From the Desk of the Associate Pastor

The Reformation may seem like a singular historical event, but there is more to the equation. When Luther and others began demanding change in the church, they were not necessarily of the mindset that it would be a once-and-done issue. Yet, in much of Lutheranism, we can treat the Reformation as a day when we simply wear red, sing A Mighty Fortress, and talk explicitly about Martin Luther in sermons and Sunday school lessons.

That misses the mark. There is a richness in the Reformation tradition that goes far beyond remembering an event that happened more than 500 years ago. For Luther, perhaps the most essential question was: Does the church still proclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord?

That is the same question we should be asking today. Relics, indulgences, and the like had been elevated to places of tremendous religious importance in Luther’s time. Priests were often understood as being on a higher spiritual plane than ordinary Christians. Those deemed saints could appear to be superstar disciples. There was a clear distinction between what was considered sacred or holy and what was considered ordinary. Luther resisted this vehemently. He was adamant that Christ alone should be at the center of the church’s proclamation.The reason Luther believed this so strongly was because of God’s radical grace
revealed through Jesus Christ. We confess that we are created good yet fallen, that all of us
fall short of the glory of God, and that we receive the grace we need through the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. We do not earn this grace. We do not achieve it through exceptional holiness.
It is given to us because of Christ.

That is a life-changing message.

Today, we probably are not purchasing indulgences or collecting relics, but we can still elevate other things to a place of excessive importance. Our particular worship preferences, opinions about church attire, favorite hymns, political convictions, understanding of theology or the Bible, or even the way we believe church “needs to be” can begin occupying a place they were never intended to occupy.
There is nothing wrong with having preferences or deeply held beliefs. They allow for diversity and richness in the church. However, the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and has rescued us from the powers of sin and death belongs in a category all its own. Nothing can climb to that level of importance.

So maybe the Reformation invites us to ask some challenging questions. Do I judge the faithfulness of the church primarily by whether I like the worship service?
Does a sermon need to speak directly to me for me to consider it a worthy proclamation of
the Gospel? Do I expect the ELCA, my congregation, my pastor, or my fellow Christians to match all of my views? Do I ever value my own knowledge, preferences, or perceived holiness above the grace given to all of us in Christ?

Those questions aren’t meant to suggest that nothing else matters. Rather, they help
us remember what matters most…our relationship with God through Christ. The Reformation is not simply an opportunity to remember Martin Luther (in fact, he would probably be quite mad about that). It is an invitation for the church in every generation to examine itself and ask again: Are we proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord? Where the answer becomes unclear, that means we have work to do. Perhaps, on this side of God’s kingdom, there will always be work to do. Yet, there is joy in doing that work and seeing the Holy Spirit forgive us, open us up to a new way of life, and transform the world into one where grace, hope, and love are center.