The significance of the ordinary

To the left you see the Wittenberg Schlosskirche Turen, the door to the Wittenberg castle church.  It was on this door that Martin Luther posted his 95 points of debate some 491 years ago.  Many scholars look to that date and event as the start of the Protestant Reformation.

But, I will dare to say, Martin Luther probably did not.

And that brings me to the point of this post, the significance of the ordinary.  All around society - even, maybe especially even, Christian society - are those who are consumed with finding and joining The Next Big Thing (TNBT).  Be it a political party, social cause, religious movement, global initiative, TNBT is eagerly discussed, parsed, disected and its leaders given cult-like status.

For Luther, it was an ordinary day.  He had been progressing in his studies for years; had given many years of faithful service; and was raising some questions he felt needed to be raised according to his understanding of Scripture and its application to life and culture.  Proposing the topics for debate was just another step in the process of this faithful life.

Luther, I will argue, was not trying to lead a movement, overthrow the establishment, initiate a revolution or a reformation.  He was taking steps each day to remain faithful to what illumination God gave him into His holy word.

491 years later, the task still remains.

Today, pastors are faced with a multitude of choices.  They do not have the indulgence system of Tetzel to do battle against; but they do have a society that has become indulgent, tolerant and anesthetized to that which will only bring about her certain destruction.  Now is not the time to create TNBT; it is time to take a stand for what is right.  It is time to do what is ordinary for a follower and disciple of Jesus of Nazareth to do - stand for truth, call those living in darkness to repentence, lift up the empty cross of Christ and proclaim a resurrected, living Savior exists to provide the salvation of souls in desperate need for eternal salvation.  Don't worry about what to call it; someone with far more creativity and insight than we will handle that.  Hold yourself close to the light of God's Word and invite others to warm by its fire and fan the flames so that it burns into their souls as well.

Never underestimate the significance of the ordinary.