What the Word Does

Redeemer Fellowship Sermons

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Sermon text:
Psalm 19:7–11

Download the discussion guide for this sermon here

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Reformation Sunday

On Reformation Sunday, we celebrate the profound moment when a monk sparked a movement that changed the course of history. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a German monk and professor, nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg. This act was a call to debate leadership and a rebuke of the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church, particularly the sale of indulgences—a practice in which people paid for the forgiveness of sins.

Luther’s central concern was the question of salvation: Can we earn it through our works and gifts, or must it be received from God as a gift itself? Luther’s study of Scripture led him to the truth that a sinner is forgiven and counted as righteous by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).

While this doctrine of justification rested at the heart of what became the Protestant Reformation, the foundational issue was the authority of Scripture. Luther’s courage to proclaim “Sola Scriptura” (Scripture alone) as the highest authority challenged centuries of tradition. He believed that the Bible—not the pope, councils, or tradition—was the ultimate authority in faith and practice.

This rediscovery of the Gospel—rooted in God’s Word—ignited a movement that brought the gospel to the masses, planted churches on every continent, and translated Scripture into the everyday language of people all over the world.

On Reformation Sunday, we are not just remembering Martin Luther. We are celebrating God’s work through his church, embracing Scripture as our ultimate authority, and preaching Christ alone as the only hope for sinners like us.