Was Martin Luther a Prophet?
Matthew 13:31-35 Ephesians 1:3-10 Revelation 14:6-13
January 29, 2017
Pastor Dave Bolte
The closest thing to a prophet in the post-apostolic, New
Testament era is Martin Luther. When you study Church history,
there is no one who has impacted the Holy Christian Church in
the New Testament era --- besides the Apostles --- more than
Martin Luther. Luther appeared in history, and boldly spoke the
Word of God. Like the Old Testament prophets before him, he
was persecuted and threatened with death for speaking the
Word of God. Both Church and State were against him; both the
Roman pope and the Roman emperor sought his death. But by
God’s grace he survived. And like the prophets before him, his
work affects the entire Christian Church.
But we do not consider Martin Luther a prophet nor an apostle.
There are three things that disqualify Martin Luther as a prophet
or an apostle:
1. Luther was not inspired. His words were not inerrant, nor
did He have divine inspiration from the Holy Spirit as he
wrote or spoke. Martin Luther did not speak from
inspiration; rather, He spoke and wrote about the Word of
God, which is already inspired and inerrant.
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2. Luther did not perform miracles. One of the signs of the
prophets and the apostles were great miracles to confirm
that their words were true. Luther did not need miracles,
since God had already confirmed His Word with miracles
through the prophets and apostles long before Luther was
born.
3. Luther did not have any “new” Word from God, nor did he
predict the future or make any prophecies that would be
fulfilled in the future. Rather, Martin Luther directed the Holy
Christian Church back to the Word of God: to Holy Scriptures.
Specifically, Martin Luther called the Holy Christian Church back
to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For nearly 1,000 years, during the Dark Ages (500AD -1500AD),
the Holy Christian Church had drifted farther and farther away
from Christ, His Word, and His work of salvation. The Roman
Catholic Church emerged during the Dark Ages as a world power,
and it taught people that salvation depends on each person and
their good works. A common phrase from sermons in the Dark
Ages was “Do what you can” … it meant that if you do your best,
God will help you. The emphasis was on each person
accumulating their “good works” to earn salvation from God. If a
person did not accumulate enough good works by the time they
died, then they would have to suffer in purgatory. The Gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ was smothered in these and a plethora of
other false teachings.
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The Christian Church no longer taught
the grace of God; it no longer taught
that
God
is
merciful
and
compassionate; it no longer focused
on Christ, His holy life, His sacrificial
death, or his powerful resurrection. The Holy Christian Church
was in bad shape under the papacy in the Dark Ages.
So the Lord sent “an angel” – not a divine messenger, but a
human messenger -- to proclaim the Gospel once again. I used the
word “angel” because historically, Martin Luther has been
identified as the “flying angel” of Revelation 14:
Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim
to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people.
Revelation 14:6
Many believe that this “flying angel” is Martin Luther. This is the
verse that Martin Luther’s pastor used at Luther’s funeral in 1546.
Pastor Johannes Bugenhagen identified Luther as the flying
angel who taught the ETERNAL GOSPEL: the human
“messenger” who preached “the powerful, blessed, divine
teaching” of Christ!1
In the Book of Revelation, this “flying angel” comes in the midst
of some horrible and terrible images of false teachers leading
millions of people astray. In spite of the efforts of the devil and
the unbelieving world to silence the Word of God, the “flying
angel” boldly preaches the eternal Gospel in spite of the danger,
and the Gospel comforts the Church of every nation, tribe,
language and people.
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Prof. John T. Pless, Reformation sermon, 10/26/14, Naples, FL; found online
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This Revelation reflects what was happening during the Dark
Ages, with Martin Luther boldly proclaiming the eternal Gospel in
a hostile environment. It’s been 500 years now, and the Lutheran
Reformation has continued to believe, teach and confess the
eternal Gospel in the midst of persecution, false teachers, and
satanic-inspired opposition.
Did you notice the term “THE ETERNAL GOSPEL?” That’s a
unique way to describe the good news of Jesus. In fact, there is
no other place in Scripture where the Gospel is described this
way.
The “Eternal Gospel” is about the Eternal Son of God. The “good
News” that God the Father sent His only begotten Son to be our
Savior. The Eternal Son enters history and the world; He is born
in Bethlehem, baptized in the Jordan, teaches and works miracles
in Israel. His perfect and sinless life leads to His obedient and
sacrificial death in Jerusalem. Three days later He rises from the
dead, which boldly and powerfully proclaims Him as the eternal
Son of God and the Savior of the world. Forty days later, in the
Ascension, He returns to Heaven and the right hand of the
Father. We now long for His imminent return as the eternal Lord
of lords and King of kings. The eternal Gospel is about the eternal
Son of God.
The eternal Gospel about the eternal Son brings eternal life to
all of us! The Son of God rose from the dead on the third day, and
He has given you the free gift of eternal life. You will not die in
your sins; you will die in God’s grace and mercy! You were given
eternal life in your Baptism. Your name is written in Book of Life
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… the Book of Life is a list of those who will inherit eternal life
because of the eternal Son’s eternal Gospel! On the last day, your
body will rise from the dead, and you will live forever in the
Kingdom of heaven! The eternal Gospel about the eternal Son of
God brings eternal life to all of us!
This eternal Gospel does not change! The same Good News that
the prophets proclaimed, that Christ earned by His death and
resurrection, and that Luther boldly preached, is for all people: to
every nation, tribe, language and people (Rev 14:6).
Today, none of us are the “flying angel” of Revelation 14 who
proclaims the eternal Gospel in the midst of the New Testament
era that turns the Holy Christian Church around, but every one of
us are “messengers” (= Greek angels) of the eternal Gospel in the
lives of the people all around us.
Like the Flying Angel of Revelation 14, the Gospel has to be
proclaimed. The Light shines. The Word is spoken. That is why we
preach the Gospel in every worship service; that is why we teach
as many Bible classes as we can; that is why our congregation has
Trinity Lutheran School; that is why you share your faith with our
neighbor: The eternal Gospel has to be proclaimed!
The theme of the 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation
is “It’s All About Jesus!” --- because the eternal Gospel is All
About Jesus!
• The eternal Gospel is the message that made Martin Luther
the bold and courageous reformer of 500 years ago!
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• The eternal Gospel is what the Lutheran Church-Missouri
Synod and our congregation proclaim. Our mission is to
teach and preach the eternal Gospel of the eternal Son of God
that brings eternal life to all people. Our desire is that all
people hear and believe, and become biblically literate,
doctrinally sound, mission minded, and passionately
engaged disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The eternal Gospel is also what your personal witness to
your neighbor is all about. The Lutheran Reformation
continues through you as you live and share your faith with
others.
The ETERNAL GOSPEL is
“All About Jesus!”
Our Lutheran heritage is that we believe, teach and confess the
eternal Gospel of the eternal Son of God that brings eternal Life
to us.
May you believe it, live it, and share it!
Amen!
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