Mid-Week Musings

October 23, 2024

Suggested Reading: Ephesians 2:8-9

Dear NBRC Family & Friends,

On October 31, 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Even though Luther’s original intent was simply to invite others to debate him on his views, he became a leader in calling the Church into a time of reformation and change according to the Word of God. Even though what became known as the Protestant Reformation began on October 31, many churches recognize the last Sunday of October, which this year is October 27, as Reformation Sunday and as a way of commemorating the Reformation.

Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses were statements regarding some of his concerns about certain practices in the Roman Catholic Church of his day. The Church had slipped into a time of corruption that manifested itself in a number of ways. Some of the things Luther protested were the authority of the Church, the sale of indulgences, and the manner of Christ’s presence in the Lord’s Supper.

Key principles or statements at the heart of the Reformation can be summarized as:

 Scripture alone.
 Christ alone.
 Faith alone.
 Grace alone.
 Glory to God alone.

These essentials of Christianity and the Reformed faith have come to be known as The Five Solas. (“Sola” is a Latin term meaning “alone”.)

Not only does the entire Christian Church need to continually measure itself according to the Word of God, so do individual believers. We need to look at our lives through the lens of Scripture to see where we, too, might be out of line with what the Word of God teaches. May God give us the desire and the strength to make whatever change might be necessary.

Pastor Ron

(Next Sunday morning, October 27, the sermon title will be The Healing of Bartimaeus. The Scripture lesson will be from Mark 10:46-52. Hope to be with you Sunday, in person or online!)