It's nearing the end of October, and children and adults alike are planning for Halloween. Over the years, this holiday in America has grown from being a cute excuse to dress up in your favorite costume to a celebration of evil. Yet few people realize the important events that October marks.
It was October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed ninety-five theses to the Church in Wittenburg, marking the beginning of a reformation that is still influencing us today. But the price of reformation was soon to be discovered. It was also October, 1536 when William Tyndale, translater of the English bible, was burned at the stake as a heretic by Henry VIII. His last words were, "Lord, open the eyes of the king of England." A year later, his the same King Henry ordered a publication of Matthew's bible to be spread abroad through England and every church to open up copies of the bible in the common tongue. Tyndale's vision of "the ploughboy to know more of the bible than the scholar," came true. God was once again bringing his word to England.
Following Tyndale would come countless other martyrs who would spread the reform by their witness. I have not time to go into the stories of George Wishart, the two Margarets, Marion Harvie, and countless other Huegonots and Waldensians.
October marks yet another important event to the history of the Church. It was 1533 when Micheal Servetus, condemned by the council of Geneva for heresy, was burned at the stake. Contrary to popular view, it was not John Calvin who had him executed. John Calvin begged the council to allow him a less painful death, but he was disregarded. And it was Calvin who preached a sermon to Servetus at his death begging him to embrace the true doctrines of Christ.
Will you remember these important events, or will you, like countless others forget the price our father's paid? October 31 is a landmark to the Church...what will you do to remember?
