David Bahn – Reflections

One thing impressed me on our tour of the Luther sites in Germany. We visited Augsburg and the site at which the Augsburg Confession was presented to the Emperor. We visited Worms where Luther said, “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me.” We saw the Wartburg Castle where Luther translated the New Testament into German in 10 months time. We saw Eisleben, the place of his birth and death.

Reasons given for Luther’s success in the reformation of the church of his day include the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press, the growing nationalism of Luther’s day, the dislike of the German people for Rome, and the protection of Elector the Wise of Saxony. Certainly all these played into the success of Luther’s movement. But what really proved to cause the Protestant Reformation to succeed was the foundation of truth from the Scriptures. It never gives way. And Luther was absolutely committed to Scripture and Scripture alone. That truth was the leaven that worked its way into the fiber and fabric of the Protestant/Lutheran faith and sustained it through much trial, opposition, and challenge.

Jesus warns against a different kind of leaven: that of outward compliance and lip service to God’s ways without faith. He tells them and us that doubt and disbelief in him will weaken our impact in the world. He has all power. His truth is eternal. Nothing will shake him. He is our mighty fortress. Beware of anyone who would lead you away from Jesus.

Matthew 16:1-12

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. ²He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ ³And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

⁵When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. ⁶Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ⁷And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” ⁸But Jesus, aware of this, said,  “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? ⁹ Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? ¹⁰Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? ¹¹How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.