So, this happened about 20 years ago.
For a number of years, the garage at the parsonage doubled as holding space for yard equipment for the church. That was remedied when Good Shepherd built a shed. After wrangling with the City of Novi for a permit, construction of the shed was completed in 2001.
We are also anticipating an additional celebration in conjunction with our church picnic (date TBD) so that more people can be in attendance and maintain social distancing outside.
So, this happened about 30 years ago.
Good Shepherd's congregation was outgrowing the WEF (Worship / Education / Fellowship building). God was blessing the congregation so that we could build a chapel to accommodate the people who were coming here. It is a long, gut-wrenching story involving bureaucracy, embezzlement, bankruptcy of the construction company, mitigation, etc... Finally, after many delays and much frustration, the chapel was completed and dedicated on October 13, 1991.
We are also anticipating an
additional celebration in conjunction with our church picnic (date TBD) so that
more people can be in attendance and maintain social distancing outside.
Greetings!
So, this happened about 36 years ago.
Three acres of land were purchased at 9 Mile and Meadowbrook Roads. Ground-breaking for a new worship facility was done on January 27, 1985 (delayed one week because it was too cold). Shortly thereafter, construction began on the building known as the WEF (Worship, Education, Fellowship building). The WEF was dedicated on October 13, 1985.
Good Shepherd will acknowledge its 40th anniversary on Sunday, May 2, 2021. Join us in person or on Facebook Live.
We are also anticipating an
additional celebration in conjunction with our church picnic (date TBD) so that
more people can be in attendance and maintain social distancing outside.
So, this happened 40 years ago.
Charter Sunday for Good Shepherd was May 3, 1981. This is the first service of the congregation. Pastor David Farley was the first pastor.
Good Shepherd will acknowledge its 40th anniversary on Sunday, May 2, 2021 in our 10:00 AM Divine Service. Join us in person or on Facebook Live.
We are also anticipating an additional celebration in conjunction with our church picnic (date TBD) so that more people can be in attendance and maintain social distancing outside.
Here is the service from April 25, 2021.
The service for the Festival of St. Mark, Evangelist was also in conjunction with emphasis on Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minnesota) and the Equipping Christian Witnesses campaign.
As we
consider how the Lord blessed the church through the ministry of St. Mark the
Evangelist, we are also considering how the Lord will bless the church through
future pastors and teachers—particularly through Martin Luther College in New
Ulm, Minnesota.
Where
does the next generation of pastors and teachers come from? They come
from the same place they have always come from—from among God’s people.
John Mark came from a godly household. His mother, Mary, opened her house
up to a group of Christians who met there for Divine Services, prayer, and for
fellowship. We don’t hear of Mark’s father, but his mother’s faith—both
confessed and practiced devoutly—left an impression on St. Mark. The
Christian faith also mattered to him.
When Paul
and Barnabas went on their first missionary journey, Mark accompanied them to
Cyprus. However, something went wrong. The book of Acts noted
this: “Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to
Perga in Pamphylia. And (Mark) left
them and returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13). St. Luke does not
record why Mark left. Was he homesick? Did he consider encountering
unfamiliar people too dangerous? Did he think the work was too
hard? Whatever the reason, Paul did not think it was a valid one.
When Paul
and Barnabas were preparing for their second missionary journey, “Barnabas
wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not
to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not
gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so
that they separated from each other” (Acts 15:37-39). In short, Paul
considered Mark unreliable. Paul’s conclusion was that Mark was not fit
for this kind of ministry.
So, who
is worthy of the ministry? No one. No one is a pastor or teacher
because he deserves it. The respect you have for pastors and teachers is
appreciated and beneficial, but pastors and teachers recognize their own
faults, weaknesses, and sins. They might think, “If you saw me in high
school or college, you might not want me as your pastor anymore.” And
it’s not like a diploma or a divine call has perfected any called worker.
Pastors and teachers remember their failings much more vividly than their
successes. The devil taunts people who hold a holy office: “What gives
you the right to hold the office you do with your attitude and your past?”
St. Mark’s weaknesses and failings are still shared and felt by ministers in
the Church.
Such
fears are not unique to pastors and teachers. Who can boast, “I have been
a perfect parent”? Who would claim, “I am faultless as a spouse”?
Even if you think so, what would your spouse say? We all have sins that
haunt us and plague us. There is a good reason the Psalms teach us to pray, “Remember
not the sins of my youth” (Psalm 25:7). We might conclude that our
place in God’s kingdom is suspect as we realize our lives do not line up well
with our confession. If you feel that you are useless because you have
failings, you can bet that it is not the Lord Jesus Christ who is telling you
that. The devil wants to drive you to despair. But the devil is a
liar.
Satan may
accurately track, detail, and date all your sins, but he lies when he tells you
that they stand against you. For this is what the Lord says: “The
blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The
Lord has purified you through the blood of Christ which was shed for you at the
cross, which was applied to you at the font, and which continues to be given to
you at this altar. “There is therefore now no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The Lord does not
remember you according to your faults. Rather, he assures you that “as
many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ”
(Galatians 3:27). When the Lord looks upon you, he sees the
righteousness, innocence, and blessedness of Jesus Christ. He is pleased
to call you his own. You are chosen and precious to him. And he
will work in you to produce the very fruits of faith he seeks. Your works
may not be flawless, but they are still useful. Even a stammering
preacher like St. Paul can still get his message across. You are beneficial to others, useful to the
Church, and pleasing to Christ. This is true for all Christians.
All of God’s people are saints. And from all the saints, God calls some
to be pastors and teachers for the benefit of his church. The Lord
provides useful ministers for his church.
It is
hard to know what Paul’s and Barnabas’ argument concerning St. Mark was
about. Yes, he had left them on their first journey, but a few years had
gone by. Perhaps Barnabas recognized that Mark had matured both emotionally
and spiritually. Paul would have none of it. “There
arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.
Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus” (Acts 15:39).
Although Paul refused Mark’s company, Barnabas insisted that Mark was
useful. They travelled on to Cyprus to serve the churches there.
The Lord provided a useful minister to his church.
Now, St.
Mark was not an apostle. He was not chosen personally by Jesus and
endowed with the gifts of an apostle. But he was still useful to the
church. St. Mark was an Evangelist, meaning that he wrote one of the four
Gospels in our New Testament. The Church from the earliest days has
credited Mark to be the author of this Gospel and St. Peter to be the source of
its content. Mark’s association with the apostles was not limited to
Peter. Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy while awaiting his
execution in Rome. He wrote, “Do your best to come to me
soon. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to
me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:9,11). Eventually, even the
apostle Paul discovered that Mark was a useful minister.
Either
Mark had proven himself reliable over time, or Paul softened on his opinion. After all, Paul had his own sins from the
past he would just assume forget. Peter did too. Peter and Paul
were apostles, but they were no more holy than Mark or you. They had
regrets and sins from their past, and these enabled them to have compassion on
others who had also stumbled in the faith or who were ensnared in sins outside
of the church. The longer you live, the more likely you are to develop compassion
on people in their sins. You can recall your foolish choices, or moments
when your judgment was shameful. When you see others committing those
same sins, rather than being judgmental, you pause and consider, “Yes, I
remember doing the same thing. I understand how you found that
attractive, but I was wrong to do it, and so are you. Repent and believe the
good news. Jesus takes away your sins and
covers your shame. You are precious to
him.”
You and I
cannot excuse sins because God doesn’t.
But when we see others commit sins, our desire is to draw them out from
under them so that they will not be crushed by them. You know what it is
to be hounded by the memories of bad decisions, of using other people, or of
abandoning those who were depending upon you. You know the relief of
being absolved of your guilt and the joy of being assured that the Lord does
not hold your sins against you. You know what it is to be forgiven, and you
know how much this relief and joy would benefit others. Who better than
you to proclaim the mercy of God to friends and family who need it?
Whether you are a minister or not, this is most useful.
Perhaps
that is why Paul softened on his opinion of St. Mark. Perhaps that is why
Peter also welcomed Mark in his company. They were all flawed, but they
could also rejoice together in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world. The Lord provided useful ministers from flawed men whose faults have
been recorded for us. The Holy Spirit revealed their sins so that we do
not get the idea that only superior saints are useful in the kingdom of
God. The Lord provides useful ministers to his church, and he gives us
all opportunities to serve God’s people—whether apostles, evangelists, pastors,
teachers, church council officers, parents, teens, or whoever you are.
Since we
are referring to Paul’s epistle for this sermon, we ought to consider a few
words about that. Paul knew his life was at its end, and he wrote, “I
have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the
faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that
day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2
Timothy 4:7-8). We might get the impression that Paul was
claiming he had earned the reward which was coming to him. But if you
look at everything Paul wrote, you would know that is not true. Paul was
saved by Jesus who took up his sins, who credited him with righteousness, who
conquered death, and who make Paul his own through holy baptism. This is
true for all who believe in Jesus, who have loved his appearing. We love
our Lord who appeared upon earth to gain for us the resurrection to life and to
glory.
Paul
further expressed his confidence, taking God at his word, when he wrote, “The
Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly
kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18). Paul knew that he would face the sword
soon. He was not begging to escape that. He was certain that he
would be rescued from sin and death. He
might die by martyrdom, but he would not perish. No curse would ever
touch him. Jesus had delivered him from his sins. Jesus promised
deliverance from the grave. Jesus guarantees heavenly bliss to all who
believe in him. This confidence is not just for Paul, but for all who
believe and are baptized.
That is why the Lord had St. Mark record for us the words and works of Jesus Christ. And that is why the Lord sends ministers to his church—to proclaim to troubled, flawed people that Jesus Christ will rescue us from every evil deed and bring us safely into his heavenly kingdom. Whether this message comes from pastors and teachers, from parents to their children, from friend to friend, or from one of us to another, it is most useful and most important.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lutheran worship is liturgical. While that often refers to an order of worship, it can also refer to the calendar of the Church Year. The Church Year includes major festivals, such as Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, etc... On Sunday, April 25, we recognize a minor festival, the Festival of St. Mark, Evangelist.
St. Mark, also
known as John Mark, is the writer of one of the gospels. He was the cousin of Barnabas and was associated with him and
Greetings!
The Word of the Lord Endures Forever will soon begin a study of a new book, as noted in their publicity below. While there is never a bad time to jump in, starting at the beginning of 1 Corinthians would be a great place to get going. There are many previous podcasts to consider as well.
1 CORINTHIANS BIBLE STUDY… The Word of the Lord Endures Forever is a daily 15-minute verse-by-verse Bible study produced by Lutheran Public Radio in Collinsville, IL and hosted by LCMS Pastor Will Weedon. Pastor Weedon will begin a study this week on 1 Corinthians. You can listen at your convenience at thewordendures.org, the LPR mobile app and your favorite podcast provider.
In the name + of Jesus.
It was 500 years
ago today—April 18, 1521. Martin Luther
had been summoned to appear at an imperial conference. We know it as the Diet of Worms. Luther had caused a great deal of outrage,
confusion, and frustration with his writings.
The Church itself was in danger of being rent apart. Rather than getting a chance to debate or
even to defend himself, Luther was to appear before Emperor Charles V and
church officials and answer two questions.
With all his booklets and pamphlets spread out on a table, Luther was
asked, “Are these your writings?” That
answer was easy. Yes, they were. The second question was the hard one: “Will
you recant them?” He asked for time to
think over his response carefully.
It seems unlikely
that Luther was willing to change his confession; rather, he recognized what
the fallout would be if he did not recant.
The church in the west was a united fellowship—one catholic (small “c”
and large “C”) church. Luther’s
confession would fracture that fellowship and entity. Was it worth it? If Luther’s writings created outrage, confusion,
and frustration, we have it even more. Many
Christians are too overwhelmed to concern themselves with the divisions in the Christian
Church. It is just easier to assume that
all churches are the same and the differences don’t matter. It is easier to think that; but it is neither
safe nor right. Factions and
fighting. Confusion and schisms. Was it worth it? Luther asked for time to consider that before
he would make his confession. He was
given 24 hours.
Finally, the time
had come for his reply. The full reply
of Luther is in your bulletin. The short
version is this: “Unless I am convinced by the testimonies
of the Holy Scriptures or evident reason…, I am neither able nor willing to recant,
since it is neither safe nor right to act against conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help
me!” Luther’s allegiance was not to an entity, but
to the Scriptures. It was not the Pope,
the emperor, or the Roman Church which had died to take away his sins; it was
Jesus. That is where Luther found his
hope, his confidence, and his salvation.
Anyone who would dare rob him or others of that assurance was the target
of Luther’s scathing pen and preaching.
If you want to argue that Luther was not very nice in this endeavor, you
can make a convincing case. However, his
aim was not to take shots at people because he was mean. He refused to let anyone detract from Jesus and
his words. He wanted no roadblocks
between God’s people and his blessed fellowship.
The blessed
apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, St. John, also wants you to know and to have
a blessed fellowship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You might think that John is nicer about this
than Luther was, but John does not tap dance around the realities of this blessed
fellowship either. There are those who
are enlightened by God’s word and those who are darkened and deluded by their own
sinful hearts. You either dwell in one
realm or the other. There is no middle
ground, and the end result is heaven or hell.
The Scriptures do not sugar coat this reality. Neither does St. John. The blessed apostle wants you to be delivered
out of darkness, death, sin, and hell.
John wants you to know light and life and pardon and peace. Therefore, the blessed apostle reveals a
blessed fellowship to you.
The reality
of this blessed fellowship rests on the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. Therefore, St. John assures you that this blessed
fellowship is as real as the Savior who secured it. “That which was from the
beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands,
concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen
it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was
with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and
heard we proclaim also to you…” (1 John 1:1-3).
The apostles would not have boldly preached about a dead
Jesus, much less laid down their lives for him.
But Jesus lives. He has overcome death. He promises a resurrection to life everlasting
to all who believe in him. This was no
empty promise. It was guaranteed by
Jesus when he rose from the dead. And he
was no hallucination by grieving disciples.
St. John says, “We beheld him with our eyes. We touched him with our hands. We inspected his wounds. We even ate and conversed with him. We had seen him crucified, and then we saw
him very much alive again, victorious over death. This is life which has conquered death. This is a man who reigns over the grave. He has given us many convincing proofs of his
resurrection, and he promises this resurrection to us who are his. As real and as bitter as death is, so the
resurrection of the dead is real and all the more glorious. This is what we proclaim to you; for we have
witnessed it.” The blessed apostle
reveals this to you.
Then he tells
you why: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that
you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the
Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). This blessed fellowship was never intended to
be limited to a few. Jesus Christ took
up the sins of all. He bore the curse
for all. It does not matter what your history
has been. Your past has been wiped clean
by Jesus. Jesus presents you as blameless
to the Father. Your future has been
secured by Jesus. “He is the
propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of
the whole world” (1 John 2:2). If
you want to remember what “propitiation” means, it is summed up well in the
hymn, “In Christ Alone” which says, “Till on that cross as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied; for every sin on him was laid. Here in the death of Christ I live” (In
Christ Alone, 752:2 Christian Worship Supplement). The blessed apostle reveals a blessed fellowship,
and no one can tell you that Jesus rejects you from this blessed
fellowship. No sin is so bad that Jesus
refused to pay for it. No sinner is so
vile that Jesus would refuse to have anything to do with him. He is the Savior of all mankind.
If this is the
case, why would we say that there are some who will not be saved? St. John tells you: They don’t want to be. It may be because of ignorance, or it may be
because of stubborn rebellion. But this
blessed fellowship is accessed only by faith in Jesus. Therefore, the blessed apostle reveals this
blessed fellowship to you.
The blessed
apostle warns that this blessed fellowship excludes people who reject God’s
word. “This is the message we have
heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no
darkness at all. If we say we have
fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice
the truth” (1 John 1:5-6). This is
the part where even the nice apostle sounds mean. John warns us that it doesn’t matter what we
believe if we live in willful rebellion to God’s word. Throughout the Old Testament, Israelites
males were all marked as sons of the covenant by circumcision. But what good did it do them when they turned
from God’s word to pursue their own selfish, godless goals? It is the same today. Many people who profess to be Christians confess
by their actions: “It is more important for me to be happy than to follow God’s
word.” They claim a fellowship with God
while their lives defy him. But light
and darkness cannot dwell together. If
you fear that this describes you, then repent.
You’ve been lying to yourself.
The blessed
apostle reveals a blessed fellowship. In
this blessed fellowship, grace is bestowed to forgive sins, not to bless
them. But for all who are grieved by their
sins and fear God’s judgment, the blessed apostle declares this promise: “If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Recognize what great comfort you find in this
verse! You have the blessing of being honest
with yourself and with God. There is no
bargaining, no negotiating, no defensive posturing. You don’t have to try to convince God or
anyone else that you are better than you are.
Compare your life in the light of God’s word. When he exposes your sins, confess them. Acknowledge that you have not done what you
should have, that you have been what you should not have been.
Why?
Because of the promise: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
(1 John 1:9). The Lord is faithful
to forgive our sins. He has promised
that the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin. He assures us that, if we sin, we have an
advocate. Jesus Christ, who has paid for
our sins, covers over our guilt, even for thinking that God’s word does not
matter as much as my happiness. He does
not excuse your sins, but he does pardon them.
And he is just in doing so. If
Jesus has taken your sins away from you, how could God condemn you for them? The payment has already been made. Justice has already been done. He cannot condemn you when the sentence has already
been carried out. Your sins are forgiven.
The blessed
apostle reveals a blessed fellowship. God
has enlightened you to see and to know that all of God’s word is true and right
and good. He motivates you to continue
in that word so you see his truth all the more clearly and are blessed all the
more richly. He fills you with a desire
to flee from everything which is sponsored by a lie, clouded in darkness, and
leads to death. You have been set free
from that. How could you willingly return
to it?
500 years ago, Martin Luther was unwilling to recant his writings for the sake of preserving an outward peace. The Church was pointing people away from Jesus Christ, away from true fellowship with God, and away from the confidence of forgiveness and salvation. Luther stood firm on firm promises. He faithfully confessed the word to which God himself is faithful. Yes, it split the church. It was not the goal, but it was the result; for, darkness and light cannot exist together. St. John declared the same confession, the same promises, and the same hope. The blessed apostle reveals a blessed fellowship. If we are in Christ and walk in his light, we have peace with God. For the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. That is a peace and a blessed fellowship which cannot be broken by schisms or governments or even death. For, Jesus lives.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In honor of the 500th anniversary of this bold confession, here is Martin Luther’s Speech at the Imperial Diet in Worms (18 April 1521). For a video rendition of this speech, scroll to the bottom.
1 Most
Serene Emperor, Illustrious Princes, Gracious Lords:
2 I this
day appear before you in all humility, according to your command, and I implore
your majesty and your august highnesses, by the mercies of God, to listen with
favor to the defense of a cause which I am well assured is just and right. I
ask pardon, if by reason of my ignorance, I am wanting in the manners that
befit a court; for I have not been brought up in king’s palaces, but in the
seclusion of a cloister; and I claim no other merit than that of having spoken
and written with the simplicity of mind which regards nothing but the glory of
God and the pure instruction of the people of Christ.
3 Two
questions were yesterday put to me by his imperial majesty; the first, whether
I was the author of the books whose titles were read; the second, whether I
wished to revoke or defend the doctrine I have taught. I answered the first
directly, and I adhere to that answer: that these books are mine and published
by me, except so far as they may have been altered or interpolated by the craft
or officiousness of opponents. As for the second question, I am now about to
reply to it; and I must first entreat your Majesty and your Highnesses to deign
to consider that I have composed writings on very different subjects. In some I
have discussed Faith and Good Works, in a spirit at once so pure, clear, and
Christian, that even my adversaries themselves, far from finding anything to
censure, confess that these writings are profitable, and deserve to be perused
by devout persons. The pope’s bull, violent as it is, acknowledges this. What,
then, should I be doing if I were now to retract these writings? Wretched man!
I alone, of all men living, should be abandoning truths approved by the unanimous
voice of friends and enemies, and should be opposing doctrines that the whole
world glories in confessing!
4 I have
composed, secondly, certain works against the papacy, wherein I have attacked
such as by false doctrines, irregular lives, and scandalous examples, afflict
the Christian world, and ruin the bodies and souls of men. And is not this
confirmed by the grief of all who fear God? Is it not manifest that the laws
and human doctrines of the popes entangle, vex, and distress the consciences of
the faithful, while the crying and endless extortions of Rome engulf the
property and wealth of Christendom, and more particularly of this illustrious
nation? Yet it is a perpetual statute that the laws and doctrines of the pope
be held erroneous and reprobate when they are contrary to the Gospel and the
opinions of the church fathers.
5 If I
were to revoke what I have written on that subject, what should I do but
strengthen this tyranny, and open a wider door to so many and flagrant
impieties? Bearing down all resistance with fresh fury, we should behold these
proud men swell, foam, and rage more than ever! And not merely would the yoke
which now weighs down Christians be made more grinding by my retractation it
would thereby become, so to speak, lawful, for, by my retractation, it would
receive confirmation from your most serene majesty, and all the States of the
Empire. Great God! I should thus be like to an infamous cloak, used to hide and
cover over every kind of malice and tyranny.
6 In the
third and last place, I have written some books against private individuals,
who had undertaken to defend the tyranny of Rome by destroying the faith. I
freely confess that I may have attacked such persons with more violence than
was consistent with my profession as an ecclesiastic: I do not think of myself
as a saint; but neither can I retract these books. Because I should, by so
doing, sanction the impieties of my opponents, and they would thence take
occasion to crush God’s people with still more cruelty.
7 Yet,
as I am a mere man, and not God, I will defend myself after the example of
Jesus Christ, who said: “If I have spoken evil, bear witness against me; but if
well, why doest thou strike me?” (John xviii:23). How much more should I, who
am but dust and ashes, and so prone to error, desire that every one should
bring forward what he can against my doctrine. Therefore, most serene emperor,
and you illustrious princes, and all, whether high or low, who hear me, I
implore you by the mercies of God to prove to me by the writings of the
prophets and apostles that I am in error. As soon as I shall be convinced, I
will instantly retract all my errors, and will myself be the first to seize my
writings, and commit them to the flames.
8 What I
have just said will, I think, clearly show that I have well considered and
weighed, not only the dangers to which I am exposing myself, but also the
parties and dissensions excited in the world by means of my doctrine, of which
I was yesterday so gravely admonished. But far from being dismayed by them, I
rejoice exceedingly to see the Gospel this day, as of old, a cause of
disturbance and disagreement; for such is the character and destiny of God’s
word. “I came not to send peace unto the earth, but a sword,” said Jesus
Christ. “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and a man’s foes shall be those of his own household.” (Matthew x:34-36)
9 God is
wonderful and terrible in His counsels. Let us have a care, lest in our
endeavors to arrest discords, we be bound to fight against the holy word of God
and bring down upon our heads a frightful deluge of inextricable dangers,
present disaster, and everlasting desolations. Let us have a care that the
reign of the young and noble prince, the Emperor Charles, on whom, next to God,
we build so many hopes, should not only commence, but continue and terminate
its course, under the most favorable auspices.
10 I might
cite examples drawn from the oracles of God. I might speak of Pharaohs, of
kings of Babylon, or of Israel, who were never more contributing to their own
ruin than when, by measures in appearances most prudent, they thought to
establish their authority! God removeth the mountains and they know not (Job
ix:5). In speaking thus, I do not suppose that such noble princes have need of
my poor judgment; but I wish to acquit myself of a duty whose fulfillment my
native Germany has a right to expect from her children. And so commending myself
to your august majesty, and your most serene highnesses, I beseech you in all
humility, not to permit the hatred of my enemies to rain upon me an indignation
I have not deserved. I have done.
[Having delivered this speech in German, Luther was now asked to repeat it in Latin. After some hesitation, he did so. He was then reminded that he should answer a simple question: whether he would retract or not. Thus he continued:]
11 Since your most serene majesty and your high mightinesses require of me a simple, clear and direct answer, I will give one, and it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council, because it is as clear as noonday that they have fallen into error and even into glaring inconsistency with themselves. If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to God’s word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen.
Greetings!
