The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Reformation Sunday sermons?

Unofficially, yesterday was a special Sabbath Day in many churches. It is recognized unofficially as "Reformation Sunday" in recognition of October 31st, the celebrated beginning of the Protestant Reformation when an upstart Monk nailed his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg Chapel door.

With that brief introductory note, I am wondering if your church celebrated this day with a specific focus in its preaching; either morning or evening or both? And if so, would you like to provide a brief summary of that sermon? At our little church here, the morning sermon was on the topic of "Sola Scriptura", although in the introduction, the Five Solas were mentioned and a brief overview of each explained. The text expounded was:

Isaiah 8:18-20 (KJV) "Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me [are] for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion. And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them."

The focus of the sermon was upon the absolute authority and sufficiency of God's inspired written Word; the Scriptures, and how today there myriad "voices" contending for our attention and even faith. These other voices can be found both without and even within the Church, much in the same way as it was predicted (1Tim 4; 2Tim 3:1-5, 13, 4:4; Pet 2:1) by the Apostles who warned about such things in their own day. The only safeguard we have is in the sure Word of God in which is God's inspired, infallible and inerrant truth from which we have all that is necessary for faith and life. And, we have the promise of the Holy Spirit Who indwells every true believer and Who gives us the right understanding of that Word. All that removes from, adds to or contradicts the Scriptures is a lie. And, within those who promote such lies there is no light; they walk in darkness.

May you all have been blessed on yesterday's Lord's Day through the pure preaching of the Word whether the Protestant Reformation was celebrated, just mentioned or by-passed.

In His grace,

My wife and I are still deciding on which church to attend, but the church (PCA) we attended on Sunday did not have a special Reformation Day focus although it was mentioned during the service. The pastor continued his preaching through the book of Luke, which he has been on for a time.

John

No special sermon for us. Our pastor continued his series in I John (this week's sermon should be up in a few days on our SermonAudio site).

We will, however, be having a little get-together on Saturday to enjoy some German food & watch the 1953 Martin Luther movie. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bananas.gif" alt="" />

My Pastor continued preaching through Revelation.

several of the reformed churches in our town (ours included) got together sun. night for a reformation celebration. we did not go because we have small group sun. night but i would have liked to. I recently watched Martin lLuther movie and was once again so overwhelmed with our God who will not allow his chosen to go astray

In our town it is the custom that all the churches of our denomination have a joint evening service on Reformation Sunday. The sermon was from from Romans 1:1-17 and the five solas were clearly refered to. And at these occasions we usually also sing from Psalm 46!

Before the service started pictures of the major reformers were shown on a screen using data projector (The service was held in the University's auditorium). However, the thought came up with me on how many of us (including myself) that were there together really knows the history of the events about the Reformation. Does it still interest us to read in depth about these events and try to understand the darkness in which the church was before the Reformation? Do we really appreciate what the Reformation of the 16th century means for us today?

Johan

And, how many today understand how far the visible church has removed itself and even stands in opposition to most all that the Reformation accomplished and returned in myriad ways back to those dark days? And, how many realize how critical the situation is and that we are in desperate need of another reformation? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratchchin.gif" alt="" />

In His grace,

Pilgrim,

What you say is true but obviously any 21st century reformation cannot follow the same "pattern" (if I may called it that) of the 16th century protestant reformation. The situation is somewhat different in the sense that there is no single dominating church like it was then.

Here in SA there is a group of people (includes theologians) who call the themselves "The New Reformers". They have strong links with people from the Jesus Seminar (?). They use the term "Reformer" or "reformation", I think, to confuse people. They are definitely not reformed although some of them still are in the Dutch Reformed Church.

Johan

Well I'd like to point out that the LCMS and some of the ELCA churches put October 31 or the nearest Sunday to it as "Reformation Sunday" but I saw little evidence of it in the listing of sermons for the churches in our town. Most continue on with whatever sermon topic they were scheduled to preach more the pity. Typically the topic of the reformation isn't mentioned much in this town.