I Am Yours, Save Me

This is a great scene from the biographical film Luther which illustrates our passage for Sunday (Matthew 19:13-30).

"Luther"

Being that tomorrow is Reformation Day marking the anniversary of when German monk Martin Luther nailed his infamous 95 Theses on the Wittenburg Castle Church door, we will be watching the 2003 movie Luther at the parsonage. I hope you will make it. If not, below is the movie.

Simul justus et peccator: Luther & the Heart of the Gospel

Sunday we will be examining Jonah 2 which is a psalm of thanksgiving and repentance. Jonah is a believer who has rebelled. Nonetheless, God's grace reaches him even at the bottom of the sea. This is good news. I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ and yet I find myself always failing. Though I seek the glory of Christ and daily fight to live a holy life, I find myself oftentimes losing. So what hope do I have?

The answer to this question is found in Martin Luther's coined phrase simul justus et peccator (that is, "Simultaneously righteous & a sinner). What Luther meant by that is explained by Dr. RC Sproul in the video below. In short, if you can understand this concept you can understand the gospel.


What Does "Simul Justus et Peccator" Mean? from Ligonier Ministries on Vimeo.



For more:
I Hear You: A Sermon Illustration
April 7, 2013 | John 1:1-3 - You Can Run But Not Hide: Why That is Really Good News
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Historical?
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Midrash?
How Are We to Understand Jonah: As Allegorical?
Holman Dictionary on Jonah
Bibledex on Jonah
VeggieTales and Jonah  

Luther, Depression, and the Sovereignty of God

I came across the following story from the entertaining marriage of the great Reformer Martin Luther and his wife Katie Von Bora.  Enjoy:


Katie Luther was the sort of person who could take a joke—and Martin was certainly the type who enjoyed dishing it out. In his letters he often teased her about matters such as her frugality, negligence, and worries. Katie also had a sense of humor, along with a way of correcting her husband in just the way that he needed.

Once, when Luther was so depressed that no words of counsel seemed capable of penetrating his darkness, Katie decided to don a black dress. Luther asked: “Are you going to a funeral?” “No,” she replied, “but since you act as though God is dead, I wanted to join you in the mourning.” Luther quickly recovered!

The moral of the story should be obvious.  It is fascinating that such great men of faith like Luther, along with men like the Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon, struggled deeply with depression.  Katie's reaction is perfect reminding Luther that if God is dead, then we ought to be in a state of morning, but if God is the God Luther had been proclaiming his whole ministry, then depression ought not be.

This is what we have been discussing on Sunday mornings.  When we find out who God really is, then we can have the certainty that we have meaning, purpose, hope, trust, and assurance.  If God is Sovereign and Providential then why worry.  Why be anxious.  Why be depressed.  Lean on God.

God is not dead!


The Resurgence - The Luthers' Marriage 


For more:
Luther and the Necessity of Theology 

Luther and the Necessity of Theology

I have recently written an article regarding the necessity of right theology in order to have right living. This was the launching pad of the Reformation from Luther's perspective. He uncovered the gospel and understood that the immorality of his day was due to bad theology. Right theology ultimately leads to righteous living.

I encourage you to read the article.

Luther: Right Doctrine and Righteous Living Go Hand-in-Hand - A Message the Church Needs to Recover

__________________________________________________

A few quotes:

Recently, I came across a few quotes worth considering:

"Bad doctrine is a thousand times more harmful than a bad life."

"Where doctrine is not right, it is impossible for life to be right and good: for life must be prepared by doctrine and must follow it." . . .

Luther understood that the answer to the Church's problems wasn't more morality, but an undiluted gospel. These words of Luther need to be heard and understood. Today, most Christians are callas regarding theology. We hate division and seek to get around debate. We all too often find issues of theology not worth our time. As Luther saw in his day and as we see in ours, our bad theology shows . . .

What we need is a return to right theology. What we need is to uncover, once again, the pure gospel as revealed in Scripture. That is where the power of the Spirit lies: the gospel. If we really want to change the world, it won't be through politicians and trying harder and doing better next time, it will be whenever Christians return to the cross and right doctrine and allow the Spirit to change us through the power of the cross and the empty tomb.

Luther: Contend For the Faith

This week as I studied, I came across this quote from the Great Reformer Martin Luther regarding the necessity of defending the faith. Sadly, too many Christians are spiritually lazy, not just in their devotion and obedience to Christ, but also in the command to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3).

If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.

Martin Luther At the Diet of Worms: 492 Years Ago Today

We have recently been mentioning the Great Reformer Martin Luther. Perhaps the greatest moment in his historical life came at the Diet of Worms (no that is not a meal!) where Luther was challenged to defend his Reformed writings, teachings, and beliefs. He refused.



For those who haven't seen the latest Luther movie, I highly recommend it.

Martin Luther: Mediating on the Cross

Since it is Good Friday, I thought that I would provide an important quote from a sermon preached by the Great Reformer, Martin Luther whose theology of the cross changed history.

Let us now mediate a moment on the passion of Christ. Some do so falsely in that they merely rail against Judas and the Jews. Some carry crucifixes to protect themselves from water, fire, and sword, and turn the suffering of Christ into an amulet against suffering. Some weep and that is the end of it. The truth contemplation is that in which the heart is crushed and the conscience smitten. You must be overwhelmed by the frightful wrath of God who so hated sin that he spared not his only-begotten Son. What can the sinner expect if the beloved Son was so afflicted? It must be an inexpressible and unendurable yearning that causes God's Son himself so to suffer. Ponder this and you will tremble, and the more you ponder, the deeper will you tremble.

Take this to heart and doubt not that you are the one who killed Christ. Your sins certainly did, and when you see the nails driven through his hands, be sure that you are pounding, and when the thorns pierce his brow, know that they are your evil thoughts. Consider that if one thorn pierced Christ you deserve a hundred thousand . . .

If we consider the persons, we ought to suffer a thousand and again a thousand times more than Christ because he is God and we are dust and ashes, yet it is the reverse. he, who had a thousand and again a thousand times less need, has taken upon himself a thousand and again a thousand times more than we. No understanding can fathom nor tongue can express no writing can record, but only the inward feeling can grasp what is involved in the suffering of Christ.

Let us meditate on these important words as we celebrate the death of our Savior who would rise from the grave victorious.