Complete in Thee: Luther

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Luther

This evening's Bible class was regarding Roman Catholic teaching and how it is contrary to God's word. It was very eye-opening to see how the Roman Catholic church teaches dependence on works to reach salvation-- not rest in Christ's finished work on the Cross. This lesson and the notes for this lesson should be downloaded on Orwell Bible Church's website in a couple days so you can listen to it if you wish!

In the course of the lesson, Pastor Greenfield mentioned Martin Luther several times, as Luther was one of the people who broke through the darkness of the Church and helped people to search the Scriptures f

or themselves. All that talk about Martin Luther made me itching to see this again (that's the trailer for it actually; I want to see the movie ;-) )!! (even though I saw it only a month ago) :-P

I love the film Luther as it brings to life the man who "revolutionized" the world. To see his inner struggle, his realization that the Church and works cannot save a person, the darkness of the people and the Light that the Gospel brings is just amazing. Of course, like any movie put out by Hollywood, there are some aspects of Luther's life and of the Bible that they could have emphasized better, but it is almost like an embellishment to a biography-- helps you envision it-- helps you think. I love this movie!!

Plugged In (a Christian site for movie reviews, I believe from Focus on the Family) has a good review on it to give you an idea of whether it is something you want to watch and will make you aware of a couple spots that may not be suitable for younger viewers. (We usually fast forward the peasant revolts scenes because they are, I guess, pretty graphic (I haven't seen those parts actually) .) In any case, if you want a stirring movie and a greater appreciation for the Word of God that you can read and study for yourself, watch Luther! :-)

Some quotes by Luther (some in real life, some from the movie):

(at the Diet of Worms)-- "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and by plain reason and not by Popes and councils who have so often contradicted themselves, my conscience is captiv

e to the word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me."

(in a sermon)--"So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: 'I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also!' "

(to the priest that sent him to Wittenberg to study the Bible)-- "That day when you sent me out so boldly to change the world, did you really think there wouldn't be a cost?"

Bible verses on the Word of God--

"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." (Psalm 119:130)

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." (Isaiah 40:8)

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-5)

3 comments:

Amanda said...: Amen! That was a great lesson, and that's a great movie.; December 3, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Lilly said...: I watched it too. I thought it was very well done. There were only two things I wish were different.

(1) I wish he would have had a little more passionate volume at the Diet of Worms. I don’t think he would have been that soft spoken.

(2) Although I am glad they mention his wife I REALLY wish they would have portrayed their life together and their children.

His family really had a big effect on his life and I truly believe he couldn’t have been half the man he was with out Katie.
Other than that I really liked it!; December 4, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Margaret Dashwood said...: That is such a neat movie, I love it!!; December 9, 2009 at 10:04 PM

PRAYER REQUESTS

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Ephesians 6:18)

PLEASE PRAY...

* That I would draw nearer to God every day and never allow my relationship to become stagnant ritual; particularly that I would grow in the area of submission, patience, 1 Corinthians 13 love, and wholehearted devotion

* That I might have wisdom as I edit "The Marquis' Daughter"; that the Lord would bless and work through it; and that I might find just the right publisher for it.

* That I would submit to the Lord's work in my life, whatever it may be; that I would take each opportunity He brings me (even the seemingly hard ones) to draw closer to Him and point others to Him

*That our Etsy shop might be successful and that it would be a means by which we can glorify God and share the Gospel

Ephesians 2:1-10

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

"The heart set to do the Father's will need never fear defeat. His promises of guidance may be fully counted upon. Does it make sense to believe that the Shepherd would care less about getting His sheep where He wants them to go than they care about getting there?"

"God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will, a will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to."

"If God, like a father, denies us what we want now it is in order to give us some far better thing later on. The will of God, we can rest assured, is invariably a better thing."

"Obedience to God's will is the secret of spiritual knowledge and insight. It is not willingness to know, but willingness to DO (obey) God's will that brings certainty."

"Victory over all the circumstances of life comes not by might, nor by power, but by a practical confidence in God and by allowing His Spirit to dwell in our hearts and control our actions and emotions. Learn in the days of ease and comfort, to think in terms of the prayer that follows, so that when the days of hardship come you will be fully prepared and equipped to meet them."

"And shall I pray, Oh, change Thy will, my Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
Ah no, Lord, no, that never could be, rather
I pray Thee, Blend my human will with Thine."

"A crucified life cannot be self-assertive. It cannot protect itself. It cannot be startled into resentful words. The cup that is full of sweet water cannot spill bitter-tasting drops, however sharply it is knocked."

"And as we rest our hearts upon what we know (the certainty of the ultimate triumph of good), leaving what we do not know to the Love that has led us all our life long, the peace of God enters into us and abides. And then we see our light."

[A Practicing Christian]...it means that every single act and feeling, every experience, whether pleasant or unpleasant, must be referred to God. It means looking at everything as something that comes from Him, and always looking to Him and asking His will first, and saying, "How would he wish me to deal with this?"

Christ says: "Give me all. I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work. I want you."

"I was not born to be free. I was born to adore and to obey."

"What is saving but taking us out of the dark into the light? There is no salvation but to know God and grow like Him."

"I will not try to convince you of anything about God. I cannot. You must know Him. I only tell you I believe in Him with all my heart. You must ask Him to explain Himself to you, and not take it for granted that He has done you a wrong because He has done what you do not like. Whether you seek Him or not, He will do you justice. But He cannot explain Himself unless you seek Him."

"Sometimes a thunderbolt will shoot from a clear sky; and sometimes into the life of a peaceful individual, without warning of gathered storm, something terrible will fall. And from that moment everything is changed. That life is no more what it was. Better it ought to be, worse it may be. The result depends on the life itself and it's response to the invading storm of trouble. Forever after, it's spiritual weather is altered. But for the one who believes in God, such rending and frightful catastrophies never come but where they are turned around for good in his own life and in other lives he touches."