Sermon Tone Analysis

This past Wednesday, October 31st, is a date that has special meaning for several reasons.

Most recognize it has the date for Halloween.

Common ways of celebrating it are making jack’o’lanterns, decorating with spooky ghosts, witches, goblins, etc. posting Halloween memes on Facebook, and trick or treating.

Although its origins are somewhat dark, for most people today Halloween is a fun kid friendly holiday.

As Lutherans, October 31st, has a special meaning for another reason.

It marks the anniversary of an event that happened 501 years ago in Germany.

Although it did not get as much attention as it did last year (since it was the 500th anniversary), the Reformation of the Christian Church still has significance because it emphasizes a major change in the way the message of who God is and what he does to save us is presented and believed by Christians.

It was this major change in how it was taught that brought about important changes in the faith and lives of Christians for the past 500 plus years.

What was the essence of that change?

It had to do with answering the very important question, “What must I have to do to be saved?”

The Roman Catholic Church taught that believing in Jesus as your Savior wasn’t enough.

You were not saved by faith alone.

In fact, after the Reformation, they had a special meeting called the Council of Trent that declares that if anyone teaches or believes that they are saved by faith alone, let them be condemned.

The church emphasized faith plus works and had developed quite a system of what a devout Christian had to do in order to be saved including attending Mass, making confession, and doing penance.

So demanding was their system that few people could be confident that they would go to heaven when the died but could only look forward to spending a tremendous amount of time in Purgatory until they were purged of all their sins.

At the time of Martin Luther in 1517, this was used to raise money for a building project in Rome using the sale of indulgences.

If you purchased an indulgence, that would help release the soul of a loved one from Purgatory.

It was just one of many examples of keeping people in suspense and not giving them the full assurance of the Gospel.

Martin Luther wanted to start a debate concerning the sale of indulgences as well as explore deeper the important question, “What must I do to be saved?”

so he posted 95 theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg to start the conversation.

His statements were quickly spread and it began a series of events that resulted in a much wider proclamation of the truth of God’s Word that we are saved by faith in Jesus alone.

He also emphasized that the only source of true doctrine is the Word of God and not additional decrees by Popes and Church Councils.

This is known as Scripture Alone.

The Roman Catholic Church still does not agree with Luther concerning Faith Alone or Scripture Alone.

At a recent visit to Holy Hill near Hubertus, WI, I saw a short book in their gift shop declaring 20 reasons by Scripture Alone is not true.

I disagree with their arguments.

The result of what Martin Luther started on October 31st, 1517 has had a mixed impact on the Christian Church and a complete discussion of it would take many, many hours.

Some resisted and dug in with what they were doing and refused to change.

Others made various changes in beliefs, worship styles, and activities.

Still other ignored the whole event completely.

And isn’t that the way it often is when CHANGE is possible?

This Tuesday is election day and voters are encouraged to either support the changes that have been made by our governing officials or to make changes which will undo those changes.

We are warned that voting for this or that political candidate will bring about either positive or negative changes to such things as taxes, health care, and our personal safety.

Some will advocate strongly for their candidate, others will speak against them, and others will be apathetic.

Change is nothing new of course.

Even though Solomon writes that “there is nothing new under the sun”, we recognize that changes do occur.

In Jeremiah, we focus on how God sent Jeremiah to the his people to warn them to change or else.

The application is that if we are continuing in a belief or activity that is not according to God’s will, our response is that we too are to change so that we will receive a blessing from God and not the consequences we deserve.

The Lord Calls for Reformation

Context: Jeremiah’s ministry lasted more than 40 years and took place during the reigns of the last five kings of Judah (627BC — 586BC).

It would be a time of tremendous change.

During that time Judah would go from being subject to Assyria, to being independent, and then being conquered by the Babylonians.

In the Bible the rise and fall of nations is attributed to the word of God.

(NIV)

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.

25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything.

Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

This is true in Jeremiah.

(NIV)

7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.

9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

11 “Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look!

I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you.

So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’

The nation of Judah was in serious trouble.

Not over a battle for resources or ethnic cleansing or higher taxes and poor health care and roads.

It was in trouble because the nation had disobeyed the Lord.

God uses an object lesson to emphasize his point.

How many of us have worked on a project and realized it was not turning out the way we wanted?

Drawing.

Writing a letter.

Remodeling.

Making a craft.

Building.

Maybe even doing some pottery.

There may come a time when we realize it is time to make a change.

In this lesson, the Lord confirms that he is in control and that if things aren’t turning out the way he wills, he will do something to bring about the change.

But unlike the clay used in pottery which has no will of its own, those whom the Lord is working with, have a responsibility to him and will be held accountable.

The Lord was working hard on his people to keep them in his covenant but they were stubbornly refusing to follow him in faith and obedience.

He warns them that unless they change (repent), they would face the consequences.

Unfortunately, they chose not to listen and were destroyed.

The call to change was at the heart of the New Testament message as well.

Recall how often God’s people are commanded to repent, warned of the consequences if they don’t, and assured of blessings if they did.

(NIV)

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!

Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.

9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’

I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

In our worship liturgy we acknowledge that we are to change by confessing our sins, being assured of forgiveness, and pledging to live new and holy lives.

Application: The Lord is still in control of our lives.

But we also have a responsibility to him and will be held accountable.

What changes (reforms) are we to make?

St. Paul gives us some time worn examples.

Conclusion: Reformation Sunday is a time to reflect on some major changes that took place in the Christian church over 500 years ago in Germany.

It is also a time to reflect on the present and what changes we are to make in our commitment to the Lord trusting that he has forgiven us our sins of the past and gives us the strength, desire, and opportunity to change for the better in the future.