It has stood the
test of time. God's book.
00:00:06.30\00:00:13.07
The Bible. Still
relevant in today's
00:00:13.07\00:00:17.88
complex world. It
is written sharing hope
00:00:17.88\00:00:25.32
around the globe.
00:00:25.32\00:00:29.26
Thanks for joining me
today. I'm John Bradshaw
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and this is It Is Written.
In the north of England,
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about half way between
Leeds and Newcastle in North
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Yorkshire, is the
little village of Hipswell.
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It's an unremarkable place
as far as English villages go -
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bucolic, surrounded
by beautiful countryside,
00:00:52.41\00:00:55.75
it's slow, it's peaceful...
nothing you wouldn't expect
00:00:55.75\00:00:58.95
to see from an English
village. But there's something
00:00:58.95\00:01:02.29
that sets little Hipswell apart.
It's the home of one of the most
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remarkable men in all of
history, certainly in terms
00:01:06.03\00:01:10.40
of his contribution
to society and his role
00:01:10.40\00:01:13.47
in Christianity. In
Hipswell long ago, a fire
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began burning that would
eventually burn so bright
00:01:17.41\00:01:20.31
it would illuminate all
of England, and by extension,
00:01:20.31\00:01:22.68
the entire world.
John Wycliffe was born here
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or hereabouts. His
family most likely hailed
00:01:27.02\00:01:29.78
from the area known as
Wycliffe, about half an hour
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north of here on the Tees River.
And from this unlikely place
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of origin John
Wycliffe went on to become known
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as the Morning Star of
the Reformation - an advocate
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for the rights of the people,
a denouncer of the abuses
00:01:42.03\00:01:45.37
in the church, a
defender of the King of England
00:01:45.37\00:01:48.60
and a fearless
preacher of God's word.
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Wycliffe's greatest
contribution to the world
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is that he put the word of
God into the hands of the people
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- a people who
didn't have the word of God
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and who were held in
tradition and superstition.
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If you've ever held a Bible
in your hands, if you've ever
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treasured the precious
promises found in the Word
00:02:11.43\00:02:13.60
of God, if your heart has
ever been warmed by the beauty
00:02:13.60\00:02:16.90
of Scripture, you probably find
it hard to imagine a society
00:02:16.90\00:02:20.27
where God's
word is not welcomed.
00:02:20.27\00:02:23.10
But 14th Century
England was a different world.
00:02:23.10\00:02:27.04
John Wycliffe was
born in around 1328 -
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that's shortly after
the death of Marco Polo.
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The king at the time was Edward
the 3rd, who came to the throne
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when he was just 15 years old.
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England was locked
in some bitter disputes.
00:02:40.29\00:02:42.76
This was just after the
time of William Wallace -
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Braveheart - and around
the time of Robert the Bruce -
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and wars with Scotland
and France raged during
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Wycliffe's early
life. Then in the middle
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of the 14th Century the
Black Death struck England,
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killing somewhere
between a third or a half
00:03:00.38\00:03:03.65
of England's population.
The peasant class at the time
00:03:03.65\00:03:08.68
were essentially slaves,
and the influence of the ruling
00:03:08.68\00:03:11.92
church was
enormous. The Catholic Church
00:03:11.92\00:03:15.82
essentially controlled
the country, and by later
00:03:15.82\00:03:17.36
in the 14th Century the
pope was receiving 5 times
00:03:17.36\00:03:20.13
as much gold from the government
of England as was the King.
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And when it came to the
teaching of God's word...
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well the people were
living in superstition and fear,
00:03:28.47\00:03:31.91
as priests as well as traveling
monks and friars kept the
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people in spiritual darkness.
It was a common practice
00:03:35.18\00:03:38.48
for these monks to
sell pardon for sins.
00:03:38.48\00:03:41.38
As a result, they
often lived a luxurious life,
00:03:41.38\00:03:44.22
fleecing the flock
instead of teaching the flock.
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The monks were barely
less ignorant of the things
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of heaven than the people
were, and the people were kept
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in spiritual darkness.
But out of the darkness
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that was 14th Century England,
God caused a bright light
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to shine. The Morning Star
00:04:02.94\00:04:05.67
of the Reformation brought
light to a nation and truth
00:04:05.67\00:04:10.58
to the world - and from England,
John Wycliffe's teachings
00:04:10.58\00:04:14.38
would shine light into
the hearts of men and women
00:04:14.38\00:04:17.45
everywhere. John Wycliffe
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was a revolutionary.
And what John Wycliffe gave
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the world still
speaks to us today....
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¤ [Bright, ¤ ¤
Classical String Ensemble] ¤
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When Wycliffe arrived
here as a student at Oxford,
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the University was
already 150 years old.
00:04:40.28\00:04:44.35
When he came here there
were 30,000 students here.
00:04:44.35\00:04:48.32
By the time the Black
Death had done its work,
00:04:48.32\00:04:50.72
there were only 10,000. At
it was while he was a student
00:04:50.72\00:04:53.72
at Oxford that  Wycliffe
started to develop as a champion
00:04:53.72\00:04:57.03
of the word of God.
John Wycliffe studied here
00:04:57.03\00:05:01.40
at Balliol College,
which was founded in 1263.
00:05:01.40\00:05:06.60
Five Balliol Students
have gone on to win the Nobel
00:05:06.60\00:05:09.20
Prize - the most of
any of Oxford's colleges -
00:05:09.20\00:05:13.21
as have 7 faculty members.
Three British Prime Ministers
00:05:13.21\00:05:16.21
studied here, including
Edward Heath and Harold
00:05:16.21\00:05:18.68
McMillan, London's
Lord Mayor, Boris Johnson,
00:05:18.68\00:05:22.22
as well as authors Aldous
Huxley and Graham Greene, and -
00:05:22.22\00:05:25.49
curiously - the noted
atheist Richard Dawkins
00:05:25.49\00:05:28.69
also studied here.
Wycliffe was a brilliant
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student, and studied not
only philosophy and civil law,
00:05:33.33\00:05:38.00
but church law as
well. He became known as
00:05:38.00\00:05:41.64
"The Flower of Oxford" owing
to his academic excellence.
00:05:41.64\00:05:45.97
And it was here at Balliol
in Oxford that John Wycliffe
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began to study the
Bible. In those days, the Word
00:05:51.65\00:05:55.45
of God was only written
in the ancient languages
00:05:55.45\00:05:58.79
- and while the uneducated
masses couldn't access
00:05:58.79\00:06:01.29
or understand the Word of God,
scholars in some cases, could.
00:06:01.29\00:06:06.16
Wycliffe found in the
Bible what he felt to be
00:06:06.46\00:06:08.63
clear evidence demonstrating
that the Bible was the Word
00:06:08.63\00:06:12.23
of God and that Jesus Christ
as the only hope for the sinner.
00:06:12.23\00:06:17.37
He wrote these words,
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"Trust wholly in
Christ, rely altogether on His
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sufferings; beware of seeking
to be justified in any other way
00:06:25.28\00:06:29.78
than by His righteousness.
Faith in our Lord Jesus
00:06:29.78\00:06:33.19
Christ is
sufficient for salvation."
00:06:33.19\00:06:37.06
And he came to the conclusion
that confession to a priest
00:06:37.06\00:06:40.20
was not necessary.
"Privy confession made
00:06:40.20\00:06:43.40
to priests is not
needful," he wrote,
00:06:43.40\00:06:46.20
"but brought in
late by the Fiend:
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for Christ used it
not, nor any of His apostles
00:06:49.14\00:06:53.31
after Him."
00:06:53.31\00:06:55.81
While early in his
career at Oxford these thoughts
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did not become issues
for John Wycliffe, his study
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of the Word of God soon
set him on a collision course
00:07:03.42\00:07:06.09
with the Roman
Catholic Church, which dominated
00:07:06.09\00:07:08.82
not only British
life and religion,
00:07:08.82\00:07:11.89
but British politics as
well. ¤ [Contemplative Melody] ¤
00:07:11.89\00:07:18.40
At the time, the papacy
controlled both the church
00:07:18.40\00:07:21.60
and the state in
England. Many church leaders
00:07:21.60\00:07:24.77
were fabulously wealthy
and acted essentially as lords
00:07:24.77\00:07:27.68
over the nation.
Growing up, Wycliffe likely
00:07:27.68\00:07:31.05
thought little of this, but
exposure to the Bible caused
00:07:31.05\00:07:34.58
him to think carefully.
As a child what he learned
00:07:34.58\00:07:39.92
of religion wouldn't have
been much better than myths
00:07:39.92\00:07:42.76
and stories and moral lessons.
The clergy themselves were not
00:07:42.76\00:07:47.60
generally noted for their
piety, and Wycliffe realized
00:07:47.60\00:07:51.13
there was a serious
blight on society that was going
00:07:51.13\00:07:53.84
to have to be confronted -
the swarms of friars, men who
00:07:53.84\00:07:58.31
belonged to religious orders
and depended on the charity
00:07:58.31\00:08:01.24
of the population to survive.
00:08:01.24\00:08:04.01
Now while the general
principle of the orders
00:08:05.08\00:08:08.12
of the friars might
seem harmless enough -
00:08:08.12\00:08:10.69
men who were devoted
to living lives of poverty
00:08:10.69\00:08:12.79
and devoted to helping
the poor - Wycliffe realized
00:08:12.79\00:08:15.36
that these men
were a drain on society.
00:08:15.36\00:08:17.83
They were a
corrupting influence.
00:08:17.83\00:08:19.76
They were idle, and rather
than helping anybody at all,
00:08:19.76\00:08:23.13
they spent their
time getting and gaining
00:08:23.13\00:08:25.77
and living riotous lives.
00:08:25.77\00:08:28.40
The pope had given the
friars the authority to hear
00:08:29.14\00:08:31.81
confessions and
grant pardon for sins.
00:08:31.81\00:08:34.88
This unBiblical system
could only be corrupted -
00:08:34.88\00:08:38.11
and it was. The
worst sinners were
00:08:38.11\00:08:41.02
"absolved" of their
sins for sums of money,
00:08:41.02\00:08:44.25
while the friars continued
to invent stories and legends
00:08:44.25\00:08:48.06
and tales so they could
further manipulate the ignorant
00:08:48.06\00:08:51.09
masses.
00:08:51.09\00:08:52.69
This further strengthened
the hold of the ruling church.
00:08:52.93\00:08:55.80
Ignorant people can't find
answers when they don't even
00:08:55.80\00:08:58.50
know what questions to
ask. Being told that all you had
00:08:58.50\00:09:01.74
to do to go to heaven was
to acknowledge the supremacy
00:09:01.74\00:09:04.04
of the pope, give
money to the friars and adore
00:09:04.04\00:09:06.44
the saints, didn't
cause people to rely
00:09:06.44\00:09:09.28
on Jesus or be interested
in genuine conversion.
00:09:09.28\00:09:13.01
Who needed any of that
when you can buy your way
00:09:13.01\00:09:15.62
into heaven? Now
John Wycliffe wasn't
00:09:15.62\00:09:18.02
the first to notice or
to protest the corruptions
00:09:18.02\00:09:21.46
of the friars, but he
would be the one to do the most
00:09:21.46\00:09:24.79
to curb their
excesses. ¤ [Hopeful Melody] ¤
00:09:24.79\00:09:31.67
Wycliffe understood
that what the people needed
00:09:38.01\00:09:40.58
was the word of God.
This was the one thing
00:09:40.58\00:09:43.28
that could free them from
the tyranny of the friars.
00:09:43.28\00:09:45.45
It would liberate them
from popes and from purgatory
00:09:45.45\00:09:48.62
and from purchase for pardon.
But how in the world could
00:09:48.62\00:09:51.92
he get the word of God
into the hands of the people?
00:09:51.92\00:09:53.99
Wycliffe knew what the Bible
meant when it said in Psalm
00:09:53.99\00:09:57.39
119:130, "The entrance
of Your words gives light;
00:09:57.39\00:10:03.47
It gives understanding."
What the people needed
00:10:03.47\00:10:10.07
was God's word. The
one thing that not even
00:10:10.07\00:10:12.87
money couldn't buy.
So John Wyycliffe took
00:10:12.87\00:10:16.01
the word of God to the people.
He preached to them publicly
00:10:16.01\00:10:17.98
in places such as St
Paul's Cross, in the church
00:10:17.98\00:10:22.58
out here in St
Paul's Cathedral in London.
00:10:22.58\00:10:24.79
Now this is not the
same St Paul's as stood when
00:10:24.79\00:10:27.99
John Wycliffe was here -
this is the new model, designed
00:10:27.99\00:10:31.56
by Sir Christopher Wren and
rebuilt after the Great Fire
00:10:31.56\00:10:34.60
of London in 1666. But
it was here in the church
00:10:34.60\00:10:39.20
yard at St. Paul's
Cathedral, at St. Paul's Cross,
00:10:39.20\00:10:42.74
that John Wycliffe
publicly preached God's Word.
00:10:42.74\00:10:45.11
A plaque commemorates
the very spot that he stood
00:10:45.11\00:10:48.78
and preached. His
preaching had a dramatic
00:10:48.78\00:10:51.25
effect on those who
heard. It wasn't the pointless
00:10:51.25\00:10:54.72
prattle of the friars,
it was the pure word of God.
00:10:54.72\00:10:58.99
Those who listened knew
that they were listening
00:10:58.99\00:11:02.56
to something of divine
origin. But how would the Bible
00:11:02.56\00:11:06.43
get into the
hands of the people?
00:11:06.43\00:11:07.83
Wycliffe had an
idea. It was a bold idea.
00:11:07.83\00:11:11.47
It was an idea that
would change England forever.
00:11:11.47\00:11:16.91
¤ [Hopeful Melody]
¤ Every Word is a one
00:11:17.77\00:11:19.27
minute Bible-based
daily devotional presented
00:11:19.27\00:11:21.94
by Pastor John Bradshaw
and designed especially for
00:11:21.94\00:11:24.85
busy people like you.
Look for Every Word on selected
00:11:24.85\00:11:28.52
networks or watch it
on-line everyday on our website
00:11:28.52\00:11:31.59
ItIsWritten.com
00:11:31.59\00:11:33.76
¤ [Rythmic and Hopeful Melody] ¤
00:11:34.16\00:11:36.83
The child Samuel had been
taken by his mother to live
00:11:41.36\00:11:44.07
at the temple - his life
had been dedicated to God.
00:11:44.07\00:11:47.44
And one night
something remarkable happened.
00:11:47.44\00:11:50.04
It's recorded in 1 Samuel 3:4
The Bible says, "The Lord called
00:11:50.04\00:11:54.41
Samuel: and he
answered, 'Here am I'"
00:11:54.41\00:11:57.61
The Lord called Samuel - in
a way Samuel actually heard.
00:11:58.05\00:12:02.18
Now - the vast majority of
us aren't ever going to hear God
00:12:02.18\00:12:04.89
audibly. And that's okay.
00:12:04.89\00:12:06.82
You don't have to hear a
voice - but you can hear God
00:12:06.82\00:12:10.43
speak to you. He'll
speak to you through His
00:12:10.43\00:12:12.39
word or through providences
of through other people -
00:12:12.39\00:12:15.13
and if you're dedicated to Him
and if you spend time with God
00:12:15.13\00:12:18.57
you'll recognize
the sound of His voice
00:12:18.57\00:12:20.10
when He speaks.
God called Samuel
00:12:20.10\00:12:22.84
- and He's still
calling. If you listen carefully
00:12:22.84\00:12:25.74
- you'll hear God
calling you today.
00:12:25.74\00:12:28.64
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:12:28.64\00:12:30.85
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:12:30.85\00:12:33.78
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:12:34.85\00:12:36.52
I'm John Bradshaw and
today, we're looking at the life
00:12:36.52\00:12:39.62
and the ministry and the message
of John Wycliffe, the Morning
00:12:39.62\00:12:43.02
Star of the Reformation -
the man who brought the Bible
00:12:43.02\00:12:46.16
to the people of England.
Wycliffe realized that the Bible
00:12:46.16\00:12:48.83
could be powerful,
not only in the life
00:12:48.83\00:12:51.33
of the individual
but also in a society,
00:12:51.33\00:12:54.54
and also in an entire nation.
[Contemplative Melody and roar
00:12:54.54\00:13:00.78
¤ of a bus] ¤
After becoming the Master
00:13:00.78\00:13:02.31
at Balliol College in
Oxford, Wycliffe pursued his
00:13:02.31\00:13:05.25
theological
studies, eventually becoming
00:13:05.25\00:13:07.92
a Doctor of
Divinity. And not only was he
00:13:07.92\00:13:11.32
relentless in his
condemnation of the practices
00:13:11.32\00:13:13.52
of the mendicant friars,
Wycliffe believed strongly
00:13:13.52\00:13:16.52
that the church had no
business receiving tribute
00:13:16.52\00:13:19.19
money from a
sovereign government.
00:13:19.19\00:13:22.26
In the year 1365, Pope Urban
the 5th demanded that England
00:13:22.26\00:13:26.53
submit entirely to the
authority of the Church of Rome
00:13:26.53\00:13:31.07
- which would be an
admission that the pope was
00:13:31.07\00:13:33.24
the legitimate
sovereign of England.
00:13:33.24\00:13:35.21
¤ [Piano, Playful Classical] ¤
00:13:35.21\00:13:38.38
John Wycliffe was strenuous
in his opposition to the Roman
00:13:42.32\00:13:44.92
Church exercising authority
over the British crown.
00:13:44.92\00:13:48.66
Add to that his Bible
teachings that collided
00:13:48.66\00:13:50.79
with the doctrines
of the Catholic Church,
00:13:50.79\00:13:53.50
and Wycliffe became to be
viewed as more than a thorn
00:13:53.50\00:13:56.56
in the flesh of
the Church of Rome -
00:13:56.56\00:13:58.47
by the time he became
the rector of the church
00:13:58.47\00:14:00.84
in Lutterworth,
Wycliffe was considered
00:14:00.84\00:14:02.94
to be a heretic.
Which was not surprising -
00:14:02.94\00:14:06.37
after all, Wycliffe had begun
to teach that the pope of Rome
00:14:06.37\00:14:09.48
was the antichrist of the
Bible. He even claimed the pope
00:14:09.48\00:14:12.88
was the man of sin in 2
Thessalonians chapter 2.
00:14:12.88\00:14:16.95
¤ [Lively classical music] ¤
00:14:16.95\00:14:20.89
Things have changed a
little since John Wycliffe
00:14:27.56\00:14:30.07
came here to petition
Parliament to remove all
00:14:30.07\00:14:32.17
of the wealth of the church
and bring it under the power
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.57
of the Crown.
00:14:34.57\00:14:37.07
The Parliament Buildings
you see today weren't here
00:14:38.37\00:14:40.98
in the 14th Century.
The Palace of Westminster -
00:14:40.98\00:14:44.65
as Parliament is known -
was built in the 19th Century.
00:14:44.65\00:14:49.32
Big Ben is just
over 150 years old.
00:14:49.62\00:14:54.52
Westminster Abbey was
standing when Wycliffe came here
00:14:54.52\00:14:57.19
to Parliament - in fact,
Richard the 2nd, the king
00:14:57.19\00:15:00.66
who was reigning when Wycliffe
died, is buried in there
00:15:00.66\00:15:04.80
but there was no Buckingham
Palace, or much that you'd
00:15:04.80\00:15:07.44
recognize in London
today. It was a very different
00:15:07.44\00:15:10.74
place. In 1377
John Wycliffe came
00:15:10.74\00:15:15.61
here to this area to address
the Parliament with regard
00:15:15.61\00:15:19.41
to the pope's claims to
have authority over England.
00:15:19.41\00:15:22.45
John Wycliffe lead the movement
to turn back the demands
00:15:22.45\00:15:25.42
of the Pope, and
in fact he called
00:15:25.42\00:15:27.82
upon Parliament to
reform the relationship
00:15:27.82\00:15:30.09
between church and state.
And that was truly historic.
00:15:30.09\00:15:35.20
Wycliffe told Parliament
that the national resources
00:15:40.20\00:15:42.77
were for the nation,
and not for a foreign power
00:15:42.77\00:15:45.87
like the church of Rome.
He said that Rome was wealthy
00:15:45.87\00:15:48.44
enough already, and that
if anyone should be entitled
00:15:48.44\00:15:51.18
to the type of taxes
that Rome was demanding,
00:15:51.18\00:15:54.05
it ought be the
government and not the church.
00:15:54.05\00:15:57.22
Especially at a time
that England was trying
00:15:57.22\00:15:59.42
to finance a war very
expensive war against France.
00:15:59.42\00:16:03.86
And Wycliff believed
that the people really needed
00:16:03.86\00:16:06.66
to be able to read and study
and interpret the Scriptures
00:16:06.66\00:16:10.13
for themselves. But
how were they ever going
00:16:10.13\00:16:14.04
to be able to do that?
00:16:14.04\00:16:15.47
[Dramatic Cello Sting]
00:16:15.70\00:16:23.14
Wycliffe incurred
the wrath of the church.
00:16:25.75\00:16:28.22
He had been
teaching that the friars were
00:16:28.22\00:16:30.02
a blight on society. He
taught and wrote that priests
00:16:30.02\00:16:33.12
had no
authority to forgive sins.
00:16:33.12\00:16:35.39
And he was strenuously opposed
to the sale of indulgences,
00:16:35.39\00:16:38.76
where people
would buy forgiveness,
00:16:38.76\00:16:41.46
when the monks would
sell the pardon of God.
00:16:41.46\00:16:45.93
""It is plain to me that our
prelates in granting indulgences
00:16:45.93\00:16:48.74
do commonly
blaspheme the wisdom of God,"
00:16:48.74\00:16:52.51
he said.
Related to this he said,
00:16:52.51\00:16:55.01
"Private confession ... was not
ordered by Christ and was not
00:16:55.01\00:16:59.61
used by the apostles."
He taught that the mass
00:16:59.61\00:17:04.69
was blasphemous
and that the eucharist
00:17:04.69\00:17:06.09
- the communion wafer -
was not really the actual body
00:17:06.09\00:17:09.16
of Jesus. The
Roman Catholic Church
00:17:09.16\00:17:12.33
taught - teaches -
that when the bread
00:17:12.33\00:17:14.36
and wine are consecrated
they become the true body
00:17:14.36\00:17:16.73
and the true
blood of Jesus Christ.
00:17:16.73\00:17:19.20
Wycliffe's
understanding was different.
00:17:19.20\00:17:21.50
"The bread, while becoming
by virtue of Christ's words
00:17:21.50\00:17:25.34
the body of Christ, does not
cease to be bread," he stated.
00:17:25.34\00:17:30.31
And Rome was not happy. In
fact, even some of Wycliffe's
00:17:30.31\00:17:34.22
strongest supporters urged
him to turn down the volume,
00:17:34.22\00:17:37.75
but by now he was
committed to speaking against
00:17:37.75\00:17:40.62
what he believed to
be the inconsistencies
00:17:40.62\00:17:43.43
of the church.
00:17:43.43\00:17:44.79
Wycliffe was eventually
kicked out of Oxford -
00:17:47.76\00:17:50.20
which had been
pressured by the church to have
00:17:50.20\00:17:52.33
nothing to do with him.
After speaking to Parliament,
00:17:52.33\00:17:55.44
he was summoned to a church
trial here at Lambeth Palace,
00:17:55.44\00:17:58.57
right behind me. -
the official residence
00:17:58.57\00:18:00.91
of the Archbishop of Canterbury
and just across the river
00:18:00.91\00:18:04.35
from Parliament buildings-
but his enemies were unable
00:18:04.35\00:18:07.55
to silence him.
The Morning Star would
00:18:07.55\00:18:10.32
continue to shine for truth.
00:18:10.32\00:18:12.92
He returned here to
his parish in Lutterworth.
00:18:13.96\00:18:16.83
His 'poor priests' -
the Lollards - were sent
00:18:16.83\00:18:20.26
by Wycliffe to preach the gospel
all over England, and truth
00:18:20.26\00:18:23.90
began to flourish where
error and superstition had been
00:18:23.90\00:18:27.60
so powerful.
Wycliff not only preached
00:18:27.60\00:18:31.31
but he wrote prodigiously
in an effort to share the Word
00:18:31.31\00:18:34.78
of God and its liberating power
with as many people as possible.
00:18:34.78\00:18:39.91
¤ [Foreboding
melody] ¤ From this now very
00:18:41.68\00:18:46.05
historic building John Wycliffe
ministered to the world.
00:18:46.05\00:18:50.76
His influence was felt,
obviously, here in England,
00:18:50.76\00:18:53.70
but it was Wycliffe's
ideas that influenced another
00:18:53.70\00:18:56.36
great early reformer,
John Huss, in what is now
00:18:56.36\00:19:00.04
the Czech Republic.
00:19:00.04\00:19:02.74
The Queen of England,
in Wycliffe's later years,
00:19:03.74\00:19:06.21
was Anne of Bohemia,
which is where Huss was from.
00:19:06.21\00:19:10.65
Oxford students from Bohemia
took Wycliffe's ideas back
00:19:10.65\00:19:13.98
to their homeland, where
they were shared by Huss and had
00:19:13.98\00:19:17.82
a major impact in Europe.
00:19:17.82\00:19:20.39
But Wycliffe's work
was suddenly stopped.
00:19:20.99\00:19:23.63
Just short of his 60th
birthday John Wycliff came down
00:19:23.63\00:19:26.63
with an illness that
appeared as though it was going
00:19:26.63\00:19:29.03
to take his life.
The monks were jubilant.
00:19:29.03\00:19:33.10
They came here to Lutterworth
and they gathered around
00:19:33.10\00:19:35.54
Wycliffe's -- what
they thought was Wycliffe's
00:19:35.54\00:19:37.57
deathbed, and they said to him,
00:19:37.57\00:19:40.18
"You have death on your lips.
Retract now in our presence
00:19:40.18\00:19:45.51
all the things that
you have said to our hurt."
00:19:45.51\00:19:48.48
Wycliffe raised himself
up from his bed and he said,
00:19:48.48\00:19:53.49
"I shall not die, but
live; and again declare the evil
00:19:53.49\00:19:58.69
deeds of the friars."
The monks hurried out,
00:19:58.69\00:20:02.93
and Wycliffe recovered and
went to work on the project
00:20:02.93\00:20:05.73
that would have the
greatest influence of anything
00:20:05.73\00:20:07.57
that he had
ever done in England.
00:20:07.57\00:20:09.74
With the help of some close
friends, John Wycliffe went
00:20:09.74\00:20:12.67
to work on translating
the Bible into the language
00:20:12.67\00:20:15.94
of the day. The
one who had been known
00:20:15.94\00:20:18.28
as the 'Gospel Doctor" committed
himself to sharing that gospel
00:20:18.28\00:20:22.15
with as many people
as he possibly could.
00:20:22.15\00:20:25.32
John Wycliffe's dream
was that everybody in England
00:20:25.32\00:20:29.39
would have the opportunity
to read the Scriptures
00:20:29.39\00:20:32.49
in their own language.
00:20:32.49\00:20:35.56
Still a couple of hundred
of years before the invention
00:20:36.30\00:20:38.83
of the printing press,
it was here in Lutterworth
00:20:38.83\00:20:42.67
that John Wycliffe translated
the Bible from the Latin
00:20:42.67\00:20:45.94
into English. The
Scriptures were copied
00:20:45.94\00:20:47.78
slowly by hand.
There were some people
00:20:47.78\00:20:50.81
who were able to buy an
entire copy of the Bible while
00:20:50.81\00:20:52.81
others were able to
secure just a portion.
00:20:52.81\00:20:56.32
But John Wycliffe's
dream was being realized.
00:20:56.32\00:20:58.89
The Word of God was
making its way into the hands
00:20:58.89\00:21:02.59
of the people. It was
still going to be some
00:21:02.59\00:21:05.43
years before laws were
passed banning the production
00:21:05.43\00:21:08.93
of or the possession of
the Bible and the Scriptures
00:21:08.93\00:21:12.37
was distributed widely.
While England was fighting
00:21:12.37\00:21:16.54
battles on various fronts,
one of the greatest victories
00:21:16.54\00:21:20.28
in her history was realized
when the Word of God was
00:21:20.28\00:21:23.65
translated and made available
in the English language
00:21:23.65\00:21:28.15
to the people of England.
Long after John Wycliffe was
00:21:28.15\00:21:31.65
dead the establishment church
had to reckon with a force
00:21:31.65\00:21:35.72
that was far more
powerful than he could ever be.
00:21:35.72\00:21:39.53
¤ [Thought provoking melody]
¤ "The entrance of your word
00:21:39.53\00:21:42.10
gives light. It
gives understanding."
00:21:42.10\00:21:45.87
People began to
learn the great principles
00:21:45.87\00:21:47.84
of Scripture - "Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:21:47.84\00:21:52.14
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth
00:21:52.14\00:21:54.31
of God." "All Scripture is given
00:21:54.31\00:21:57.41
by inspiration of God,"
00:21:57.41\00:22:00.18
¤ [Building and driving theme] ¤
00:22:04.12\00:22:07.06
Principles that are
the foundation of Biblical
00:22:15.43\00:22:17.63
Christianity were heard by
the masses for the first time
00:22:17.63\00:22:20.94
throughout England.
While it is true not all
00:22:20.94\00:22:23.47
of John Wycliffe's teachings
were perfect, and while
00:22:23.47\00:22:26.34
the Reformation wouldn't
take hold for some time yet,
00:22:26.34\00:22:29.38
the foundation for
the Reformation was laid
00:22:29.38\00:22:32.15
in England and throughout
Europe by John Wycliffe,
00:22:32.15\00:22:35.62
the Morning Star
of the reformation.
00:22:35.62\00:22:38.32
And here in St. Mary's
Church where John Wycliffe
00:22:38.32\00:22:40.62
was the pastor many
hundreds of years ago,
00:22:40.62\00:22:43.96
in the pews of this church
today are English language
00:22:43.96\00:22:47.40
Bibles and anybody who
picks up one of these Bibles
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.67
and leafs through its
pages owes a great debt to John
00:22:50.67\00:22:54.14
Wycliffe without
whom Biblical Christianity
00:22:54.14\00:22:58.27
and Christianity
itself would have unfolded
00:22:58.27\00:23:01.31
in a rather different
fashion. At his third trial,
00:23:01.31\00:23:05.15
John Wycliffe met his accusers
with these words: he said
00:23:05.15\00:23:08.72
"With whom, think
you, are you contending?
00:23:08.72\00:23:12.82
With an old man on
the brink of the grave?
00:23:12.82\00:23:15.66
No! -- he said -- with Truth--
00:23:15.66\00:23:19.03
with Truth that
is stronger than you,
00:23:19.03\00:23:22.20
and will overcome you." ¤
[Stately orchestral Theme] ¤
00:23:22.20\00:23:28.14
John Wycliffe
died of natural causes
00:23:35.98\00:23:38.18
at about the age of
66, in the year 1384.
00:23:38.18\00:23:42.48
At the Council of Constance
in Germany the early 1400s -
00:23:42.48\00:23:47.96
the papacy decreed that
Wycliffe's remains should
00:23:47.96\00:23:50.06
be exhumed and his
bones burnt, which they were,
00:23:50.06\00:23:55.10
and his ashes were then
cast into the River Swift
00:23:55.10\00:23:58.83
near Lutterworth.
00:23:58.83\00:24:01.14
A writer later
penned these words.
00:24:05.61\00:24:09.41
"Thus the brook hath
conveyed his ashes into Avon;
00:24:09.41\00:24:13.52
Avon into Severn;
Severn into the narrow seas;
00:24:13.52\00:24:18.12
and they into the main ocean.
And thus the ashes of Wycliffe
00:24:18.12\00:24:23.36
are the emblem of his
doctrine which now is dispersed
00:24:23.36\00:24:27.96
the world over."
00:24:27.96\00:24:30.13
One man dedicated
to the proposition
00:24:30.80\00:24:34.37
that the Word of God
could make the difference
00:24:34.37\00:24:37.91
in a person's life.
John Wycliffe was a man who
00:24:37.91\00:24:40.91
experienced the
power of the Word of God.
00:24:40.91\00:24:44.31
He experienced it in his
life and he saw what the Word
00:24:44.31\00:24:47.98
of God could do in
the lives of others.
00:24:47.98\00:24:51.02
You know, I'd like to
offer you the opportunity
00:24:51.02\00:24:53.36
to experience
God's Word in your life.
00:24:53.36\00:24:56.09
Friend, what are you
doing about the Word of God?
00:24:56.09\00:24:59.29
Does the Word of God own
you? Has it impacted you?
00:24:59.29\00:25:03.06
Has it set you
free like the thousands
00:25:03.06\00:25:06.27
and the millions
who are set free through
00:25:06.27\00:25:08.07
the Word of God by the
work of John Wycliffe and those
00:25:08.07\00:25:10.91
who followed after
him? ¤ [Musical Interlude] ¤
00:25:10.91\00:25:15.61
Your Father God, your
creator and originator,
00:25:22.55\00:25:25.62
is also the God of the future.
00:25:25.62\00:25:27.56
In His ability to tell us what
is still ahead, God reminds us
00:25:27.56\00:25:30.86
of His sovereignty
and power over all things.
00:25:30.86\00:25:34.30
To help us to trust Him, God
has provided amazing evidence
00:25:34.30\00:25:37.17
of His reliability, and
the reliability of His Word.
00:25:37.17\00:25:41.40
Today I'd like to send you a
booklet that demonstrates how
00:25:41.40\00:25:43.51
God foretold world
events with absolute accuracy
00:25:43.51\00:25:47.31
thousands of years in
advance. This booklet is called
00:25:47.31\00:25:50.71
"Can God Be Trusted,
and it's absolutely free.
00:25:50.71\00:25:53.58
Just call 1 (800) 253-3000, and
ask for "Can God Be Trusted."
00:25:53.58\00:25:59.39
If the lines are busy,
please do keep on trying.
00:25:59.39\00:26:02.16
Or you can write to us
at It Is Written, Box 6,
00:26:02.16\00:26:06.09
Chattanooga, TN 37401,
we'll mail a free copy to
00:26:06.09\00:26:10.73
your address in North America.
It Is Written is a faith-based
00:26:10.73\00:26:14.30
ministry, and your support makes
it possible for us to share
00:26:14.30\00:26:18.07
God's good news with the world.
Your tax-deductible gift can be
00:26:18.07\00:26:22.58
sent to the address on your
screen, or through our website
00:26:22.58\00:26:26.18
at itiswritten.com.
Thank you for your continued
00:26:26.18\00:26:29.48
prayerful support.
Again our toll free number is
00:26:29.48\00:26:32.52
(800) 253-3000 and
our web address is:
00:26:32.52\00:26:36.73
itiswritten.com
00:26:36.73\00:26:39.96
¤ [Inspirational theme] ¤
I'd like to pray for you today
00:26:40.80\00:26:44.37
that God's word would
truly bring his presence
00:26:44.37\00:26:49.54
and his power into your life.
00:26:49.54\00:26:52.04
Let me pray.
00:26:52.04\00:26:53.98
Father in heaven, at
this almost sacred spot,
00:26:54.48\00:27:00.48
where the ashes of
one of your faithful
00:27:00.48\00:27:02.72
reformers, one of
your faithful servants
00:27:02.72\00:27:04.62
were cast, at this spot I pray.
00:27:04.62\00:27:08.56
I pray that we
would experience the power
00:27:08.56\00:27:11.23
of your Word. I
pray that the Word of God
00:27:11.23\00:27:15.73
and its great
promises, the great principles
00:27:15.73\00:27:18.93
of Scripture would be
the foundation upon which
00:27:18.93\00:27:21.04
our lives are based. I
pray that we can experience
00:27:21.04\00:27:24.14
in our lives reformation,
that which comes through
00:27:24.14\00:27:27.44
the power and the
presence of your Word
00:27:27.44\00:27:30.45
and through Jesus
Christ living his life in us.
00:27:30.45\00:27:34.72
Let that be so I pray, and
I thank you, in Jesus' name,
00:27:34.72\00:27:40.26
amen.
00:27:40.26\00:27:42.29
¤ [It Is Written
Theme] ¤ Thanks for joining
00:27:47.20\00:27:48.50
me today. Until
next time remember,
00:27:48.50\00:27:50.80
It is written, man
shall not live by bread alone
00:27:50.80\00:27:54.64
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:27:54.64\00:27:59.44
¤[It Is Written Theme swells]¤
00:27:59.44\00:28:02.28