Reformation Sunday
Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I wonder how often people think about the reading on a given Sunday and try to figure out why that reading pertains to a specific celebration.
Our first reading for today was from the book of Revelation. The verses record an apocalyptic vision John had about an angel proclaiming the eternal gospel for all people. The significance of an eternal gospel and the efforts of the reformers to renew the focus of the church on the gospel are clear. What many don't know is that it was commonly accepted in Luther's time that the end of days was at hand. The medieval social structure was crumbling and the Muslims were pushing into Europe. People just didn't see how things could continue with all of the upheaval in the world.
On this Reformation Sunday many may be thinking the same thing for the similar reasons. A world wide financial crisis threatens our livelihoods, liberal culture is trying to undermine the family and write God out of our lives, and brothers and sisters in Christ in other parts of the world are persecuted. I'm sure we could compile quite a list of troubling issues in the world to point to the end times. However that would be folly for scripture clearly states only the Father knows the time.
Instead we should recognize that the reformation is a celebration of renewal, a time of refocusing on the truth of the Gospel. A time to remember that we are a chosen people not because we make ourselves special but because the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to the truth that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah, and He was the final atonement for our sinfulness. As Paul clearly shares in the epistles we are justified by faith apart from works.
If you give it some thought you might say there were two reformations the first when Jesus came to be a gift to us in the new covenant of his blood. Then 1500 years later Luther led a second reformation, a renewal of the church, a refocusing on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and away from the institution of the church.
Luther was not the first to try to reform the church but as they say timing and presentation are everything. Luther's focus was on reforming the church not breaking away however that was not to be. Luther's success in large part was due to a new form of information distribution. Guttenberg's printing press made it easy to distribute written material en mass. Along with his famous 95 Thesis Luther was instrumental in translating the bible into German. At last, the people could read the bible in their own language. Now it was possible to study the word without the need for translation from the clergy. A great breakthrough except that illiteracy was very high. So there still was dependence on the clergy to teach the Word.
Now we find ourselves in the midst of another reformation. Like 500 years ago it is fueled in part by a revolution in information distribution, the internet. As before there is disillusionment with the church or rather the institution of the church. Whether its true or not "the church" is viewed by the outside world as a self-serving institution, a club so to speak. Although surveys indicate spirituality is on the rise, and the hunger for God is growing, the spiritually unchurched look elsewhere for answers. Perhaps due in part because the churched say they are spiritual but don't exhibit it in their lives.
There are those who say that we are in the last generation that sees financial support of the church as a duty or necessity. Spiritual but independent, people are tending to give financial support directly to causes rather than funnel their donations through the church. I'm told hundreds of churches in our synod have closed in the last few years, which gives some credence to the premise of this being the last generation to financially support the organized church. However, it's just as likely that those churches really were self-serving clubs. Quite possibly the focus of these churches was somewhere other than Jesus and the mission He to gave His people.
Nevertheless, people are looking to the internet to find answers to spiritual issues. Why bother driving to church and possibly having to interact with people when a few keystrokes can find the answer? Of course, we know there is danger on the internet. A plethora of misinformation exists on the internet and circulates in emails. I have even found websites based on the premise of this new reformation, providing information about the Gospel, and attacking the church at the same time. True or not people are exposed en mass to these views and all manner of interpretation of scripture.
Misinformation aside, is this emerging reformation wrong? This new reformation is closer to the apostolic age than many would like to admit. After all the focus is on the Gospel and like the apostolic age there is no concern about the church as an institution. Further people didn't meet in buildings specifically built for worship they gathered in homes for the most part.
So if our mission is to reach the unchurched how are we going to do it?
These people aren't coming to us in some cases they are running from us. As Jesus said in Matthew 28 GO and make disciples.
If we are really intent on reaching them we need to go to them. We need to provide things they need in their lives. Reaching them on a spiritual level won't cut it. They can look up the information on their own, albeit they may not fully understand it or worse get misinformation. Life issues are more immediate than spiritual issues to them. Some creativity and effort are required to reach these people. We need to provide life coaching and assistance to develop relationships outside of this building. Think about the positive impact that can be made by assisting with financial planning, parenting help, single parent assistance, recovery ministry, marriage seminars. Imagine adopting a school to help tutor students. Imagine taking Sunday school to a public place open to anyone who wants to take part.
If we are willing to tackle this challenge we need to fill real needs in the community and help better the community at large.
Are we ready to show the community we are not part of "the institution"?
Are we going to be part of this reformation or left behind?
That is a question each of us has to answer in our own hearts. It will require getting outside of our comfort zone.
In the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
