Thursday, October 22, 2009
SKETCHES IN FAITH: LUTHER AND THE PULPIT
One of the great contributions that Luther made to the life of the church was restoring the prominence of the word to the worship life of God's people. In the centuries before Luther, preaching was deemphasized. "As the centuries of the Middle Ages wearily rolled on, the clergy found it increasingly easier . . . to edify the eyes of their auditors than to instruct their minds, to fill them with awe by casting a veil of sacred mystery over their religion than laboriously to indoctrinate them" (Ewald M. Plass).
Luther understood that what the people needed was the simple and clear word of God. Thus he brought new life and vitality to the pulpit. He grasped the simple truth of Scripture, namely, that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God." For Luther the pulpit was a place to teach, warn, guide and comfort. He taught only the word. He warned against false teaching, and was not afraid to denounce those who taught it. He called a spade a spade, bluntly pointing out the sins of the people in the pew. He guided the people in what it meant to live a life pleasing to God. Above all he comforted poor sinners with the glorious truth of the Gospel, how God for Christ's sake freely takes away the sin of the world. Luther's preaching never wandered far from the cross. Indeed his pulpit was solidly anchored to the message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
How blessed we are when the pulpits of our churches are places where the Scriptures are proclaimed in all their clear and precious truth. How wonderful to sit at the feet of a pastor who preaches in the same Gospel spirit as Dr. Luther. Praise God when it is so!
O God, our Lord, Thy holy Word
Was long a hidden treasure
Till to its place It was by grace
Restored in fullest measure.
For this today Our thanks we say
And gladly glorify Thee.
Thy mercy show And grace bestow
On all who still deny Thee.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 266:1)
