We follow behind Luther, because we are convinced that he followed behind the apostles, who followed behind Christ.īut what did it take for Luther to get out of the skewed line he grew up in and into that straight (orthodox) line behind the apostles and behind Christ? It took a forceful stand against the long line of preachers before him who had stepped out of line, led by the popes in Rome. To call ourselves a “Lutheran” Church should be no different (in our understanding and in our meaning) than to call ourselves an Apostolic Church, or finally, a Christian Church. But, in the long line of apostles and preachers and Church Fathers and Christians who, through the ages, followed a straight path behind Christ, we recognize Luther’s place there, too, and we follow along the same path, behind him and those who have come after him, behind those who went before him, behind the apostles, behind Christ. It’s Christ whom we follow and in whom we believe. Now, the name “Lutheran” is a somewhat unfortunate name, because for as much as we honor him and give thanks for him, it’s not Martin Luther whom we follow or in whom we believe.

We Lutherans believe (or certainly ought to believe) that Luther got it right, not in everything he ever said, but in the chief points of doctrine he believed and confessed. Some Protestants stand off to the side when it comes to this or that doctrine.

If the idea behind the Reformation was to get back in a straight line behind Christ and His apostles and behind the Church Fathers and Christians over the centuries who also followed in that straight line of the pure teaching of the Gospel (that’s what the word “orthodox” means, by the way-straight teaching), then we have to recognize that not everyone who took a stand against Rome stands in that straight line. Today we celebrate the Lutheran Reformation of the Church. Sermon for the Festival of the Lutheran Reformation

Silenced 2011 download