Lesson 1 - Our primary motivation

       (Part of presentation to musicians, artists and worship leaders in Kyiv, Ukraine, May 2017)
What a joy to share the 12 lessons original shared with conference attendees in Kyiv, May 2017, in this format. All of us want our life to have impact. Why did Luther's ministry have such a long lasting impact? What was his ministry so effective?  Why did the Reformation spread so extensively and rapidly? 

Lesson 1.  Our primary motivation and focus should be faithfulness to the Word of God and His calling, not change or accomplishment
Luther did not seek to bring about a Reformation. He had only one  intention—obedience to the Word of God. He was not a rebel. There was little in his early life that indicated that he would ever lead what some think of as a rebellion. This was never in his thinking. He did not desire something new because he was tired of the old. His only desire was that the church would remove aspects of practice and belief that were not in agreement with the word of God. Luther focused on being faithful and ended up leading a revolution. Change is a logical result of faithfulness but should never be the goal. 

Luther’s study of the Word of God revealed five distinctive teachings that became the core of the Reformation.  They are referred to as the Five Solas. Three are especially relevant to the use of music and the arts in the church and will be dealt with in three of the lessons.  

The Five Solas are:
Sola fide ("by faith alone”)  Justification (be made righteous before God) comes through faith only, not good works.  Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone.—Romans 1:17, Habakuk 2:4)

Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone”) The Bible is the only inspired and authoritative Word of God. Accessible to all, it is our highest authority.  It is clearly understood and self-interpreting and contains everything we need to know in order to be reconciled to God and live righteously—Romans 15:4, 2 Timothy 3:16.

Solus Christus (“by Christ alone")  Christ is the exclusive mediator between God and man. Neither Mary, the saints, nor priests can act as mediator in bringing salvation. —Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 7:22-8:6;  Romans 8:34; Acts 4:12.

Sola gratia ("by grace alone”)  Salvation comes by the grace of God alone, not through any merit of our own.  Salvation is an unearned gift. Jesus’ life of perfect righteousness is counted as ours, and our records of sin and failure were counted to Jesus when he died on the cross—Ephesians 2:8

Soli Deo Gloria ("Glory to God alone”) Glory belongs to God alone. The goal of all life is to give glory to God alone—1 Corinthians 10:31).   God is not a means to an end—he is the means and the end. The chief purpose of life is “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” (Westminster Catechism).
 
Do you focus on change or do you focus on being faithful? Are you driven by the cool ideas of other people or are you driven by the truth of the Word of God? Do you desire to correct aspects of church life that the Word of God shows to be incorrect or lacking or do you desire to be known as contemporary—what ever that term means?  Note the emphasis on calling and faithfulness found in Hebrews 3:1-6. What spread, and has lasted for five hundred years, was not the passion or skill of a man; it was a primary commitment to the truth of God's Word.