? [It Is Written Theme] ?
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>: It has stood 
the test of time.
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God's book, the Bible;
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still relevant  in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written, 
sharing hope around the globe.
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[Sounds of Thunder]
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[Majestic Music]
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JB: This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thanks for joining me today.
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The Wartburg Castle in Eisenach,
 Germany, about 225 miles south
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of the city of Hamburg, 
was completed in the year 1068,
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and at one time  it
was the home of one of
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history's most famous prisoners.
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From time to time 
people appear on the world stage
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that profoundly
affect  the planet.
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Very often, they have no 
intention of ever doing so,
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and one of those
people  was Martin Luther.
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Luther was kept as a prisoner
 here between May of 1521
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and March of 1522.
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It was at this solitary retreat
 that Martin Luther translated
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the Bible into German.
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It was in this very place, safe
 from the malice of his enemies,
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admits some of the greatest 
dramas of his life, that Martin
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Luther kept the fires of reform
 burning throughout Germany
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and throughout all of Europe.
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And Martin Luther left to the
 world a profound legacy that
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affects all of us, even today.
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[Suspensful Music]
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The journey that brought Martin
 Luther to this place of peace
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and quiet was one of tempest,
 conflict and great peril.
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Charles V, the new Holy Roman
 Emperor, who reigned over most
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of central Europe, was
under  great pressure from Rome
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to crack down on
Luther  and his followers.
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So Charles had a big problem.
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The man whose influence was
most  responsible in getting him
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elected emperor, Frederick the 
ruler of the province of Saxony,
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was deeply impressed by Luther's
 teachings and had given Luther
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protection.
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Frederick insisted Luther
had  done nothing wrong and
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that no error was found in
his  teachings, so he refused
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to act against the Reformer.
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And since the emperor was 
dependent on Frederick's support
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to stay in power, the emperor
 found himself in quite a bind.
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Frederick of Saxony was  a
faithful and powerful friend
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to the great Reformer, 
and his influence ultimately
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saved Luther's life.
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Soon after Charles became 
emperor, key representatives
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from throughout the German 
states gathered in the city of
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Worms to meet with
the young  monarch.
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Now in spite of the fact that
 there were plenty of pressing
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political problems troubling
 the empire, there was nothing
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generating the amount of 
excitement as the challenge that
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had been made to the church and
 its teachings by a young Saxon
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monk named Martin Luther.
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And when word spread 
that Luther had been summoned
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to appear before the princes,
 that excitement really grew.
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You see, thousands of people had
 been impressed by the biblical
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clarity and by the
passion and  by the eloquence
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of Martin Luther's teachings.
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Hope sprang up in countless
 hearts that a new day was
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dawning, for the church in 
Germany and for all of Europe.
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But a papal representative named
 Eleander was not impressed.
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He insisted to the emperor and
 to others that because the pope
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had already excommunicated 
Martin Luther the princes and
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their new emperor had no
other  option than to go along
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with what the pope 
had already decided.
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So Charles gave Eleander an
 opportunity to make his case
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to the princes.
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He spoke eloquently and 
passionately and persuasively
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against Luther and against
 Luther's challenge to the
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establishment.
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Many people were impressed, 
but the princes were well aware
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that the church had been
 guilty of terrible crimes
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and terrible persecution.
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Nothing Eleander could say
 could erase that knowledge
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from their minds.
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A committee was put together
 by the princes to catalog the
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abuses and oppression committed
 by the established church.
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The list contained
 101 specifications.
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The emperor was urged to set
 about immediately to correct
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these problems.
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"It is our duty," the princes
 said, "to prevent the ruin
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and dishonor of our people."
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Addressing the
emperor,  they declared,
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"We most humbly and 
most urgently entreat you to
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order a general reformation
 and to undertake its
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accomplishment."
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The princes then demanded that
 Charles stick with his original
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plan to bring Luther  to
appear before an assembly
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of the princes, 
known as the Diet of Worms.
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Now, if you see those words 
written they look like they say
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the Diet of Worms, but the Diet
 was an assembly and Worms was
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the German city in which
that  assembly took place.
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There were loud protests 
from the papal authorities,
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but the emperor did not
consent  and he pressed ahead
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with his original intention.
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An imperial messenger
was  dispatched to Wittenberg
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with the emperor's summons, 
told to bring him back to Worm.
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And he assured Luther
that  the emperor had pledged
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that Luther would be kept safe.
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But Luther's
friends  weren't so sure.
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They remembered what had 
happened over a century earlier
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to the Reformer,
John Hus,  of Bohemia.
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Hus has been promised protection
 and safety when he appeared
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before a papal tribunal, 
but that promise was broken
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as soon as Hus
arrived  at the tribunal.
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He was imprisoned and 
ultimately burned at the stake.
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But although
Luther's  friends were afraid,
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Luther himself was not.
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He was convinced that God
would  be glorified whether he
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lived and preached 
or died and was silenced.
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So Luther and several companions
 set out on what would be a
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two-week journey from 
Wittenberg to the city of Worms.
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Almost the entire population of
 Wittenberg came out to farewell
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their friend, many people
in  tears because they believed
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they would never see 
their friend alive again.
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They were convinced that the 
church was going to treat Luther
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the same way  it
had treated John Hus.
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Luther's journey to
Worms  was quite the spectacle.
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In many towns along the way he 
was greeted as a hero and he was
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frequently warned 
that the church was going to
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burn him at the
stake,  just like it had Hus
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and Jerome and so many others.
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But Luther was
firm  in his reply.
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"Though they should kindle a 
fire all the way from Worms to
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Wittenberg, the flames
of which  reached to heaven,
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I would walk through it
 in the name of the Lord.
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I would appear before them.
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I would enter the jaws of this
 behemoth and break his teeth,
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confessing  the
Lord Jesus Christ."
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I'll have more in just a moment.
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? [Gentle music] ?  >:
You are watching the weekly
00:08:08.58\00:08:10.52
It Is Written program 
with Pastor John Bradshaw,
00:08:10.52\00:08:13.42
but did you know that
there's  a daily program, too?
00:08:13.42\00:08:16.22
Every Word is a one-minute 
Bible-based daily devotional
00:08:16.22\00:08:19.93
presented by Pastor John 
Bradshaw and designed especially
00:08:19.93\00:08:23.06
for busy people like you.
00:08:23.06\00:08:24.87
Look for Every Word on selected
 networks, or watch it online
00:08:24.87\00:08:28.47
every day on our
website,  ItIsWritten.com.
00:08:28.47\00:08:31.97
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:08:31.97\00:08:34.04
Watch Every Word.
00:08:34.04\00:08:35.28
You'll be glad you did.
00:08:35.28\00:08:37.78
? [Rythmic Melody] ?
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JB: Hebrews chapter 11 
deals with the great heroes of
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faith and gives examples
of  their great faithfulness.
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Verse 36 says, 
"Others had trial of mockings."
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People were put on trial
and  challenged and ridiculed
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for their faith.
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There've been many examples
 of that in post-Bible times
00:09:01.34\00:09:03.67
as well.
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When Martin Luther was on trial 
and urged to take back what he'd
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said in defense of the
Bible  and in criticism
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of the ruling
church,  he said, "I cannot
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and I will not retract.
00:09:12.71\00:09:14.05
For it is unsafe for a
Christian  to speak against his
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conscience. Here I stand.
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I can do no other.
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May God help me.
00:09:19.65\00:09:20.79
Amen."
00:09:20.79\00:09:22.49
It takes something to
stand  for what you believe--
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it takes faith.
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And that's what Luther, like so
 many heroes of the Bible, had.
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Luther did not wilt in
the face  of opposition.
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Instead, he leaned on the Bible.
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That's an example 
worthy of imitating.
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Let's live today by every word.
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[Thoughtful Melody]
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When Luther finally 
reached Worms the welcome that
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awaited him was more
grand  and more spectacular than
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the one that had
greeted  the new emperor.
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Martin Luther had truly become
 Germany's new national hero.
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Some of his followers were still
 frightened for his safety,
00:09:57.96\00:10:01.03
but Luther's opponents
 were even more worried.
00:10:01.03\00:10:04.00
They urged the emperor to burn
 Luther at the stake immediately
00:10:04.00\00:10:07.67
and to not give him a hearing.
00:10:07.67\00:10:09.94
But Charles wouldn't do it.
00:10:09.94\00:10:12.67
He insisted he would keep
 his promise and let Luther
00:10:12.67\00:10:16.01
present his case.
00:10:16.01\00:10:18.75
Luther was so popular with the
 nobles and with the citizens of
00:10:18.75\00:10:21.52
the city of Worms that he had
 hardly any rest as he awaited
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to address the Diet.
00:10:25.72\00:10:27.32
His first night in Worms there
 were so many kings and priests
00:10:27.32\00:10:30.86
and nobles and citizens who 
wanted to talk to Martin Luther,
00:10:30.86\00:10:34.60
he only got a few hours sleep.
00:10:34.60\00:10:36.80
It seemed that everybody wanted
 a glimpse of the courageous
00:10:36.80\00:10:39.47
young man who
dared  resist the pope
00:10:39.47\00:10:42.27
and the might of the church.
00:10:42.27\00:10:46.24
The next morning, Luther at
last  stood before the council.
00:10:47.01\00:10:52.01
The emperor sat on his throne,
 surrounded by the princes
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and great men of Germany.
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It's probably fair to say no
 one charged with the task of
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defending the faith of
Christ  had ever appeared in the
00:11:01.66\00:11:04.89
presence of a more imposing
 assembly than this one.
00:11:04.89\00:11:08.00
Luther was nervous, realizing
 that the eyes of both heaven
00:11:08.00\00:11:12.57
and history were upon him.
00:11:12.57\00:11:16.27
A deep hush fell
across the  assembly.
00:11:16.27\00:11:19.41
An imperial officer came forward
 and asked two questions.
00:11:19.41\00:11:22.44
As he pointed to a collection
 of Martin Luther's writings,
00:11:22.44\00:11:24.85
he asked first, 
"Were these in fact
00:11:24.85\00:11:27.92
Martin Luther's writings?"
00:11:27.92\00:11:29.72
And second, "Was Luther prepared
 to renounce what he had written
00:11:29.72\00:11:33.92
against the
teachings  of the church?"
00:11:33.92\00:11:37.23
Luther stated that these
were  very much his writings,
00:11:37.23\00:11:41.10
but in answer  to
the second question he
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asked the emperor if he could 
have more time so that he could
00:11:43.63\00:11:46.74
check to review that everything
 he had written was in harmony
00:11:46.74\00:11:50.81
with the Scriptures.
00:11:50.81\00:11:52.94
The next day,  he was
to give his final answer.
00:11:52.94\00:11:55.98
It looked as though
Martin  Luther's enemies
00:11:55.98\00:11:58.61
were about to triumph.
00:11:58.61\00:12:01.45
"My last hour has
come,"  he cried to the Lord.
00:12:01.45\00:12:05.62
"My condemnation has been
 pronounced, but the cause
00:12:05.62\00:12:09.52
is mine and it is a
righteous  and eternal cause.
00:12:09.52\00:12:14.06
Stand at my side, for the sake
 thy well-beloved Jesus Christ,
00:12:14.06\00:12:19.17
who is my defense,  my
shield and my strong tower."
00:12:19.17\00:12:24.41
Luther had come to a place where
 he recognized his weakness
00:12:24.41\00:12:28.38
and his need of God's help.
00:12:28.38\00:12:31.01
And that's the right
place  for anyone to be.
00:12:31.01\00:12:33.78
God says in  2
Corinthians 12 in verse 9,
00:12:33.78\00:12:36.82
"My strength is made
perfect  in weakness."
00:12:36.82\00:12:41.82
It's when we are weak
that we  can be the strongest,
00:12:41.82\00:12:45.19
when we rely on God.
00:12:45.19\00:12:47.73
[music]
00:12:47.73\00:12:52.63
The next morning, Luther 
was asked to appear again before
00:12:54.74\00:12:58.51
the emperor and the princes.
00:12:58.51\00:12:59.51
At first he made
his case  in German,
00:12:59.51\00:13:02.54
but was asked to repeat 
his presentation in Latin,
00:13:02.54\00:13:06.05
which means Luther got
to state  his case twice.
00:13:06.05\00:13:10.75
Then Luther was asked if
he  would retract what he had
00:13:10.75\00:13:14.29
written, if he was prepared to
 renounce what he had believed.
00:13:14.29\00:13:18.69
And Martin Luther gave his 
answer, in words that will live
00:13:18.69\00:13:22.63
forever in history.
00:13:22.63\00:13:25.97
"Unless therefore I am convinced
 by the testimony of Scripture
00:13:26.43\00:13:30.17
or by the clearest reasoning;
 unless I am persuaded by means
00:13:30.17\00:13:34.21
of the passages I have
quoted;  and unless they thus
00:13:34.21\00:13:37.18
render my conscience bound 
by the Word of God, I cannot
00:13:37.18\00:13:41.32
and I will not retract.
00:13:41.32\00:13:43.05
For it is unsafe for a
Christian  to speak against his
00:13:43.05\00:13:46.96
conscience. Here I stand.
00:13:46.96\00:13:48.69
I can do no other.
00:13:48.69\00:13:50.39
May God help me.
00:13:50.39\00:13:52.06
Amen."
00:13:52.46\00:13:54.96
As Luther finished, the entire
 assembly to which he spoke was
00:13:55.13\00:13:58.70
speechless with amazement.
00:13:58.70\00:14:00.54
Priests and
princes,  even the emperor.
00:14:00.54\00:14:03.77
No one expected Luther
 to stand so resolutely.
00:14:03.77\00:14:07.14
Charles himself said of Martin
 Luther, "This monk speaks
00:14:07.14\00:14:10.58
with an intrepid heart
 and unshaken courage."
00:14:10.58\00:14:16.35
The emperor and his council
 debated what they should do
00:14:16.35\00:14:19.05
with the stubborn Reformer.
00:14:19.05\00:14:20.92
The papal authorities urged that
 like John Hus a century before,
00:14:20.92\00:14:25.29
Martin Luther be burned at
the  stake, and that his ashes,
00:14:25.29\00:14:29.06
like the ashes of
Hus,  should be thrown
00:14:29.06\00:14:31.33
into the Rhine River.
00:14:31.33\00:14:33.47
But even among those people 
who disagreed with Martin Luther
00:14:33.47\00:14:36.34
there was a sizable number who 
had no number to see the promise
00:14:36.34\00:14:40.14
of safety made to
Martin Luther  be broken.
00:14:40.14\00:14:43.91
They were familiar with the
 calamities that followed the
00:14:43.91\00:14:46.01
execution of John Hus.
00:14:46.01\00:14:48.55
The emperor believed
that  killing Luther would be
00:14:48.55\00:14:50.89
a disaster for him
 and for his people.
00:14:50.89\00:14:54.46
So Martin Luther was permitted
 to return home to Wittenberg.
00:14:54.46\00:14:59.29
[suspenseful music]
00:14:59.29\00:15:04.30
But no sooner had Luther 
left Worms than the emperor was
00:15:04.63\00:15:08.07
persuaded to condemn Luther, 
his writings and his followers.
00:15:08.07\00:15:13.98
An order was issued to arrest 
him wherever he might be found.
00:15:13.98\00:15:17.98
People were forbidden to 
shelter him or to give him food
00:15:17.98\00:15:20.42
and drink.
00:15:20.42\00:15:21.78
His writings
were to be  destroyed.
00:15:21.78\00:15:24.29
Luther's enemies were now
 convinced the fate of the
00:15:24.29\00:15:27.46
Reformation was sealed.
00:15:27.46\00:15:30.83
But God had the last word.
00:15:30.83\00:15:33.09
Martin Luther was still
in the  hollow of His hand.
00:15:33.09\00:15:36.63
The duke of Saxony 
came up with a plan.
00:15:36.63\00:15:39.00
As Luther made his way home from
 Worms to Wittenberg, he was
00:15:39.00\00:15:43.07
captured by some of his
own  supporters and brought
00:15:43.07\00:15:46.84
by force to this castle.
00:15:46.84\00:15:50.01
Even the duke didn't know 
where Luther had been taken,
00:15:50.01\00:15:52.41
and that was the intention.
00:15:52.41\00:15:53.78
This was, if the duke was
asked  by the emperor or anybody
00:15:53.78\00:15:56.69
else if he knew of Luther's 
whereabouts, he could honestly
00:15:56.69\00:15:59.79
say that he didn't know.
00:15:59.79\00:16:02.09
But he knew that Luther
was  safe, and to the duke,
00:16:02.09\00:16:05.73
that was all that mattered.
00:16:05.73\00:16:07.16
[pastoral melody]
00:16:07.16\00:16:10.93
Spring, summer,
autumn  and winter passed,
00:16:11.47\00:16:15.70
as 1521 became 1522.
00:16:15.70\00:16:20.41
Martin Luther
remained  a prisoner
00:16:20.41\00:16:22.38
in this magnificent fortress.
00:16:22.38\00:16:25.18
The church was confident his
 voice would be heard no more.
00:16:25.18\00:16:28.82
His disappearance convinced
 them he had been seized
00:16:28.82\00:16:31.12
and put to death.
00:16:31.12\00:16:32.79
But from the friendly security
 of this castle, the light of
00:16:32.79\00:16:36.59
truth was to shine 
with growing brightness.
00:16:36.59\00:16:39.86
And the work of the
Reformation  would go forward.
00:16:39.86\00:16:44.73
I'll be right back.
00:16:44.87\00:16:47.44
[Triumphant melody]  I
hope you'll get the book
00:16:48.74\00:16:50.87
I'm offering you this week.
00:16:50.87\00:16:52.41
It's called "Revelation Today."
00:16:52.41\00:16:54.48
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times  scenario presented
00:16:54.48\00:16:57.71
in the book of Revelation.
00:16:57.71\00:16:59.28
It untangles the end times 
prophetic scenario to let you
00:16:59.28\00:17:02.98
see how the battle between good
 and evil ultimately plays out.
00:17:02.98\00:17:06.69
Just call or write, and I'll
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00:17:06.69\00:17:10.33
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00:17:10.33\00:17:12.26
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00:17:12.26\00:17:14.36
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00:17:14.36\00:17:18.40
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00:17:20.50\00:17:22.50
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00:17:40.69\00:17:43.43
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00:17:43.43\00:17:46.26
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00:17:46.26\00:17:48.60
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00:18:02.71\00:18:07.52
[pastoral melody]
00:18:11.69\00:18:18.49
It was right here,  in
this very room, that Martin
00:18:25.73\00:18:29.10
Luther wrote so profusely.
00:18:29.10\00:18:32.31
In here, in this
place,  Luther translated
00:18:32.31\00:18:35.64
the New Testament 
into German, giving the Word
00:18:35.64\00:18:38.81
of God to the people in their
 native language, enabling the
00:18:38.81\00:18:42.12
Reformation to surge forward.
00:18:42.12\00:18:45.79
Like John the Revelator writing
 during his confinement on the
00:18:45.79\00:18:49.56
Island of Patmos, what Martin
 Luther achieved here would
00:18:49.56\00:18:54.23
revolutionize the world.
00:18:54.23\00:18:57.27
Luther's enemies were baffled
 by the steady production of
00:19:01.97\00:19:04.91
materials that flowed from
the  pen of someone they thought
00:19:04.91\00:19:07.91
was dead.
00:19:07.91\00:19:09.98
Even though  he
remained in isolation,
00:19:09.98\00:19:11.65
his labors flourished.
00:19:11.65\00:19:12.81
In fact, his labors flourished
 because he remained in
00:19:12.81\00:19:15.78
isolation, cut off from earthly
 support and the outside world.
00:19:15.78\00:19:20.92
Luther was protected from not 
only the attacks of his enemies
00:19:20.92\00:19:24.76
but also from the pride and 
self-confidence that so often
00:19:24.76\00:19:27.76
accompany great success.
00:19:27.76\00:19:29.66
[anthem played on an organ]
00:19:29.66\00:19:33.80
Six years later,  now
removed from the safety of
00:19:33.94\00:19:36.77
this place, Martin Luther wrote
 the lyrics of the song which
00:19:36.77\00:19:41.01
became known as "The Battle
Hymn  of the Reformation."
00:19:41.01\00:19:44.95
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."
00:19:44.95\00:19:48.02
Recalling his times of trial and
 triumph, his moments of courage
00:19:48.02\00:19:52.55
and conflict, Martin Luther 
wrote about defenses available
00:19:52.55\00:19:57.89
to any believer.
00:19:57.89\00:19:59.33
The greatest defenses of all.
00:19:59.33\00:20:01.50
He wrote about towers 
and turrets and ramparts
00:20:01.50\00:20:05.40
invulnerable to the craft
and  the design of even the most
00:20:05.40\00:20:09.70
brilliant of God's enemies.
00:20:09.70\00:20:12.84
He wrote: A mighty fortress is
 our God A bulwark never failing
00:20:12.84\00:20:20.02
Our helper He amidst the flood
 Of mortal ills prevailing.
00:20:20.02\00:20:25.85
And he went on to say
this:  Let goods and kindred go
00:20:25.85\00:20:30.83
This mortal life also
 The body they may kill
00:20:30.83\00:20:36.36
God's truth abideth
still  His kingdom is forever.
00:20:36.36\00:20:44.11
If anybody could
understand  those words,
00:20:44.47\00:20:46.47
it was Martin Luther.
00:20:46.47\00:20:48.34
His experience taught him
 the truth of all of this.
00:20:48.34\00:20:52.11
A single, humble man driven by a
 relentless desire to honor God
00:20:52.11\00:20:59.35
and an unshakable
faith  that would trust God
00:20:59.35\00:21:02.49
and lean on God in all things.
00:21:02.49\00:21:05.46
The truth is, we can have Martin
 Luther's faith experience
00:21:05.46\00:21:09.16
ourselves.
00:21:09.16\00:21:10.13
You can, and I can too.
00:21:10.13\00:21:12.30
Luther made a
decision  every day that Jesus
00:21:12.30\00:21:15.60
would be his fortress.
00:21:15.60\00:21:17.41
And knowing that Christ was his
 fortress, his defense, he could
00:21:17.41\00:21:21.51
face some of history's
most  difficult enemies knowing
00:21:21.51\00:21:26.31
that God would be honored,
 Jesus would be glorified,
00:21:26.31\00:21:30.79
and that Luther himself 
would be kept in the mighty
00:21:30.79\00:21:35.19
fortress that was his God.
00:21:35.19\00:21:38.46
? [Anthem crescendo] ?
00:21:38.46\00:21:43.63
A mighty fortress is our
God,  a bulwark never failing;
00:21:51.17\00:22:01.32
our helper he amid the flood
 of mortal ills prevailing.
00:22:01.32\00:22:12.39
For still our ancient foe
 doth seek to work us woe;
00:22:12.83\00:22:21.14
his craft and power are great,
 and armed with cruel hate,
00:22:21.14\00:22:29.94
on earth is not his equal.
00:22:29.94\00:22:37.79
And though this
world,  with devils filled,
00:22:37.99\00:22:45.79
should threaten to
undo us,  we will not fear,
00:22:45.79\00:22:54.60
for God hath willed  his
truth to triumph through us.
00:22:54.60\00:23:05.65
The Prince of Darkness
grim,  we tremble not for him;
00:23:05.65\00:23:16.36
his rage we can endure, 
for lo, his doom is sure;
00:23:16.36\00:23:26.90
one little word shall fell him.
00:23:26.90\00:23:36.01
Let goods and kindred
go,  this mortal life also;
00:23:53.96\00:24:03.04
the body they may kill; 
God's truth abideth still;
00:24:03.04\00:24:14.05
his kingdom is forever. Amen.
00:24:14.05\00:24:38.81
Well now,  let me ask you this:
00:24:42.81\00:24:45.11
How is it with you today?
00:24:45.11\00:24:47.22
How is it with
you  and God today?
00:24:47.22\00:24:49.68
Luther was able to say,  a
mighty fortress is our God,
00:24:49.68\00:24:53.46
and he was really saying, 
a mighty fortress is my God.
00:24:53.46\00:24:57.33
I think both you and I know
that  Jesus walked on water;
00:24:57.56\00:25:01.70
He turned water into wine.
00:25:01.70\00:25:03.53
Jesus fed the five thousand and
 other people besides with just
00:25:03.53\00:25:08.07
five loaves and two fish.
00:25:08.07\00:25:10.07
Jesus is able to do all of that.
00:25:10.07\00:25:12.11
We know that God created
 something out of nothing
00:25:12.11\00:25:15.18
way back then.
00:25:15.18\00:25:17.11
We know the Bible 
is the Word of God,
00:25:17.11\00:25:18.75
we trust that it is
true,  we believe that often by
00:25:18.75\00:25:21.65
experience, we've seen God
work,  we understand something
00:25:21.65\00:25:25.25
about fulfilled prophecy.
00:25:25.25\00:25:26.65
But at the end of the
day,  are you able to say,
00:25:26.65\00:25:30.56
a mighty fortress is my God?
00:25:30.56\00:25:32.83
Are you able to say,  in
the midst of the difficulty
00:25:32.83\00:25:35.63
I'm facing right
now,  I trust him.
00:25:35.63\00:25:38.00
Are you able to
say,  in the midst
00:25:38.00\00:25:39.97
of my financial challenges,
 my marital challenges,
00:25:39.97\00:25:43.00
my health challenges, 
even in the midst of my joys
00:25:43.00\00:25:46.44
and successes knowing 
that many people just forget
00:25:46.44\00:25:49.44
God in the midst of all of that.
00:25:49.44\00:25:51.35
Are you able to say, 
in a real way, in a living,
00:25:51.35\00:25:55.32
experiential way,
 a mighty fortress
00:25:55.32\00:25:59.25
is my God.
00:25:59.25\00:26:01.29
Luther could, 
not because he was
00:26:01.29\00:26:03.09
any better than
you or me,  but because
00:26:03.09\00:26:06.46
he made that decision.
00:26:06.46\00:26:07.50
Today,  Jesus
will be my fortress;
00:26:07.50\00:26:09.90
today, I will trust in
God;  today, the Bible will be
00:26:09.90\00:26:14.20
the foundation of my faith 
not just in theory, but in fact.
00:26:14.20\00:26:19.91
Would you like Jesus to
be  your fortress today,
00:26:19.91\00:26:23.11
not in theory but in fact?
00:26:23.11\00:26:25.51
Can you make a decision that the
 Bible will be the foundation
00:26:25.51\00:26:28.82
of your experience today?
00:26:28.82\00:26:30.12
Again, not in
theory  but in fact.
00:26:30.12\00:26:34.42
Why don't you make that
decision  with me right now.
00:26:34.42\00:26:36.32
Let's pray.
00:26:36.32\00:26:38.09
Our Father in heaven, I thank 
You for Martin Luther's example.
00:26:38.09\00:26:41.90
For his courage, for his
faith,  for his tenacity,
00:26:41.90\00:26:46.30
for his trust in You.
00:26:46.30\00:26:47.50
But more than that, I thank
You  for Your faithfulness.
00:26:47.50\00:26:50.04
I thank You that You will be to
 anyone what You were to Luther.
00:26:50.04\00:26:53.11
I thank You that You are willing
 to be a fortress for me today.
00:26:53.11\00:26:59.08
So Lord, today we make a
 decision to yield to You.
00:26:59.08\00:27:02.65
Be our fortress,
 be our strength,
00:27:02.65\00:27:04.95
be the foundation of our lives,
 be the mighty castle or tower
00:27:04.95\00:27:10.93
that surrounds and keeps us.
00:27:10.93\00:27:13.33
We trust You,  we
want to trust You more.
00:27:13.33\00:27:15.40
Be more real to us 
than You've ever been.
00:27:15.40\00:27:19.00
And my, like Luther, 
we determine that we would
00:27:19.00\00:27:20.57
live up to all of the
light  that we have and follow
00:27:20.57\00:27:23.30
the Word of God, 
wherever it leads us;
00:27:23.30\00:27:25.34
to be faithful, 
whatever anybody says;
00:27:25.34\00:27:27.91
to trust in You and follow You.
00:27:27.91\00:27:30.75
Let it be pleasing.
00:27:30.75\00:27:31.61
We want it, we believe it 
and we pray it in Jesus' name.
00:27:31.61\00:27:35.08
Amen.
00:27:35.08\00:27:39.22
[It Is Written Theme]  Well,
00:27:46.06\00:27:47.56
thanks for joining me today.
00:27:47.56\00:27:48.33
I look forward to
seeing  you again next time.
00:27:48.33\00:27:50.27
Until then,
remember,  It Is Written:
00:27:50.27\00:27:53.77
"Man shall not live by bread
 alone, but by every word that
00:27:53.77\00:27:58.31
proceeds from the mouth of God."
00:27:58.31\00:28:01.44