Two Reformers: King Josiah and Martin Luther

Rediscovering God's Truth

• 💡 The sermon begins by reflecting on the human tendency to forget the truth, setting the stage to discuss two reformers who brought people back to God's word.
• 📖 Jeremiah's prophecy of a new covenant, where God's law is written on hearts, is contrasted with the current state of forgetting God's law.

King Josiah's Reformation

• 👑 King Josiah became king at 8 years old and, at 21, began a significant reformation upon discovering the lost Book of the Law in the Temple.
• 💔 Upon hearing the law, Josiah tore his robes in anguish, realizing how far the people had strayed from God's commandments, particularly the first commandment.
• ⚠️ The northern kingdom of Israel had already been destroyed for worshipping other gods, a fate Judah was also heading towards due to similar unfaithfulness.
• ✨ Josiah's sincere repentance led to a brief period of renewed worship and obedience, with God sparing Judah from immediate destruction during his lifetime.

Martin Luther's Reformation

• ⛪ Martin Luther, driven by a fear of death, became a monk and, through a decade-long study of the Book of Romans, rediscovered the truth of salvation by grace through faith.
• 💰 He realized the church had forgotten this core tenet, evidenced by practices like selling indulgences, and posted his 95 complaints to debate.
• 📜 Luther's actions, amplified by the printing press and translation into German, ignited the Protestant Reformation.

Continuing Reformation

• ❤️ Both reformers teach that God loves us as we are but, through His Holy Spirit, continues to reform and change us.
• 📖 The church is called to ongoing reformation, continually rediscovering truth in scripture and allowing the Holy Spirit to shape believers.
• 🗣️ This process involves understanding commandments, studying catechisms, and having access to the Bible in understandable languages.