The Courage of One (Martin Luther 1) Program No SPEAKERS: JOHN BRADSHAW

Transcription

1 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 1 The Courage of One (Martin Luther 1) Program No SPEAKERS: JOHN BRADSHAW This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. And you're joining me outside the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, where in the year 1517 a courageous Christian launched a revolution. His name was Martin Luther, and Martin Luther came here and to this door nailed his 95 Theses. Ninety-five points where he believed the ruling church of the day had departed from the Bible. Luther taught that salvation came only through faith in Jesus, not through human tradition or custom or human authority. Martin Luther's protest launched something that would revolutionize the world. When young Martin went to school as a child he was often bullied by other students. His family was so poor that Martin often had to go door to door singing, in order to raise a little money so that he could buy food. And his upbringing gave him a rather unfortunate picture of what God was like. He didn't see God as loving and compassionate at all, but he saw Him as cruel, vindictive, harsh, unforgiving, and as a stern judge. Martin Luther's father was a hard-working man. He was an honest man and a man of strict integrity, which is why he was so upset when Martin insisted on becoming a priest. Hans Luther was well aware of the corruption that was so rampant in the medieval Church, and he definitely did not want his son to be a part of it. So when Martin joined the monastery without his father's consent, his father was so upset that father and son were not reconciled for another two years. And even when they were, Hans Luther's opinion of the Church remained completely unchanged. At the age of 18 Martin entered the University of Erfurt. He was a good student, and he was disciplined and diligent. It wasn't long before his grades were among the highest in the student body. One day while in the library at school Martin Luther found a copy of a Latin Bible. He'd never seen a Bible before. In those days the common people weren't allowed to possess the Bible. The only Bibles that existed were kept chained to walls and monasteries and convents. Martin Luther had heard portions of the Bible, parts of the New Testament Gospels and parts of the epistles read in worship services. But he'd never held a Bible in his

2 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 2 hands. He turned the sacred pages with awe, and as he read, he came to realize more and more his true sinful condition before God. Because he wanted so much to be at peace with God, he committed himself to the life of a monk. He often said he was the strictest person in the whole monastery when it came to obedience to the rules of the order he had joined. He spent every possible moment in the study of Scripture, and he fasted and prayed frequently. Then Luther met a man who introduced him to the love of Jesus. Instead of torturing yourself on account of your sins, he told him, throw yourself into the Redeemer's arms. Love Him who first loved you. This messenger of mercy made a deep impression on the young earnest priest. For the first time in his life he saw God as a God of love, and peace flooded into his heart. When Martin was ordained, he was invited to serve as a professor of theology at the University here in Wittenberg. At first, he was very shy about preaching in the pulpit, but when he was finally convinced to do so, his eloquence captivated the crowds. Many of those who listened were convinced that God's special blessing was resting upon Martin Luther. In Rome, in Italy, is found what's known as the Holy Staircase, or Pilate's Staircase, which according to tradition Jesus walked on when He was leaving the Roman judgment hall on His way to Calvary. The story goes that this staircase was transported from Jerusalem here to Rome. In Martin Luther's time, devout men and women seeking the approval of God received an indulgence for their sins by walking up this staircase on their knees. The same still happens today. In fact, the only way you're allowed to walk up this staircase today is on your knees. Martin Luther had long dreamed of coming to the city of Rome, and when it finally became possible for him to do so, he made the long journey on foot, staying at various monasteries as he traveled. Once he reached Italy, he was shocked at the luxury in the monasteries in which he stayed: the splendid apartments, the costly robes of the monks, and the sumptuous tables at which the clergy feasted. He couldn't help contrasting this opulence with the hardship of his own upbringing. And he started to feel confused and perplexed. At last he approached the fabled City of the Seven Hills and with deep emotion prostrated himself on the earth. "Holy Rome, I salute thee," he exclaimed. He entered the city, visited the great churches and listened to the tales told by priests, bishops and cardinals. But soon his heart became deeply troubled. Everywhere he saw evidence of moral depravity, even in houses of worship. He shuddered at the indecent jokes passed

3 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 3 around by church officials. Later, Martin Luther would say "If there is a hell, Rome is built over it." In a moment, Martin Luther climbs the Holy Staircase on his knees, and history will never be the same. I'll be right back. EVERY WORD It can seem at times as though following Jesus can come at great cost. But look at what Jesus said in Luke 18 verses 29 and 30.* "There is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God who shall not receive many times more in this present time and in the age to come eternal life." Jesus says He'll give you many times more than what you were ever called to give up when you followed Him. And on top of that, He'll give you everlasting life. If you've ever been tempted to think of salvation as costing you something, keep things in perspective by keeping your eyes on the prize. Salvation cost Jesus something. It's the best deal we'll ever get. If you ever lose anything to follow Jesus, He'll make it right up to you, with interest. RETURN TO PROGRAM This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me today. As a young priest, Martin Luther visited the city of Rome and he did what so many people do when they visit Rome: He ascended Pilate's Staircase on his knees. But as he did so, he felt as though he heard a voice speaking loudly to his heart. The voice quoted the prophet Habakkuk and the Apostle Paul and said, "The just shall live by faith." Luther realized that manmade requirements wouldn't give him peace with God and that they wouldn't make him righteous. It was obvious to Luther that these things hadn't made other people righteous. Luther got off of his knees and fled, and he never did penance again. Martin soon returned to Wittenberg and obtained a doctor of divinity degree. He was now able to preach the Word of God like never before. His former shyness was gone, and he preached from the pulpit with increasing power. Luther taught people of the dangers of exalting human ideas above the Word of God. He taught against the theories of the scholars and philosophers and theologians who so often clouded the Word of God in a fog of confusion. The crowds hung on his words. The assurance of a Savior's love, the offer of pardon and peace filled thousands of hearts with hope. In Wittenberg, a torch was ignited whose brilliance would illuminate the world. It was at this time that Pope Leo X drew up plans for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica. Catholic tradition says this enormous church is built over the grave of Saint Peter. But who could afford to build a church this grand? In order to raise funds for this project, Rome offered the sale of indulgences: basically, the forgiveness of sin. Even though Rome says today that indulgences, which are still very much a part of the Vatican system, do not buy forgiveness of sin,

4 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 4 they say indulgences relieve the temporal punishment that comes as a result of sin. Back in Luther's day there was no question: forgiveness was for sale. Do you think this was an effective way of raising money for the church? Oh yes, it was. Who wouldn't give the church a little money if it meant you'd be forgiven, just like that. But this totally unbiblical practice ended up backfiring on the church. A man by the name of Tetzel was appointed as an agent of the church to sell indulgences on behalf of the church. Now, Tetzel was no choirboy; he had been convicted of fraud and embezzlement and, they say, immorality, but the church had pardoned him for all of those offenses. Tetzel would go into town and he would invent tall tales, playing upon the superstition and the ignorance of the people, almost guaranteeing that he would be able to sell these indulgences so people would be freed of their sin. Before he would get to town a messenger would go before him and declare at the gates of the city, "The grace of God and the Holy Father is upon you." Tetzel would even make a sales pitch inside churches, a lot like those people, those money changers Jesus threw out of the temple in Jerusalem. The Bible gives an explicit example of somebody who tries to buy God's favor with money. The man's name was Simon. He saw Peter and the other apostles laying hands on people. Those people were healed of physical illnesses and they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Simon wanted that power for himself. The book of Acts tells us what happened. "Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, 'Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.'" But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!" Acts 8, 18 through 20. I think most people today would find it hard to imagine that there was a time people believed that they could buy forgiveness of sin. But in Martin Luther's day, the people were almost completely ignorant about what the Bible said. All they had to base their belief on was what they were told by the priests, who knew little more about the Bible than they did. It truly was a case of the blind leading the blind. But it's interesting that indulgences are still offered today. In the year 2009, 500 years after Tetzel, the New York Times reported this: "In recent months, diocese around the world have been offering Catholics a spiritual benefit that fell out of favor decades ago: the indulgence. A sort of amnesty from punishment in the afterlife, and reminding them of the church's clout in mitigating the wages of sin." The fact that many Catholics after 50 have never sought one, and never heard of indulgences except in high school European history Martin Luther denounced the selling of them in 1517 while igniting the Protestant Reformation, simply makes their

5 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 5 reintroduction more urgent among church leaders bent on restoring fading traditions of penance in what they see as a self-satisfied world. The Word of God that brought life and hope into the heart of Martin Luther still declares, in Romans 1, verse 17, that the just shall live by faith. Only God can forgive sins, and He doesn't offer indulgences for sale. His gifts are to be received, as Isaiah said, in Isaiah 55, verse 1, "Without money and without price, forgiveness comes directly from the God of heaven." It's available to anybody who confesses and forsakes their sins. It's as simple as that. Listen to what the Bible says about it: "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Second Chronicles 7:14. "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." Proverbs 28:13. "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And he will have mercy on him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Luther was not about to let the sale of indulgences go unchallenged, and his challenge to the church would reverberate around the world. [music] Give me the Bible, star of gladness gleaming, To cheer the wand rer lone and tempest tossed; No storm can hide that radiance peaceful beaming, Since Jesus came to seek and save the lost. Give me the Bible, holy message shining; Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way; Precept and promise, law and love combining, Till night shall vanish in eternal day. Give me the Bible, when my heart is broken, When sin and grief have filled my soul with fear; Give me the precious words by Jesus spoken, Hold up faith s lamp to show my Savior near. Give me the Bible, holy message shining; Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way; Precept and promise, law and love combining, Till night shall vanish in eternal day. Give me the Bible, all my steps enlighten, Teach me the danger of these realms below;

6 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 6 That lamp of safety o er the gloom shall brighten, That light alone the path of peace can show. Give me the Bible, holy message shining; Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way; Precept and promise, law and love combining, Till night shall vanish in eternal day. OFFER "Babylon Rising" is a dynamic book that I've written, describing the significance of Babylon in Bible prophecy, and I want you to have it. Right now this powerful book is available, free, from It Is Written. Just call 1 (800) , and ask for the book "Babylon Rising." Or write to It Is Written, Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401, and we'll mail a copy to your address in North America. For even faster access, you can download a free electronic version of this book "Babylon Rising" from our website. "Babylon Rising" is also a four-part seminar that I have presented, that you can get on video. For details please visit our website, ItIsWritten.com and discover more about "Babylon Rising" and other inspirational resources. It Is Written is a faith-based outreach made possible by viewers like you. Thank you for your continued support. Call us, 1 (800) ; visit us at ItIsWritten.com. RETURN TO PROGRAM People in Martin Luther's church here in Wittenberg began coming to their pastor, asking to be forgiven for their sins, because they had bought indulgences from Tetzel. Luther was appalled, and what really horrified him is that most of these people weren't the least bit sorry for their sins and had no intention of changing their lives. Luther saw like never before that only true repentance, true sorrow for sin, can bring God's forgiveness into a person's life. He spoke more strongly than ever that human traditions could never take the place of conversion and that what God wants to see is a transformed heart, which can only be achieved by the grace of God. The Wittenberg church was a popular place because it had many holy relics that people came to see. Among these relics were vials which supposedly contained milk from the Virgin Mary, straw from the manger where Jesus lay; even the body purportedly belonging to one of the babies killed in Bethlehem by King Herod. Many had the idea that just coming to see these relics was enough to get their sins forgiven. But as All Saints Day approached in the autumn of 1517, Luther realized he

7 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 7 had an opportunity to make clear to the people the correct method of receiving pardon and forgiveness from God. He wrote up a list of 95 points where he felt his church had departed from the truths of the Bible. These became known as Martin Luther's 95 Theses, and he nailed them to the doors of this very church. October 31 is considered by many to be Halloween. And it's fair to say that through the sale of indulgences and the viewing of supposedly sacred relics as a means for obtaining pardon and favor with God, the people were being tricked and not treated. Martin Luther believed that the deception had to end. Luther's teaching soon spread throughout Germany and copies of his writings were quickly circulated around other countries in Europe. Barriers began to fall in the minds of many. Eyes that for so long had been focused on manmade rights and traditions were now opened to see that great truth declared in the New Testament, that there is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. And people began to understand that salvation came by faith alone through grace alone. But not everybody was happy to accept Martin Luther's message about faith and forgiveness from the Bible. People had for so long been accustomed to looking to the church for forgiveness that they had a hard time adapting to what Martin Luther was saying. High officials in the church were furious that there was a young monk who dared to stand alone and teach contrary to the teachings of the church. Before too long Martin Luther was summoned to Augsburg to appear before a papal representative on charges of heresy. Again and again it was demanded that Luther retract his positions. But Luther demanded, every single time, that he be shown from the Bible where his positions were wrong. And because there was no biblical evidence that Luther was wrong, Luther stood his ground. Finally, Pope Leo X issued the order excommunicating Martin Luther from the Roman Catholic Church. The reformer was denounced as cursed by heaven and cast out of the church, and all who embraced his teachings were threatened with the same. The great struggle for the soul of Christendom commenced. The Protestant Reformation had begun. It was from Wittenberg that Luther left to appear before the Diet of Worms. And it was here in Wittenberg that Luther preached so powerfully, studied the Scriptures with so many, and taught the Word of God as the basis of faith.

8 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 8 Martin Luther was truly a light that shone in darkness. What happened here in Wittenberg changed the world. People were introduced to a Savior who forgave sin freely and to a God who could be known personally on the basis of what He had revealed about Himself in the Bible. Walking the streets of Wittenberg today, it isn't hard to imagine Martin Luther boldly striding to the doors that hung here at the Castle Church and nailing to those doors his 95 Theses. It isn't likely that Luther intended to pick a fight with his church, but by the time his work was done, people had the Bible in their hands, truth burning in their hearts, and light and not darkness shining on their pathway. [music] Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe! You that are longing to see his face, will you this moment his grace receive? Grace, grace, God's grace, grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin! grace that is greater than all our sin! In a distant corner of Germany, 500 years ago, Luther saw to it that light began to shine in this world. My prayer for you is that that light will shine in your heart. Let's pray together. PRAYER Our father in heaven, one life, one individual who changed the world under the influence of Your Holy Spirit Though not a perfect man, undoubtedly, Lord, You used Martin Luther in magnificent ways. And to anyone willing to receive the gift, the Bible is given today as the sole rule of faith and practice for the believer in Jesus. Father, thank You for the freedom to know You, the freedom to worship You, the freedom to read the Bible--a freedom that not everybody in this world has. Thank You for the great work of those men and women of God who have gone before us. May we not waste the great privileges that have been handed to us as a legacy of their faithfulness to You. Bless us as we know You, cling to You, and read and study Your Word, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

9 It Is Written Script: 1290 The Courage of One Page 9 It Is Written PO Box 6, Chattanooga, TN USA Tel: Fax: * Bible verses are from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.