Good morning, and a blessed Thursday to you.

Would you please open your Bibles to Ephesians, chapter two?

For our time in God’s Word today—this Sunday is a wonderful day in the life of the Church. It’s Reformation Sunday, when we remember how God used Martin Luther to call the Church back to the truth of God’s Word. It’s also Confirmation Sunday—a great, great day of celebration.

As we think about Martin Luther, we remember that he really struggled. He wrestled deeply with one question: How can I be sure that I’m saved? He wrote,

“I did my duty as a monk. I prayed and fasted. I confessed my sins and performed my penances, but not for a single day did I find peace. What if I fasted—was I not proud of it? What if I praised God—could God not smell my fear? This fear itself made me doubt the goodness of God, and so I became even more afraid.”

That was Luther’s struggle—How can I know that I am saved?

He described himself as being surrounded by four walls:

1. Can I be free from sin? No.

2. Is there a day of judgment? Yes.

3. Is God indifferent to sin? No.

4. Must I then be damned forever? Yes.

Those were the four walls that enclosed him. Luther saw no way out—until, by the grace of God, he was enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Then he came to understand the alien righteousness that is his—not a righteousness that comes from his own doing, but one that comes from what has already been done for him.

It is the righteousness of Christ, whose perfect, sinless life is credited to our account. The Lord Jesus, in His grace, died on the cross to pay our sin debt. The tomb is empty, the sacrifice accepted, and Christ’s spotless righteousness is counted as ours.

That’s what freed Luther from the walls that surrounded him—the grace of God. Luther basked in that grace.

On Reformation Sunday, we lift up what are called the Three Solas. In fact, you’ll see them on the bulletin this Sunday:
Grace Alone, Faith Alone, and Word Alone.

We are saved by grace alone—not by anything we do.
We are saved through faith alone—faith that grasps the victory of the cross and the empty tomb and applies it to our lives.

Ephesians 2 reminds us:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast.”

That was the freeing word for Luther—that we are saved by grace through faith.

And it’s on the Word alone that we stand.
As we read in 2 Timothy 3:16–17:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.”

We don’t do good works to earn salvation. Good works simply flow naturally from faith.

Grace alone. Faith alone. Word alone.

It’s going to be a great Sunday. We’ll remember how God used Martin Luther in a wonderful way—and even more, we’ll remember that the same grace Luther discovered by the Holy Spirit is still ours today.

Grace alone. Faith alone. Word alone.

Let’s pray.

Gracious God, we give You thanks for this time in Your Word. Your Word is truth. We praise You, O Lord, for how You used Martin Luther to call the Church back to the truth, and for that biblical truth that we are saved by grace through faith. We praise You for the solid rock of Your Word, upon which we can stand. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

God bless you today.
Encourage someone.

Pastor Eibel