How to Celebrate Reformation Month
Posted On October 30, 2024
Written by Dr. Keith Mathison, professor of systematic theology
According to tradition, Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517. Many Protestants celebrate October 31 as Reformation Day, and some have extended the celebration to the point that October has become “Reformation Month.” Here are a few suggestions of how might we celebrate this month and commemorate the Protestant Reformation:
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Use the month of October to do an in-depth study of the book of Romans. Luther wrestled for years with the meaning of Romans 1:17, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” His breakthrough in understanding changed his life and changed the world. What better way to celebrate the Reformation than to meditate on Paul’s letter to the Romans, the letter that God used to ignite the spark that led to the Reformation? A great place to start is Dr. R.C. Sproul’s expositional commentary, Romans.
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Read a biography of one of the Reformers. It is difficult for those of us living 500 years after the Reformation to appreciate the struggles the early Reformers faced in their attempt to return the church to its proper foundation. Take the time during Reformation Month to learn about one of them. There are many great biographies of Luther, but I recommend Heiko Oberman’s Luther: Man between God and the Devil as a good starting place. Bruce Gordon has written some great books on both John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli, and one of my favorites is Martin Greschat’s biography of the Reformer Martin Bucer.
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Thank your pastor and elders. The Reformation was not only about reforming doctrine, it was also about reforming worship. One result of the Reformation was that the preaching of God’s Word became central again in the life of the church. The preaching of the Word and the care of Christ’s sheep is not an easy task, and we should all give thanks to God for our pastors and elders. Why not also take the time to show them your appreciation in a tangible way? Perhaps ask each person in your church to write a note of appreciation to the pastor and/or elders and give the cards to them on Reformation Day.