The Festival of the Reformation

October 26, 2003

The Rev. Dr. David M. Wendel

Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Lessons:  Jeremiah 31:31-34;  Romans 3:19-28;  St. John 8:31-36

     Flowers were blooming, trees were leafing out, birds were chirping--the signs of spring were all around the German city of Worms, seeming out of place, considering the gravity of what was to take place, indoors, before the newly elected Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the V, and the imperial diet, or congress of German prince-electors.  It was April 17, 1521, and the priest and doctor of theology from Wittenberg, Martin Luther had been summoned before the diet in an attempt to expeditiously heal the breach that he'd created in the Church, and in the Roman Empire--of course, so that the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church would be saved from schism, but even more, so that Charles could count on the wholehearted support of his German princes in defending the empire against the Turkish forces to the east.  Many thought it could be a simple proceeding.  The most offensive of Luther's writings was his essay, On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, which denied that the Mass was a new sacrifice of Christ, rather than a participation in Christ's once-for-all sacrifice on the cross at Calvary.  Many believed if Luther would only reject this one essay, the pope and the Church could save face, there could be negotiations and compromise on his other writings, and the breach could be repaired.  Surely a priest of the Church would want to prevent further division;  surely he would be an obedient son, willing to compromise to the benefit of all involved.  So, Luther came to stand before the imperial diet that day in April, 1521.  His books were laid out in front of him on a table, in full view of Emperor Charles, the prince-electors, and the small number of nobles who had gathered in the gallery.  He was asked, first, whether these were all his works, in the hope that he might immediately repudiate the essay On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church.  But, Luther acknowledged everyone of the books, and added, in fact, he had written more.  He was then asked whether he would stand by everything he'd written in these works.  This provided him with yet another opportunity to disavow one or two, while affirming the others.  Luther realized what this would mean, for the healing of the Church and empire, if he would reject some, and for further schism, and his own excommunication, if he would not.  So, Luther asked for some time to consider.  He was given till the next day.  This gave 24 hours for the word to spread and the anticipation to build--so that when the diet gathered next, the room was crowded with those curious how Luther would answer.  Once more, he was given a chance to repudiate a portion of his writings.  Luther responded by saying his writings were of three kinds:  having to do with simple Christian piety which all Christians believed;  having to do with German grievances which none of the prince-electors would want him to deny;  and the third containing personal attacks which he could not deny without giving aid to the enemy.  His examiner replied, Luther should add a further distinction, between those of his works that were bad, and those that were worse.  The examiner then asked, "Give us an answer without horns:  Do you or do you not repudiate your books and the errors they contain?"  To which Luther answered, plainly:  "Since your Majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth.  Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason--for I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other--unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason, I cannot and I will not recant anything. My conscience," Luther said, "is captive to the Word of God;  to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. God help me.  Amen."

    "My conscience is captive to the Word of God."  These are, perhaps, the most powerful words Dr. Martin Luther ever spoke.  They may be the most remembered, the most quoted, the most filmed, of all Luther's words.  And yet, how many truly hear them?  How many have considered, what they really meant, for Luther, and what they might mean, for us?  "My conscience is captive to the Word of God?"    Luther's conscience--was captive--to the Word--of God. 

     Conscience--an inner knowledge or sense of right and wrong.  Captive--a person caught and held prisoner;  a person who is captivated.  Word of God--Webster's New World College Dictionary simply states:  The Bible.  Martin Luther confessed, in Worms, April 17, 1521, that his inner knowledge, his inner sense of right and wrong, was caught and held prisoner, captivated, by Holy Scripture, and that he could not, and would not, believe, teach, or act, contrary to it.  Indeed, he said to do so would be neither right, nor safe.  His conscience was captive to the Word of God.  This, strangely enough, from  the man who, after years of struggling, after being set free by the good news that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, not by works, could say, "I felt that I was altogether reborn, that I had entered paradise itself, through open gates."  Luther's conscience was held captive, caught and held prisoner by the Word of God, yet Luther says, this Word of God set him free, gave him a new birth of freedom, as if he was in paradise, itself!  And we ask, how can this be?  As we consider Luther, captive to the Word of God, how can we understand Luther, set free by the Gospel?  Is there not some, incongruity there?  Is it possible that Luther could be held captive, while also being released?

     In our time, being freed by the Gospel, is not so hard for us to understand.  Once Luther, through the Reformation, set us free from works of the Law, set us free from having to save ourselves, most of us took that freedom, and ran with it!  Thank God, we say, we are free!  We don't have to go to Church;  we don't have to worry about those stuffy old commandments;  we don't have to heed those nasty little four-letter words:  "obedience", and "discipline", any longer.  Because God loves us, we can do anything we want--so long as we don't hurt anyone.  Or so the modern, twenty-first century Christian thinks.  We claim the freedom of the Gospel--but we turn it into untamed liberty and license.  We mistakenly think we have been freed by Jesus' death and resurrection, to do whatever we want.  And Christians, today, do pretty much, whatever they want.  We say we are Christians, but we neglect the gathering together of believers for Word and Sacrament.  We say we are Christians, but we abuse our families.  We say we are Christians, but we lie, and cheat, and steal.  We say we are Christians, but we commit adultery.  We say we are Christians, but we abuse alcohol.  We say we are Christians, but we lust after, and covet our neighbor's wife, house, big-screen TV.  We say we are Christians--but our behavior is often, anything but Christian.  And we respond, by saying, "But I'm free--I can do whatever I want!"  And Jesus responds, saying, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."  And this, confuses us.  Because, like those Jews who had believed in Jesus, we think we are free--we are not slaves, prisoners, we have never been captive to anyone, or anything!  So we ask, "Jesus, what do you mean, 'You will be made free?" 

     Well, according to Jesus, (and Luther, we might add) we are all captive to someone, or something.  And sometimes, the more we try to convince ourselves we are free, the more we try to justify our actions as the free actions of a free person, the more we are in bondage.  Ask yourself, for example, what really captivates you, in life?  What catches your attention, and holds your attention--and devotion, in life?  For example, we have teenagers in our congregation whose goal in life, whose one desire, is to be high, as often, and for as long as they can be.  We have men and women who plan their lives around spending time with their secret lovers, while spouse and children struggle on alone and lonely.  Some of us commit all our strength and energy to our careers;  some of us are devoted wholeheartedly to financial success--to a bigger home, a bigger bank account, a bigger portfolio;  some of us can't live without golf, or football;  or craps and blackjack.  Ask yourself, what really catches my attention in life, what captivates me--to what do I give my time, my energy, my devotion, in life?  It just may be, that is what enslaves you.  And the question Jesus is asking, in our gospel lesson is, do you want to be enslaved to this--career, ambition, lust, addiction?  Or, do you want to be set free?  True freedom, is not freedom, to sin.  True freedom, is not freedom, to do whatever you want, so long as you don't hurt anyone.  True freedom comes from the Son of God--and if the Son makes you free, you will be free, indeed.  But freed, for…God and His Word.  Freed, for the Truth of the Gospel, which is proclaimed to us, through Holy Scripture.  Indeed, the Son of God, Jesus, came, lived, died, was resurrected, to free us from the en-slavements of this world, so that we may captivated, held prisoner, by the Word of God--that Word of God that shows us the truth, the truth about Jesus and His death and resurrection, that sets us free, so that released from the prisons and chains of sin and disobedience, we will be free, indeed.  Born anew, to be held captive, by the Word of God.  Born anew, to be held in check, in life, by the Word of God. 

     This is what it meant for Luther, to be set free by the Good News of salvation in and through Jesus Christ, and to become captive to this Word of God, that freed him.  This is what the Reformation, really was all about--being set free from earthly structures, entanglements, demands, to be wholeheartedly dedicated to God and His will and His Word of life and freedom.  And this is what is still needed, today, in our world where freedom is abused, and people are slaves to their own sin and disobedience.  We need the freedom, that is truly, freedom.  We need to be set free from, our own sin and disobedience, set free for--the Word of God--that our consciences, may be held captive, by, the Word of God--and the Word of God alone.

     And that is why we continue to celebrate Reformation Sunday--not to bash the Roman Catholics;  not to idolize Martin Luther;  not to shout, RAH--RAH, GO LUTHERANS!  We observe Reformation Sunday because we are still, enslaved by our own sin and disobedience, and so, we still need, we need continually, to be set free, by the Son--for the Word of God!  And I pray, that you may experience that, today, this Reformation Sunday.  I pray that Jesus Christ is at work, in you, right now, right here, to set you free from your sin, your enslavements;  your prisons--to set you free, for the Word of God, which is, the Word of Truth, and so, the Word of Life! 

     In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.