Dear Christian friends:

Today is Reformation Day. On this day we look back and remember the work of John Huss, Martin Luther; Zwinglin and Calvin and thank God for their work. What did these men do? They helped the Church come again to Jesus' Word in the Bible, and follow that. The Church had strayed away from Jesus' Word and was more and more following man's Word: Teachings of Popes and Church Councils, and traditions, Creeds. Then the Church members lost their freedom and joy in Jesus.

Must obey many church rules and laws. Pray and do silly works: fasting; not eat meat on Friday; pay money to help friends and relatives climb out of purgatory, indulgences, masses for the dead; prayers to Mary and the disciples and not to Jesus or God. People honored Popes, cardinals, bishops and priests and great, beautiful churches.

People did not honor and praise Jesus. People believed it was better to be a nun or a monk than to be a mother or a father and do common labor.

We today are still enjoying the freedom and blessings of the Reformation. Let us rejoice and thank God for these men who worked and suffered and died (gave their life) to correct the Church. Let us also hear again what Jesus says about following His Word and not man's. We can again become slaves to men if we fail to follow Jesus' Word teachings. Jesus says:


Truly you are God's people if you continue following Jesus' Word. Many people do not follow Jesus' teachings although they belong to a church. The Jews belonged to the church but Jesus told them they were not God's children. Jesus says to them in verse forty-four of this chapter, "You are the children of your father the devil and you love to do the evil things he does." Why? Because they would not accept and believe Jesus' teachings.

Same was true at the time of Martin Luther four-hundred-fifty years ago. Almost everyone in Europe belonged to the church and claimed that they were God's people, but they were not. We call those centuries between 1100 A.D. to 1521 A.D. the "The Dark Ages."

And what about today? Here in America we have many churches. More than 50% of Americans claim to be church members, God's people. But how many really follow Jesus' teaching? Even in our own Synod. Many are following Dr. Preuss' teachings and the decisions of conventions and Synod Boards such as the Commission on Theology and Church Relations instead of Jesus' teachings in the Bible. And you know how much trouble that is making in our Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod today. Over 100 congregations have already voted to leave the Synod and establish the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches, (AELC). Show Bert Fray's letter of resignation.

So, we need to be aware. Follow Jesus' teachings in the Bible, not man's. If we follow Jesus' teachings we will really be God's people and we will know the truth.

Then you will know the truth and the truth will make us free. We will know the truth about ourselves: that we are sinners. The Jews thought they were good because they were Jews, (verse 33), Abraham's children. Jesus tells them anyone who does sin is the slave of sin. Paul says the same in Romans 5:12, "When Adam sinned, sin entered the whole human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die, for all sinned."

Luther knew that, too and so will you if you follow Jesus' teaching and not man's proud ideas of racial prejudice. You will also learn the truth about God's grace as Paul very beautifully explains in the Epistle Lesson for this Sunday.

God's love and mercy in Christ Jesus. God declares us not guilty, forgiven, righteous because of what Christ Jesus has done for us.

When you know the truth about yourself that you are a sinner and the truth about God that He loves and forgives sinners because of Jesus Christ, then you are really free. (verse 36 read!)

Free from what? Sin: pride, self-righteousness, jealousy, envy, revenge, lying, deceiving, meanness, anger, caused by old insults and hurts. Free to become sons and heirs of God.

So continue in following Jesus' teaching only, in daily worship, Church Services and Bible Circles!

Amen.