On Sunday, October 29, churches around the world will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The day commemorates Martin Luther’s posting his 95 Theses on the Castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. At the beginning of the century, most of Europe had been without a Bible they could read for about a thousand years. Common thought was that salvation could be earned. People worked at goodness, but had no assurance of salvation. It was, in fact, considered presumptuous to claim assurance.
Luther, a monk at the Black Monastery in Wittenberg, struggled with uncertainty. The writer of a Britannica article describes Luther’s pre-conversion life: Despite the most punctilious performance of the minutiae of the rule of his order, the most rigorous asceticism, he had hitherto failed to find peace of conscience, the assurance of acceptance in the sight of God, and he had been periodically harassed by doubts on the score of his personal salvation. He describes Luther’s temperament as “highstrung, emotional, impressionable, and liable to fits of depression. He had a sensitive conscience and a keen sense of sin.” Efforts to abide by the rules of his order only intensified his guilt. With no real hope of heaven, he was terrified of death and shrieked with fear when caught in a thunderstorm and nearly stuck by lightning.
During the winter of 1512 to 1513, Luther’s spirit was awakened as he meditated on Romans 1:16-17: “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.'” He wrote of the experience: “I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered Paradise itself through open gates.”
Luther’s writing of the 95 Theses was largely in protest of the selling and buying of indulgences. Individuals bought their way out of doing penance, hoped for remission of sins, or interceded for souls in purgatory, while the papal treasury grew. Luther sought to distinguish between true repentance and simply doing penance. He and other reformers embraced the doctrines of sola scriptura, Scripture alone, or the Bible as the final authority; and sola fide, faith alone, or justification by faith. The revolution of faith was intensified by the invention of the Gutenberg Press in the previous century, making possible the rapid distribution of God’s Word.
Sources: “Why the Reformation Still Matters,” Michael Reeves; “Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide,” Guy Prentiss Waters: Tabletalk,
October 2017. Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 14, 1963.
Events in October:
- Choir Practice (Tuesdays @ 6:30 and 7PM) – Junior and Senior Choir are back again for this fall season as they each prepare for the Christmas Cantata. Junior Choir (Children and Youth) begins at 6:30PM and the Senior Choir (Adults) starts at 7PM. Come along and join us!
- Bible Study (Wednesdays @ 7PM) – Each week join Pastor David as we spend time together in prayer and study through the word of God. Previously we’ve done Proverbs, Elijah, John’s New Testament Letters, and Spiritual Warfare. Each Wednesday night at 7PM we will have been studying a 16 session study on the book of Romans. The book of Romans is widely regarded as one of the most influential writings of all time. The foundation document of Paul’s theology, Romans shaped the teachings of influential leaders such as Augustine, Luther, Bunyan, and Wesley – and continues to change million of lives today. Our study continues to explore this beloved book of scripture that calls us to transformed living showing us how to put our beliefs into practice.
- Grand-pal Luncheon (Oct 15th) – As our students head back to school during this time of year, they are connected with an adult in the church who connects with them and continually prays for the success, growth, and spiritual maturity. If you or your family would like to be involved or want to signup for this luncheon, be sure to stop in and you’ll find all the info you need on the bulletin board.
- Harvest Party (Saturday Oct. 21st @ 5PM) – Each year during the fall, families gather for a fun night together here at the church for games, great food, and even a hay ride! This year we will have a scavenger hunt, games, and lots of fun sure to be had for the ENTIRE family. This is not just for kids or families – it’s an event for the whole church! We look forward to seeing you!
Upcoming Events:
- Daylight Savings (Nov. 5th) – “Fall Back” is the word to remember that Sunday as we all get an extra hour of sleep. Don’t forget to change your clocks back 1 hour – but hey, at least if you forget you’ll be nice and early for church that morning!
- Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes – Stay tuned for more info coming. While you wait, start praying for the child(ren) who will receive your boxes and even start collecting/shopping.
Advent Begins (Dec. 3rd) – The Christmas season is a time for celebrations! If you’re like me, the moment that Thanksgiving is done, it’s officially Christmas season (even though I know some people like to start even earlier). It’s the season we’ve waited for all year. So let’s celebrate by looking back at this special time of year through the eyes of those who were a part of that special time. May we begin our Advent season in celebration of what is to come – like it’s the first time we’ve heard the story; full of joy, excitement, and anticipation! Join us for our special Advent sermon series: “HARK” all throughout the month of December!- Christmas Cantata & Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service (Dec. 24th @ 10:15AM – Join us this Sunday morning for a special time of worship from our Children and Adult choirs as they present the Christmas story through music and song. It’s always a special time for families to watch and participate in as we readily await our Savior’s birth! AND Join us for our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight that will happen during our morning worship service as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Bring the whole family and invite a friend to this very special time of our service that morning that you won’t want to miss!
Don’t forget to stay in touch here on our website as well as at our church! Feel free to COMMENT and SHARE with your friends on social media and we look forward to seeing you at California EC Church this month!
Did you miss out on a new a post or missed a Sunday and want to hear the message? Be sure to check back for more Monthly Snapshots (always on the 1st of the month), “The Gospel According to…” reviews, recorded sermons, and lots of other great things here on our church blog and website!
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