Reformation Sunday:

“Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?”Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31-36

“Jesus speaks to us today of truth. And of slavery to sin. And of his being our freedom as he both models and grants this unfathomable acceptance. And we know in our gut, don’t you think, as well as in our experience that truth sets us free? But first it has to be spoken, received, and embraced. Or so it seems to me. First we have to acknowledge our utter slavery to that which binds us up. And our need to be set free. And that we have nowhere to turn but to the only one who can bring this marvelous gift of freedom to us.

This is the wonder of Jesus’ words for us today and every day. It’s not up to me or you. Jesus came to set us free. We can’t do it. All we can do — all we have to do — is know our need and be grateful in the gift. All we have to do is cast aside the biggest lie of all: that we can do it all ourselves and that our value rests in that. It does not. And sometimes coming to that larger truth begins in simply speaking what truths we know here and now as best we can. Jesus says today that our freedom can only come from outside ourselves: that we have to be ‘set free’ by him. (The Rev. Dr. Janet H. Hunt, “On Truth and Freedom and the One Who Sets Us Free”, October 19, 2014, word.dancingwiththeword.com)

Thomas Merton, Catholic priest and mystic, a prolific writer wrote these words about society: “We are living in the greatest revolution – a profound spiritual crisis of the whole world, manifested largely in cynicism, violence, conflict, and ambivalence…we do not know if we are building a fabulously wonderful world or destroying all that we ever had, all that we have achieved.”

At the root of our faith, as Lutherans, is our relationship with G-d: “faith alone” (sola fide) and “Scripture alone” (sola scriptura), and “Grace alone” (sola gratia). We believe that we are justified with G-d through our faith, alone – because scripture tells us of the story of G-d’s greatest act of Grace: the cross of Jesus Christ. But that does not mean that we can go it alone. Justification means that we are made right in G-d’s eyes only through “faith” that comes to us when we hear, read, and live out G-d’s “Word”. That should not mean that we come to this congregation on Sunday to worship hoping that people will leave us alone. As Lutherans, we historically have focused too much on the word “alone” and the word “grace”, and not enough on the words “faith” and “Scripture”. In other words, instead of being comfortable with being “evangelists” and doing “evangelism”, we would rather have people leave us alone so we can live out our lives of faith. That used to work enough to sustain a faith community – at least up until the 1990’s. However, we no longer can think that just our presence (church building) in the community will attract people to our message and ministry. I ask you, for the near future and beyond, to return to the five pillars of Lutheranism: Word Alone, Christ Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, and Christ’s love. Allow G-d’s Word to compel you to live “In Christ”, to live in G-d’s “Grace”, to strengthen your “Faith”, to give you the courage to get involved and to share G-d’s love every day, in every way, with everyone you meet.

Pastor Dave