Living for God's Glory: Lessons from the Reformation
Summary
In our journey through the Reformation, we have explored the profound impact of the solas, culminating in the final sola: soli Deo gloria, or "to the glory of God alone." This principle is not just a theological concept but a call to live every aspect of our lives for God's glory. The reformers, through their writings and teachings, emphasized the importance of catechisms as tools for imparting Christian doctrine to future generations. Martin Luther, recognizing the need for effective teaching, created The Children's Catechism, focusing on essential Christian texts like the Apostle's Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments. Similarly, the Heidelberg Catechism, with its poignant first question, "What is your only comfort in life and death?" encapsulates the gospel's essence: belonging to Christ.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism, emerging from the Puritan movement, succinctly asks, "What is the chief end of man?" The answer, "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever," beautifully articulates the Reformation's core message. This catechism reflects the Puritans' deep commitment to Scripture and the solas, emphasizing that our ultimate purpose is to glorify God in all we do. This doctrine of vocation, as articulated by Luther and Calvin, extends the idea of calling beyond the clergy to all professions, affirming that every task, whether mundane or grand, can honor God.
The Reformation's legacy is not just historical but deeply personal, urging us to live lives that reflect God's glory. Johann Sebastian Bach exemplified this by signing his compositions with "S.D.G." (soli Deo gloria), whether sacred or secular, demonstrating that all of life can be an act of worship. As we reflect on the reformers' lives and teachings, we are reminded of our calling to proclaim Christ in a world that desperately needs Him. The Reformation was about more than theological debates; it was about pointing to Christ, a mission that remains relevant for us today.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Importance of Catechisms: Catechisms were vital tools for teaching Christian doctrine during the Reformation. Luther's and the Heidelberg Catechisms emphasized foundational Christian beliefs, ensuring that future generations understood the gospel's core truths. This highlights the enduring importance of grounding our faith in sound doctrine. [01:08]
2. Soli Deo Gloria in Everyday Life: The principle of soli Deo gloria calls us to glorify God in all aspects of life. Whether through our professions, family roles, or daily activities, we are invited to live with the purpose of honoring God. This transforms mundane tasks into acts of worship, aligning our lives with God's glory. [04:38]
3. The Doctrine of Vocation: The Reformation expanded the concept of vocation beyond religious roles to include all professions. Luther and Calvin taught that every job, from pot washer to preacher, is a calling from God. This understanding dignifies all work and encourages us to see our daily tasks as opportunities to serve and glorify God. [19:11]
4. Proclaiming Christ in a Needy World: The reformers' commitment to preaching Christ and Him crucified remains a powerful example for us. In a world that often turns inward, we are called to point others to Christ, sharing the gospel with clarity and conviction. This mission is not limited to pastors but is a calling for all believers. [24:32]
5. The Legacy of the Reformation: The Reformation's impact extends beyond its historical context, offering timeless truths that shape our faith today. By revisiting the solas and the reformers' teachings, we are reminded of the centrality of Christ in our lives and the privilege of living for God's glory. This legacy challenges us to remain faithful to the gospel and to continue the work of reforming our hearts and communities. [25:02]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:27] - Introduction to Soli Deo Gloria
- [01:08] - The Role of Catechisms
- [02:14] - Heidelberg Catechism's Profound Question
- [03:25] - Westminster Shorter Catechism
- [04:38] - Living for God's Glory
- [06:02] - Historical Context of the Reformation
- [07:13] - The Puritans and Their Influence
- [08:30] - Elizabethan Religious Policies
- [09:33] - King James and the Puritans
- [11:18] - The Puritans' Journey to the New World
- [12:32] - The Westminster Assembly
- [13:38] - Theological Contributions of the Puritans
- [14:50] - The Challenge of Self-Glorification
- [17:13] - Johann Sebastian Bach's Example
- [19:11] - The Doctrine of Vocation
- [21:15] - Proclaiming Christ
- [23:47] - The Legacy of Martin Luther
- [25:02] - Conclusion and Soli Deo Gloria
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 115:1 - "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness."
2. 1 Corinthians 10:31 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
3. Colossians 3:23-24 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
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Observation Questions:
1. What role did catechisms play during the Reformation, and how did Martin Luther contribute to this effort? [01:08]
2. How does the Westminster Shorter Catechism define the "chief end of man," and what does this reveal about the Reformation's focus? [04:00]
3. What example did Johann Sebastian Bach set in terms of living for God's glory, and how did he express this in his work? [17:52]
4. How did the Reformation expand the concept of vocation, according to Luther and Calvin? [19:11]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the principle of "soli Deo gloria" challenge the common human tendency towards self-glorification, as described in the sermon? [14:50]
2. In what ways does the doctrine of vocation, as explained by Luther and Calvin, redefine the significance of everyday work? [19:11]
3. How does the sermon suggest that the Reformation's teachings on catechisms and doctrine remain relevant for today's believers? [01:08]
4. What does the sermon imply about the role of all believers, not just pastors, in proclaiming Christ in today's world? [24:32]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your daily activities. How can you intentionally glorify God in the mundane tasks you perform each day? [04:38]
2. Consider your current profession or role. How can you view it as a calling from God and an opportunity to serve Him? [19:11]
3. Think about a recent situation where you sought personal recognition. How can you shift your focus to give glory to God instead? [14:50]
4. Identify a specific way you can incorporate the teachings of the catechisms into your personal or family devotional time. [01:08]
5. How can you actively participate in sharing the gospel with someone in your life who may not know Christ? [24:32]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt your work was insignificant. How does the doctrine of vocation change your perspective on the value of your work? [19:11]
7. What steps can you take to ensure that your life, like Bach's compositions, consistently points to the glory of God? [17:52]
Devotional
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Quotes
These were wonderful, wonderful instruments for teaching Christian doctrine. We see these catechisms -- Luther wrote one back in 1527 -- remember Luther said, "If we don't teach this next generation all of our efforts are going to be for naught," right? "We've put all this energy into it and if we don't teach the next generation it's going to be wiped out." [00:01:00]
The first question I think is one of the most beautiful pieces of all theological literature. We affectionately call it "Heidelberg One," and the question is, "What is your only comfort in life and death?" And it’s a very long answer, but in short it’s the gospel. But here’s the answer: "That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul both in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. [00:02:39]
The chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." And what we have there is a beautiful articulation of this Reformation plank soli Deo gloria. That ultimately we are privileged -- stop and think about this -- not only are we redeemed from our sins, not only are we reconciled to God, but you and I are given the privilege of actually glorifying God in our lives. [00:04:38]
We see this Reformation movement, started by a monk and his mallet back in 1517, coming into full maturation, and spreading down to the cities in Switzerland, and then going over to England and seeing the Puritans and the establishment of the Reformation in Britain through John Knox and his time at Geneva and the Reformation in Scotland. [00:06:22]
But we see something about the heartbeat of the Puritans in that first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism when the answer they come back with is, "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Now, in our day you can’t help but thinking about that statement without thinking about John Piper who wants to change the and to by, so we glorify God by enjoying Him forever. [00:14:01]
There’s this interesting text in Psalms, Psalm 115:1. And Psalm 115:1 tells us, "Not to us, oh Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory." And you have to ask yourself, "Why does the psalmist have to say it twice," right? And we know why the psalmist has to say it twice, because the pull is not to go in the direction of God, the pull is really to go in the direction of us. [00:14:45]
Now the beauty of this is that once we begin to understand this, then we begin to see how this touches on every area of our life. Now to see an example of this, we can go back to that German musician that I was telling you about, Johann Sebastian Bach. It’s said that Bach on all of his music pieces would sign his names with two, or sign his music pieces with two sets of initials. [00:17:13]
He would use his set of initials, J.S.B., and then he would sign next to it S.D.G. -- soli Deo gloria. And he would do that whether he was writing music for the church, and a lot of the music he wrote was commissioned by the church, for events of the church calendar, or for liturgies, and so much of his music is church music, and so he saw his church work as for the glory of God. [00:17:38]
There’s a wonderful doctrine here that’s reflected in all this, soli Deo Gloria, and glorifying God in everything. It’s the doctrine that brings much of what the reformers were about right down to where we live, and it’s the doctrine of vocation, which literally comes from the Latin word calling -- our calling. Prior to Luther’s day vocation only applied to the priests, the monks, the nuns -- they had callings -- you know what the rest of the people did? Worked, right? [00:18:42]
Calvin says in The Institutes, "Whether you’re a pot washer or a preacher you have your sentinel post from God." Now think about that for a while. Sentinel duty was a privilege. You just didn’t put anybody out there, right? In fact, sentinel duty in that day -- that was the elite guard that was on the sentinel post. And so when he says this is your sentinel post he’s saying this is a very serious calling for which you have been trained and for which you have been put in. [00:19:42]
We also glorify God, and I think this is one of the lessons perhaps we could sort of end with the reformers on, we also glorify God when we do what the reformers did, which was so clearly and so persuasively proclaim Christ in a world that desperately needed to hear Christ. [00:21:15]
There’s a wonderful painting done, and since we started with Martin Luther, I think we ought to finish with Martin Luther, but there’s this wonderful painting of Martin Luther done by Lucas Cranach, a famous artist in Luther’s day, and he had painted Luther a number of times. In fact there was Lucas Cranach the elder and the younger, senior and junior, and both of them painted Luther. [00:21:33]
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