Luther’s “Here I Stand”

A great deal from Max McClean and the Listener’s Bible.

In the late afternoon of April 18, 1521, in the city of Worms, Germany, Martin Luther, a 37 year-old Catholic monk was called to defend himself before Charles the Fifth, the Holy Roman Emperor. The speech he delivered that day, Here I Stand, marked the beginning of the Reformation, a critical turning point in Christian history, that decisively altered the spiritual map of the world.

In this recording, Max McLean introduces the events leading up to the Diet of Worms: Martin Luther’s prayer the night before he delivered his speech; Luther’s stirring defense; the Catholic church’s rebuttal; and, Luther’s final heartfelt response.

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Beware of truth unapplied

Here’s a great danger I was reminded of this week.  Beware of not practicing what you know is right.  You really can’t say that you know a truth until you begin to practice it in your life.  Paul reminds us, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9, ESV). Don’t put “truth” and “practice” in separate, watertight containers in your life.  Close the gap on what you know and what you practice.  Here are some exhortations from God’s Word to spur us on:

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:22-25).

““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24).

” “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46).

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:17).
“Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” (2 Peter 1:10).

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3).

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Astronomy pic of the day

For all of you out there who love the stars, galaxies, constellations, and nebula, here you go!  A different pic every day.

And while you are looking at it, think of this: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4, ESV).

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Do you love missions?

“If you love the glory of God, you cannot be indifferent toward missions.”

“If you love what Jesus Christ came to accomplish, you love missions.”

–John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad, p. 208

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