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Reformation Sunday

Writer's picture: Stephanie JonesStephanie Jones

Article for Oct 27, 2024

Revelation 14:6–7 (The angel)7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”


It is not “if this will happen,” it is “when this will happen,” that should spark our fear in our Creator.  As we fear God, we should also be in awe of our God and give Him the glory He so dearly deserves.  For God is our creator and He is our provider.  But not just that God has provided us so much through food, clothing and shelter, but that He also provides us a way and the truth of everlasting life through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

We cannot look at anything that God has not had something to do with in its making.  However, let your conscience know that there are many things that man has misused, contaminated, and corrupted that we look at too.  What man has defiled is the sin of man, the world, and the evil one we ask God to protect us from.

Look at the natural beauty around us, the wonderful fruits of the earth, and the tapestry of the mountains, and trees against the daylight, the sunset, and the night sky.  What beauty lies in the many birds, animals, and aquatic creatures of the sea.  See the beauty of the plants, flowers, bushes, and trees and how the seasons array these in different concepts of visual pleasure.  We have much to glorify our Lord, we have much to praise and thank our Lord for all His giving’s.


Matthew 11:12–15 12[Jesus said:] “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15He who has ears to hear, let him hear.


We are all guilty of turning our back on God and turning against Him in our ways of this world.  The war in Israel as well as any war continues to show our violence toward God and His people.  Yes, we Christians are God’s people too, yet even we show violence toward one another as well as God’s first chosen.

Where is our progress?  There really has been no true progress in the way we love one another as hate streams through every heart.  I am not saying love in this world does not exist, but that love takes a second to hate too many times.  There are those in this world who have rekindled hate in our world and in this time and they mean to rule with this tool of mongering. 

But thanks be to God that the Old Testament prophesied that Elijah would return and announce the Saviors coming.  Elijah returned as John the Baptist, and Jesus Christ came as our Savior whom all were waiting for.  We too, wait for the return of our Savior as we know and live in faith of His second coming.


Matthew 11:16–17 16“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’


What a dream to have, that we could live our lives like the children in the marketplace.  To be free of care and not feel the fear of being abandoned.  But truth be told, we can live with the faith of a child.  God will not abandon us, and He gives us comfort through His word, and secureness through the salvation of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

I would say that we cannot kill the prophets anymore, but the prophecy of God’s word has people trying to kill it.  Thank God no one can kill Jesus again though they try.  We who have faith in God and not ourselves have comfort as we know God will not forsake us.  Jesus Christ came to save us and has saved us, that is, we who continue to believe and have faith in God’s word, truth (Jesus Christ), and the Salvation gifted to us through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.


John 8:31–32 31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”


How can one say that they are a disciple of Jesus Christ if they cannot believe in His word?  How can one know true salvation if one cannot believe in God’s word?  How can anyone know the truth and that the truth is Jesus Christ if they cannot believe in God’s word?


John 8:33 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”


This is the bane of the world, that it does not feel its captivity and slavery to its sin.  The world thinks freedom is to do whatever you want whenever you want and first come first serve.  What is freedom if not to act out all your fantasies, and care less about others and their fantasies.  This is not freedom but slavery to eternal death.

The world does not understand sin unless the sin stops the world from committing its own sin.  Our world is lying to us, and we suck it up as truth.  The lie is not the truth that sets you free.  The “real” truth, the truth that sets us free is only the truth that is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.


John 8:34–36 34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”


And Jesus was hung on the cross with nails piercing His hands and His feet to show us what it is like to be enslaved by sin.  Jesus died on that cross to show us there is an escape from that captivity on the criminals cross.  Jesus was buried to show us the rest from our toil in sin and life.  And Jesus was resurrected to show us that we are set free, set free to live eternal with our Lord, truly free indeed.  Amen.

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