Thurs.’s Devo - The Messenger of Sardis

Read Rev. 3:1 The Age of the Sardis church was from 1520-1750. This age was also called the Age of the Reformation. The messenger was Martin Luther. Martin Luther was studying to be a lawyer when one of his best friends got sick and eventually died. He was faced with his own spiritual condition. So wrought with despair, he enrolled in the Augustinian convent to study religion in 1505. Though he lived a very righteous life, he could not rid himself of the conviction of his sin. He became a priest and traveled to Rome. He saw all the works and rituals they required the people to do, to get pittance from sin. They proved futile to him, but one verse came back to him over and over: “The just shall live by faith.” It sunk deep into his heart, and he was, at last, saved. He then spent the rest of his life teaching the Word of God which diabolically opposed the churches creeds and doctrines. The pope started selling indulgences for sin, and Luther stood up against this by preaching the truth, then nailing his famous 95 thesis to the door of Castle Church in 1517. This began the reformation - the Roman Catholic church vs. Luther and his followers. Martin Luther also translated the New Testament and gave it to the people. Remember, the Catholic church had rewritten all the scriptures to Latin and burned all copies written in the language of the people. With the help of Jewish scholars, he translated the Old Testament. He was endowed with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Lord, thank you for the abundance of your Word we have at our convenience.