Human history is punctuated by many great moments when someone took a stand. Consider Ghandi and Nelson Mandela – men who took at stand for independence and civil rights and spent time in prison for their convictions. Or Patrick Henry, one of our founding fathers, who said, “Give me liberty or give me death” and, along with many other American patriots, laid his life on the line for the cause of freedom. We remember Abraham Lincoln and those who stood against slavery. Or more recently Ronald Reagan who took a stand in a speech at Berlin and said: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” We think of those who have fought for civil rights in our county. And today might be a good day to mention Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist who refused to move to the back of the bus. I guess we’d have to say she took a seat, not a stand. And we might also be proud to note that Mrs. Parks was a Lutheran.
All of these – and countless others – had the courage of their convictions and made a difference by standing on them often at great peril to their own lives.
Today we commemorate the Reformation of the Church which includes many reformers who were willing to take a stand against abuses in the church. Martin Luther was not the first to understand that reform was needed nor the only one who stood up, but it is HIS action on this day – nailing the 95 Theses to the Wittenberg church door that is recognized as one of those pivotal moments in history. Actually, Luther had no way of knowing on October 31, 1517 what was to become of his ideas. He was simply calling for a debate when he nailed the theses to the door. Something not uncommon among the thinkers and teachers of the day. And not something particularly dangerous. . .
It was actually another day – in mid-April in the year 1521 – in which Luther took his stand and made his famous statement, “Here I stand.” Several years had passed since All Hallows Eve in 1517. The debate he had called for was in full swing. Luther’s writings had been published and his ideas were spreading like wild fire. He had been excommunicated by the pope and in the city of Worms at a Diet – a formal assembly, Luther’s fate would be determined.
Martin Luther stood before the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and an impressive array of other notables of church and state. Many were convinced that Luther’s ideas were a danger to the stability of the realm. So they piled a bunch on Luther’s books on a table and asked him: “Are you prepared to recant what you have written in these books?”
Depending on Luther’s answer, he’d live or die. If he refused to recant, or take back what he’d written, he’d be declared an outlaw, hunted down, and killed.
This moment is captured in the painting on the front of your worship folder. As you look at it, listen to Luther’s famous response:
Since Your Majesty and Your Lordships ask for a plain answer, I will give one without either horns or teeth. Unless convinced by Scripture or plain reason—for I believe neither the Pope nor the Councils alone, for it is clear they have often erred and contradicted themselves—I am overcome by the Scriptures quoted by me, and my conscience is bound in God’s words: I cannot, neither am I willing to take back anything, for to act against conscience is neither safe nor upright. Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise; God help me! Amen!”
As dramatic moments of history go, this has to be one of the best. You can’t help but be impressed by Luther’s courage. Except that’s not what he himself called it. Luther was shaking in his boots. He had spent a sleepless night before figuring out what he was going to say and what he should do. Luther took this bold stand not because of great courage, but because, as he said, he was free.
He was free to lay his life on the line because he was taking a stand not really on his own opinion or ideas; his own belief or doctrine. But on the Truth that sets us free. Luther knew what was at stake. He understood what the word of God revealed – not just more laws and requirements, but a message of salvation by grace through faith – a message of freedom! Note in the painting that Luther has his left had resting on his books – writings based on the clear word of Scripture. But also notice that his right hand is pointing to what it is all about – the cross of Jesus that sets us free. There is where God himself took a stand – a stand against sin, death and the devil – and where God changed the course of history for each one who believes. And that is where Luther took his stand. The only safe and right place to stand.
Where will you take a stand? Perhaps you and I are not called to take a stand that will change the course of human history. But we do stand up for things – for people – for ideas – for ourselves.
Will we take a stand for our own politically charged opinions?
We will take a stand against immoral behavior picking and choosing what sins we will speak out against?
Will we take a stand for our own reputation or ideas?
Will we take a stand to protect and defend ourselves and our way of life?
Is this where we should take our stand? Is this the hill we should die on? It this what it means to take a stand for Christ?
By the way, it’s not enough to say that God is on your side when you take a stand or that the Bible supports whatever you are taking a stand for or against. Don’t misunderstand me: It is necessary that what we stand on is revealed in Scripture. But we know that Scripture can be used and abused to support a lot of conflicting ideas. We should remember that Luther’s opponents thought they too were being true to God’s revealed will. Taking a stand for Christ isn’t always about being right and it is certainly not about just ANYTHING that happens to be true. It is about the one truth every word of God points to.
Jesus tells us in our Gospel today that if we continue in his Word then we will know the truth that sets us free. We do not approach the Word of God looking for what we came for – looking for support for our own opinions or for words that prop up our own rank and position – picking verses here and there that conveniently affirm what we wanted them to say. We continue in it – letting its power work on us so that we eventually see nothing but Christ alone – so that we begin to see nothing but his work accomplished for us and his promises delivered to us. We continue in God’s Word and as we do we will know the freedom that comes with believing that we are saved by grace through faith and on that Truth with a capital T we can take our stand. All other ground is sinking sand.
We can stand for that Truth when the powers and rulers of this world manipulate us with their threats and try to convince us to stand with them in the quest for worldly happiness and reward.
We can stand for this Truth whenever the sinister self-centered abuses that characterize a sinful world begin to permeate home and community and school and even the church with its deadly poison and starts to manifest itself in how we talk and how we act and how we treat one another and how we grab for power.
We can stand for the Truth of Christ – for the Gospel – because this is the only Truth that lasts. It is the only Truth that can support us in this life and the life to come. It is the only Truth that can set us free.
Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free you will be free indeed.” When courage fails us as it often does when faced with forces that seem so powerful and influential in our lives, we remain free in Christ. We may not feel like we can stand up to the lies of the devil, the lure of the world and the impulses of our sinful nature. But in Christ we are free! And his freedom gives us confidence to say:
I believe in Christ – I trust in Christ – I depend on Christ – I submit my Self to Christ – I live for Christ. And when the Spirit gives you the faith to confess Christ, do not recant. Ever. It is neither safe nor right. Let your life point to Jesus. And then you too can be free to say, “Here I stand.”
