Sunday, October 26th 2025
Reformation Day (observed)
Text: Matthew 11:12–19
Sermon Audio
As we gather… “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence” (Matthew 11:12). You will be persecuted for the truth. If it happened to John the Baptist, to Jesus, and the disciples, expect the same for yourself. On this Reformation Day, we commemorate the long line of Christians who were martyred for their faith. By the grace of God, Luther was spared death by the sword. However, he faced many tribulations and threats on his life. Some of his colleagues and predecessors weren’t so lucky. The Lord Jesus calls Christians to sacrifice everything for Him, and not to compromise the truth for comfort. May Jesus grant us courage to live our faith all the days of our life!
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
What shall we say of this generation? What of the Reformation can you share and teach in a culture that wonders if there is a God rather than if God is mad at them? What of the Lutheranism can you teach when some might confuse Martin Luther King Jr. with Martin Luther the reformer? It’s been 502 years since Martin Luther pounded the 95 theses on the chapel door. What can we say to this generation that would get them excited about the Reformation and the teachings of the Reformation? Why bother teaching the Reformation to this generation?
After all, this generation, 3. It’s hard to please. What Jesus said of His times and people could also be said of ours today. We live in a world where the porridge is either too hot or too cold. Goldilocks can’t find the right bowl of soup. We live in a culture that is angry at the injustice all around us yet doesn’t like to hear the solutions the Church has to offer.
They say the one who marries the culture will be an early widow. What pleases this generation today might not please this generation tomorrow. The causes that were in vogue a half century ago are now considered uninteresting today.
Again, this was nothing out of the ordinary, Jesus said so in His time. The context for our Gospel lesson is that John the Baptist is in prison for rebuking King Herod. Things aren’t looking up for John. He was a bit too serious for his generation, too strict. John the Baptist would eventually be beheaded.
Jesus on the other hand, couldn’t get the approval of His generation either. He was too cheerful. People thought that He was too much of a partier. People thought He hung out with the wrong kind of crowd: tax collectors, sinners, and other rift-raff. We all know what happened to Jesus—being beheaded is a kind end compared to the torture that is crucifixion.
We are called to speak the full truth of the good news of Jesus Christ to our neighbors and our culture. We are to give the diagnosis of the law without flinching, namely, that we are sinners separated from God. This is so that we can proclaim the Gospel to them, that despite our sins, brokenness, and shortcomings, Jesus Christ gives us a second chance. He loves us and wants us to turn from our sin. This message of good news is what was re-discovered in the Reformation of the church in the 16th century.
We are to do this in a winsome way. But don’t think it’s your fault when you sing the dirge of the law and people don’t weep, or if you play the flute of the Gospel, and people don’t dance. Not everyone was pleased with Martin Luther and his teachings. Not everyone was pleased with John the Baptist or even Jesus Himself. Are you more winsome or charismatic than Jesus?
And what can we say to this generation of the Reformation? Not only is it hard to please, 2. It’s violent against the kingdom. Jesus remarks: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” Satan is the prince of this generation. That’s how it was back in Jesus’ day, and so too it is the case today.
The devil will use every weapon in his arsenal to stop the spread of the Gospel. He’ll sue you. He’ll send his demons to torment you. He’ll make you fear for the well-being of your reputation, your body, or even your soul. Death is the nuke in the devil’s war chest. It’s the trump card that he will use to force people into submission.
So it was Satan who worked through Herod to silence John the Baptist through execution. It was Satan who worked through the Romans and the Jews to send Jesus to His death in crucifixion. Satan uses the sword to scare people into silence.
This is in part why we have red paraments today, we remember the blood shed of those who have died for the faith. Luther was spared a violent death, but many of his contemporaries weren’t so lucky. From Abel to Zechariah—from A to Z—from the beginning of time until now, the enemies of the church have used bloodshed to enact their rule.
So it is any surprise that we see opposition to the Church in today’s world? There’s nothing new under the sun. The persecution we face here in America may not be to the level of bloodshed, but this generation wants to make Christianity simply once voice among many. This generation wants to cut off the rough edges of Christianity—those rough edges that say that Jesus is the only way to heaven, that marriage is between one man and one woman, that life begins at conception.
This generation is okay with Jesus as long as He’s in a cage, just like we find John the Baptist in our Gospel text today. They want Jesus to be there to help them out, but they don’t want Jesus to be in charge. They want a little booster shot from Jesus, but they don’t believe that Jesus is the difference between night and day, life and death, and heaven and hell.
On this Reformation day, this generation would have us be silent for fear of persecution. It would have us believe that the Church is an antique which is as useful or relevant as a telegraph or a pager—something good for a museum, but not much else.
But nonetheless, this generation, 1. It’s made right with God by the Wisdom incarnate. “Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.” The proof is in the pudding. Despite this generation’s displeasure and despite this generation’s raging against the Church, the Church still stands. Jesus Christ who is the Wisdom of God, He still calls in the marketplace, and some receive this message. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Jesus is still active in our midst. Wisdom still calls to this generation as this generation is seeking meaning and hope. And in Jesus, you will not be disappointed. Look at the Gospel accounts, He was justified by His deeds. He lived the perfect life, He suffered for us. Satan shed His blood, and this blood becomes our salvation. His death becomes our life.
Satan was hoping to silence Jesus through this generation’s displeasure. The devil wanted to stop Jesus through death, but His shed blood is the lifeblood of the Church. His blood gives us life. Jesus’ bloodshed was the best thing that happened in the history of the world.
It is this wisdom that called to Martin Luther. He no longer needed to struggle against God. God isn’t the enemy. Martin Luther no longer needed to beat himself up or leave himself out in the cold until he nearly died. Christ, the Wisdom incarnate has forgiven all his sins. Martin Luther was made right with God not because of his skills or powers, but by the free gift of Jesus Christ, God’s wisdom in the flesh.
“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” But Jesus cannot be taken by force. Wisdom is justified by His deeds. The resurrection proves that Jesus was blameless. The resurrection was the Father’s “not guilty” verdict.
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Through Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, God is not mad at you. Through Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God. You experience true peace. Through Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, you are not alone. This is what encouraged Luther to face any threat that might come his way. Luther stood before rulers, church leaders, and powerful people saying, “Here I stand, I can do no other!” He stood in the confidence that only Christ can give.
This generation isn’t the enemy. It’s held captive by Satan. So we don’t need to be put off or disenchanted when Satan attacks the Church through displeasure or even violence. Reformation Day means we have peace. Reformation Day means that we’re right with God, apart from anything we’ve deserved or earned. Wisdom calls us. Wisdom calls you. It calls you not only to have peace and joy in Him, but to invite others into this joy. CHRIST, WISDOM MADE FLESH, CALLS TO THIS VIOLENT & WAYWARD GENERATION. Rest and peace is something that changed Luther, it changes us, and it changes this generation. Amen!