Reformation

In every generation God raises a people to call the church to simplicity and authenticity.

John Wycliff (1330-1384):

• He saw the plan of salvation revealed and Christ set forth as the only ADVOCATE for humanity. He demanded that the Bible be restored to the people and that its AUTHORITY be again established in the church. He translated scriptures into English language

John Huss (1372-1415):

• He gave an inspired prophecy.  As the official executioner was about to light the pyre at the feet of the reformer, he said, “Now we will cook the goose.” (Huss in Bohemian means goose.) “Yes”, replied Huss, “but there will come an eagle in a hundred years that you will not reach.” That prophecy clearly points to Martin Luther, who depended heavily on Huss’s work and who nailed his 95 Theses to his church door just over one hundred years later.

Martin Luther (1483 – 1546);

• He firmly declared that that Christians should receive no other DOCTRINES than those which rest on the AUTHORITY of the Sacred Scriptures. He set before the people the offensive character of sin, and taught them that it is impossible for humanity, by his own works, to lessen its guilt or evade its punishment. He shared that nothing but REPENTANCE toward God and faith in Christ can save the sinner. The GRACE of Christ cannot be purchased; it is a free gift. He translated the New Testament into German Language.

Ulirch Zwingli (1484 – 1531).

• He insisted that scripture provided a workable model for public life, and condemn the papal doctrine of indulgences. He preached against “pardons” purchased by pilgrims who traveled there to view the Black Madonna.

John Calvin (1509 – 1564):

• He began as a lecturer and preacher at Farel, but by 1538 was asked to leave because of theological conflicts. He went to Strasbourg until 1541. His stay there as a pastor to French refugees was so peaceful and happy that when in 1541 the Council of Geneva requested that he return to Geneva, he was emotionally torn. He wanted to stay in Strasbourg but felt a responsibility to return to Geneva. He did so and remained in Geneva until his death May 27, 1564. Those years were filled with lecturing, preaching, and the writing of commentaries, treatises, and various editions of the Institutes of the Christian Religion. 
• The book was written as an introductory textbook on the Protestant faith for those with some previous knowledge of theology and covered a broad range of theological topics from the doctrines of church and sacraments to justification by faith alone and Christian liberty. It vigorously attacked the teachings of those Calvin considered unorthodox particularly Roman Catholicism to which Calvin says he had been “strongly devoted” before his conversion to Protestantism.
• The over-arching theme of the book – and Calvin’s greatest theological legacy – is the idea of God’s total sovereignty, particularly in salvation and election. In the first chapter, the knowledge of God is considered as knowledge of the Father, the creator, provider, and sustainer. Next, he examined how the Son reveals the Father, since only God is able to reveal God. The third section of the Institutes describes the work of the Holy Spirit, who raised Christ from the dead, and who comes from the Father and the Son to affect a union in the Church through faith in Jesus Christ, with God, forever. And finally, the fourth section speaks of the Christian church, and how it is to live out the truths of God and Scriptures, particularly through the sacraments. This section also describes the functions and ministries of the church, how civil government relates to religious matters, and includes a lengthy discussion of the deficiencies of the papacy.

John Wesley (1703 -1891):

• He arose to share the truths of the gospel at a time the great doctrine of justification had been almost forgotten in Europe and the church had lapsed into a state of religious declension hardly distinguished from the world. Being led of God to search the scriptures, he came to a clear understanding that;  God’s grace is a wonderful gift to humankind.
• Grace is God’s love freely offered to us. We do not do anything to “earn” it. Take a moment and reflect upon how you have experienced God’s grace in your life. God provides us with three kinds of grace:

• Preparing (Prevenient) Grace
• Accepting (Justifying) Grace
• Sustaining (Sanctifying) Grace

• God’s prevenient grace is with us from birth, preparing us for new life in Christ. “Prevenient” means “comes before.” Humanity is not totally “depraved” but rather God places a little spark of divine grace within us which enables us to recognize and accept God’s justifying grace. Preparing grace is “free in all for all,” as Wesley used to say. Today some call God’s justifying grace “conversion” or being “born again.” When we experience God’s justifying grace, we come into that new life in Christ. Wesley believed that people have freedom of choice. We are free to accept or reject God’s justifying grace. Wesley emphasized FREE GRACE saying:
• The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL, and FREE FOR ALL…. It is free in all to whom it is given. It does not depend on any power or merit in man; no, not in any degree, neither in whole, nor in part. It does not in anywise depend either on the good works or righteousness of the receiver; not on anything he has done, or anything he is. It does not depend on his endeavors. It does not depend on his good tempers, or good desires, or good purposes and intentions; for all these flow from the free grace of God; they are the streams only, not the fountain. They are the fruits of free grace, and not the root. They are not the cause, but the effects of it.
• After we have accepted God’s grace, we are to move on in God’s sustaining grace toward perfection.People could “fall from grace” or “backslide.” We cannot just sit on our laurels, so to speak, and claim God’s salvation and then do nothing. We are to participate in the what Wesley called the means of grace and to continue to grow in Christian life. Some Christians tend to focus on God’s justifying grace, but Wesley asserted that the Christian walk does not stop with acceptance of new life in Christ. Wesley said in his sermon, “On Repentance of a Believer”
• It is generally supposed, that repentance and faith are only the gate of religion; that they are necessary only at the beginning of our Christian course, when we are setting out in the way to the kingdom…. And this is undoubtedly true, that there is a repentance and a faith, which are, more especially, necessary at the beginning: a repentance, which is a conviction of our utter sinfulness, and guiltiness, and helplessness…. But, notwithstanding this, there is also a repentance and a faith (taking the words in another sense, a sense not quite the same, nor yet entirely different) which are requisite after we have “believed the gospel;” yea, and in every subsequent stage of our Christian course, or we cannot “run the race which is set before us.” And this repentance and faith are full as necessary, in order to our continuance and growth in grace, as the former faith and repentance were, in order to our entering into the kingdom of God.

REFORMATION COMES AND Spiritual Death is swallowed up in victory when;

• The fire, passion and will to study the SCRIPTURES, PRAY and share the GOSPEL with the LOST from all ethnics, races, cultures and background is alive.
• Born-again believers are running with renewed passion TO SHARE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS TO THE LOST.
• There is a shared mission and common vocabulary emerging among church, de-churched, un-churched and over-churched that we must become the generation that PRAYS and READ the word of GOD.
• God is breaking any ethnic and cultural barrier, convicting and convincing us that ALL PEOPLE must hear the gospel.
• We are ready to engage on what God is getting ready to do in order to focus scarce resources on critical missional opportunities.
• We once again seek God for a new work of  salvation, regeneration and sanctification.
• We sense God’s timing to change of lifestyle and live for God as we choose to be a worshiping community rooted in PRAYER and the word of GOD.
• We are boldly and intentionally giving everything to the work of the Kingdom. God is raising bold Servant Leaders and there is a renewed interest in seeking God and providing spiritual growth opportunities.

Yet, Spiritual death awaits us if

• we fail to maintain a steady course in our PRAYERS, STUDY OF GOD’S WORD and SACRIFICIAL GIVING for the sake of the GOSPEL.
• we succumb to fear, anxiety, tension, and resistance inherent in reformation. With the winds of transition blowing across, there is significant fear of transition and increased conflict as a result.  There is some fear of unintended consequences. There is fear of growth and vitality. There is fear transition may sweep away our traditions and our sense of community. We must hear the words of JESUS again, “Have no fear, for I am with you!”
• we fall into old patterns of this world. We must continue on the path of becoming a more organic, less institutional and bureaucratic organization. Methodism began as evangelical missionary movements. Our future lies in embracing once again our movement’s original purpose to share the gospel to the LOST, separate from apostasy and bring revival to our nation and world community.
• we fail to surrender completely our self-interest, our self-centeredness, and our selfishness to the will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is not my vision or my church. This is not our vision or our church. This is God’s vision and God’s church. We need to continue our intense and intentional discernment of God’s voice. We will need to filter out the competing voices calling for our attention and resources, lest we miss the way and will to which God is trying to lead us. We must ask;
  • Where is God leading us?
  • What opportunities loom before us?
  • How do we give expression to the vision and mission to share the gospel to the LOST?
  • How do we avoid domesticating the vision to share the gospel the gospel to the LOST?
  • Where do we need to cast out fear?
  • Where do we need to step out in faith?
  • Where do we need to let go of our resistances and die to ourselves that we might be resurrected in Christ?

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  ¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  ¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. ¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  ¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  ¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  ¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  ¹⁹And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,  ²⁰For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.