The song says,
00:00:24.19\00:00:25.52
"It only takes a spark
to set a whole fire going,"
00:00:25.55\00:00:28.99
and once the fire was
lit in one part of Europe,
00:00:29.02\00:00:32.29
it spread
quickly to other areas.
00:00:32.33\00:00:35.33
John Wycliffe had
made a massive impact,
00:00:35.36\00:00:37.97
not just in England but
further afield in Europe,
00:00:38.00\00:00:41.64
in particular here in Prague
00:00:41.67\00:00:44.17
and the region that
was known then as Bohemia.
00:00:44.21\00:00:46.94
John Huss was of humble birth
00:00:52.31\00:00:54.42
and his father died
soon after he was born.
00:00:54.45\00:00:57.22
His mother sought
an education for him
00:00:57.25\00:00:59.62
and he was able to get admission
00:00:59.65\00:01:01.22
to the University of
Prague as a charity scholar.
00:01:01.26\00:01:04.79
As she reached
Prague with her son,
00:01:04.83\00:01:06.80
she knelt down and prayed
that God would bless his life,
00:01:06.83\00:01:10.67
a prayer that was
answered again and again.
00:01:10.70\00:01:14.17
He soon distinguished himself
00:01:14.20\00:01:16.00
by his tireless
application to study
00:01:16.04\00:01:18.57
and by his blameless life.
00:01:18.61\00:01:20.44
Upon completing his studies
00:01:20.48\00:01:22.18
he entered the priesthood
and rapidly rose to prominence,
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soon becoming attached
to the court of the king.
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In a few short years he
was the pride of his country
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and his name was
known all over Europe.
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Today they've built a
statue to commemorate him
00:01:36.06\00:01:38.99
here in the old town square.
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Several years
after becoming a priest,
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Huss was appointed preacher
00:01:47.77\00:01:49.50
of the Bethlehem
Chapel here in Prague.
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The founder of
this particular chapel
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had advocated as a
matter of importance
00:01:54.21\00:01:56.81
the preaching of the scriptures
in the language of the people.
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At that time
there was a large degree
00:02:00.38\00:02:02.75
of ignorance
concerning the Bible,
00:02:02.78\00:02:05.35
and Huss also believed
that it was vitally important
00:02:05.39\00:02:08.76
to preach the scriptures
in the language of the people.
00:02:08.79\00:02:11.86
At this point in his life
00:02:17.90\00:02:19.80
Huss came in
contact with Jerome,
00:02:19.83\00:02:22.34
who would prove to
be his right-hand man
00:02:22.37\00:02:24.94
until his death.
00:02:24.97\00:02:26.37
Jerome was a citizen of Prague
00:02:26.41\00:02:29.24
and he had brought back with him
00:02:29.28\00:02:30.65
from a recent trip to England
the writings of John Wycliffe.
00:02:30.68\00:02:34.72
The Queen of
England at that time
00:02:34.75\00:02:36.75
was also a
convert of John Wycliffe,
00:02:36.79\00:02:38.95
and she was a Bohemian princess,
00:02:38.99\00:02:41.32
and through her influence
00:02:41.36\00:02:42.82
his writings were
circulated at length in Bohemia.
00:02:42.86\00:02:46.93
Huss read them,
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believed their author
to be a sincere Christian,
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and believed the
writings to be true.
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Huss's impact was growing,
not just here in his homeland,
00:02:58.71\00:03:02.24
but also in
neighbouring Germany.
00:03:02.28\00:03:04.51
And soon news of the work
here in Prague reached Rome
00:03:04.55\00:03:08.68
and he was summoned to
appear before the pope.
00:03:08.72\00:03:12.02
To go would be fatal.
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The king and queen of Bohemia,
00:03:14.26\00:03:16.52
nobility, and the government
00:03:16.56\00:03:18.13
all asked for a local
trial but this was not granted.
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The trial of Huss
went ahead in his absence,
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during which the city of
Prague was put under interdict.
00:03:25.87\00:03:29.80
This struck terror
into the hearts of everyone.
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No church
services could take place.
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Baptisms, funerals,
weddings those ceremonies
00:03:36.88\00:03:40.58
that were so key
to life in general
00:03:40.62\00:03:43.12
were not allowed to take place.
00:03:43.15\00:03:44.85
And through this means,
00:03:44.89\00:03:46.82
Rome was able to
hold sway over the people.
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The city was in turmoil,
00:03:51.29\00:03:53.03
and so Huss withdrew
to his native village,
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but he continued to travel
to the surrounding countryside
00:03:55.83\00:03:58.93
where he was able to
preach to eager crowds.
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When the danger and
excitement had subsided,
00:04:01.67\00:04:04.57
he was able to return to Prague
where alongside with Jerome
00:04:04.61\00:04:08.94
he was able to
continue his work.
00:04:08.98\00:04:11.28
During this time in Europe
there was not one, or two,
00:04:16.18\00:04:20.59
but three rival popes,
00:04:20.62\00:04:22.76
all claiming to be
the Vicar of Christ.
00:04:22.79\00:04:25.93
This abuse of
power in the church
00:04:25.96\00:04:28.30
was something that
many men strongly condemned,
00:04:28.33\00:04:30.93
Huss being one of
the loudest voices.
00:04:30.97\00:04:33.94
The emperor at that
time, Emperor Sigismund,
00:04:33.97\00:04:36.34
called for a
council in Constance,
00:04:36.37\00:04:38.44
Germany to settle this dispute
00:04:38.47\00:04:41.01
once and for all
00:04:41.04\00:04:42.44
and also to deal with
some of the new heresies
00:04:42.48\00:04:45.35
arising from men
such as John Huss
00:04:45.38\00:04:48.18
that they didn't agree with.
00:04:48.22\00:04:49.82
Huss was summoned to
appear before the council
00:04:49.85\00:04:52.75
and was given assurance
00:04:52.79\00:04:54.16
of a safe
passage by the emperor.
00:04:54.19\00:04:57.39
One thing that stands out
from this story is the prayer
00:04:57.43\00:05:00.76
that John Huss'
mum made with him
00:05:00.80\00:05:02.83
as he was on his
way to university.
00:05:02.86\00:05:05.60
I wanna encourage you, if
you're praying for a child,
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if you're praying for a parent,
00:05:08.54\00:05:10.41
to never give
up in your prayers.
00:05:10.44\00:05:12.64
The prayer of John Huss' mother
00:05:12.67\00:05:14.14
was answered
many, many times over
00:05:14.18\00:05:16.54
in ways that she
couldn't have even imagined.
00:05:16.58\00:05:19.35
Maybe you're
praying for your children,
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maybe they're on
their way to school,
00:05:20.78\00:05:22.15
maybe you're
praying for a loved one.
00:05:22.18\00:05:23.79
Keep them in prayer
00:05:23.82\00:05:25.19
and never think that our prayers
00:05:25.22\00:05:26.92
will go unanswered.
00:05:26.96\00:05:28.29
God does hear
00:05:28.32\00:05:29.66
and God does answer our prayers.
00:05:29.69\00:05:31.46
Here in Constance, Germany
00:05:56.32\00:05:58.02
a council was
convened in the year 1415.
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Three significant
things took place.
00:06:02.02\00:06:04.49
Firstly, it was
called to discuss the schism
00:06:04.53\00:06:06.90
between the popes.
00:06:06.93\00:06:08.26
At that time there
wasn't one, nor two,
00:06:08.30\00:06:11.10
but three rival popes,
00:06:11.13\00:06:12.93
all declaring themselves
to be the true and right pope.
00:06:12.97\00:06:16.87
This council settled that schism
00:06:16.91\00:06:19.24
and appointed someone
00:06:19.27\00:06:20.61
who would rule
after those three.
00:06:20.64\00:06:22.71
It was also here
00:06:22.74\00:06:24.08
where they declared the
writings and John Wycliffe
00:06:24.11\00:06:26.82
to be a heretic and
ordered that his bones
00:06:26.85\00:06:29.52
be exhumed and burned.
00:06:29.55\00:06:32.15
It was also at this council
00:06:32.19\00:06:33.69
where John Huss
was ordered to appear
00:06:33.72\00:06:36.36
to defend his teachings.
00:06:36.39\00:06:38.33
When Huss left for Constance,
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he said goodbye to his friends
00:06:46.30\00:06:48.27
as if he wasn't
going to see them again,
00:06:48.30\00:06:50.44
even though he had a
letter of safe passage
00:06:50.47\00:06:53.81
from the emperor and the pope.
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Soon after
arriving here in Constance,
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by order of the
pope and the cardinals,
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he was thrust into prison.
00:07:01.42\00:07:03.69
This building behind me,
though today a nice hotel,
00:07:03.72\00:07:07.26
was one of the places
used to imprison John Huss
00:07:07.29\00:07:10.73
whilst he was here in Constance.
00:07:10.76\00:07:12.66
The trial of Huss took
place here in Constance
00:07:17.53\00:07:20.40
in the Munster.
00:07:20.44\00:07:21.77
It is said that
he sat on aisle 24.
00:07:21.80\00:07:24.61
He was asked if
he wanted to recant,
00:07:24.64\00:07:26.57
to which he said
00:07:26.61\00:07:27.94
he would prefer
death over recantation.
00:07:27.98\00:07:30.45
He was thrown back in prison
and brought back here again,
00:07:30.48\00:07:33.38
and the last time
he spoke at the trial,
00:07:33.42\00:07:36.99
he fixed his eyes on the emperor
00:07:37.02\00:07:39.55
and said that he
had travelled here
00:07:39.59\00:07:41.76
under his own free will
00:07:41.79\00:07:43.49
and under the public protection
of the emperor sat here.
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It is said that
when everyone's eyes
00:07:47.56\00:07:49.86
turned on Sigismund,
00:07:49.90\00:07:51.40
that his face
turned crimson red.
00:07:51.43\00:07:54.04
Sitting here in aisle 24
00:08:00.11\00:08:03.14
where Huss sat during his trial,
00:08:03.18\00:08:05.25
our minds go back to Jerome.
00:08:05.28\00:08:07.82
When Huss left for Constance,
00:08:07.85\00:08:10.25
Jerome told him
00:08:10.29\00:08:11.62
that if he heard
of any misfortune,
00:08:11.65\00:08:13.46
he would come
and help right away.
00:08:13.49\00:08:15.72
Hearing of his imprisonment,
00:08:15.76\00:08:17.73
he left and travelled down here,
00:08:17.76\00:08:19.79
but without a safe passage.
00:08:19.83\00:08:22.10
On arriving in
Constance he realized
00:08:22.13\00:08:24.67
there was not
anything he could do,
00:08:24.70\00:08:26.43
so he headed back to Prague.
00:08:26.47\00:08:28.40
But he was captured on the way
00:08:28.44\00:08:30.24
and brought back
here to Constance.
00:08:30.27\00:08:33.41
Some people wanted
to kill him right away,
00:08:33.44\00:08:36.08
but they put him in prison
00:08:36.11\00:08:37.45
where he almost
died for lack of food.
00:08:37.48\00:08:40.48
They wanted to keep him alive.
00:08:40.52\00:08:42.32
They realized that Huss' death
hadn't accomplished very much,
00:08:42.35\00:08:46.19
and so they
wanted Jerome to recant.
00:08:46.22\00:08:49.09
He was left in
prison for about a year
00:08:49.12\00:08:51.46
in terrible,
terrible conditions.
00:08:51.49\00:08:53.93
Suffering from doubt,
00:08:53.96\00:08:55.66
he eventually renounced
the teachings of Wycliffe,
00:08:55.70\00:08:58.63
he renounced the
teachings of Huss,
00:08:58.67\00:09:00.84
and pledged to adhere
to the Catholic faith.
00:09:00.87\00:09:04.14
He went back to prison,
00:09:04.17\00:09:06.04
but the council
was not done with him.
00:09:06.07\00:09:08.88
Either wanting more blood
00:09:08.91\00:09:11.11
or wanting a fuller and
broader surrender of faith,
00:09:11.15\00:09:14.32
they called him again,
00:09:14.35\00:09:15.75
but this time he renounced
his former recantation.
00:09:15.78\00:09:20.59
He asked to address the
house and this was denied,
00:09:20.62\00:09:24.09
but he remonstrated
00:09:24.13\00:09:25.46
and was given the
opportunity to speak.
00:09:25.49\00:09:28.16
He stood up and
pledged his support of Huss
00:09:28.20\00:09:31.47
and influence he
had had on his life
00:09:31.50\00:09:34.04
and he went on to say,
00:09:34.07\00:09:35.97
"Of all the sins
00:09:36.00\00:09:37.34
that I have
committed since my youth,
00:09:37.37\00:09:39.21
none weighs so
heavily on my mind
00:09:39.24\00:09:41.91
and cause me
such poignant remorse,
00:09:41.94\00:09:44.18
as that which I
committed in this fatal place,
00:09:44.21\00:09:47.15
when I approved of
the iniquitous sentence
00:09:47.18\00:09:49.48
rendered against Wycliffe
00:09:49.52\00:09:51.15
and against the
holy martyr John Huss,
00:09:51.19\00:09:53.49
my master and my friend.
00:09:53.52\00:09:55.82
Yes, I confess it from my heart,
00:09:55.86\00:09:58.29
and declare with horror
00:09:58.33\00:09:59.93
that I disgracefully quailed
00:09:59.96\00:10:01.90
when, through a dread of death,
I condemned their doctrines.
00:10:01.93\00:10:05.73
I therefore
supplicate Almighty God
00:10:05.77\00:10:08.30
to pardon me my sins,
and this one in particular,
00:10:08.34\00:10:12.24
the most heinous of all."
00:10:12.27\00:10:13.91
One thing we learn
00:10:20.55\00:10:21.88
from the story
of Huss and Jerome
00:10:21.92\00:10:23.89
is that although
at the end of his life
00:10:23.92\00:10:25.79
Jerome fell away,
he then came back.
00:10:25.82\00:10:29.32
Maybe you have fallen away
in your walk with the Lord,
00:10:29.36\00:10:32.19
maybe you've backslidden,
00:10:32.23\00:10:33.66
maybe you've done things
00:10:33.70\00:10:35.03
that you wish
you had never done.
00:10:35.06\00:10:37.00
Jerome was once strong
in his faith and fell away,
00:10:37.03\00:10:40.24
but at the very
end he came back.
00:10:40.27\00:10:43.00
There's always time
for us to come back to God.
00:10:43.04\00:10:45.41
If you've fallen down,
00:10:45.44\00:10:46.78
the most important
thing is that you get back up
00:10:46.81\00:10:49.64
and renew your
acquaintance with the Lord.
00:10:49.68\00:10:52.18
Maybe today if
you've fallen away,
00:10:52.21\00:10:54.58
you need to renew
00:10:54.62\00:10:55.95
that
acquaintance with God again.
00:10:55.98\00:10:57.95
After Huss was delivered
up to the secular authorities,
00:11:32.39\00:11:35.49
he was asked one last
time if he wanted to recant.
00:11:35.52\00:11:40.03
"What errors shall
I renounce?" He asked.
00:11:40.06\00:11:42.83
"I know myself guilty of none."
00:11:42.86\00:11:45.57
He was brought to
this very spot here
00:11:45.60\00:11:47.70
in Constance and
they burned him to death.
00:11:47.74\00:11:50.97
They had to light
the fire three times.
00:11:51.01\00:11:53.81
They wanted to ensure his
body was completely consumed.
00:11:53.84\00:11:57.88
They dug up his ashes,
00:11:57.91\00:11:59.25
along with the soil under him
00:11:59.28\00:12:01.18
and threw it
into the Rhine River.
00:12:01.22\00:12:03.99
About a year later
00:12:13.46\00:12:14.96
Jerome was also
brought to the same spot
00:12:15.00\00:12:18.07
and as his executioner
was standing behind him,
00:12:18.10\00:12:21.47
Jerome said, "Apply
the fire before my face.
00:12:21.50\00:12:25.51
Had I been afraid,
I should not be here."
00:12:25.54\00:12:29.18
They died with heroic bearing,
00:12:29.21\00:12:31.31
and a zealous papist,
00:12:31.35\00:12:32.98
commenting on the
death of Huss and Jerome,
00:12:33.01\00:12:35.92
said these words.
00:12:35.95\00:12:37.42
"Both bore
themselves with constant mind
00:12:37.45\00:12:39.65
when their last hour approached.
00:12:39.69\00:12:41.82
They prepared for the fire
00:12:41.86\00:12:43.43
as if they were
going to a marriage feast.
00:12:43.46\00:12:45.99
They uttered no cry of pain.
00:12:46.03\00:12:48.06
When the flames rose,
00:12:48.10\00:12:49.83
they began to
sing hymns and scarce
00:12:49.86\00:12:52.77
could the vehemence of the fire
00:12:52.80\00:12:54.87
stop their singing."
00:12:54.90\00:12:56.24
Both these men lived
their lives 100% for God,
00:13:04.41\00:13:08.52
so that when they
died, as tragic as it was,
00:13:08.55\00:13:11.32
they died with no regrets.
00:13:11.35\00:13:13.52
If we live our
lives today 100% for God,
00:13:13.56\00:13:17.63
fully surrendered to Him,
00:13:17.66\00:13:19.49
we also can live a life
where we have no regrets.
00:13:19.53\00:13:23.06
The execution of Huss and Jerome
00:13:57.80\00:14:00.10
had caused a national
uproar back in Bohemia.
00:14:00.14\00:14:03.74
He was believed to
have been a faithful teacher
00:14:03.77\00:14:06.61
and as is often the
case, now that he was dead,
00:14:06.64\00:14:09.88
his writings attracted
an even greater interest.
00:14:09.91\00:14:13.21
The Hussite Wars
commenced about four years
00:14:13.25\00:14:16.15
after the death
of Huss and Jerome
00:14:16.18\00:14:18.25
in the year 1419.
00:14:18.29\00:14:21.06
As pope and emperor
00:14:29.43\00:14:30.87
united to crush
the Hussite movement,
00:14:30.90\00:14:33.60
the Lord raised up a deliverer.
00:14:33.64\00:14:35.87
i ka was one of the
most able generals of his age
00:14:35.90\00:14:39.97
and was the
leader of the Bohemians.
00:14:40.01\00:14:42.24
He had lost sight in one
eye during a battle in 1410
00:14:42.28\00:14:46.35
and later in his life
00:14:46.38\00:14:47.72
he would lose sight
in the other eye as well,
00:14:47.75\00:14:50.19
but he would still
lead his armies into battle
00:14:50.22\00:14:52.95
after battle without losing.
00:14:52.99\00:14:55.12
He is one of the few generals
about whom it can be said,
00:14:55.16\00:14:58.26
never lost a battle in war.
00:14:58.29\00:15:01.00
He was a military genius
00:15:01.03\00:15:02.40
and is credited with inventing
an early form of the tank.
00:15:02.43\00:15:06.20
They were called War Wagons,
00:15:06.23\00:15:08.10
and they were wooden boxes
00:15:08.14\00:15:09.47
that were reinforced
with steel on wagon wheels
00:15:09.50\00:15:12.41
and he would
send these into battle
00:15:12.44\00:15:13.84
with people inside
00:15:13.88\00:15:15.21
and load them with cannons
and crossbows and pistols.
00:15:15.24\00:15:19.01
Despite having
mainly peasants as soldiers,
00:15:19.05\00:15:22.05
with the use of
clever war tactics
00:15:22.08\00:15:24.12
and with
providence on their side,
00:15:24.15\00:15:26.12
the Hussite
armies were able to repel
00:15:26.15\00:15:28.56
the numerically larger
00:15:28.59\00:15:30.06
and better-trained papal armies.
00:15:30.09\00:15:32.66
i ka would fight
00:15:40.60\00:15:41.94
over 250 battles in his lifetime
00:15:41.97\00:15:44.71
and will withstand
00:15:44.74\00:15:46.07
two full papal
crusades against him,
00:15:46.11\00:15:48.84
but he was not to
die on the battlefield.
00:15:48.88\00:15:51.25
Instead, he would fall
victim to the Black Plague.
00:15:51.28\00:15:54.58
But before he would die,
00:15:54.62\00:15:55.95
he gave his men
some instructions,
00:15:55.98\00:15:58.15
telling them he still
wanted to go with them
00:15:58.19\00:16:00.49
onto the battlefield.
00:16:00.52\00:16:02.26
He told his men to
make a drum out of his skin,
00:16:02.29\00:16:06.19
which they did,
00:16:06.23\00:16:07.56
and they took this
drum made with  i ka's skin
00:16:07.60\00:16:10.63
and would beat it as
they went into battle.
00:16:10.67\00:16:13.30
His place was
filled by Procopius
00:16:20.81\00:16:23.01
who was a
skilful and brave leader
00:16:23.04\00:16:25.11
and in some
aspects, a more able general.
00:16:25.15\00:16:28.35
The enemies of the Bohemians,
00:16:28.38\00:16:30.15
knowing that the
blind warrior was now dead,
00:16:30.19\00:16:33.22
thought they would
now be able to win.
00:16:33.25\00:16:35.79
The pope
launched another crusade
00:16:35.82\00:16:37.79
against the Bohemians in
1427 where he was defeated.
00:16:37.83\00:16:42.36
He then launched another crusade
00:16:42.40\00:16:44.37
where he was defeated again.
00:16:44.40\00:16:46.23
In 1431, under a new pope
a fifth crusade was launched,
00:16:46.27\00:16:51.41
but once again the papal armies
00:16:51.44\00:16:53.58
were soundly defeated
by the Hussite forces.
00:16:53.61\00:16:56.44
Realizing
00:17:01.95\00:17:03.28
that they
couldn't conquer by force,
00:17:03.32\00:17:04.85
they resorted to diplomacy.
00:17:04.89\00:17:06.76
A compromise was entered into
00:17:06.79\00:17:08.72
that while appearing to
offer freedom of conscience,
00:17:08.76\00:17:11.56
really betrayed them
into the power of Rome.
00:17:11.59\00:17:14.46
The Bohemians had
specified four points
00:17:14.50\00:17:17.27
as a condition
of peace with Rome,
00:17:17.30\00:17:19.70
and these were:
00:17:19.73\00:17:21.14
the free preaching of the Bible,
00:17:21.17\00:17:23.24
the right of the whole church
00:17:23.27\00:17:24.67
to both the bread and
the wine in the communion,
00:17:24.71\00:17:27.64
the use of the mother
tongue in divine worship,
00:17:27.68\00:17:30.45
the exclusion of the clergy
00:17:30.48\00:17:32.01
from all secular
offices and authority,
00:17:32.05\00:17:34.88
and in cases of crime,
00:17:34.92\00:17:36.89
the jurisdiction
of the civil courts
00:17:36.92\00:17:39.05
over clergy and laity alike.
00:17:39.09\00:17:41.12
At last the papal
authorities agreed
00:17:48.26\00:17:51.00
to accept the
four Hussite articles,
00:17:51.03\00:17:54.07
but that the right
of explaining them,
00:17:54.10\00:17:56.20
that is, of determining
their precise import,
00:17:56.24\00:17:58.94
should rest with the council,
00:17:58.97\00:18:00.51
that is, with the
emperor and the pope.
00:18:00.54\00:18:03.24
On this basis a
treaty was entered into
00:18:03.28\00:18:06.15
and Rome gained by
dissimulation and fraud
00:18:06.18\00:18:09.25
what she had failed
to gain by conflict.
00:18:09.28\00:18:11.92
For in placing
her own interpretation
00:18:11.95\00:18:13.96
upon the
articles, as upon the Bible,
00:18:13.99\00:18:16.73
she could pervert their
meaning to suit her own ends.
00:18:16.76\00:18:20.33
Often times when Satan
is not able to defeat us
00:18:20.36\00:18:23.47
through open confrontation,
00:18:23.50\00:18:25.20
he tries the
tactic of compromise.
00:18:25.23\00:18:27.57
It's something
he's done repeatedly
00:18:27.60\00:18:29.17
throughout history
and throughout the Bible.
00:18:29.20\00:18:31.94
May we be careful,
wise and discerning,
00:18:31.97\00:18:34.91
and most of all resolute.
00:18:34.94\00:18:36.78
And now we stand for God
00:18:36.81\00:18:39.01
through whatever
tactic Satan uses against us,
00:18:39.05\00:18:42.15
whether it's confrontation
or whether it's compromise,
00:18:42.18\00:18:45.09
and that we may
always stand for God.
00:18:45.12\00:18:47.72
Thirty years after
the death of Wycliffe,
00:19:16.65\00:19:19.25
at the Council of
Constance in Germany
00:19:19.29\00:19:22.09
he was declared to be a heretic.
00:19:22.12\00:19:25.09
A decree was made
to dig up his bones
00:19:25.13\00:19:27.60
and burn them to ashes.
00:19:27.63\00:19:29.93
At that time,
the Bishop of Lincoln
00:19:29.96\00:19:32.30
was a former friend of his,
00:19:32.33\00:19:33.87
and he delayed in acting on
this request for five years.
00:19:33.90\00:19:37.97
He moved out of the area
00:19:38.01\00:19:39.34
and the next one who came in
also vacillated for eight years
00:19:39.37\00:19:43.51
before finally
succumbing to this demand
00:19:43.55\00:19:46.58
and dug up the
bones and burned them.
00:19:46.61\00:19:49.05
After burning his bones
00:19:56.86\00:19:58.99
they threw the ashes
into the River Swift,
00:19:59.03\00:20:02.76
but the significance
of this gruesome act
00:20:02.80\00:20:05.43
and the symbolism it
would come to later represent,
00:20:05.47\00:20:08.70
they could not have imagined.
00:20:08.74\00:20:10.71
The River Swift
flows into the River Avon.
00:20:10.74\00:20:14.34
The River Avon flows
into the Bristol Channel.
00:20:14.38\00:20:17.65
And the Bristol
Channel eventually flows
00:20:17.68\00:20:20.58
into the Atlantic Ocean.
00:20:20.62\00:20:23.35
And so symbolically
the effect of his work
00:20:23.39\00:20:26.32
spread around the whole world.
00:20:26.35\00:20:29.12
He is called the
Morning Star of the Reformation
00:20:29.16\00:20:32.53
because he was the
beginning in a chain of events
00:20:32.56\00:20:35.63
that once started,
became unstoppable.
00:20:35.66\00:20:39.63
John Wycliffe gave
to the Christian Church
00:20:39.67\00:20:42.70
perhaps the
greatest gift possible,
00:20:42.74\00:20:44.97
the Bible.
00:20:45.01\00:20:46.34
And once given, the
light would begin to shine
00:20:46.37\00:20:49.48
and the darkness
would be peeled away.
00:20:49.51\00:20:51.95
John Wycliffe's work is
key in our Christian heritage,
00:21:01.39\00:21:05.73
for at the Center of
our faith is the Bible.
00:21:05.76\00:21:10.50
Never underestimate
00:21:10.53\00:21:12.13
the extent of
the work that you do.
00:21:12.17\00:21:14.67
John Wycliffe was
called here to Lutterworth,
00:21:14.70\00:21:16.77
a small quiet country town,
00:21:16.81\00:21:19.11
or probably back
then just a village.
00:21:19.14\00:21:22.08
If any of us were
called here to this town today,
00:21:22.11\00:21:24.58
we might think
it's not good enough
00:21:24.61\00:21:26.21
or not big enough or
not prestigious enough.
00:21:26.25\00:21:29.35
But he faithfully did the work
that God had called him to do
00:21:29.38\00:21:33.22
and gave to the Christian Church
00:21:33.25\00:21:35.52
perhaps the
greatest gift possible.
00:21:35.56\00:21:38.33
Wherever you are,
00:21:38.36\00:21:39.69
use the gifts and the
talents that God has given you,
00:21:39.73\00:21:43.13
for you never know how
far your influence may spread.
00:21:43.16\00:21:46.57
Every so often
00:22:09.52\00:22:10.86
a technological
invention comes along
00:22:10.89\00:22:12.79
that changes everything
about the way we live.
00:22:12.83\00:22:16.00
If you were born
in this millennium,
00:22:16.03\00:22:17.80
it's likely you
only know a world
00:22:17.83\00:22:19.43
where there have been
smartphones, the internet,
00:22:19.47\00:22:21.87
and satellite TV.
00:22:21.90\00:22:23.74
These things are as
much a part of life today
00:22:23.77\00:22:26.27
as putting our
shoes on in the morning
00:22:26.31\00:22:28.01
when we leave the house
00:22:28.04\00:22:29.38
or eating breakfast
first thing in the day.
00:22:29.41\00:22:32.05
Those who are
little older, though,
00:22:32.08\00:22:33.72
will remember a world
00:22:33.75\00:22:35.08
where there was no social media,
00:22:35.12\00:22:36.79
where the internet was
very slow or non-existent,
00:22:36.82\00:22:40.32
and the idea of
taking a photograph
00:22:40.36\00:22:42.52
on your mobile
phone was mind-boggling.
00:22:42.56\00:22:46.16
Video chat seemed way
distant in the future,
00:22:46.19\00:22:49.30
and yet today these
things are considered normal
00:22:49.33\00:22:52.73
and a part of life.
00:22:52.77\00:22:54.17
There was a time
00:22:58.37\00:22:59.71
when if you
wanted to read something,
00:22:59.74\00:23:01.11
then it would have been
hand written by someone else.
00:23:01.14\00:23:04.41
Books were
expensive and hard to come by.
00:23:04.45\00:23:07.58
The materials were costly.
00:23:07.62\00:23:09.38
Monks would write on
treated skins called vellum
00:23:09.42\00:23:13.02
and a single copy of the Bible
00:23:13.05\00:23:14.89
would require 300 sheepskins
00:23:14.92\00:23:17.53
or 170 calf skins.
00:23:17.56\00:23:20.23
Most people could not read,
00:23:20.26\00:23:22.36
and the majority of
books were in Latin,
00:23:22.40\00:23:24.80
a language that
only the most educated
00:23:24.83\00:23:27.97
could understand.
00:23:28.00\00:23:29.34
In the 15th century the
printing press came along
00:23:32.27\00:23:35.34
and revolutionized
the world of literature,
00:23:35.38\00:23:38.31
fundamentally changing
the way that we communicate,
00:23:38.35\00:23:41.38
as it enabled the
fast flow of information
00:23:41.42\00:23:44.29
and led to the
quick spread of new ideas.
00:23:44.32\00:23:47.62
Once text could be
reproduced quickly,
00:23:47.66\00:23:50.19
people had access to read books
that they didn't have before.
00:23:50.23\00:23:54.03
A previously illiterate populace
00:23:54.06\00:23:56.50
now turned into a more
educated and inquisitive one.
00:23:56.53\00:24:01.20
The printing press was
invented by a German goldsmith
00:24:05.67\00:24:08.64
by the name of
Johannes Gutenberg.
00:24:08.68\00:24:11.38
The exact date of
his birth is not known
00:24:11.41\00:24:13.92
as he was not a famous
man during his lifetime,
00:24:13.95\00:24:16.72
but it is believed
00:24:16.75\00:24:18.09
he finished working
on the printing press
00:24:18.12\00:24:19.59
at around the year 1440.
00:24:19.62\00:24:24.16
The first book to be
published in several volumes
00:24:24.19\00:24:26.90
and multiple copies
was the Bible in 1452.
00:24:26.93\00:24:31.07
The Gutenberg Bibles
00:24:31.10\00:24:32.43
would prove to be
immensely popular,
00:24:32.47\00:24:34.40
with all 200
copies of them being sold
00:24:34.44\00:24:37.54
before the
copying was even complete.
00:24:37.57\00:24:40.41
This was 65 years
00:24:40.44\00:24:42.14
before Martin Luther
published his 95 Theses,
00:24:42.18\00:24:45.31
and while he was able to preach
00:24:45.35\00:24:46.85
to only a relatively
small number of people,
00:24:46.88\00:24:49.95
the printed page would
reach thousands of people
00:24:49.98\00:24:52.89
in a short space of time
and across national borders.
00:24:52.92\00:24:59.39
With books being
translated from Latin
00:24:59.43\00:25:02.00
into other languages,
00:25:02.03\00:25:03.70
people naturally began to ask
00:25:03.73\00:25:05.47
why was mass still
being conducted in Latin.
00:25:05.50\00:25:09.00
People began to ask
00:25:09.04\00:25:10.37
why church
services were not conducted
00:25:10.41\00:25:12.44
in the language
that members of society,
00:25:12.47\00:25:15.08
regardless of their
wealth or education,
00:25:15.11\00:25:17.61
could actually understand.
00:25:17.65\00:25:19.48
Gutenberg's printing press
00:25:24.22\00:25:26.09
meant more
access to information,
00:25:26.12\00:25:28.26
more detailed discussion,
00:25:28.29\00:25:30.06
and more widespread
criticism of the authorities.
00:25:30.09\00:25:33.16
As such, the printing
press popularized ideas
00:25:33.19\00:25:36.46
associated with
the Protestant faith
00:25:36.50\00:25:38.63
during the Reformation,
00:25:38.67\00:25:40.14
allowing the press to shape
and channel a mass movement.
00:25:40.17\00:25:43.61
The printing press removed
control of written material
00:25:48.81\00:25:51.78
from the Catholic Church,
00:25:51.81\00:25:53.31
and made it
difficult for the church
00:25:53.35\00:25:54.92
to inhibit the spread of ideas
00:25:54.95\00:25:56.92
that they regarded as heretical.
00:25:56.95\00:25:59.65
Had it not been for
Gutenberg's invention,
00:25:59.69\00:26:01.86
the news of
Luther's revolutionary ideas
00:26:01.89\00:26:04.59
would not have spread
as quickly as they did.
00:26:04.63\00:26:07.63
Today God have
given us technology
00:26:07.66\00:26:09.60
that we can use to
spread ideas very quickly.
00:26:09.63\00:26:12.90
May we use the talents
we have, the gifts we have,
00:26:12.93\00:26:16.00
and the technology we have
00:26:16.04\00:26:17.64
to spread the news of
Jesus to the world today.
00:26:17.67\00:26:21.21