In the coming few weeks we will be exploring the importance of the reformation for our church.  In particular on October 29th we will be celebrating the 500th Anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses on the door of the church in Wittenburg in Germany as a protest to the doctrine of the Catholic church at the time.  I have been reading a book of sayings of Luther entitled ‘Table Talk’.   Here is a small taste.

‘God gives us sun, and moon, and stars, fire and water, air and earth, all creatures, body and soul, all manner of maintenance,

fruits, grain, corn, wine, whatever is good for the preservation and comfort of this temporal life;

 moreover He gives unto us His all-saving word, yea, Himself.

What does He get in return? Truly nothing except that he is wickedly blasphemed, and that His only Son is condemned and crucified, and His servants plagued, banished, persecuted, and slain. (No. 72 – Table Talk).

                    It is good to ponder just how much God has given this world we live in, and how much it meant for His Son to die upon the cross for us. How do we respond to this.   How determined are we to live thankfully, and joyfully in serving our saviour?