A Reformation Day devotion from Pastor Andrew Schroer’s 364 Days of Devotion: A Devotional Book.
“All people are like grass . . . ; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (1 Peter 1:24).
In 2017, we celebrated the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. On All Hallows’ Eve (October 31) 1517, a monk named Martin Luther nailed a document to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The document consisted of 95 theses he wished to publicly debate concerning abuses he saw in the Roman Catholic Church.
The nailing of the 95 Theses changed the world. Most historians include it in their top 10 list of history’s defining moments. Just about every non-Roman Catholic Christian church which exists today can trace its roots back to the moment Luther’s hammer struck that nail.
The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation was celebrated not only in Lutheran churches, but by numerous church bodies around the world. A major PBS documentary was released. Historians and scholars waxed poetic as they gave their unique insights as to who Martin Luther was and what the Reformation means.
This year there will be no PBS documentary. Few non-Lutheran churches will notice. Even our Lutheran celebrations will be much more subdued. Sure, we will celebrate the Festival of the Reformation in our churches. Some communities will have joint Reformation services. Even then, it will be nothing like the 500th anniversary celebrations.
But why? Why is the 500th anniversary so much more important than the 499th or the 505th? Why is our world so fascinated with round numbers? We celebrate our parents’ 50th wedding anniversary with big parties, fabulous trips, and wonderful family reunions. But what about their 47th anniversary or their 52nd? Why don’t we celebrate those with as much fanfare?
Why mark the 100th day in office for the president and not his 123rd? Why celebrate a baseball player’s 500th home run and not his 484th? It’s because we as a society consider round numbers implicitly better and more important. One author calls it “the mathematical tyranny of round numbers.”
In the end, they’re just numbers.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. It allowed my church many opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel with a world which desperately needs it. Because of the media attention, we were given the opportunity to talk about what it means to be a Lutheran. The 500th anniversary of the Reformation was a special occasion.
But don’t forget to celebrate the Festival of the Reformation this year. It is just as important and meaningful this year as it was in 2017. In the end, the Festival of the Reformation isn’t about Martin Luther or being Lutheran. It’s about how God has preserved his gospel throughout history. It’s about how he has used flawed human beings like Martin Luther, you, and me to stand up for and speak out the truth. It’s about the free gift of heaven and forgiveness which Jesus won for us by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
That’s something to celebrate every year.
Prayer: Eternal God and Lord, thank you for preserving your Word throughout all generations. Help us to teach your Word in truth and purity to everyone we can. Amen.
For Further Reading
Appreciate the little ways in which God has blessed you with this interactive daily devotional. Packed with engaging anecdotes and relatable life scenarios, 364 Days of Devotion reminds you that God works through things in everyday life that we often take for granted.
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