

Of course God is free to create whatever world God wants to make.  But it looks like God has chosen to create a world where creation occurs in God’s relationship with us and thus is not completely determined by God.  God has given us freedom, and has given us power over a portion of creation.  Evidently, God’s desire is to interact with people who have the ability and freedom to exercise dominion over some part of the created world.  The Bible confirms this in Genesis:

Genesis 1:26-28  26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."  27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.  28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."

So God did not want us to just sit back and watch history develop on television.  Rather we were created to be active participants with God as we move together toward the future.  God was not forced to give us the gift of freedom and ability of autonomous action. Rather, God wanted us to have these things because God loves us and wants us to have the freedom to choose to love God.

Of course in giving us freedom, God was taking a risk.  God chose to be vulnerable by allowing us to choose to work against God’s own purposes.  God permits us to disrupt God’s plans by our disobedience.  God did this because by giving us this freedom God has an opportunity to genuinely have a relationship with us.

And this leads us to the question of why evil exists.  Why did God create a world with evil in it?  Why would God create a world with nuclear weapons?  Why would God create a world with grinding poverty?  The answer is that God created a world where evil was not necessary but possible.  God did not create evil, we did by misusing our freedoms.  So even though God created us, God is not to blame for what we do in our freedom, we are the ones responsible.  Therefore we, not God, are accountable for the evil in the world.

But God is not satisfied with this situation.  God wants evil to go away.  God wants to bless us richly.  So God has offered us a deal.  Turn from our evil ways and go back to how we were created.  Remember that we were created in God’s image and told to obey God’s will. If we all stopped sinning, evil would disappear from the world and God would be back in control.  

But, sadly, all of this is easier said than done.  We may want to stop sinning, but try to do it and you will find it is extremely difficult if not impossible.  We need help to stop sinning and be restored to a right relationship with God.

Our help has come in the person of Jesus Christ, who in his life and death exemplified the sacrificial lives God is calling us to live, and who in his resurrection from the dead gives us hope that we can trust that God will provide for us.  

I can’t prove any of this to you.  The missiles in North Korea and violence in Israel indicate that the Kingdom of God is still a long way off.  But I can tell you that our only hope for a better world is in our faith in Jesus Christ.  And through faith we will experience the comfort of a loving God who has the power to control all of nature and bless us richly.  

We see all this in an interesting story from the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 4:35-41  35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."  36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.  37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.  38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"  39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.  40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"  41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

In this story we see the followers of Jesus experiencing a great storm.  They feared for their lives and they must have wondered if God would save them.   What they didn’t know at that time was that God was with them, sleeping in the back of the boat.   They woke Jesus who then, using the sovereignty of God over creation, ordered the wind and waves to calm down.

But what Jesus was most concerned about was not the storm but the fear of his disciples.  This fear revealed a lack of trust, faith, in their sovereign God.  Jesus’ mission on earth was to convince his people that God is sovereign over all creation.  And if we truly believe this then all of our fears will melt away.

So how do we know God?   We know God in the creation around us and in the pages of scripture.   The Bible teaches us that God is in control.   If we believe this then our fears will vanish.   And we will be at peace.   Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, as you settled the storm that day with your disciples, settle the storms of our lives.  Help the leaders of the world to find peace.  Help us to find hope as we face difficulties.  And we praise you and honor you as our Lord and King.  Amen.   

Grace and Peace Episode 37

 Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Grace and Peace Episode 37
Presbyterian Church of Easton
May 29, 2021

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Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2

Heidelberg Catechism
72Q.  Does this outward washing with water itself wash away sins?

A. No, only Jesus Christ’s blood and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sins.

73Q.  Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism the water of rebirth and the washing away of sins?
A. God has good reason for these words. To begin with, God wants to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ take away our sins just as water removes dirt from the body.  But more important, God wants to assure us, by this divine pledge and sign,   that we are as truly washed of our sins spiritually as our bodies are washed with water physically.

74Q.  Should infants also be baptized?
A. Yes. Infants as well as adults are included in God’s covenant and people, and they, no less than adults, are promised deliverance from sin through Christ’s blood and the Holy Spirit who produces faith.  Therefore, by baptism, the sign of the covenant, they too should be incorporated into the Christian church and distinguished from the children of unbelievers.  This was done in the Old Testament by circumcision, which was replaced in the New Testament by baptism.

I was born in New Jersey.  My parents lived in Collingswood and attended the Haddonfield Presbyterian Church.  Shortly after I was born, they presented me to the church for the Sacrament of Baptism.   At that time, the Rev. Dr. Bryant Kirkland was the pastor of that church.  He baptized me.   And for my entire life I have heard from my Dad about the great sermons that Dr. Kirkland preached.  Dad told me that if I was ever in New York City on a Sunday, I should stop into Fifth Avenue Presbyterian church to hear Dr. Kirkland where he served as Senior Pastor for twenty-five years.

Several decades later, I was driving past the National Presbyterian Church in Washington DC.   Their sign out front read, “Rev. Dr. Bryant M. Kirkland, Interim Pastor”.   Could this be the same preacher?   I had to find out.  So the next Sunday I was in worship at National Presbyterian Church.   After worship I talked briefly with Dr. Kirkland.  He was the pastor who baptized me.  And I stayed at National Presbyterian Church for the next decade, until my ordination as a pastor.

Lord Jesus, help us to go into our community to proclaim the good news that you have forgiven us and welcome us home as your people.  Place in the hearts of the people we talk to a desire to come to church for this good news to be sealed upon them in baptism and to be nurtured as a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Sermon Romans 1:16-17 “Martin Luther”

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Presbyterian Church of Easton
Sermon Romans 1:16-17 “Martin Luther”
May 30, 2021

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April 2, 1521, five hundred years ago,  Martin Luther got into a covered cart for the long difficult journey from Wittenberg to Worms.  As he made his way through villages and country roads large crowds assembled to meet him.    On April 16, 1521, Luther took a ferry across the Rhine and entered the city of Worms where he was greeted by thousands of cheering people.

The Diet, an assembly of all the political and religious leaders of Germany, was also meeting in Worms that day.  This meeting was led by Charles V., Holy Roman Emperor.  In the Diet, there were 80 princes, 130 counts, ambassadors from other kingdoms, and Cardinals of the Church.  

Several months before the Diet, the Pope issued a ban on Luther and excommunicated him from the Church.   The Diet assembled to deal with Luther.   He was to be tried as a heretic.   We will get to all this, but first, let’s pray with Luther using his morning prayer

“I thank you, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.” https://lutheranreformation.org/theology/luthers-morning-prayer-model-christians-daily-life/

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483.  His father had started as a miner but went on to eventually own a series of foundries.  Luther was sent to school to learn Latin.  His father hoped that Luther would go into Law or Diplomacy and be able to support the family.  

The young Luther was torn between the emotions of love and fear.  Luther loved God.  But, he feared going to hell.  The medieval church painted a portrait of God with two heads:  an angry wrathful God who sent people to hell, and a merciful God who let people into heaven.  Luther worried about how to get past the wrathful God to the merciful one.  The church taught that Jesus was an implacable judge.  So people were afraid to pray to either God or Jesus.  But people could pray to Mary, Jesus’ mother, hoping that she could influence Jesus' decisions.  And if this didn't work people could always pray to Mary's mother, Saint Anne.

One day Luther was riding on horseback through a violent thunderstorm.  A lightning bolt struck nearby and he fell off his horse.  Fearing for his own life, Luther prayed to Saint Anne, Mary’s mother,  and promised to enter a monastery if she would save his life.  His life was spared and within two weeks, at age 22, Luther entered an Augustinian monastery over the strong objection of his father.  Luther became a priest and celebrated his first Mass in May of 1507.  

In November of 1510, Luther was sent to Rome as a legal representative.  He remained in Rome for six months.  There he found the Roman clergy to be ignorant and frivolous.  Their masses were mass-produced and sold for money.  Greed, not faith, ruled the religion of the day. 

Luther moved to Wittenberg in 1511 where he received his doctorate in theology.  There he began a series of lectures on the Bible.  As he lectured on the Book of Romans, he realized that righteousness was not something that we have to achieve.  Rather righteousness was a characteristic of God, which comes from God to all who believe.  With God's righteousness, which we receive through Jesus Christ, we become righteousness.  Or using the words of the Apostle Paul, 

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

While Luther was lecturing on scripture at Wittenberg, the Pope was looking for a way to pay his bills.  A Dominican preacher named Johann Tetzel was a master marketer.  He had the ability to make money, large amounts of money.  And this is just what the Church of Rome needed.  The cost of building St. Peter Cathedral was running too high.  Michelangelo’s bill for painting the ceiling of the Sistine chapel was due.  The church needed money quickly.  So they hired Tetzel to do fundraising throughout Christendom.

Tetzel's fundraising centered on the selling of indulgences.  He told people that the church was like a bank.  Saints had made deposits of righteousness over the centuries.  These righteous deposits could be used by sinners today to placate an angry God.  All a sinner had to do was to buy an indulgence from the church for money and the righteousness of the saints would balance the sinner’s account with God.  Tetzel promoted this scam all over Europe and raised a mountain of money for the church.   

By October 31, 1517, Luther was fed up with what Tetzel was doing.  Luther wanted to start a discussion among Christian scholars on the topic of indulgences.  So he invited them to a debate in the usual manner.  He wrote 95 Theses and attached them to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg.  In these 95 Theses, Luther said that repentance is an act of the faithful not a sacrament of the church.  And the Pope had no right to remit guilt and the just penalty for sin.  Therefore the preaching of indulgences by the church was in error.  

He argued that Christians should be taught that salvation comes only from the mercy of God, and he stated that Christians should be instructed that it is better to give to the poor than to buy indulgences from the church.  He argued that preachers should focus not on preaching indulgences to raise money, but on the Word of God and the grace of God that promises us the inheritance of heaven.

Luther began writing prolifically.  He supplied printers with much new material which was purchased by people who had just learned how to read.  

A very concerned Pope Leo X tried to get him to stop criticizing the church.  When this did not work he declared Luther's writing heretical in 1520 and finally excommunicated Luther in 1521.  

The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V., then summoned Luther to appear before the Diet of Worms to get him to recant his teachings.  Charles opened the trial by saying that the health of the church was at stake and Luther should recant quickly.

Johann Eck was the prosecutor.  Eck was a strong supporter of selling indulgences.  Eck showed Luther a table of books and asked him if these were written by him. Luther said they were.  Immediately Eck asked Luther to recant and reject the ideas he had written.  Luther then asked for time to consider the request.  Eck responded that Luther had no right to make such a request,  but the Emperor intervened and mercifully granted Luther a day to collect his thoughts.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”

On April 18, 1521, Luther again stood before the Holy Roman Emperor.  Here is how Luther closed his testimony.

“Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason - for I believe that neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves - I consider myself convicted by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God.  Thus I cannot and will not recant, because acting against one’s conscience is neither safe nor sound.”  And then Luther may have added these famous words, “Here I stand; I can do no other.”  He concluded his testimony by saying, “God help me.  Amen.”

The Diet of Worms concluded by declaring Luther to be a heretic.  Luther was granted safe passage back to Wittenberg by the Emperor.  But Luther remembered an earlier reformer, John Hus, who had also been granted safe passage, but was arrested and burned at the stake.   Luther’s life was in the balance.

While Luther was travelling back to Wittenberg a group of knights surrounded his cart.  They seized Luther and rode off into the woods.  Many thought that these knights were sent by the Emperor to enforce the edict of Worms.  But these knights did not belong to the Emperor.  They belonged to Frederick the Wise who hid Luther in Wartburg castle.  

While hiding in Wartburg castle, Luther had nothing to do.   He was bored.  So he decided to translate the New Testament into German, the language of the common people.   The German New Testament became a huge best seller.

With great popular support for Luther, the edict of Worms became unenforceable.  On March 15, 1522, Luther returned to Wittenberg to guide the emerging Protestant Reformation.

Luther married a former nun, Catherine von Bora.  They had six children.  

The Protestant Reformation spread to surrounding countries.  Luther continued to shape it through his writings.  He argued that worship services should not be in Latin, but rather in a language that people could understand.  And he participated in the Reformed discussions regarding what happens during communion arguing that since the risen Christ is everywhere he must be with us in the bread and wine of the Eucharist.  Luther continued to write until 1545 and died on February 18, 1546.  But the reformation of the church continues.  Let’s pray with Martin Luther.

O my heavenly Father,

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

God of all comfort,

I thank you for revealing to me

your dear Son, Jesus Christ,

in whom I believe,

whom I have preached and confessed,

whom I have loved and praised.

I pray, my Lord Jesus Christ,

take my soul into your hands.

Heavenly Father,

I know that

although I will live this body

and be taken from this life,

I will live with you forever,

and that no one can pluck me

out of your hands.

God so loved the world

that he gave his only-begotten Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish,

but have eternal life.

Our God is the God of salvation,

and the Lord delivers from death.

Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.

You have redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.  Amen.

https://acollectionofprayers.com/tag/martin-luther/

Bibliography

“Luther on Trial, The Diet of Worms” Tabletalk Magazine, April 2021