# Any Sermon Ideas for Reformation Sunday?



## C. M. Sheffield (Oct 26, 2010)

I was wondering how many of you pastors would be giving a special sermon for Reformation Sunday. I plan on preaching on the Reformation in the morning service and then we're having a Reformation Hymn sing that night. 

However, I'm not very good at putting together topical or thematic sermons. And I'm still vacillating between sermon ideas. That of course is eating into my preparation time! So, what are some of the things that you all are doing or have done in the past. There are probably countless ways to skin this cat and I'd be interested in hearing them.


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## Kevin (Oct 26, 2010)

I am preaching on 2 Chron 34 in the morning, and interviewing Martin Luther for the childrens message.


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## C. M. Sheffield (Oct 26, 2010)

II Chron. 34 is a great idea! How do you plan on wedding the text to the Reformation in your sermon?


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## Marrow Man (Oct 26, 2010)

I always preach on the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Often I will use an historical personality tied to Reformation as an illustration during the introduction. In the past I have used Martin Luther, John Knox, John Calvin, Patrick Hamilton, etc.

I would recommend preaching on justification, because you will be shocked at how many folks can sit through years of preaching and still not have a firm grasp on the doctrine. I remember hearing some on-the-street surveys conducted by the White Horse Inn where folks who should know better were asked about justification or the theme of the book of Galatians and could not give a biblical answer.

Preaching on a text from Romans 3 or 4 or Philippians 3 might be an option.


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## C. M. Sheffield (Oct 26, 2010)

Marrow Man said:


> I would recommend preaching on justification, because you will be shocked at how many folks can sit through years of preaching and still not have a firm grasp on the doctrine.



Don't I know it! And your point is well taken. I routinely encounter aberrant views of justification in conversation with my people. And I think, "I must speak more on justification by faith!"


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## Kevin (Oct 26, 2010)

C. M. Sheffield said:


> II Chron. 34 is a great idea! How do you plan on wedding the text to the Reformation in your sermon?



mainly by way of illustration. Most illustrations will be based on the reformation.


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## KMK (Oct 26, 2010)

I will keeping my scheduled preaching through Luke. I don't even know when Reformation Sunday is. Shouldn't it be called Reformation Lord's Day?


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## Scottish Lass (Oct 26, 2010)

KMK said:


> I don't even know when Reformation Sunday is.



Oct. 31, 1517 is the date for the 95 Theses. This year it falls on Sunday, so it's easier. Other years, some do the last Sunday in October, some do the Sunday closer to the date.


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## dudley (Oct 26, 2010)

KMK said:


> I will keeping my scheduled preaching through Luke. I don't even know when Reformation Sunday is. Shouldn't it be called Reformation Lord's Day?



Many Protestant churches commemorate Reformation Day (Oct 31—anniversary of the day on which Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg’s Palace church, protesting the sale of papal indulgences, in 1517) each year on the Sunday preceding Oct 31, or on the 31st, if a Sunday.

I agree with Tim Phillips that preaching on the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone is very important. I am astounded at the number of Protestants and Presbyterians who do not fully understand this very important doctrine of the Protestant Reformation. It is a doctrine that is a basis of what makes us Protestant Christians. I also think stressing some mention of the 5 solas of the Protestant Reformation would also be a nice point in a sermon on the doctrine of Justification by faith alone in Christ alone. 

An important point I think if preaching on the doctrine of Justification is the following idea I received a while back from a Presbyterian friend of mine. He said in a letter on justification the following: *“Some day we will stand before the Judgment Seat, guilty of breaking God’s laws, but there will be no condemnation. God does not make us righteous; but He treats us as righteous for Christ’s sake.”

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption
I Cor. 1: 30

God unconditionally chose a people before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1: 4); He irresistibly called us to Christ (John 6: 44); Christ redeemed these people on the Cross; and now in Him, we are treated as righteous. We can claim no credit. Through the gift of faith, we are justified.*Some have taught this doctrine to mean that it is just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned. But that misses the point. Christ’s death on the Cross did not make us righteous. Christ’s death on the Cross allows us to be treated as righteous. His righteousness has been imparted to us.
*“. . . being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Rom. 3: 24-26*

Christians are not basically good; we are totally depraved, just like all humanity. God could not ignore our sin, so He sent His Son as a propitiation. It is by God’s grace, not our works, that we are saved.

I wrote back to my friend the following statement _*“There is one more thing we need to keep very clear about faith: it is not something worthy of merit that earns us justification. It is connects us with Christ's righteousness, but does not earn us Christ's righteousness. Faith is an act, but it is not a work. In other words, God doesn't give justification because of any value in your faith--because your faith is a such a great thing that it deserves reward--but because it is how you are united to Christ“.
Dudley Davis*_

*Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Rom. 8: 30*


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Oct 27, 2010)

Even though I grew up in a Reformed church I had never heard of Reformation Sunday until I moved to the USA. 
Why not start a series on the 5 solas of the Reformation? One sola each year will have you covered for the next 5 years.


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## JasonT (Oct 27, 2010)

Here in Ireland we don't tend to mark Reformation Sunday either. I only heard of it a few years ago, is it widely known in the US, even outside of the church?


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## Scottish Lass (Oct 27, 2010)

JasonT said:


> is it widely known in the US, even outside of the church?



It's barely known in the church, much less outside of it.


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## JasonT (Oct 27, 2010)

Well I suppose it has halloween to compete with ...


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## Marrow Man (Oct 27, 2010)

It's only held to recognize/remember the anniversary of a day largely forgotten by Protestants.

I mentioned preaching on justification, but Dudley and Donnie mentioned the 5 solas (or a series on the 5), and I think that's a great idea!


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## Pilgrim Standard (Oct 27, 2010)

from a layman’s perspective,
A short history of how God used William Tyndale to bring the Word to the people at the cost of his life, burnt on a tree, as a springboard to how the Lord brought salvation to His people at the cost of His life, nailed to a tree. I have always been taken with the statement "In the Old Testament the sacrifice itself was consumed by the flames, but in the New Testament the sacrifice Himself consumed the flames!" It is a good opportunity to dive into the gospel.

I love a reformation sermon where Christ is the focus.

---------- Post added at 09:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:09 AM ----------




Marrow Man said:


> I mentioned preaching on justification, but Dudley and Donnie mentioned the 5 solas (or a series on the 5), and I think that's a great idea!


 
I agree that both of these are great ideas.


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## Romans922 (Oct 27, 2010)

Why any special sermon, just preach the next passage? Or we could make Reformation Day the same as Christmas/Easter and make it a 'holy day', but there is only one 'holy day' we celebrate 52 times a year. A day made special for us by our Lord, the Lord's Day. So we should do what He says and preach the Word.


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## C. M. Sheffield (Oct 27, 2010)

Romans922 said:


> Why any special sermon, just preach the next passage? Or we could make Reformation Day the same as Christmas/Easter and make it a 'holy day', but there is only one 'holy day' we celebrate 52 times a year. A day made special for us by our Lord, the Lord's Day. So we should do what He says and preach the Word.


 
I typically break from my preaching routine for Christmas, Easter, and sometimes for thanksgiving. These are holidays celebrated by my people and by me! Most of those who argue against any observance in the church most certainly observe it with their families. 

Now that doesn't mean that our worship is to be compromised. Nor does it mean (as your statement seems to imply) that we lay aside the preaching of the Word - God forbid! It is God's Word that teaches us the significance of the incarnation, resurrection, or reformation.

I appreciate what Terry Johnson has to say on this matter:



> While many will perhaps not want to go as far as rejecting the church year as the Scottish Presbyterians and Puritans (of whom it is said, they worked in their fields on Christmas day in order to witness to their Catholic neighbors), Reformed churches would do well to follow the example of the Continental Reformed churches to limiting their church year to what has been called the "five Evangelical feast days": Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost... In this way, the high points of the Gospel message would be commemorated in Reformed churches annually along with most of Christendom, without becoming entangled in the full calendar cycle.
> 
> Terry Johnson, Senior Minister
> Independent Presbyterian Church, Savannah
> _Leading in Worship_, pp. 103-104​


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Oct 27, 2010)

As someone who is not in favor of "Holy Days" or what Rev. Johnson calls the "5 Evangelical feast days" I can say that I can understand Easter, Good Friday, Ascension, and Pentecost to some degree since these days can be remembered fairly consistently with their actual days of occurrence in history. The problem I have with Christmas primarily is that it is generally agreed upon to be nowhere near the actual incarnation and is merely chosen for sentimental reasons. I think there is actually more support for a Thanksgiving service (particular to culture of course, meaning November in the U.S. and October in Canada, etc...) than the December holiday.


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## JonathanHunt (Oct 27, 2010)

I will be sticking to my schedule, but making a few relevant applications (the theme is 'Love for Christ' and I believe the Reformation recovered this idea).

Most people in my church just think it is Hallowe'en. Ugh. We don't even stay at home on 31/10 because of horrible abuse we have had in the past when refusing to give gifts to adults. Yes, not little children, but adults, who banged on the door and shouted 'give us sweets'. 

We'll spend the day at someone else's house!


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## C. M. Sheffield (Oct 27, 2010)

JonathanHunt said:


> I will be sticking to my schedule, but making a few relevant applications (the theme is 'Love for Christ' and I believe the Reformation recovered this idea).
> 
> Most people in my church just think it is Hallowe'en. Ugh. We don't even stay at home on 31/10 because of horrible abuse we have had in the past when refusing to give gifts to adults. Yes, not little children, but adults, who banged on the door and shouted 'give us sweets'.
> 
> We'll spend the day at someone else's house!


 
Our town is celebrating Halloween tomorrow night. So fortunately, our Lord's Day will not be interrupted.


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## JasonT (Oct 27, 2010)

While I've never been one for holding special services (Harvest, Christmas etc.), I read Martin Lloyd Jones on the subject a few years ago. I seem to remember him saying he did have special new year, (Christmas?) services etc. even when it didn't fall on the Lord's Day because there were many people who came along who would never go to church at any other point during the year. He saw it as a great opportunity to bring the Gospel to these people.


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## Marrow Man (Oct 27, 2010)

C. M. Sheffield said:


> Our town is celebrating Halloween tomorrow night. So fortunately, our Lord's Day will not be interrupted.



Good ol' Vidalia. Town of my birth. I figured they would do it on a Saturday night, not a Thursday. Why that day (I understand Wed is prayer meeting night and Friday is football night).

Saturday used to be "cruising night" in Vidalia, up and down the strip. But now they re-routed everything and made two split one way routes through town. I wonder if that discourages the cruisers now.


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## C. M. Sheffield (Oct 27, 2010)

Marrow Man said:


> C. M. Sheffield said:
> 
> 
> > Our town is celebrating Halloween tomorrow night. So fortunately, our Lord's Day will not be interrupted.
> ...


 
I think football is most certainly the reason for not doing it on Friday night. As far as what the problem was with Saturday night: I'm not sure. Needless to say It'll be tomorrow night and most everyone now does their trick-or-treating in the downtown area. That's neat because it's safer and brings the town together into one place.

BTW, do you ever visit Vidalia. We've got to get together one day. I'm not likely to be back in Louisville until 2012 for T4G (DV).


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## Curt (Oct 27, 2010)

I cycle through the Reformation themes. This year it's Justification, using Romans 8:1-4.


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## Scottish Lass (Oct 27, 2010)

C. M. Sheffield said:


> BTW, do you ever visit Vidalia. We've got to get together one day.



We've not been home since last year because of Grace. Lord willing, she'll be healthy enough for us to come home this fall--we're thinking between Thanksgiving and Christmas to cut down on traffic and stress (and the cost of the car rental).


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## C. M. Sheffield (Oct 28, 2010)

Scottish Lass said:


> C. M. Sheffield said:
> 
> 
> > BTW, do you ever visit Vidalia. We've got to get together one day.
> ...



Well if you guys aren't too busy (which may be the case) I'd love for our families to get together while you're here.


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## Rev. Todd Ruddell (Oct 28, 2010)

I have been preaching on the Sabbath Day the last three Lord's Days as a day the Lord uses as a means of sanctification for us (Exodus 31.13 Yahveh M'Kaddesh). I will be culminating that brief series with a Sermon this Reformation Sabbath on the rest of Christ and what that means for us (ceasing from our own labors) from Matthew 11.28-9. So, as Pastor Phillips said, I'll be preaching on Justification by faith alone.


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## dudley (Oct 28, 2010)

Marrow Man said:


> It's only held to recognize/remember the anniversary of a day largely forgotten by Protestants.
> 
> I mentioned preaching on justification, but Dudley and Donnie mentioned the 5 solas (or a series on the 5), and I think that's a great idea!



_“There is one more thing we need to keep very clear about faith: it is not something worthy of merit that earns us justification. It is connects us with Christ's righteousness, but does not earn us Christ's righteousness. Faith is an act, but it is not a work. In other words, God doesn't give justification because of any value in your faith--because your faith is a such a great thing that it deserves reward--but because it is how you are united to Christ“.
Dudley Davis_

Tim,

The 5 solas is an area that I think needs reaffirmation and emphasis in Protestant churches. I think they can be tied into the beautiful doctrine of Justification by faith alone in Christ alone. It is a doctrine that separates us unto the truth of the Gospel message that Christ died for all the sins of men and we are saved not by any merit or doing of our own but only by His divine mercy and His righteousness which grants us salvation. 

I think it is a doctrine that many Protestants have forgotten the true meaning of and our assurance of salvation by a simple act of faith in Christ as our savior.

As far as the comments about Reformation day or Sunday, I think too that too many Protestants have forgotten the meaning of the Protestant Reformation and our heritage as Reformed Christians and the heirs of the Protestant Reformation and the reformers. I believe my thinking might be a bit different than some others because I have experienced the conversion from Roman Catholicism to Reformed Protestantism as did John Calvin and many of the reformers. 

"There are but two religions in the world," we hear Olivetan saying. "The one class of religions are those which men have invented, in all of which man saves himself by ceremonies and good works; the other is that one religion which is revealed in the Bible, and which teaches man to look for salvation solely from the free grace of God." "I will have none of your new doctrines," Calvin sharply rejoins; "think you that I have lived in error all my days?" But Calvin is not so sure of the matter as he looks. The words of his cousin have gone deeper into his heart than he is willing to admit even to himself; and when Olivetan has taken farewell for the day, scarce has the door been closed behind him when Calvin, bursting into tears, falls upon his knees, and gives vent in prayer to the doubts and anxieties that agitate him.

Source: The History of Protestantism, by J.A. Wylie 

Calvin said concerning his conversion: "By a sudden conversion, God subdued and reduced to docility my soul, which was more hardened against such things than one would expect of my youthful years." 

"Like a flash of light, I realized in what an abyss of errors, in what chaos I was." 

Calvin broke with the Roman Church, I can relate with John Calvin because I too broke with the Roman church and her pope as did Calvin and the Reformers and converted to Presbyterianism and became a Protestant just as he and the other reformers did. 

I think the Protestant Reformation was an important turning stone in the history of the last 2000 years of the Christian church of Christ and the Apostles here on earth. 

Our Protestant heritage and our faith which is the faith of the apostles and the Church as Christ intended it is not celebrated as a holy day; but it is simply remembering the significance and importance of the Protestant Reformation which I think has been forgotten by too many Protestants and the world at large in the last 50 years.


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## py3ak (Oct 28, 2010)

Well, the Reformation was a broad and sweeping movement and gives a lot of potential topics.

The Bondage of the Will - according to Luther, Erasmus' attack on him on that score got to the heart of the matter. Calvin said that the controversies could be reduced to questions about the true worship of God and the ground of salvation - that opens up a number of themes: the Second Commandment, for instance, or the proper view of ministers as preachers rather than priests; or election, impetration, etc. Or the authoritative basis for the whole Reformation, in defining the word of God as the only rule of faith and obedience. Carl Trueman says that on a pastoral level assurance was the critical question between the Reformers and the Romanists. Again there was obviously controversy over what constituted good works, and what their place was with reference to salvation.


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## TomVols (Oct 29, 2010)

Check the lectionary readings.


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