REFORMATION (Matthew 22:34-46)

REFORMATION  (Matthew 22:34-46)

I’VE BEEN READING ABOUT THE REFORMATION

THE MORNING STARS THAT PRECEDED IT

LIKE HUS AND WYCLIFFE

ABOUT NOBLES WHO KEPT A HOUSE PRIEST

WHO AFTER DALLYING WITH THEIR MISTRESS

WOULD CONFESS

 BE RIGHT AGAIN

ABOUT HOW MANY MOVEMENTS

BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

CALLED FOR ITS RETURN

TO EARLY POVERTY

SO THAT CHURCH LIFE

MIGHT MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE  

PEOPLE’S LIFE

AND BE TAUGHT THEM IN A LANGUAGE

THEY COULD UNDERSTAND

BUT AFTER THE BREAK

ARE WE ANY BETTER

DO WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR

AS OURSELVES

IF HE IS DIFFERENT

IN FAITH

RACE

NATIONALITY

DO WE PREACH LOVE

 PRACTICE HATRED

IF CHRIST CAME

WOULD WE KILL HIM FOR BEING A JEW

AS WE KILLED SIX MILLION CHRISTS

AND THE CHURCH WAS SILENT

 MILLIONS OF AFRICANS

ARE DYING NOW

SO FEW CARE

WE’D RATHER INVADE A COUNTRY FOR OIL

BUT WHEN CHURCH AND STATE ARE JOINED

WE HAVE LUTHER BETRAYING THE PEASANTS

OR COUNSELING THE PRINCE

TO PRACTICE ADULTERY

QUIETLY

AND FINALLY

AGREEING TO DIVORCE

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BROKEN LANDSCAPE

OF THE CHURCH

EACH ONE LOOKING AT THE SHATTERED SHARD

OF THE MIRROR

SAYING

THEIRS IS THE TRUE REFLECTION

HOW MANY FACES HAS THE TRUTH

BUT ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING

WE’VE HAD DISSENSION

WE’VE HAD

PAUL VERSUS PETER

JEW VERSUS GENTILE

PURE VERSUS IMPURE FOOD

WOULD NOT A BETTER LITMUS TEST BE

NOT WHAT WE BELIEVE

BUT WHAT WE DO

DOES KNOWING THE HYPOSTATIC UNION

MAKE ONE HOLY

IS IT NOT BETTER

TO LIVE THE WORD

AND WHAT IS THAT WORD

WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS

LOVE GOD

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

THE REST IS COMMENTARY