Romans 3:19-28
October 27, 2024
Are you ready for this Thursday, October 31? Do you know what you are going to wear? Will you participate in a parade? Do you have your house decorated? While I’m sure we are all looking forward to celebrating the 507th anniversary of the Reformation this Thursday, I doubt that the Reformation will replace the costumes and candy of Halloween. My guess is that when your children or grandchildren put on their princess costumes or superhero costumes, they are not going to a Reformation parade. I don’t think any parent is going to dress their child in a Martin Luther costume or in a costume that looks like a hymnal to celebrate the Reformation.
As Lutheran Christians many of us know that on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther intentionally nailed a document with 95 statements, known as theses on it, that he wanted to debate with the leaders of the Church to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg, Germany, because he knew that the next day, known as All Saints Day – the day the church remembers all of those who have died in the Christian faith over the past year – the church would be packed with people for worship. So many people would see and read his 95 theses. And just like the night before Christmas is considered a holy evening, the night before All Saints Day was considered a holy evening or hallowed eve. But why do children and some adults dress up then on October 31 and go out and receive candy? I’m sure most people have no idea, it’s just something they did growing up. It’s interesting how we have certain customs that we follow, but have no idea why we do them, where they originated, or what they mean.
It’s kind of like throwing rice at weddings, many people do it but they have no idea why. Throwing rice or grains was an ancient symbol of fertility and prosperity. It was a way for guests to encourage the bride and groom to have lots of children. Today, if people don’t want to use rice, they will blow bubbles or release balloons; I don’t know what those mean, but again, most people probably have no idea why they do these things when the bride and groom leave.
Putting on costumes on the holy evening of October 31 apparently originated in the 9th century as people would wear costumes to scare off evil spirits. When people came to a house wearing a costume, the homeowners had no idea if it was a person in a costume or an evil spirit. Therefore, candy was given to them as a way to be friendly so they wouldn’t hurt them. Other people would wear black or put ashes on their face to remind them of their sin on Oct. 31, but it would come off on November 1, All Saints Day, as the celebrated God’s grace and forgiveness.
But does it really matter if we follow certain customs, even though we don’t know what they mean? The Reformation was about being right with God and how people could be certain of eternal life. But are people concerned about that today? When I look at the priorities people have in their lives, I don’t think most people are too concerned about eternal life or how to be right with God. I think most people believe in some kind of life after death, because when people are asked, I think just about everyone will say that they are going to heaven. Americans believe in happy endings. We are eternally optimistic. So if everything will ultimately turn out all right anyway, why worry about whether you’re right with God or wonder how you can be certain of eternal life?
A good example of this happy optimism is often found in cemeteries. If you’ve ever walked through a cemetery and looked at the grave markers, you will notice that every person buried there is good. In particular, you will see grave markers that read, “a devoted husband; a loving wife & mother; an innocent child.” At a time of death, we have all kinds of nice things to say about a loved one, but does this qualify us for heaven? No, the bottom line is that none of us by nature is devoted, loving, or innocent. Verse 23 of our second lesson for today from Romans says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It doesn’t matter if you are young, old, sick, healthy, good, or generous; it doesn’t matter how you die, we all have fallen short of the glory of God.
Therefore , if we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, then who is welcomed into heaven? American optimism or wishful thinking will not do it. We cannot buy our way in or do enough good deeds. We all want to know for sure, especially when a death happens in a family, and that’s why the Reformation matters.
Those eternal questions were answered by Martin Luther and other reformers by turning to God’s Word. Their answers were not made up to make everyone feel good, nor were they guided by what most people believed. Rather, the Reformation answers concerning eternal life were to stand on Scripture alone. And the book of Romans was pivotal.
We’ve already heard how all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, but that is not the last word. Verse 24 says, “And all are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” meaning being right with God is His doing. God’s Grace alone saves us. God reaches down with His amazing, underserved grace and makes our relationship with Him right and good. We don’t bring anything good to the table. Last week I said that the only thing we bring is sin, we are the problem. We are made worthy of heaven simply and freely by God’s grace through Jesus Christ.
Christ alone is the Reformation’s answer, the Bible’s answer, God’s answer to those questions of being right with God and certain of eternal life. And that still matters, because many people today are looking for this righteousness in the wrong places. Proof of this is shown by declining church attendance among all denominations in our country. According to several studies today only 17% of the people in our country attend worship on a weekly basis. The church does not have as much influence on our society anymore. In fact, society wants the church to be more tolerant today: tolerant of other religions that claim there is more than just one way to heaven; tolerant of athletic activities for children on Sunday morning; and tolerant of different personal behaviors where people think, “If what I’m doing is not bothering others, what’s the big deal? Didn’t Jesus say that you should not judge others?” Yes, He did, but He never ignored sin. He always identified sinful behavior and offered forgiveness, as we should, but He also told people upon forgiving them, “Go and sin no more” or “Leave your life of sin.” Maybe we need some reform today.
Maybe the church needs to get its voice back. Our faith stands on Scripture alone, Grace alone, and Christ alone, but does that still matter? Yes, it does. Last week I met with members of Karen Hatcher’s family and we went through the details of her memorial service that will take place here next Sunday afternoon. They are still grieving her death that happened last month. We all hear or read about death every day, but when a family member dies that’s different, because it’s personal. When death and life get personal or too close to rely on American optimism or wishful thinking, that’s when the Reformation matters. The Reformation’s answers to those questions of righteousness and certainty in such personal moments is Jesus. Karen is in heaven today, not because she worked hard or was a good mother, but because Jesus willingly died for her to save her. And on September 21 Jesus brought her to live with Him in heaven.
Knowing that gave her family great comfort, but without God’s grace, Karen’s family would have mourned with no hope whatsoever, because all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. But by God’s grace alone, Jesus brings life to Karen, He brings life to people killed in war, He brings life to people who die of different diseases or in accidents, He brings life to children who die at a tender age, and He brings life to you and me. Yes, the Reformation still matters, for righteousness and certainty of eternal life come from Jesus alone. If there is one thing we can honestly put on our gravestones someday it is this: “He/she was made righteous by God’s grace through the saving work of Jesus.”
