This morning, Pastor Justin Vetrano, who is on the leadership team for the Luther500 Festival leader’s event that I’m attending in Wittenberg, Germany, spoke briefly at our morning prayer service. He wondered about the streets and the floors. He talked about the cobblestones on the street that run throughout the town. How long had they been here? And he wondered about the stone floors inside the Church of St. Mary’s (better known here as the “Town Church”) where morning prayer was being held.
The Town Church was Luther’s favorite place to preach. While the other church, the “Castle Church” was a part of the University where Luther taught, and where he hung the 95 theses, the “Town Church” was where most of the people in Wittenberg actually went to worship. It was where Luther attended. It was where he married Katarina Von Bora.
Pastor Justin encouraged us to look at the floors. These were quite possibly the same stone floor pieces that Luther might have walked on. Certainly this was the same space as Luther occupied. Pastor Justin reminded us that our very faith is built on those who who have gone before us. “The Saints.”
This is as true at Trinity as it is at the Church of St. Mary’s in Wittenberg. Our faith is built on the shoulders of the saints who go ahead of us. Many people were a part of building and developing our congregation and our community.
But even more, our faith is built on a different kind of rock. Psalm 40:1-3 says:
I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,[a]
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
Note that this text says that it was God who set our feet upon a rock and secured our steps. It wasn’t anything we did. It was the work of God. And our faith is built on the rock that is Jesus Christ. We walk upon them and they make our steps secure.
This week as you walk, and as you journey in your faith, remember where your feet are placed. Remember that your steps are secure. For our God. The God our our ancestors, the God of the ages, is with us.
God bless the memories of those who have gone before. And God bless the faith of those who follow us.
Peace,
Pastor Todd
Test Driving Theology 