Day 03 - Erfurt/Eisenach: Erfurt Augustinian Monastery, Wartburg Castle

Day 3 of our Germany/Switzerland tour is a wrap! We woke up this morning in Erfurt, going back in time to Martin Luther's earlier formation, when he enlisted as a monk in an Augustinian Monastery. Martin Luther was famous for saying, "If ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery, it was I." And yet tragically, the more Martin Luther strived at the monastic (and ascetic) life, the more despairing and exhausted he was. Pastor JR talked about how while many kinds of "mash-ups" are good (such as mashing together certain songs or food)--- the one thing that should never be mashed up, is the Gospel + works. It never saves, and only leaves us longing for more. Our tour through the monastery showed us that theme on repeat, in Martin Luther's early life. And yet, it was here at this same monastery that Luther began to read and wrestle through passages like Romans 1:16-17, and ultimately led him to the truth that would set him free from that striving. He discovered that righteousness is not just something God has, but also something God gives. A salvific righteousness that could finally put an end to his striving, and bring him to rest in the finished work of Jesus on his behalf. What good news this was for Luther, and still is for us today! 

From there we traveled to Eisenach, to the famous Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther took refuge after his famous stand at the Diet of Worms. Here, Luther would translate the New Testament into German in just 10 weeks--- which finally allowed the Word of God to be read in the common vernacular, opening access to many German citizens. We got to tour this amazing castle, and see the very room where Martin completed this translation. Pastor Rodney helped us understand the importance of "Sola Scriptura" (Scripture alone) as God's revealed truth for us, and highest authority over our lives. It is this very Word which helps keep us from drifting away from such precious promises, as Sola Fide. J.I. Packer once said, "If I were the Devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible." Sadly, this is exactly what the Devil did during the Middle Ages. Yet it was the aim of Martin Luther to help bring God's people back to the life giving fountain of His Word! 

Tomorrow, we'll wrap up here in Eisenach, before heading to Coburg, and on to Nuremberg.