At one time in western history, the church held amazing authority over the lives over all the people… even the kings and princes. Because only a few people could read or were educated, the priests and Pope had the power to even appear to determine our mortal and immortal future. And since there were almost no other group that held this authority, the people heeded and lived under the weight of the fear of their immortal future. Then one day, a young trouble making monk called Martin Luther, read the Gospels and along with the leadership of some of his mentors, he discovered that our salvation and even our eternal identity is not determined by the social and religious powers that be, but according to what God has done through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, our true Savior and Redeemer! Through scholarship and proper preaching, Martin Luther let the people know that the authority over all of our life does not rest in the positions of social and religious powers but only through the grace, mercy, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that turned European society upside down! That meant, the humanity of the social and religious leaders was revealed and the people felt empowered! Then, Uncle Martin laboriously translated the Bible into the language of the people… This work freed the Gospel up to be preached, taught and proclaimed by all people! This event called, The Reformation, was not a ‘peaceful’ time, but that is what the authority of the Gospel does, it is transforming, powerful and is greater than any human-based authority. So, Lutherans, claim this day, celebrate and humbly come before the Cross of Christ on Sunday!