A Mighty Fortress is Our God

Transcription

1 A Mighty Fortress is Our God A few years ago, actually a lot of years ago, in 1978 when I was in college, I went on a summer project with Campus Crusade for Christ, now called CRU, back to the East coast to a summer resort town called Wildwood NJ, where I learned about applying the Christian faith. I was with over 60 other students, and each night we would have meetings in an old Baptist Church. And I remember one particular night, as our habit was to sing praise songs to start off our meeting, as I was singing the song I heard very distinctly a voice in my head that said Be still and know that I am God. At the time I stopped singing immediately and began marveling at how awesome God was. I had never had anything like that happen to me. What I didn t know at the time was that saying was directly out of scripture, out of Psalm 46 verse 10. I was a fairly new believer. I didn t find that out until a year later when I read it, much to my surprise. Psalm 46 says: Psalms 46:1-11 To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, (3) though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. (4) There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. (5) God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. (6) The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. (7) The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (8) Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. (9) He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. (10) "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (11) The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Around that same time I began to learn the hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God. This became one of my favorite hymns, so much so that I memorized the words. Years later I discovered that this hymn, which was written by Martin Luther sometime between 1527 and 1529, was also based on Psalm 46. The lyrics to this song go like this: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing Our Helper He amid the flood, Of mortal ills prevailing For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe His craft and power are great, And armed with cruel hate On earth is not his equal Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing Were not the right man on our side, The man of God s own choosing Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He Lord Sabaoth His name, From age to age the same And He must win the battle 1

2 And tho this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us We will not fear, for God hath willed, His truth to triumph thru us The prince of darkness grim, We tremble not for him His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure One little word shall fell him That word above all earthly pow rs, No thanks to them, abideth The Spirit and the gifts are ours Thru Him who with us sideth Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also The body they may kill; God s truth abideth still His kingdom is forever. A-men Luther s comment on Music was "Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. She is a mistress and governess of those human emotions...which control men or more often overwhelm them...whether you wish to comfort the sad, to subdue frivolity, to encourage the despairing, to humble the proud, to calm the passionate, or to appease those full of hate...what more effective means than music could you find?" Although we don t know the circumstances of why he wrote, we do know that Luther wrote several hymns, approximately 36 of them. This by far is his most recognized. The hymn is a celebration of the sovereign power of God over all earthly and spiritual forces, and of the sure hope we have in him because of Christ. After its publication, it gained immense popularity throughout Reformed Europe. The hymn, like Luther, is bold, confident, and a bit defiant. But what really strikes me is the truth and theology of the words that were such a contrast to what the Roman Catholic Church had been teaching. In this hymn, we can see the great ideas of the Reformation. We have talked about those ideas, and it is a good idea to review them. I. The Importance of the Protestant Reformation & the Five Solas 1. The Bible is the only source of revealed truth and authority, not the Pope, church tradition, or church leaders. 2. We are justified by faith alone. Good works does not save you, as Pastor Bobby preached last week. Nor do practicing the sacraments saves you. 3. The priesthood consists of all true believers. You don t need a holy priest to confess to, to intercede for us to God. Because we have Christ, we can go directly to God. The 5 Solas of the Protestant Reformation The five solas is a term used to designate five great foundational rallying cries of the Protestant reformers. They are as follows: 1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone); 2. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone); 3. Sola Fide Justification by Faith Alone; 4. Solus Christus (Christ Alone); and 5. Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be the Glory). All 5 of those solas stand in direct opposition to RC teaching. And this is what the reformers communicated to the people, so that the people would know and understand a difference between RC and what Protestants believed. 2

3 II. Three Major Works of Martin Luther (1520) Last week Gary talked about Luther s 95 Thesis that he penned in the year 1517 while he was living in Wittenburg Germany. As a result of these thesis, the Pope issued a summons for Luther to appear in Rome. Luther refused to go. Failing this, the Pope issued a written response, or rather a rebuttal to Luther, called a Papal Bull, in June of 1520, censuring forty one of Luther s 95 propositions, and threatened him with excommunication unless he recanted within a sixty-day period. Luther s response was to write three tracts of huge importance to the Protestant Reformation. Because of the printing press, Luther s tracts spread like wildflower all over Europe. And they essentially laid the foundation for a new type of church. Let s look at these three tracts, or treatises. Address to the German Nobility The first tract was called Address to the German Nobility written in August of It was written to the German nobility for a reason. Luther wanted them to respond to the Catholic Church in a certain way. 1. This work attacked the corruption of the church and the abuse of its authority. It struck a blow at the church hierarchical system. 2. It affirms the priesthood of all believers. 3. But this does not mean that anyone who wants should be able to preach the Word. I would like to read you some of the things Luther wrote: Babylonian Captivity of the Church The second tract is called Babylonian Captivity of the Church. Written in October 1520, this work deals with the subject of the sacraments. Luther speaks of a three-fold bondage under which Christians have been placed. 1. Withholding the cup from the laity. 2. Transubstantiation. Luther denies that the substance of the bread and wine are changed, but argues that the true body and blood are received in and with the elements. 3. The false teaching that the sacrament is an opus operatum (literally "the work wrought," a Latin phrase used to denote the spiritual effect in the performance of a religious rite which accrues from the virtue inherent in it, or by grace imparted to it). On the contrary, Luther taught that sacraments are useless without faith, and even harmful to the one partaking of it. On Christian Liberty The third tract is called On Christian Liberty, or sometimes called On the Freedom of a Christian. In it Luther develops the concept that as fully forgiven children of God, Christians are no longer compelled to keep God's law; however, they freely and willingly serve God and their neighbors. It was written in November In this work Luther sets aside polemics to present a glowing picture of the freedom. 3

4 1. The commands of God show us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it. 2. Luther denies that we are justified by works. Justification is by faith alone. 3. Luther says that when we are transformed by justifying faith, we shall naturally perform the works, which are pleasing to God. A few quotes from this work: A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to everyone. Although these statements appear contradictory, yet, when they are found to agree together. Man is composed of a twofold nature, a spiritual and a bodily. As regards the spiritual nature, which they name the soul, he is called the spiritual, inward, new man; as regards the bodily nature, which they name the flesh, he is called the fleshly, outward, old man. The Apostle speaks of this: "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is relieved day by day." (2 Cor. 4:16.) The result of this diversity is, that in the Scriptures, opposing statements are made concerning the same man; the fact being that in the same man these two men are opposed to one another; the flesh lusting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. (Gal. 5:17.) And, to cast everything aside, even speculations, meditations and whatever things can be performed by the exertions of the soul itself, are of no profit. One thing, and one alone, is necessary for life, justification, and Christian liberty; and that is the most holy word of God, the Gospel of Christ, as He says: "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me shall not die eternally " (John 11:25) ; and also (John 8:36) "If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed;" and (Matt. 4:4), "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Let us therefore hold it for certain and firmly established, that the soul can do without everything, except the word of God, without which none at all of its wants are provided for. But, having the word, it is rich and want for nothing; since that is the word of life, of truth, of light, of peace, of justification, of salvation, of joy, of liberty, of wisdom, of virtue, of grace, of glory, and of every good thing. It is on this account that the prophet in a whole psalm, and in many other places, sighs for and calls upon the word of God with so many groanings and words. But you will ask:--"what is this word, and by what means is it to be used, since there are so many words of God?" I answer, the Apostle Paul (Rom. 1) explains what it is, namely, the Gospel of God, concerning His Son, incarnate, suffering, risen, and glorified through the Spirit, the sanctifier. To preach Christ is to feed the soul, to justify it, to set it free, and to save it, if it believes the preaching. For faith alone, and the efficacious use of the word of God, bring salvation. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. 10:9) And again: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth" (Rom. 10:4); and "The just shall live by faith." (Rom. 1:17) For the word of God cannot be received and honoured by any works, but by faith alone. Hence it is clear that, as the soul needs the word alone for life and justification, so it is justified by faith 4

5 alone and not by any works. For if it could be justified by any other means, it would have no need of the word, nor consequently of faith. And now let us turn to the other part, to the outward man. Here we shall give an answer to all those who, taking offence at the word of faith and at what I have asserted, say: "If faith does everything, and by itself suffices for justification, why then are good works commanded? Are we then to take our ease and do no works, content with faith?" Not so, impious man, I reply; not so. That would indeed really be the case, if we were thoroughly and completely inner and spiritual persons; but that will not happen until the last day, when the dead shall be raised. As long as we live in the flesh, we are but beginning and making advances in that which shall be completed in a future life. On this account the Apostle calls that which we have in this life, the first-fruits of the Spirit. (Rom. 8:23) In future we shall have the fullness of the Spirit. To this part belongs the fact I have stated before, that the Christian is the servant of all and subject to all. For in that part in which he is free, he does no works, but in that in which he is a servant, he does all works. III. Consequences of His Actions During the time these works were being published, Luther received the Papal Bull in early October He had sixty days to recant. And sixty days after Luther had received a copy of this bull, he invited the local university faculty and students to assemble that morning at the Elster Gate in Wittenberg. A bonfire was lit and volumes of canon law, papal constitutions, and works of scholastic theology were burned. Luther himself tossed a copy of the bull into the flames. Having done so, Luther is reported to have said, "Because you have confounded the truth of God, today the Lord confounds you. Into the fire with you! Luther further stated, Since they have burned my books, I burn theirs. The canon law was included because it makes the pope a god on earth. So far I have merely fooled with this business of the pope. All my articles condemned by Antichrist are Christian. Seldom has the pope overcome anyone with Scripture and with reason. Luther was summoned by the emperor Charles V to appear at the Diet of Worms, a formal deliberative council of the whole Empire, in January 1521 (show map of Germany and Worms). In April 1521 Luther was asked if he had written the above mentioned books and other documents. He confessed: "They are all mine, but they are not all of one sort. If I now recant these, then, I would be doing nothing but strengthening tyranny. Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me, Amen. While the council debated privately to determine Luther s fate, he left Worms and was subsequently kidnapped by Prince Frederick, who seized him on his way home and hid 5

6 him in Wartburg Castle in Wittenburg. It was during his time in Wartburg that Luther began his German translation of the Bible. (Show Wartburg Castle). IV. The German translation of the New Testament Martin Luther was the first to translate and publish the Bible in the common language of the German people. He used Erasmus 1516 critical Greek edition text, which later came to be known as the Textus Receptus (the received text) from which our King James Bible was translated. To help him in translating into contemporary German, Luther would make forays into nearby towns and markets to listen to people speaking. He wanted to ensure their comprehension by translating as closely as possible to their contemporary language usage. His translation was published in September 1522, six months after he had returned to Wittenberg. Luther completed the Old Testament resulting in an entire German language Bible in About this same time, Martin Luther became a friend and confidant of William Tyndale who translated the Textus Receptus into English. V. Luther s Family Life Katharina von Bora was born on 29 January 1499, in Saxony (near Leipzig). Her father sent the five year old Katherina to the Benedictine cloister in Brehna (40 miles south of Wittenberg in 1504 for education. At the age of nine she moved to the Cistercian monastery Marienthron (Mary's Throne) in Nimbschen, where her maternal aunt was already a member of the community. Eventually she became interested in the growing reform movement and grew dissatisfied with her life in the monastery. Conspiring with several other nuns to flee in secrecy, she contacted Luther and begged for his assistance. On Easter eve, 4 April 1523, Luther sent Leonhard Köppe, a city councilman of Torgau and merchant who regularly delivered herring to the monastery. The nuns successfully escaped by hiding in Köppe's covered wagon among the fish barrels, and fled to Wittenberg. Luther at first asked the parents and relations of the refugee nuns to admit them again into their houses, but they declined to receive them, possibly as this was participating in a crime under canon law. Within two years, Luther was able to arrange homes, marriages, or employment for all of the escaped nuns except for Katharina. She first was housed with the family of Philipp Reichenbach, the city clerk of Wittenberg, and later went to the home of Lucas Cranach and his wife, Barbara. Luther eventually married Katharina on June 13, 1525 before witnesses including Johannes Bugenhagen, and Barbara and Lucas Cranach. There was a wedding breakfast the next morning with a small company, but two weeks later on June 27, they held a more formal public ceremony, which was presided over by Bugenhagen. Katharina was 26 years old, Luther 41. The couple took up residence in "The Black Cloister. Katharina immediately took on the task of administering and managing the vast holdings of the monastery, breeding and selling cattle, and running a brewery in order to provide for their family and the steady stream of students who boarded with them and visitors seeking audiences with Luther. In times of widespread illness, Katharina operated a hospital on site, ministering to the sick alongside other nurses. Luther called her the "boss of Zulsdorf," after the name of the farm they owned, and the "morning star of Wittenberg" for her habit of rising at 4 a.m. to take care of her various responsibilities. Katharina bore six children: Johannes (Hans) ( ), Elizabeth ( ) who died at eight months, Magdalena ( ) who died at thirteen years, Martin Jr. ( ), Paul ( ), and Margarete 6

7 ( ); in addition she suffered a miscarriage in The Luthers also raised four orphan children, including Katharina's nephew, Fabian. When Martin Luther died in 1546, Katharina was left in difficult financial straits without Luther's salary as professor and pastor. She was asked to move out of the old abbey and into much more modest quarters with the children who remained at home, but she initially refused. She remained in Wittenberg in poverty until 1552, when an outbreak of the Black Plague and a harvest failure forced her to leave the city. She fled to Torgau where her cart was involved in a bad accident near the city gates, seriously injuring Katharina. She died in Torgau about three months later on December 20, 1552 at the age of fifty-three and was buried at Torgau's Saint Mary's Church, far from her husband's grave in Wittenberg. She is reported to have said on her deathbed, "I will stick to Christ as a burr to cloth." In honor of Martin Luther, it is fitting that we should end our discussion of him by all singing his hymn A Mighty Fortress is Our God 7

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9 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

10 Psalm 46 To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (2) Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, (3) though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah (4) There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. (5) God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. (6) The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. (7) The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah (8) Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. (9) He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. (10) "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (11) The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

11 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing Our Helper He amid the flood, Of mortal ills prevailing For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe His craft and power are great, And armed with cruel hate On earth is not his equal Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing Were not the right man on our side, The man of God s own choosing Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He Lord Sabaoth His name, From age to age the same And He must win the battle And tho this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us We will not fear, for God hath willed, His truth to triumph thru us The prince of darkness grim, We tremble not for him His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure One little word shall fell him That word above all earthly pow rs, No thanks to them, abideth The Spirit and the gifts are ours Thru Him who with us sideth Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also The body they may kill; God s truth abideth still His kingdom is forever.

12 The Importance of the Protestant Reformation 1. The Bible is the only source of revealed truth and authority 2. We are justified by faith alone 3. The priesthood consists of all true believers The 5 Solas of the Protestant Reformation 1. Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone 2. Sola Gratia - Grace Alone 3. Sola Fide - Faith Alone 4. Solus Christus - Christ Alone 5. Soli Deo Gloria - To God Alone Be the Glory

13 Three Major Works of Martin Luther (1520) 1. Address to the German Nobility A. This work attacked the corruption of the church and the abuse of its authority. It struck a blow at the church hierarchical system. B. It affirms the priesthood of all believers. C. But this does not mean that anyone who wants should be able to preach the Word.

14 Three Major Works of Martin Luther (1520) 2. Babylonian Captivity of the Church A. Withholding the cup from the laity. B. Transubstantiation. Luther denies that the substance of the bread and wine are changed, but argues that the true body and blood are received in and with the elements. C. The false teaching that the sacrament is an opus operatum (literally "the work wrought, a Latin phrase used to denote the spiritual effect in the performance of a religious rite which accrues from the virtue inherent in it, or by grace imparted to it). On the contrary, Luther taught that sacraments are useless without faith, and even harmful to the one partaking.

15 Three Major Works of Martin Luther (1520) 3. On Christian Liberty A. The commands of God show us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it. B. Luther denies that we are justified by works. Justification is by faith alone. C. Luther says that when we are transformed by justifying faith, we shall naturally perform the works, which are pleasing to God.

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