significance
The smell of fall was in the air--the small town of Wittenberg,
Germany, was just beginning to bundle up for the winter. Over at the
university, a young, unassuming scholar was asking himself the
question, "How can a man find favor with God?"
The deeper he penetrated this question, the greater his frustration
and outrage with his beloved church grew. This young monk didn't want
to be a rebel, yet the abuses he observed in his own church drove him
to record the injustices he saw.
One disgraceful practice to increase church revenue was to accept
payment for the forgiveness of sins. In other words, one could sin
and obtain forgiveness for that sin by payment of money to the
church--without repentance.
In 1508 this young man, who took his original studies in law, began
teaching his beliefs at the University of Wittenberg, attracting
students from all over Germany. His disgust came to a head in 1517
when John Tetzel, a representative of the Pope, came to Germany
selling certificates presigned by the Pope, offering a pardon of all
sins to whoever procured one. A man could even buy them for
relatives!
Over the years, a vision of God's purpose for his life took shape. On
October 31, 1517, a trembling
Martin Luther marched to the front doors
of the Castle Church in Wittenberg where he posted 95 Theses, soon to
become famous throughout the world.
It was a turning point
of all Christian history, the result of one man
not satisfied with what he saw when he looked at the man in the
mirror. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what
it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after
looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks
like" (James 1:22-24).
Certainly young Martin Luther had no idea of the impact--the
significance--his life would have. But because he was willing to
study the Bible, to let God speak to him, and be a doer of the Word,
he was able to be used by God. Because he believed God he found
significance, and God gave young Luther a purpose for
his life.
In your search for significance, have you sought a purpose for your
life by studying the Scriptures? Any of us who desires to satisfy his
need to be significant must study the Scriptures and ask God to show
him His purpose for his life. Then he must faithfully be a doer of
what God tells him.
Patrick Morley
author, business leader, speaker
© Patrick Morley
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