There are certain events
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that have such significance
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that they're referred
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to as turning points of history.
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The life of Martin Luther
would have such significance
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that it deserves
to be thus classified.
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But sometimes big
things come in small packages.
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And sometimes major world events
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have humble beginnings.
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On the 10th of November, 1483,
in the little town of Eisleben,
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Saxony, Germany,
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Martin Luther was
born here in this house.
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As with the early
apostles, Luther did not come
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from the wealthy
well to do classes,
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but from the ranks of poverty.
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Here in his home
we can see evidence
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of his family's
humble beginnings.
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They were poor but
honest, industrious,
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and never dreamt that
their son would grow up
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to become a famous figure
in the history of the world.
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His father was a
miner, working long hours
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to provide the means
for Luther's education,
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hoping that he would
one day become a lawyer.
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In spite of his
father's hard work,
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the family was so poor
that Luther would sometimes
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have to sing from door
to door on the way to school
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in order to obtain food.
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As well as being the
town that Luther was born in,
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Eisleben is also the
town where Luther was baptized
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here in the Church
of St. Peter and Paul.
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It's also the
town where he preached
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his last sermon in
the Church of St. Andrew.
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And it's here in this town
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where he lived
before passing away.
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Martin Luther enrolled
in the University of Erfurt,
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right here in the
building behind me
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and diligently
applied himself to a study.
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One day, he was in
the university library
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and found a copy
of the Latin Bible.
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He had never
seen a Bible before,
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being ignorant of
its very existence.
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He had heard
portions read in worship,
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but had never
seen the whole Bible.
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And now for the
first time in his life,
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he gazed upon it as a whole.
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Luther graduated
with a BA in 1502.
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And three years later, in 1505,
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he attended this
Augustinian monastery.
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His father was very
disappointed in him,
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and this put strain
on their relationship,
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and it was two years
before father and son
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will be reconciled
to each other again.
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It was an earnest
desire to be free from sin
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and to find peace with God
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that led Luther to
seek the monastic life.
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While here in the monastery,
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he would often spend time
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reading and studying God's Word.
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He had found a Bible
chained to the convent wall
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and it was there that
he would often spend time.
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Luther was a very pious monk.
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And if salvation could be
obtained through his works,
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then he would most certainly
have been entitled to it.
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Luther was the type of person
that would have killed himself
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through fast penances
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and abstinences have the gospel
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not being brought
to his understanding.
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God brought a friend and
helper in a man named Staupitz.
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He was a professor of religion
at the University of Wittenberg
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and was the Vicar
General of the monastic order
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to which Luther belonged.
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Their history
was a very long one,
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but the most important
thing about their relationship
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was that Staupitz
soon realized that Luther,
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in his desire to serve
God fully was not truly living
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a gospel centered life.
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God used this faithful friend
to set him on the right course
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with a clearer
understanding of the gospel.
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From this part of Luther's life,
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we learn the
importance of a spiritual mentor
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in someone else's life.
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If you're an older believer,
then become a spiritual mentor
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in someone else's life.
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Take the time out intentionally
to mentor someone else in,
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for you never know
the impact of that work.
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Jesus mentored in 12 disciples
and they changed the world.
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May we do likewise.
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After leaving the monastery,
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Luther was
called to the University
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of Wittenberg to teach.
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While here in
Wittenberg, he applied himself
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to the study of the Scriptures
in their original tongues
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and began to lecture
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on the Bible in
particular the Psalms,
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the Epistles and the Gospels.
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His friend Staupitz urged him
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to ascend the pulpit and preach.
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This was something
he was hesitant to do,
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feeling unworthy of the task,
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but following a long struggle
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and with
encouragement from his friends,
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he finally agreed.
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Luther was an eloquent speaker,
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captivating his hearers
with the clarity and power
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with which he spoke.
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Before long, his fame
as a speaker was growing,
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both amongst the
university students
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and the general public.
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Every great revival in history
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has been founded
on great preaching,
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and the German Reformation
was to be no different.
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A dispute arose between
seven of the local convents
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and their Vicar General.
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And it wasn't long
before the future reformer
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was sent on his way to
Rome to settle the quarrel.
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On his way there he
noticed some things.
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Staying in the monasteries,
he noted the wealth,
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magnificence and
sheer luxury that was there.
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He contrasted this
with a life of self denial
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that he himself have
grown accustomed to living.
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The pope at that
time was Pope Julius II.
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And Luther thought
that Rome was as it were,
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the very gates of heaven itself.
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Indeed, as he approached Rome,
he lay prostrate on the ground
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and said, "Holy
Rome, I salute thee."
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As he entered the city
and visited the churches
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and saw the priests and monks,
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he was filled with
both shock and horror.
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He saw amongst
the clergy unashamed
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and open sin.
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He heard the indecent jokes,
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swearing, and he struggled
to find some peace and solace.
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No one can imagine he said,
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what type of sins
are committed in Rome,
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they have to be seen
or heard to be believed.
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They are in the habit of saying,
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"If there is a hell,
then Rome is built over it.
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It is an abyss whence
issues every kind of sin.
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By a recent
decree and indulgence
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was promised to all
those who would ascend
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pile of
staircase on their knees.
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It was believed that
the staircase in Rome
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was mysteriously transported
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there during the night
and was the very staircase
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that Jesus ascended on a
night when He was condemned.
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One day Luther was
devoutly climbing the steps
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when a voice came
to him like thunder,
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"The just shall live by faith."
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He got up from his
knees, walked away,
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never to be the same again.
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Upon returning from Rome,
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Luther preached his
famous sermon entitled,
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"The just shall live by faith"
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here in the St.
Mary's town church.
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This was a question that
lay heavy on Luther's mind
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and one which he wrestled
with over and over again.
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Indeed, the German Reformation
hinged on the question,
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"How can a man be
just in the sight of God?"
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It's a question that many people
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still wrestle with today.
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At this point in his life,
Luther had no plans to start
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his own church or movement
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and still saw himself as
a loyal son of the church.
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But in making the
commitment to put the Bible
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above the words of
the council's or pope's,
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he set himself on a
course that would ultimately
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lead far away from Rome.
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In Luther's life, he followed
the Holy Spirit's leading,
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and he made the
decision to preach.
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He followed the
Holy Spirit's leading
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when he got off
his knees in Rome.
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He followed the Holy
Spirit's leading in his ministry
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here almost true
to his convictions.
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May we be true
to the Holy Spirit's
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leading in our life
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and may we be
strong in our convictions
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and true to God's Word as well.
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Around the same
time that Luther was born
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in a miner's
cabin up in Germany,
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Zwingli was born
here in Switzerland,
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in a herdsman
cottage high up in the Alps.
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You see the leading reformers
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of that time were
men of humble rank,
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who most of all were free
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from pride of rank
and from the influence
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of bigotry and priesthood.
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His father desired
for him an education.
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And at the age of 13,
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he was sent to the
city of Bern to receive one.
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For whilst he was there,
another danger would arise
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because of his intellect,
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his sharp mind and
his leadership qualities,
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the monks
desired to recruit him.
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While Luther had
gone down that path,
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he had no desire
to go down that path.
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Neither did his
father, and so his father
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called for him to return home.
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Zwingli started
his ministry in Basel,
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and was ministering
around the same time
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as Luther was, though
they were not in communication
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with each other.
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God was using each
of them individually."
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If Luther preaches Christ,"
said the Swiss Reformer,
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"he does what I am doing.
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Those whom he has brought
to Christ are more numerous
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than those who I have led.
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But this matters not.
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I bear no other name than
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that of Christ,
whose soldier I am,
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and who alone is my Chief.
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Never has one single word
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being written by me to
Luther, nor by Luther to me.
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And why?
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That it might be shown
00:12:21.70\00:12:23.04
how much the Spirit of
God is in unison with itself,
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since both of us,
without any collusion,
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teach the doctrine of
Christ with such uniformity."
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Zwingli were soon
called to minister
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here in Zurich at the cathedral,
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where he faithfully
preached God's Word,
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repelled the sale of indulgences
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and spearheaded
the Swiss Reformation
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in the early 16th century.
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The Church of Rome
made several attempts
00:12:53.64\00:12:56.24
to either end his life
or oppose his teachings.
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When hearing of
one particular plot,
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he replied, "Let them come on.
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I fear them as a beetling cliff
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fears the waves that
thunder at its feet."
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Realizing how
little had been gained by
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.29
trying to suppress Luther's
teachings over in Germany,
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they endeavor to enter
00:13:16.16\00:13:17.49
into a disputation with Zwingli.
00:13:17.53\00:13:19.89
The Council of Zurich
though forbade him to go.
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And so instead,
00:13:23.57\00:13:24.90
two of his
students went in his place.
00:13:24.93\00:13:27.14
There they met a
host of prelates, doctors,
00:13:27.17\00:13:30.57
and the champion
of Rome, Dr. Eck.
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Each night
though, Zwingli's students
00:13:33.31\00:13:35.58
would sneak
letters from the city out,
00:13:35.61\00:13:38.21
and then at night
Zwingli would write letters
00:13:38.25\00:13:40.85
that will be snuck
back into the city,
00:13:40.88\00:13:43.28
and though he wasn't there,
00:13:43.32\00:13:44.85
he was able to direct
00:13:44.89\00:13:46.39
the proceedings that took place.
00:13:46.42\00:13:48.56
He famously said
during that trial,
00:13:48.59\00:13:51.59
"Custom has no
force in our Switzerland,
00:13:51.63\00:13:54.70
unless it be
according to the Constitution.
00:13:54.73\00:13:57.57
Now in matters of faith,
the Bible is our Constitution."
00:13:57.60\00:14:01.90
The contrast between
00:14:10.05\00:14:11.38
the two sides
made a clear impression
00:14:11.41\00:14:13.92
on those who are
watching at the time.
00:14:13.95\00:14:16.32
Zwingli continue to
faithfully preach God's Word
00:14:16.35\00:14:19.29
here in Zurich,
00:14:19.32\00:14:20.66
Switzerland
throughout the rest of his life.
00:14:20.69\00:14:23.16
God had chosen a humble man
from humble origins to begin
00:14:23.19\00:14:27.73
what would be a great
work here in Switzerland.
00:14:27.76\00:14:30.70
No matter who you are,
or where you come from,
00:14:39.67\00:14:42.28
know that God is able to
do great things through you.
00:14:42.31\00:14:45.48
Whether your beginnings in life
have been humble and modest,
00:14:45.51\00:14:48.25
know God is able
to use you mightily.
00:14:48.28\00:14:51.09
Whether you're
educated or uneducated,
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.86
know that God
is able to use you.
00:14:53.89\00:14:56.83
Here in
Switzerland, Zwingli was a man
00:14:56.86\00:14:59.09
of very humble background,
00:14:59.13\00:15:01.26
being born in a
herdsman cottage up in the Alps,
00:15:01.30\00:15:04.43
and yet he was used to start
a mighty work of reformation
00:15:04.47\00:15:08.50
here in Switzerland.
00:15:08.54\00:15:10.34
In 2 Corinthians
12:9, the Bible says,
00:15:10.37\00:15:14.44
"My grace is sufficient for you,
00:15:14.48\00:15:16.95
for my strength is
made perfect in weakness."
00:15:16.98\00:15:20.42
God specializes
in doing great things
00:15:20.45\00:15:23.32
through the weakest vessels.
00:15:23.35\00:15:24.79
From 1512 to 1517,
00:16:17.91\00:16:21.11
Martin Luther's
life had been engaged
00:16:21.14\00:16:23.18
mainly in
preaching and teaching,
00:16:23.21\00:16:25.21
but it was
destined to change forever
00:16:25.25\00:16:27.15
when Johann Tetzel came to town.
00:16:27.18\00:16:29.65
The pope at that time
00:16:29.68\00:16:31.02
was Pope Leo X as Pope Julius II
00:16:31.05\00:16:34.66
had died about
four years previous.
00:16:34.69\00:16:37.59
He was eager to
proceed with the erection
00:16:37.63\00:16:39.86
of the great
church of St. Peter,
00:16:39.89\00:16:41.80
which his
predecessor had left unfinished.
00:16:41.83\00:16:44.67
In order to raise
funds to complete the church,
00:16:44.70\00:16:47.90
rigorous methods of fundraising
needed to be resorted to
00:16:47.94\00:16:51.81
and so the pope issued
indulgences with that in mind.
00:16:51.84\00:16:56.01
He decided not to
resort to this tactic in Spain,
00:16:56.04\00:16:59.25
France and England,
00:16:59.28\00:17:00.98
but in Germany
the responsibility
00:17:01.02\00:17:03.18
for selling the indulgences
00:17:03.22\00:17:04.79
was given to a
salesman by the name of Tetzel.
00:17:04.82\00:17:07.66
As Tetzel came into a town,
00:17:17.30\00:17:19.33
a messenger would go
00:17:19.37\00:17:20.70
before him
proclaiming the grace of God
00:17:20.74\00:17:23.64
and of the Holy
Father is at your gates.
00:17:23.67\00:17:26.68
People welcome
this false preacher
00:17:26.71\00:17:28.94
as he proposed a
rather easy way to paradise.
00:17:28.98\00:17:32.78
He promised to
pardon all the sins
00:17:32.81\00:17:35.05
was the purchaser would
commit from here on out,
00:17:35.08\00:17:38.15
and that not even
repentance was necessary.
00:17:38.19\00:17:41.79
In addition to this,
00:17:41.82\00:17:43.26
he promised that the indulgences
00:17:43.29\00:17:45.26
had the power to
forgive not only the living,
00:17:45.29\00:17:47.76
but also the dead as well.
00:17:47.80\00:17:53.27
Tetzel's famous quote was,
"As soon as the money clinks
00:17:53.30\00:17:56.97
against the bottom of the chest,
00:17:57.01\00:17:58.84
the soul escapes
purgatory and flies to heaven."
00:17:58.87\00:18:03.35
These type of messages
produced two responses.
00:18:03.38\00:18:06.38
Firstly, a band of scoffers
00:18:06.41\00:18:07.95
who wondered why if
the pope had the power
00:18:07.98\00:18:10.55
to release
people from purgatory,
00:18:10.59\00:18:12.52
he didn't do it as
a matter of charity.
00:18:12.55\00:18:14.96
And secondly, a stronger
00:18:14.99\00:18:16.59
and deeper opposition was people
00:18:16.62\00:18:18.69
who asked what the
Bible said about forgiveness.
00:18:18.73\00:18:21.86
Luther was at this time
still a priest of the church
00:18:27.17\00:18:30.54
and still had to
hear people's confessions.
00:18:30.57\00:18:33.24
A problem arose when
some of his parishioners
00:18:33.27\00:18:35.78
produced Tetzel's
pardon for their sins,
00:18:35.81\00:18:38.48
and Luther
refused to accept them,
00:18:38.51\00:18:40.68
declaring them
nothing but a big fraud.
00:18:40.72\00:18:43.62
Around this time also,
00:18:43.65\00:18:45.62
Luther preached a
powerful sermon entitled
00:18:45.65\00:18:48.32
"Indulgences and
the Grace of God."
00:18:48.36\00:18:50.73
And he also sent
a detailed protest
00:18:50.76\00:18:53.06
to the
archbishop and local bishop.
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.33
It was amidst these events
00:18:55.36\00:18:57.67
that on the
Festival of All Saints,
00:18:57.70\00:18:59.80
Luther posted on the
university church door
00:18:59.83\00:19:02.50
right here behind me
00:19:02.54\00:19:04.04
his 95 Theses or
doctrinal statements
00:19:04.07\00:19:07.44
about this debated question.
00:19:07.48\00:19:13.42
This event was a turning point.
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.72
And the
publication of the 95 Theses
00:19:15.75\00:19:18.35
created a great
deal of excitement
00:19:18.39\00:19:20.72
amongst the German people.
00:19:20.76\00:19:22.22
They were read and reread
and repeated far and wide.
00:19:22.26\00:19:26.53
Luther was in awe
at what he had done,
00:19:26.56\00:19:29.06
opposed the
mightiest power on earth,
00:19:29.10\00:19:32.03
and it was not long
before he was summoned
00:19:32.07\00:19:34.20
by Rome to appear to
answer for his teachings.
00:19:34.24\00:19:37.97
Never before had one man
00:19:38.01\00:19:39.64
who had such a huge following
00:19:39.67\00:19:41.51
of people already
opposed Rome on his own.
00:19:41.54\00:19:44.81
At this time,
the people were sick
00:19:44.85\00:19:47.58
of the corruption of the church,
00:19:47.62\00:19:49.68
and many people were thankful
00:19:49.72\00:19:51.49
that someone was
saying something about it,
00:19:51.52\00:19:54.82
though not
everyone was bold enough
00:19:54.86\00:19:56.73
to take a stand
with him at the time.
00:19:56.76\00:20:02.03
Let us never underestimate
00:20:02.06\00:20:03.63
the power of remaining true
00:20:03.67\00:20:05.50
to God's word and
to our convictions.
00:20:05.53\00:20:08.60
While Luther didn't
understand the whole Bible,
00:20:08.64\00:20:11.31
or understand
even the whole gospel,
00:20:11.34\00:20:13.68
he did share and stay
true to what he did know.
00:20:13.71\00:20:17.45
He had accepted the principle
00:20:17.48\00:20:19.05
that the Bible should be
the sole interpreter of faith.
00:20:19.08\00:20:22.42
And this one
principle would light a spark
00:20:22.45\00:20:25.45
that would eventually
go around the whole world
00:20:25.49\00:20:28.09
and lay the
foundation of Protestantism
00:20:28.12\00:20:30.93
that the Bible is to be
the interpreter of our faith.
00:20:30.96\00:20:34.20
May we be true to God's Word
00:20:34.23\00:20:36.30
and faithful in
sharing the message
00:20:36.33\00:20:38.10
God has given to us
00:20:38.13\00:20:39.53
wherever in the
world that we are.
00:20:39.57\00:20:41.90
Soon after he posted
his 95 Theses in Wittenberg,
00:21:29.72\00:21:33.69
Luther was
summoned to appear in Rome
00:21:33.72\00:21:36.06
to answer a charge of heresy.
00:21:36.09\00:21:38.23
His friends were
filled with dread.
00:21:38.26\00:21:40.43
They knew the danger that
threatened him in that city.
00:21:40.46\00:21:43.47
People remember
John Hus a century before
00:21:43.50\00:21:46.43
how he had been
promised a safe passage
00:21:46.47\00:21:48.57
and fair treatment,
00:21:48.60\00:21:49.94
but he had been
burned at the stake.
00:21:49.97\00:21:51.64
Elector Frederick of Saxony,
00:21:57.45\00:21:59.61
one of the seven German princes
demanded the trial be held
00:21:59.65\00:22:03.95
within the
boundaries of his territory.
00:22:03.99\00:22:06.22
The pope's legate
00:22:06.25\00:22:07.59
was to hear the
trial on his behalf.
00:22:07.62\00:22:09.76
But before the
trial could begin,
00:22:09.79\00:22:11.76
the legate was
charged to prosecute
00:22:11.79\00:22:14.20
and constraint without delay,
00:22:14.23\00:22:16.67
and to banish
curse and excommunicate
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.37
all of whatever rank in church
00:22:19.40\00:22:21.97
or state who
would not cease Luther
00:22:22.00\00:22:24.54
and his adherence.
00:22:24.57\00:22:26.34
Here is displayed
00:22:26.37\00:22:27.71
the true spirit
of Luther's pose,
00:22:27.74\00:22:29.81
not a trace of
justice to be found.
00:22:29.84\00:22:32.35
It was around this time
that a dear friend of Luther
00:22:35.85\00:22:38.65
would come to
his aid and support,
00:22:38.69\00:22:40.62
Philip Melanchthon.
00:22:40.66\00:22:41.99
He was younger than Luther
and was a learned scholar.
00:22:42.02\00:22:44.43
His carefulness,
gentleness and exactness
00:22:44.46\00:22:47.20
would serve as a complement
to Luther's courage and energy.
00:22:47.23\00:22:50.60
Augsberg had been set
as the place of the trial,
00:22:55.67\00:22:58.71
and whilst Luther
was told not to attend
00:22:58.74\00:23:00.98
by many of his friends
who feared for his life.
00:23:01.01\00:23:03.85
He was resolute about attending
and made his way to Augsberg.
00:23:03.88\00:23:07.98
At this point
Luther had not received
00:23:08.02\00:23:09.92
an assurance of a safe
passage, and his foes hoped
00:23:09.95\00:23:13.39
that he will appear without one,
00:23:13.42\00:23:15.29
but this he refused to do.
00:23:15.32\00:23:17.19
The legate was at
first very friendly
00:23:23.13\00:23:25.50
in his exchanges with Luther,
00:23:25.53\00:23:27.17
but he misjudged
his determination
00:23:27.20\00:23:29.57
and the strength
of his convictions.
00:23:29.60\00:23:32.44
Luther protested
00:23:32.47\00:23:33.88
that he was
being asked to retract
00:23:33.91\00:23:35.81
without first
being shown his error.
00:23:35.84\00:23:38.41
Every response that he gave,
00:23:38.45\00:23:40.18
he showed clearly
how it could be backed up
00:23:40.22\00:23:42.18
with the Bible, but
the legates response
00:23:42.22\00:23:44.65
was always a heated
response with the words retract.
00:23:44.69\00:23:49.59
Realizing that this
exchange was futile,
00:23:49.62\00:23:52.53
Luther asked to present
his findings in writing,
00:23:52.56\00:23:55.46
which he did the next day.
00:23:55.50\00:23:57.20
He gave it to the legate
00:23:57.23\00:23:58.73
and he threw them
aside straight away.
00:23:58.77\00:24:01.40
Luther then met this
proud man on his own grounds,
00:24:01.44\00:24:05.07
the traditions and
teachings of the church
00:24:05.11\00:24:07.58
showing how his
assumptions were wrong.
00:24:07.61\00:24:10.78
The trial wasn't
really going anywhere though,
00:24:10.81\00:24:13.55
and Luther soon
retreated with his friends.
00:24:13.58\00:24:17.19
They had tried to bully Luther
00:24:17.22\00:24:18.95
by their threats
but this had not worked.
00:24:18.99\00:24:22.46
Luther's teachings and writings
00:24:26.83\00:24:28.53
were spreading across
Germany like wildfire,
00:24:28.56\00:24:31.53
and eventually Rome resorted
to a bull of excommunication.
00:24:31.57\00:24:35.90
Luther was condemned
along with his adherence,
00:24:35.94\00:24:39.14
and they were given 60 days
00:24:39.17\00:24:40.88
to either recant
or be excommunicated.
00:24:40.91\00:24:44.31
Normally, this would strike fear
00:24:44.35\00:24:46.38
into the heart of
anyone but not Luther.
00:24:46.41\00:24:49.18
He gathered around
him a group of doctors,
00:24:49.22\00:24:51.82
students and
citizens of Wittenberg,
00:24:51.85\00:24:54.42
and under a tree
near this very spot,
00:24:54.46\00:24:57.33
he publicly
burned the pope's bull
00:24:57.36\00:24:59.63
of excommunication
00:24:59.66\00:25:01.03
and the Canaan laws.
00:25:01.06\00:25:03.60
Rome produced another
bull of excommunication
00:25:03.63\00:25:06.60
against him declaring his
final separation from Rome,
00:25:06.63\00:25:10.77
saying he was a curse of
heaven and condemning anyone
00:25:10.81\00:25:14.41
who adheres to
any of his doctrines.
00:25:14.44\00:25:17.11
Truly it can be said of Luther,
the servant is not greater than
00:25:17.15\00:25:21.38
his Lord, if they
have persecuted me,
00:25:21.42\00:25:24.25
they will persecute you.
00:25:24.29\00:25:25.95
While the forms of
opposition to the truth change
00:25:25.99\00:25:28.99
and how open they are over time,
00:25:29.02\00:25:31.29
the same antagonism
exists and will be manifested
00:25:31.33\00:25:34.86
to God's people
until the end of time.
00:25:34.90\00:25:37.73
If you're being persecuted
00:25:37.77\00:25:39.33
for the stands
that you are holding,
00:25:39.37\00:25:41.37
and for the
convictions that you have,
00:25:41.40\00:25:43.51
I want to encourage you
that no matter who you are,
00:25:43.54\00:25:46.01
no matter where you are,
or what the situation is,
00:25:46.04\00:25:49.44
stand boldly for God,
00:25:49.48\00:25:51.41
stand courageously for God
no matter what the cost may be.
00:25:51.45\00:25:55.72