On the last Sunday in October, Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, commemorating the anniversary of Luther’s 95 Theses, which he posted in 1517. Christians from other traditions may ask: “Why this emphasis on Luther? Isn’t he just a man?”
This year, our Gospel reading for Reformation Day comes from Matthew 11, in which Jesus talks about the significance of John the Baptist. This is fitting, for John once said of Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Luther agreed with that. He too, pointed people to the Saviour.
So in answer: we commemorate Reformation Day, not to honour Luther, but to honour Jesus! At the end of the day, Luther was simply a man, used by God to call people back to his word. We give thanks to God for how he used a sinful man to reform the church, and we heed the call that Luther gave: to go back to the Bible, back to Jesus, back to faith.
Christ Alone Lutheran Brethren Church 