The Reformation: Authority, Evangelism, and Discipleship

The main subject is the Reformation, its crucial role for the church, and its focus on the authority of God's word.

### The Authority of God's Word in the Reformation and Today
* 📜 The 16th-century Reformation was a response to the question of ultimate authority, with the Reformers declaring the **supremacy of God's Word** over papal authority and tradition.
* 📜 Martin Luther's 95 Theses, posted in 1517, challenged the Roman Catholic Church's practices, sparking the Reformation by emphasizing **sola scriptura** and the **sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice**.
* 🔥 Luther's refusal to recant at the Diet of Worms in 1521 demonstrated his commitment to the **authority of Scripture**, leading to his **excommunication** and the subsequent **spread of the Reformation**.
* 📖 The translation of the Bible into vernacular languages, such as Luther's German Bible and Tyndale's English Bible, played a crucial role in making **God's Word accessible to the common people**.
* 💒 The Reformation also emphasized the importance of **biblical worship, preaching, and education**, leading to a **revival of the church's core practices**.
* 🌐 Today, the church is called to observe all that Christ has commanded, **preserving and guarding the Word of God** in the face of cultural and theological challenges.
* 🙏 The Great Commission in Matthew 28:17-20 highlights the **authority of Christ** and the **discipleship of the church**, emphasizing the **teaching and observance of God's commands**.
* 🛡 Just as the Reformers stood firm on the **authority of Scripture**, modern believers are called to be "**steadfast in the faith**" and "**constantly reformed by the Word**" in all aspects of church life.

if you would take your copy of God's word and open with me to the Book of Matthew chapter 28. Matthew chapter 28 and we will give attention to the reading of God's word beginning in verse 17 and read down to verse 20. It is a privilege to be with you again for this conference and I pray that the Lord would bless not only the reading of scripture and the singing of the Gospel but now the preaching of the word as well. Matthew 28: 17- 20 and you follow along with me as I read aloud. This is the word of the Living God and it reads as follows: And when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I Am With You Always to the end of the

age. This morning, my subject and the title of this sermon in this first session of this 2024 G3 Reformation conference is focused on why the 16th century Reformation is crucial for the church. You may be seated. If you would pray with me, Father, we do thank you again for the privilege of gathering for this event. We ask that you would bless, that you would bless through the reading and the preaching and the hearing of your word, that you would strengthen us as we continue to stand and as we continue to March onward in this present evil age, and let it all be done for your praise and honor and glory. Glory now we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, in many ways, you could say that the Reformation was a recovery of the Gospel. It was a renewal of the worship of the church. In many ways, you could say that the Reformation was a revival of biblical preaching. In many ways, you could say that the Reformation established the singing and the music of the Church.

the Living God. As you look back throughout church history, you can see individuals coming through the Reformation age and post-reformation age. And you can see individuals like Johan Sebastian Bach who would carve in his organ Soli Deo Gloria to the glory of God Alone. In many ways, you could say that the Reformation was a Resurgence of biblical scholarship and education. And yet, as you think about the Reformation age, you can see that there were world-class theologians and Scholars who were raised up through the Reformation to spark the reformation and to lead the Reformation onward. However, at the heart of the Reformation was this vital question, and the question was this: who has ultimate Authority? Who has ultimate Authority? The authority of God's word had been replaced by papal Authority and the tradition of the Roman Catholic church. And so, as a result, the entire Church's Doctrine and worship and life had been deformed by these opinions and by these positions and by these Traditions. The church had been so contorted had been so disfigured had

been so disjointed that it was hardly recognizable. When you looked at the pages of scripture and you looked at the church pre-reformation. And so, at the heart of the Reformation was this idea of authority. As we think about the Reformation, there was what we call the material principle of the Reformation, which is certainly this idea of and this clear teaching from scripture by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone that we are saved. But the formal principle was this idea of authority. Who has Authority? Is it the pope? Is it the Roman Catholic Church? Is it found in the traditions of the Church of Rome? And so, the reformers would be raised up by God to March onward and to declare, No, it is the word where we find Authority. God's word provides us our marching orders. And so, you would hear these five Solas that would be raised up and that would in many ways characterize the marching of the Reformation. And so, at the front was Sola scriptura. So, how was the church deformed?

how was the form of the church lost? That's really a good question. And as we think about it, you can go back throughout church history, and you can see that at the Council of Toulouse in 1229, the Roman Catholic Church issued a decree that stated, We prohibit also the permitting of the laity to have the books of the Old and the New Testaments. And so you move from 1229 throughout church history, and you arrive in the 16th century, and in many ways, the word of God was completely hidden away in a dungeon, if you will. You couldn't find the word of God. You wouldn't be able to hear the word of God because the word of God had been completely veiled by the traditions and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. And so although there were other pre-Reformation reformers like Hus and like Wycliffe, God would raise up a man by the name of Martin Luther. And he was an Augustinian Monk. And God would use

him in many ways to spark or in many ways to bring the Reformation to a boiling point. And so the year was 1517 when Luther would be teaching Theology, and he would be looking at the practices of the Roman Catholic Church, and he would be looking at the word of God, and he would be considering their practices and the sale of indulgences. And so he wrote down 95 statements, 95 sentences, 95 complaints, 95 indictments, 95 errors, and yet compiled them in one document that we know as his 95 thesis. And of course, during this time period, Luther did not have a personal blog, he did not have social media, he did not have X, he did not have Facebook, he did not have Instagram, he did not have B, he did not have Tik Tock, he did not have any push-button social media at his disposal. But what he did have was the front door of the Castle Church there in Wittenberg, and it was in many ways used for sparking conversation to have dialogue.

to have Community discussion, and so he went and he nailed his 95 Theses to the front door of the castle church. And it would indeed spark a massive conversation. His students would take that document, they would have it typeset. Not long before this time period, Gutenberg's printing press and this new technology had been invented. And so they had it typeset, they printed it, they started to spread it around. And so pretty soon, everyone's talking about Luther's document. Interestingly enough, at this point, Luther still himself was not yet converted. And it would be only a short time later before he would be reading through Romans chapter 1 and he would come to see that he would be justified not by his own righteousness, not by his own works, but by an alien righteousness that comes from above, comes outside of him, that is imputed to him by faith alone. And so once he was saved, his boldness increased, and he started to become more, in many ways, confrontational in his approach, in his writing, in his preaching, and in his

tracks that he would write and distribute. And so, it wouldn't be long before he would receive this edict from Pope Leo VI 10th in Rome. He received this papal bull that was calling him to testify because they believed that he in many ways was standing against the clear teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The words were harsh, the papal bull, they were very clear. Luther had 60 days to repent of his actions or he would be excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Now you have to keep in mind during this time period, excommunication wasn't the same as it is in modern day evangelical circles where you just simply go down to Community Church number two or Community Church number three and just sign up and become a new member of their church. It was a statement of damnation, it was a harsh statement that you were damned to hell if you chose not to repent. The papal bull began with these words, Arise, O Lord, and judge your cause. A wild boar has.

invaded your Vineyard. On December 10th, 1520, Luther invited a large group of his students to go down the long stretch there in Wittenberg to the end of the street where he would read the papal bull that was there with this red seal signifying that it came from the pope himself. And he would read it publicly and then he would do the unthinkable. He would burn it. He was drawing a Line in the Sand. Thomas Lindsay writes, It is scarcely possible for us in the 20th century to imagine the thrill that went through Germany and indeed through all Europe when the news spread that a poor monk had burnt the Pope's bull. It would send shock waves throughout Germany and Beyond. And in that moment, he was drawing a clear Line in the Sand. But then, of course, he would be summoned to the diet of worms. He would be summoned there and he would stand and he would have to give testimony in the year 1521. Now, against the advice of his friends, he would go.

there he would actually preach along the way, as he would make his way to the city of worms, and he would give a testimony. But it's interesting, as he would arrive there in the dark of night, he would not arrive silently, he would preach along the way. But as he arrived, there was a massive number of people there that were waiting to just see him emerge from his wagon. And as he would be taken in to stand before the Royal assembly and to give an account, he would walk in in his humble Monk's attire. And there was this table that was there and all of his books were there organized on this table. And he would stand, and of course, as he was making his way to the front to stand before the assembly, Charles I actually said under his breath, He will not make me a heretic. He would stand in front of this table, and he would be asked to not speak until he was asked to speak. And then finally when he was asked if all of these books were indeed his books published in his name, would he affirm.

that he did. They asked him if he would recant of everything, and then l did the unthinkable. He asked for more time to consider his answer. They would give him until the following day. The following day at 6: p.m. in the evening, Luther would be readmitted there before the Royal assembly, and they provided once more an opportunity for him to recant. And then he gave his answer. He eventually gave his famous speech, I am Bound by the scriptures I have quoted in my ience is captive to the word of God. I cannot and I will not recant of anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand, may God help me, amen. Immediately, there was a cry aloud for Luther's life, and as he would be making his way back home, he would be kidnapped by his friends, and he would be whisked away to the varberg castle. He would be there in this Castle hidden away from the public eye. He would work in a humble stale room with a wooden

desk and a candle, and he would translate at a relentless pace. The Bible into the German language. At 1,500 words per day. In 1522, the work would be completed. And it would be the German Bible that would start to revolutionize the worship across Germany and beyond. He would return to Wittenberg. He would teach theology. He would lecture. He would preach. And as the Bible would be opened before the faces of people. It was like light was shining from Heaven among the people. And how would they respond? Well, it was no longer lifeless worship. There was now life and there was light. And the people responded in joyful worship as they heard the gospel proclaimed. And the word of God expounded. And singing would burst forth from the people's lips and their voices. As they heard the word of God. Not long removed from this scene in England. There would be a group of zealous college students gathering together in a little pub in Cambridge known as the White Horse Tavern or the White Horse Inn. They would

gather there, and they would hang out together as college students like to do. They would talk theology, and at the heart of their conversations was the teaching and the writings of Martin Luther. In fact, it was so well known that this little group of college students gathering in this Pub, talking about Theology, and talking about this German monk's theology, that they became known as little Germany in Cambridge. And yet, it would be the influence of Martin Luther and his Theology and the translation of the German Bible that would then spark and would ignite the heart of William Tindale for the English Bible. And then, of course, we know, of course, the rest of the story. You can just trace the Reformation through the movement of the word of God. Erasmus had provided the Greek New Testament one year before Luther's 95 thesis. So, Erasmus gives to Luther, puts in his hand the Greek New Testament. Luther translates the Bible into the German language. Tindale would be sparked, and he would give his life.

for translating the Bible into the English language, and then of course you have KNOX and others who would then provide the 1560 Geneva Bible, which was the Bible of the Reformation. It was the Bible that in many ways would move the Reformation onward. It was the first Study Bible in world history. With the in the margin of the Bible would be the notes of the reformers that would be aiming directly at the Roman Catholic Church. And so you can literally trace the Reformation by the expansion of God's word. RC Sprouls said it this way, quote, The Reformation was not merely a Great Awakening. It was the greatest Awakening to the true gospel since the apostolic age, end quote. Now that brings us to this text that's open before us. That's what we know as the Great Commission text, Matthew 28:17-20. And I want us to look at two critical things in this passage before us. First, the authority of God's word in verses 17-20, and then the

discipleship of the church in verse number 20. Now, this is a post-resurrection moment as Jesus is preparing his disciples for his Ascension. And yet he speaks to them and he gives them some clear language. It says in verse 17, and when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. Some believed that it's possibly Matthew who was doubting at this moment. And then Jesus said to them in verse 18, all authority, not some, all authority, not just a little bit, all authority, not most, all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Now, on the basis of that statement, he then follows up, go therefore and make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit. Now, as we think about the authority of God's word, I want us to see the evangelism that comes through the word of God. In verse number 18, we see the word Authority. Obviously, this is Christ's Authority. And then on the basis

of Christ Authority, he sends out his disciples to go and make disciples. Now the historic question would be this: what came first, the church or the word of God? And that's a crucial question, and it's far more important than what came first, the chicken or the egg. What came first, the church or the word? Now, if you talk to a faithful Roman Catholic to this very hour, they will tell you that it's the church that comes first, and then the church gives us the word. But if you start on the front side of your Bible, all the way to the front side, all the way to the left side of your Bible, and you start there and you trace from there in Genesis 1 all the way over to the closing words in Revelation, you will always see that it is the word of God that brings about the people of God. It is always the word of God that brings about the people of God. And so, on the basis of Christ's word, on the basis of Christ's authority, he says, Go.

therefore, and make disciples of all nations. The word disciple, there is mathas it it literally means a pupil, it means a student, it means a follower, it means a learner. It's translated disciple, and that's what we are in this very room at this hour. But we know that as we are sent out with the word of Christ, as we are sent out with the gospel, we are sent out with the gospel that has the power to bring about a result. And so Romans 10:17 explains clearly that faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. So Christ sends out his disciples to be ambassadors, to be witnesses. And so of course you see that this is how the church, this is how the church is called out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ. It is through the word of God. But if you go back to this time, if you go back in church history to Luther's hour, you can see that the Roman Catholic Church, they were not interested in evangelism, they were interested in

something else a scheme a program a fundraising opportunity. So what did they do? Well, they would sell indulgences. They would sell the opportunity for you to invest in the release of your family member from purgatory. And so, a man by the name of Johan Tetel would be commissioned by Pope Leo the 10th, and he would go out into villages. And he would come under the papal coat of arms with a papal bull in his hand. And he would gather under an erected cross. And he would call the townspeople together with a loud voice. And once they were gathered, then he would begin to tell them these horrifying stories of loved ones, family members, mothers, and fathers who are in the torments and in the pain and the agony of the flames in purgatory. But the good news is, no not the gospel, the good news is if you will just give a little of your treasure, if you will just give some money to the

Roman Catholic Church. Then your family members can be released from purgatory. And so it was well known that as he would tell these terrifying stories, and he would cause the emotions of people to come to a full boil. Then he would say this famous line: As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs. And interestingly enough, it does actually rhyme even in the German language. So that's an interesting thing. But it wasn't about evangelism. It wasn't about the good news. It wasn't about explaining to people the gospel. No, no, it wasn't about taking Christ's word into the villages. No, it was about manipulation. It was about fear tactics. It was about power. It was about control. It was about money. And that is why not only was there no evangelism taking place in Luther's Day within the Roman Catholic Church, that's why their worship was so stale and lifeless and dead without any joy. Number 79 of the 95 thesis from

Luther in 1517 reads as follows: To say that the cross emblazoned with the papal coat of arms and set up by the Indulgence preachers is equal in worth to the Cross of Christ is blasphemy. And we are called, as Christ has given us the commission, to go out and to preach the good news, not to draw people to a money box, not to draw people to a specific program in our church, or to trickery or to schemes, but to preach the Everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ, to preach the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, to point people far and wide indiscriminately to the Glorious gospel, the once-for-all sacrifice for sinners. We are to direct people to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We are to appeal to people to cast themselves upon the mercy of God through Christ. We are to preach fervently and direct people and explain to people that their works are insufficient to save them. We are to hold up Christ before the eyes of

people and point them and explain to them that he is the one who can save. He is the one who can save the young and the old, in the middle age. He is the one who can save any and all who shall call upon the name of the Lord Christ. God's method is evangelism, that's why we're called evangelicals. I know that there's a lot of pollution with that term, but you do see the tracing of that term historically and you know why we're called that. We are called Protestants because we still protest against the false teaching and the false Gospel of the Church of Rome, but this is why we can sing: Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling; naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for Grace; foul, I to the Fountain fly; Wash Me, savior, or I die. You see, it's that gospel that Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and to declare openly to the ends of the Earth, but it is this authoritative word that not only

directs us in how we evangelize, but also in how the church is identified. Look at verse number 19, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The original plan of God involved the preaching and the teaching of the word of God, the gospel to be declared, and God would call sinners out of darkness into His marvelous light. He would call them from far and wide into the fold, and yet the means by which Christ's authority explains that the church is to be identified is through the means of baptism. Baptism is to be performed in a Trinitarian formula that signifies that there is unity among the Godhead and saving sinners. That's why we don't baptize in the name of Jesus alone, because Jesus himself gives us the directions. Jesus provides for us the clear prescription of baptism, but yet the Roman Catholic Church had deformed the purpose of baptism taught by Christ and instead twisted it to say something else, to say that when an infant is sprinkled that

that little child is born again, and the state of original sin is erased, and that little child is welcomed into the family of God through the Roman Catholic Church. Still, to this very hour, the catechism of the Catholic Church states, and I quote, justification has been merited To Us by The Passion of Christ. It is granted to us through baptism. Elsewhere in the catechism of the Catholic Church, it reads this way: baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for the sacrament. The church does not know of any means other than baptism that assures entry into Eternal beatitude. In other words, the Roman Catholic Church embraces a faulty view of baptism that involves baptismal regeneration and a spiritual transformation through the administration of water. Within the Roman Catholic Church, it's a false teaching, it's a blasphemous doctrine, and therefore this is what happens when the authority of Christ is minimized and yet

then become subservient to the traditions and the authority of the Pope. What is the standard? Where is true Authority? It's found in the very word of God, hence Sola Scriptura. Second of all, verse 20: not only the authority of Christ among his people, but second of all, the discipleship of the church. And look at verse 20 and notice what it says: teaching them, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I Am With You Always to the end of the age. Teaching the disciples the word of God is indeed the very plan of Christ for his church. And as we look at this word teach, it means to instruct, it means to give the sense, it means to explain the meaning. And that's why it is that the pastor in present-day Protestant Evangelical circles must do exactly that, must stand up with an Open Bible and declare the word of the Living God. Not standing up to give opinion. What does my opinion matter? I could talk to you all day about all sorts of things. We could

have all sorts of great debate here in the state of Texas about whose college football team is superior. We could have all sorts of grand debates but my opinion doesn't really matter. What really matters is what God has spoken, what God has said in his words. We are to open the word of God, we are to read the word of God, we are to teach and to preach the word of God. We are to exposit God's word, we are to explain God's word, we are to apply God's word. This is why Luther would say and put great emphasis on the teaching and the preaching of the word of God, and he would say things like let the man who would hear God speak read Holy Scripture. And quote, but not only the teaching of the word, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. I want to read to you a portion of the of a letter that was written by Pope Benedict the 16th in his Apostolic letter that was actually titled establishing the pontifical council for promoting the new

evangelization. End quote. Now, this was written back in 2010, and I want you to hear what Pope Benedict stated. Listen to this quote: It is the duty of the church to proclaim always and everywhere the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now when he says the church, he's obviously talking about the Roman Catholic Church. He goes on: He, the first and supreme evangelizer, commanded the apostles on the day of his Ascension to the Father, 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I commanded you.' End quote. Now, did you catch it? The reason that I took time to cite that portion of his letter is because of a little omission. And you say, Well, don't be so persnickety. It's just a little word. But it is just one word, but it is vital to this very conversation. It is vital to the very theme of this conference: Teaching them to observe is what the text says. And what did the Pope

say, teaching them all that I commanded you. Well, it's a common thing, it's a common omission, and sometimes you'll hear that verse quoted in that way, even within Evangelical circles. Not intentionally so to demean the teaching of the Bible, but it's just a common omission we need to give attention to. The word the word there in the Greek language is a verb that in the New Testament gives the following meaning. It means to guard, it means to keep, it means to preserve. It is the very same word that is used in Acts 12:5 to talk about Peter being kept in prison. Now, as we think about the usage of this word, we need to understand that it has this idea of guarding, it has this idea of preserving, it has this idea of keeping something unstained. Now, I've had the privilege, the unique privilege of traveling around the world, and I've seen all sorts of fortresses and castles, medieval castles down the Ry River. I've walked inside of these castles. I've been to Germany.

I've been to the vurg castle. I've been to the castle at Heidelberg. I've been to Edinburgh, and I've seen the wonderful fortress there on the top of the hill there in Scotland. I've been through that castle many times, and interestingly enough, if you study the history of castles and you study these fortresses, they're often times what with this massive fortress wall, and then there's often times various structures. They're not they don't all look the same, but often times in the very center of these medieval fortresses would be this this structure, this tower in the center. And in this tower in the center would often times be kept precious jewels, would be kept all sorts of precious materials, or or precious uh personal items. But it would also be a place where if the outer fortress wall was being penetrated in the heat of a battle, that the royal family and the highest ranking soldiers would retreat into this fortress tower, and they would be kept safe from the the marching armies.

would be kept safe from the penetrating forces now. If you study these fortresses, what you will note in the books there. If you read closely, these Fortress Towers were called The Castle keep because inside of that Tower would be something that was precious, whether it be the jewels or whether it be the royal family or whatever it may be. It would be in that Fortress tower, that Tower keep, that was where you kept things preserved, dear friend. I would urge us to remember this word before us as Jesus gives the Great Commission to his church. That we are to not only teach the word of God, we are to observe the word of God, we are to guard the word of God, we are to preserve the word of God, not just some of the word of God, but all that Christ has commanded us. And we should do this all for his glory, remembering that he is with us until the very end of the age. Refuse the church today should refuse to be blown off course by The Winds of pragmatism.

refuse to capitulate to please men. Should refuse to embrace the world's new way of doing Ministry. We should have a firm commitment to the Old Paths, a commitment to the authority and the sufficiency of God's word. You do understand, it's one thing to say and raise a hand and say, I believe in the infallibility of the word of God. It's a completely different thing to say, I believe in the total Authority and sufficiency of God's word, because when you do that, your church will look differently. It will have an effect. It will have an effect upon how you pray, how you read the Bible, how you worship. It will have a transforming effect when you do what Jesus said to [Music] preserve. You talk to people all the time, say, I'm a conservative. Why are you a conservative? Well, because I think our nation's changing. How's our nation changing? Because there's all these Winds of progressive ideologies that are blowing through our nation, and it's

blowing through our nation on the college campuses, and it's changing College, uh, students, and college students then get married, and they have children, and then they disciple their kids to believe those ideologies, and so I'm a conservative. Well, what are you trying to conserve? Well, I believe in the Constitution. Okay, you believe in the Constitution, that's wonderful. What are you trying to say? I don't want our nation to keep changing. Okay, that's a good thing. We can have a cup of coffee and talk about that all day long. I would agree, but now let's talk about the church. Why is it that we will be conservatives worried about a nation changing, but yet not have an anchor in the word of God and worried about how the church is changing? The church is just changing as the wind of pragmatism blows, and so you start looking today at the church, you look back at the Bible, say something looks a little bit different, and then a hundred years from now with a sail up with the Wind of pragmatism blowing the church across the

see what will the church look like then we are to observe. We are to preserve. We are to guard. We are to walk the Old Paths. Jesus said in John 14:15, If you love me, keep my commandments. That's the same word that's translated observe here in the Great Commission text: keep, guard, watch over, preserve. As we think about t-shirts, you come to conferences sometimes. I know at the G3 National Conference we have T-shirts being sold there: Simp Reformanda. We put that on our shirts and we walk around and we have to ask ourselves, what does that mean? Well, there's a phrase, Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda: the church reformed, always reforming. What does it mean to be reformed? Well, it means something more than just being a Calvinist. Some of you couldn't amen that, but maybe by Saturday at lunchtime you can amen that. There's a lot of people that claim to be reformed because they believe in the Five Points of Calvinism. Well, you're

just getting started, but here's the point. The point is, is that being reformed means that the world, the flesh, and the devil is seeking to deform us. And since the last benediction from the last Lord's Day, you might not even realize how much you've been deformed. And that's why it is so critical for us to say in this hour. It's not just about reading church history. It's not about just looking at Knox and looking at Luther and looking at Calvin and trying to just talk about church history and being conversant in church history. No, no. It's about recognizing that we must be being reformed every single week. This is the call of the church. We can't just drift. If you drift, you're going to drift off course, not onto of course. The first of the martyrs under the reign of Bloody Mary was a man by the name of John Rogers. After Tindale was hunted down and he was strangled and burned at the stake for his translation of the English Bible, there would be a

man by the name of John Rogers who was his assistant would go into the room and by God's Providence all of his work in the Old Testament was still there. Grab it all up. He'd run away into hiding. He would work under a pseudonym named Thomas Matthew and he would translate and finish tale's work in the Old Testament and complete it. When he got to the last page as the type set was being prepared for the Bible to take the Old Testament now finished along with tale's New Testament in the in the Matthew Bible. When it was being typeset at the very last page of Malachi before you turn over to tindale's New Testament he had there the initials of William Tindale printed there. Well, John Rogers would be arrested and he would be condemned and he would be led to the stake to be burned. But if you read Fox's book of Martyrs you will find that he was not burned there for his translation work in the Old Testament and then the compiling.

of this Bible from the original languages to the people in the common language. No, he wasn't burned for that. He was actually led to the stake to be burned because he refused to embrace the Roman Catholic Church's doctrine of transubstantiation. J.C. Ryle explains the scene, The doctrine in question was the real presence of the body and the blood of Christ in the consecrated elements of Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper. Did they or did they not believe that the body and blood of Christ were really, that is corporately, literally, locally, and materially present under the forms of bread and wine after the words of consecration were pronounced? Did they or did they not believe that the real body of Christ, which was born of the Virgin Mary, was present on the so-called altar so soon as the mystical words had passed the lips of the priest? Did they or did they not? That was the simple question. If they did not believe and admit it, they were burned. Rogers, along with the others, all agreed that this was blasphemy. Rogers

would be led out into the streets. There would be a large crowd of Roman Catholics there, reviling him, speaking words of discouragement to him, speaking all sorts of blasphemous things to him. He would see his wife there and his children, who met him like a company of encouragers. She would whisper in his ear. It said by some in some books that I've read that she actually said, Whatever you do, when you get to that stake, do not recant. He would see his children. He would see and meet his youngest child for the very first time on the street to the stake. They cheered. They cheered. They encouraged their daddy. He went to the stake. They bound him to the stake. They gave him one final opportunity to recant, and he refused, and they lit the flames, and his body began to burn. He lifted his hands high in the air as he was being burned. JC RI, he says. The enthusiasm of the crowds knew no bounds. They rent the air with thunders of applause. For up to that day, men could

not tell how English reformers would behave in the face of death, and they could hardly believe that some would give their bodies to be burned for their religion. End quote. He was the first, and there would be more. And why did he go to the stake, and why was he burned? Because he believed believed that the doctrine of the Lord's table had been so perverted by this mystical representation of Jesus's sacrifice on the table that it was worthy of his life. And shockingly, Pastor P in our day hand out the elements of the Lord's table in little baggies at the back door at Christmas, like one noteworthy Southern Baptist pastor did in our area, and encouraged his church members on Christmas Eve to go have private communion in their homes because it's such a special thing. Shockingly, many contemporary Evangelical churches don't think it's any concern at all to go six months or even a year in between the observance of the Lord's table. Shockingly, at the first wave of

covid-19. Evangelical pastors are looking through the screen to individuals in their churches in their homes through zoom and saying, go get you some rich crackers and a little soda and we'll have virtual Lord's Supper. Shockingly, a pastor can say, we're going to be observing the Lord's table this Lord's day, and then the table is set. The congregation comes, the culmination of the service is Drawing Near. People start looking at their watches, well, he's preached a long time, and then they stand up to fence the table and they say, well, as soon as he bows for prayer, we're going to slip out, we have to make it to the football game. And shockingly, in many Evangelical settings, the Lord's taking table is not fenced at all, no clear directions on who's welcomed to the table and who's not welcomed to the table. You say, why is that? Well, I'll tell you why, and it's a sermon for a different day, it's because there's no practice of church discipline.

in Evangelical churches far and wide so dear friends Superstition sacramentalism clericalism monasticism mysticism r ISM empiricism existentialism postmodernism consumerism and every other ISM that you can possibly imagine. Under the Sun pragmatism probably being the driving ISM in our day there's always going to be an ism to come against the Church of the Living God but we must remember that it is our time to take our stand to be steadfast in the faith to observe not just some of the Bible not just some of God's word but to observe all that Christ has commanded us. This is why Lloyd Jones is helpful here he says quote without being constantly reformed by the word the church becomes something very different. We must always keep the church under the word so dear friends brothers and sisters don't shut up don't back up don't give up be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that in the Lord your labor is

not in vain. May God bless you. [Applause]

Most Christians Don’t Know THIS About the Reformation | Josh Buice

G3 Ministries

The Significance of the 16th Century Reformation

The 16th century Reformation was crucial for the church as it led to a renewal of worship, a revival of biblical preaching, and a resurgence of biblical scholarship and education.

At the heart of the Reformation was the question of ultimate authority, challenging the papal authority and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Reformation was characterized by the "five Solas," with Sola Scriptura at the forefront, emphasizing the authority of God's word in the church.

Martin Luther's 95 Thesis and the Reformation

Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the Castle Church door, sparking widespread conversation and controversy.

The invention of the printing press allowed his ideas to spread rapidly across Europe, leading to his excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church.

Luther's boldness and refusal to repent, as well as his dramatic public actions, drew a clear line in the sand and ultimately led to his testimony at the Diet of Worms in 1521.

Martin Luther's Impact on the Reformation

Martin Luther's famous speech, refusing to recant his beliefs, led to his kidnapping and seclusion in Wartburg Castle, where he translated the Bible into German at a rapid pace.

His teachings and the German Bible sparked a revival of worship and the spread of the gospel, influencing the formation of the Reformation.

Luther's translation of the Bible also inspired William Tyndale to translate the English Bible, further fueling the spread of the Reformation.

The Reformation movement can be traced through the impact of the translation of the Bible and the expansion of God's word, leading to a great awakening to the true gospel.

The Primacy of the Word of God in the Formation of the Church

The word of God is emphasized as the primary factor in bringing about the people of God, in contrast to the belief that the church comes first.

The historic manipulation and fear tactics used by the Roman Catholic Church, such as selling indulgences, are highlighted, showing a departure from true evangelism.

Martin Luther's 95 theses emphasize the importance of preaching the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of his sacrifice, rather than drawing people to church programs or using manipulation.

The Importance of Evangelism and Discipleship in the Church

Evangelism is the method by which the church is identified and directed to bring sinners to the light of God, emphasizing the significance of baptism in the Trinitarian formula.

The teaching and observing of God's word are crucial in the discipleship of the church, focusing on the instruction, explanation, and application of the Scriptures, as opposed to personal opinions.

The authority of Christ and his word is highlighted as the true standard, contrasting the false teachings and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Importance of Observing and Preserving the Word of God

Pope Benedict's quote about spreading the Gospel emphasizes the importance of teaching and observing all of Christ's commandments.

The Greek word used for "teaching them to observe" carries the meaning of guarding and preserving, similar to how precious items were kept in medieval fortress towers.

This highlights the church's duty not only to teach the word of God but to also actively guard and preserve it, emphasizing the authority and sufficiency of the scripture.

The Importance of Preserving Tradition in the Church

Conservatives are concerned about the changing nation and the church's transformation, emphasizing the need to preserve and guard its values.

Being reformed in the church means resisting the deformation caused by the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The story of John Rogers highlights the significance of standing firm in faith and tradition, as he was martyred for refusing to embrace the Roman Catholic Church's doctrine of transubstantiation.

A man is burned at the stake for his religious beliefs, while his family supports him.

His sacrifice is due to his belief in the doctrine of the Lord's table.

The speaker criticizes modern practices in Evangelical churches and emphasizes the importance of unwavering faith and adherence to all of Christ's teachings.