Reformation Freedom
This is the sermon I preached at St. Timothy Lutheran Church and St. Mark Lutheran Church on Sun., 10/25. The gospel was John 8:31-36 . All of humanity longs to be free. The Jewish people longed for freedom from Egypt and in Jesus' day, freedom from the Romans. Today we have refugees leaving Syria and Iraq--in order to be free. All those under occupation want freedom.Those who are imprisoned by fear want freedom. Over the years many songs have been sung about the longing for freedom--from "We Shall Overcome" to the song, "People Got to Be Free," by the Young Rascals. What does this have to do with the Reformation and today's gospel? Everything. As a monk, Martin Luther struggled mightily to be free from the sin he was certain permeated his very being. He took harsh measures to subdue his body and its desires. It wasn't until he read God's word in Romans that his eyes were opened to the way of freedom from sin and the power...