“Reform School”
Text: John 8:31-36
10-29-2023
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen. How many of you know what a “reform school” is? I certainly hope that if you answered yes, it wasn’t because you actually spent some time in one of those institutions. Seriously though, for those of you who are too young to recognize that term, a reform school was the old way of referring to a Juvenile Correctional Facility. It’s where kids that have been labeled “juvenile delinquents” were sent to be rehabilitated or “reformed” into model citizens. Hopefully, those young rascals were taught new ways to cope with the behaviors that got them into trouble, and hopefully they learned new life skills to help them be productive citizens.
The problem is, not everyone who is sent to Reform School actually reforms their messed-up lives. Some of them simply play the game until they can get out and go back to living a life of rebellion again. Theye figured out how the system works, so they nod their heads when they’re supposed to, but their hearts haven’t changed. Others, at first, seem to adopt changes in their life, but once they get out and mingle with their old friends, they get sucked back into the bad habits that got them into trouble in the first place. But thankfully, there are those who come out truly changed, truly reformed.
Perhaps you’ve already figured out where this is going. Today, we celebrate the Reformation ignited by Martin Luther’s bold stand for the truth and purity of God’s Word. He viewed the Church as a spiritual reform school. It’s where sinners go to be rehabilitated and reformed by God. Here in the Church that first takes place when wayward and rebellious souls are changed through Holy Baptism. In those holy waters we are reformed from being sinners and enemies of God to being His beloved, forgiven children. Then, the teaching and the retraining of us spiritual reprobates begins, and continues. In this way the Church is a spiritual reform school.
That's all well and good, but what happens when the Reform School is corrupt? Imagine a Juvenile Correction Facility where the administration and staff were actually teaching the kids how to commit crimes without getting caught? Or worse yet, instead of teaching them that certain behaviors are wrong, the staff instructs them that their misdeeds are good and should be increased. Well, this is the kind of spiritual mess that Luther found himself and the rest of the Church in. Over the centuries, since the time of Christ, the Church had strayed from the truth and purity of God’s Word. Rather than teaching people to abandon all hope of their good deeds saving them, the Church was encouraging sinners to not only increase those pious deeds, but to rely on them for salvation. The Sacraments and worship became mere rituals. Faith took a backseat. The sinners who desperately needed to be changed and reformed were unknowingly being taught wrong and harmful things. The Reform School itself needed to be reformed! Contrary to what you may have been told, Martin Luther did NOT set out to destroy the Roman Catholic Church. No, he wanted his beloved mother Church to be changed from within for the good of God’s people. Unfortunately, that’s not how things turned out. Luther was excommunicated and forced to lead the great reform among God’s people apart from the Roman Catholic Church.
In some ways Luther should not have been surprised. After all, when the Son of God came to His people here on earth He was met with resistance. Even back then the ancient Church was meant to be a Reform School for sinners. Originally, they were sent to God’s Temple to find relief for their sins through the sacrifices which pointed them forward to the coming Messiah. God also regularly reformed them as He taught them how to live a life of faith, trusting in His grace and not their feeble works. Unfortunately, that ancient Reform School had become corrupt with an elaborate system of laws and regulations that supposedly would gain you brownie points with God.
When Jesus arrived on the scene, He taught that He had come to fulfill God’s promise of a Savior and that salvation would be accomplished by His work on the Cross rather than any human works or rituals. By His death, He established the Christian Church to be what the it was always supposedto be: a Reform School for us sinners. What’s really interesting is how people reacted to Christ’s gracious offer. As you will see, the way the Jews responded in the Gospel reading is similar to how people responded in Luther’s day... and sadly, how they still respond today.
Just prior to our text, Jesus had clashed with the Pharisees. Other Jews were listening in on this this verbal altercation. Christ told them bluntly that if they refused to have faith in Him then they would die in their sins. On the other hand, if they would believe in Him then salvation was theirs as a free gift. Please notice that Jesus was speaking to people who were already a part of the ancient Church. And He was telling these Jewish believers that their hearts and minds needed to be reformed. They needed to stop resisting Him and instead, believe that He truly was the Son of God who had come to save them. John tells us that some Jews put their faith in Him. Others didn’t.
This lesson is a very timely one for us as we celebrate the Reformation. Jesus says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus is saying that the reform that takes place in the hearts of those who believe is not a one-shot deal. We must abide in it. God’s Word must continually reform us in order to keep us in the one true faith. It’s the only way that we can experience true spiritual freedom. How did some of the Jews respond to that? They said, “Who do you think you are, suggesting that we’re not spiritually free!?!? After all, we’re descendants of Abraham!” In other words, by claiming Jewish heritage they thought they were shoo-ins to be part of God’s kingdom. Jesus made it clear this is not so. Spiritual freedom only comes through a vibrant faith in Him, and that faith must be kept alive by abiding in His Word.
Sad to say, this same problem still exists in the Church today. It’s scary to talk with people who believe that their Lutheran heritage will somehow make them shoo-ins for salvation. If you have a discussion with them and debunk this way of thinking their response is usually something like this: “How dare you suggest that I’m not spiritually free?!? After all, I’ve been Baptized and Confirmed, surely that’s good enough! So please, quit your harping about regularly attending worship.” Listen again to the words of Jesus. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” That word “abide” indicates that we need an ongoing and even daily reformation of our hearts by God. That’s how a vibrant, active faith is maintained within us. Remember, the Christian Church was established by Christ to be a Reform School for us sinners. Here in worship, through Word and Sacrament, that spiritual reform takes place.
Related to that is the disturbing attitude which says that once you’ve finished Confirmation Classes it’s the end of your study of God’s Word and learning our Lutheran doctrine. Far too many Lutherans believe this. Friends, it doesn’t matter if you were Confirmed 1 year ago or 50 years. You’ve just barely scratched the surface of God’s Word and the understanding of our Lutheran faith. All of us, regardless of age, need to abide in God’s Word as Christ said. We all have to keep learning and relearning that truth. That ongoing, reformation is necessary until the day we die. So, dig deeper. As you do, Christ will continue to reform your heart and mind. Come to worship and Bible Study regularly. Read your Bible at home. Abide in God’s Word so that your internal reformation will continue and your faith will remain strong.
You see, the Church really is a Reform School where Christ rehabilitates us sinners regularly. But do you remember the opening illustration? Well, you could attend this Reform School and simply play the game until you get outside these doors and go back to living a life of rebellion. You can nod your head in agreement even though you’ve resisted the work of the Holy Spirit and your heart hasn’t changed. Or, you can come here and be reformed by God’s Word only to go out and eventually get sucked back into the bad habits that you had left behind. Unfortunately, if you choose either of those 2 paths Jesus says you will remain a slave to sin. My prayer is that you will come here regularly to God’s House and let His Holy Spirit truly reform you. Because if you abide in His Word, Christ promises that you will be spiritually free from the sin and the accompanying guilt which enslaved you. May our hearts be filled with grateful praise to God for sending His Son who has won our spiritual freedom for us. Amen!
Soli Deo Gloria!