Tuesday, October 15, 2013
John 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
THE OLD EVIL FOE NOW MEANS DEADLY WOE
The odds seemed overwhelming when a lone monk in black Augustinian gown stood before Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire on his throne. Nearby sat Ferdinand, archduke of Austria, later emperor himself. On the right sat bishops and cardinals and their staffs, church leaders important enough to meet with the emperor. On the left and around the room one man counted some 80 princes, 130 counts, 15 ambassadors, and crowds of knights and nobles. The spokesman of the emperor was a "Dr. Ecken, who at Trier had so very thoroughly burned Martin’s books" (Cardinal Aleander). All of this power and magnificence was arrayed against Luther in an effort to bring him to take back the Bible teachings about which he had written.
Overwhelming odds? More than that. Against the Lord's gospel is none other than the prince of this world, the old evil foe, and Luther was aware of this spiritual enemy, too. "Not a single dot will I retract, if Christ grants me grace."
We, too, face that old serpent who tempted our first parents to waver in their trust of God, the serpent whose head was destined to be crushed by mankind's Savior, Jesus Christ.
A mighty fortress is our God,
A trusty shield and weapon.
He helps us free from ev’ry need
That hath us now o’ertaken.
The old evil foe
Now means deadly woe;
Deep guile and great might
Are his dread arms in fight,
On earth is not his equal.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 262:1)
