A Holy Calling

Most historians date the beginning of the Protestant Reformation and the start of the “Lutheran” church as October 31, 1517. This was the day (the day before All Saints’ Day) that Martin Luther went to the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany to post 95 Theses. One of the things, these 95 Theses were, were “matters to be debated”. The core of the 95 Theses by Luther revolved around the sale of indulgences and the forgiveness of sins. The church was teaching that people could “buy” forgiveness to escape some punishment for their sins.

I have an English translation of these 95 Theses and if you would like a copy, just say the word!

Luther wrote many things. Luther was a prolific writer. One thing that Luther wrote was this: “We are all priests before God if we are Christians”.

Did you know that you are a priest? We read this in I Peter 2:9:

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God…”

In relationship to this concept of “the priesthood of all believers” Luther wrote: “It must be our aim to restore the little word ‘priests’ to the common use which the little word ‘Christians’ enjoys.”

We read in Revelation 1:6 that Jesus Christ “made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father.

We become members of God’s “priesthood” through baptism and by God’s grace, God has “called us with a holy calling”. (2 Timothy 1:9)

As the “priesthood of all believers” we have been entrusted with special and significant God-given rights, authority and privileges.

As Christians and as the “priesthood of all believers” we show ourselves to be Christian and priest most visibly when we gather for a worship in public to hear God’s Word, to receive the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion and to respond to the means of God’s grace with prayer, praise and the desire to “priest” others with the love of Jesus – the “Great High Priest.”

I think of my baptism as my ordination into ministry and the “priesthood of all believers”. What a “holy calling” indeed!

As Jesus is the Way, may our complete trust be in Him!

–Pastor Jim