FOR MANY CHRISTIANS, THE DATE OCTOBER 31ST IS ONE OF THE MOST UNFORTUNATE CELEBRATIONS ON THE CALENDAR. THIS DATE IS CALLED HALLOWEEN. IF IT IS CELEBRATED AS IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE AGES, THEN YOU WILL FIND SPIRITUAL VALUE TO IT. AS IT IS CELEBRATED IN 2006, IT IS AN EXCUSE FOR A CERTAIN ELEMENT OF OUR SOCIETY TO LET LOOSE AND ABANDON SANITY.

FOR THE ADULTS OF THE UNITED STATES, IT IS A TIME TO SPEND, OR WASTE, DEPENDING ON YOUR POINT OF VIEW, FROM 2.2 TO 2.5 BILLION DOLLARS ON COSTUMES, TREATS AND DECORATIONS. THIS SPENDING PUTS IT SECOND TO CHRISTMAS IN AIDING OUR ECONOMY.

FOR OUR CHILDREN IT'S AN EVENING TO DRESS UP IN STRANGE COSTUMES AND BEG FOR CANDY AND OTHER ITEMS.

OF COURSE THIS INCREASES THE SALES OF PEPTO BISMAL AND OTHER STOMACH CALMING MEDICATIONS AND IT CAUSES THE BEGINNING OF UNCOUNTED CAVITIES, WHICH IN TURN MAKES THE DENTAL INDUSTRY HAPPY.

WITH THAT SAID, THE REFORMATION IS REPUTED TO HAVE STARTED ON THIS SAME DATE, IN 1517, (489 YEARS AGO) WHEN SEMINARY PROFESSOR, THE REVEREND DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER TACKED SEVERAL LARGE PIECES OF PAPER ON THE DOOR OF THE CASTLE CHURCH IN WITTENBERG, GERMANY. WRITTEN ON THOSE SHEETS OF PAPER WERE 95 STATEMENTS CONCERNING HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CHURCH SELLING INDULGENCES, OR TICKETS YOU COULD PURCHASE WHICH WERE SUPPOSED TO SHORTEN YOUR STAY IN PURGATORY AND HASTEN YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN.

DR. LUTHER WISHED TO START A DEBATE AND HALT THE BOGUS FUND RAISER WHICH POPE LEO X HAD AUTHORIZED.

½ OF THE MONEY WAS TO BE USED TO BUILD ST. PETERS CHURCH AT THE VATICAN AND THE OTHER HALF WAS TO GO TO THE CHURCH IN THE NAME OF ARCHBISHOP ALBRECT, A GERMAN WHO HAD BOUGHT HIS CHURCH POSITION AND NOW HAD TO PAY ROME FOR HIS TITLE.

WHY DIDN'T A GOOD CATHOLIC LIKE MARTIN LUTHER GO ALONG WITH THE SALE OF INDULGENCES?

TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, HE WROTE THAT, IN HIS BIBLE STUDY HE HAD READ ROMANS 3 AND REALIZED, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE ARE NOT JUSTIFIED BY DOING GOOD DEEDS OR BY KEEPING THE ACTS OF A PARTICULAR CHURCH, BUT WE ARE ONLY CLEANSED OF OUR SINS BY THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS ON THE CROSS. SPECIFICALLY HE LOOKED AT VERSE 24 WHICH READS "WE ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY BY GOD'S GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT CAME BY CHRIST JESUS."

DR. LUTHER WISHED FOR HIS PRECIOUS CHURCH TO EMBRACE THE SCRIPTURES AND GET RID OF ALL OF THE TRADITION WHICH TOOK AWAY FROM WHO JESUS WAS AND IS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE POSTING OF 95 THESIS DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY HE HAD ENVISIONED. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF HIS POINTS, BUT INSTEAD, THERE WAS ANGER, EXCOMMUNICATION, WAR AND BLOODSHED. THE EARTHLY CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST BECAME FRACTURED INTO MANY DENOMINATIONS, OF WHICH WE ARE ONE.

THIS DID NOT MAKE THE REFORMERS HAPPY. THEY WANTED TO STAY WITH THE CHURCH OF ROME, BUT ONLY IF THE CHURCH WERE TO REFORM AND GO BACK TO 'SOLA SCRIPTURA', THE SCRIPTURE ONLY, BUT AS WE KNOW, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND SO WE HAVE A DOZEN OR MORE MAIN DENOMINATIONS AND HUNDREDS OF SMALLER ONES.

BUT DON'T DESPAIR BECAUSE, AS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY MANY TIMES, IT'S NOT THE CHURCH YOU BELONG TO THAT'S IMPORTANT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS IF YOU HAVE ACCEPTED THE BIBLE AS THE TRUE WORD OF GOD AND HAVE ASKED HIM TO FORGIVE YOU YOUR SINS AND ARE WILLING TO TURN YOUR LIFE OVER TO GOD. THAT'S WHAT IS IMPORTANT.

SALVATION IS A FREE GIFT FROM GOD. THINK OF IT AS A BIRTHDAY OR CHRISTMAS PRESENT, BUT A PRESENT DOES YOU NO GOOD UNLESS YOU ACCEPT IT, THANK THE GIVER, UNWRAP IT AND JOYFULLY USE IT.

WHEN I WAS TAKING MY COURSES FROM DUBUQUE SEMINARY, I LEARNED THAT THE PRESBYTERIAN SLOGAN WAS, "THE CHURCH REFORMED AND ALWAYS REFORMING."

THAT REFERS TO THE NEED OF OUR CHURCHES TO CONTINUE TO BE WILLING TO MAKE CHANGES IN ORDER TO REACH THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW THE SON OF GOD IN A PERSONAL WAY.

MY SERMON TOPIC TODAY IS 'REFORMING THE REFORMED.' THAT TITLE SUGGESTS THAT WE, AS A REFORMED CHURCH AND AS INDIVIDUALS, NEED TO BE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR BETTER WAYS TO IMPROVE WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT. THAT IS ONE REASON WHY WE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY GROWING SPIRITUALLY. WE NEED TO STUDY GOD'S WORD SO THAT WE CAN BE APPROVED BY HIM AND BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING THOSE AROUND US TO KNOW HIM AND TO LIVE BETTER LIVES.

THE SLPC CONGREGATION NEEDS TO ALWAYS BE WILLING TO CHANGE IN ORDER TO FOLLOW JESUS' GREAT COMMISSION, FOUND IN MATTHEW 28 WHICH DIRECTS US TO GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL PEOPLE, TO BAPTIZE THEM, TO TEACH THEM WHAT JESUS SAID AND TO KNOW THAT HIS HOLY SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US UNTIL HE COMES BACK FOR US SOMEDAY.

WE, AS A CHURCH, NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY REFORMING AND CHANGING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AROUND US.

THE GOSPEL NEVER NEEDS TO BE REFORMED, BUT FROM TIME TO TIME, WE NEED TO REFORM THE WAY WE REACH OUT TO THOSE AROUND US.

I'M NOT TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT TO CERATE ONE EARTHLY CHURCH AGAIN. I FEEL THAT PEOPLE MUST BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY THEY WORSHIP.

BUT WE ARE TOLD IN THE BIBLE TO BE UNITED IN JESUS. GOD DOES NOT LIKE ALL OF THE PETTY DIVISIONS. HE DOESN'T WANT ALL OF THE CHURCHES WHO DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER OR ASSOCIATE WITH EACH OTHER.

WE MAY HAVE SEPARATE CHURCHES, BUT WE ALL HAVE ONE SAVIOR, ONE GOD AND ONE SCRIPTURE. WE ARE TO BE UNIFIED WITHIN OUR BELIEF EVEN THOUGH OUR LITURGY AND OUR METHODS MAY VARY, BUT JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL IS THE SAME.

LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO READ TO YOU THREE SCRIPTURES THAT TELL US TO BE UNIFIED THROUGH CHRIST. ROMANS 15:7 SAYS, "ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER, THEN, JUST AS CHRIST ACCEPTED YOU, IN ORDER TO BRING PRAISE TO GOD." THEN IT SAYS IN 1ST CORINTHIANS 1:10, "I APPEAL TO YOU, BROTHERS (AND SISTERS), IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THAT ALL OF YOU AGREE WITH ONE ANOTHER SO THAT THERE MAY BE NO DIVISIONS AMONG YOU AND THAT YOU MAY BE PERFECTLY UNITED IN MIND AND THOUGHT."

FINALLY, WE GET TO OUR SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE MORNING AND HEAR THE WORDS OF JESUS JUST BEFORE HE WAS TO BE ARRESTED, TRIED AND MURDERED. HE WAS PRAYING TO GOD THE FATHER AND PART OF THE PRAYER IS FOUND IN JOHN 17:20-23. PLEASE FOLLOW ALONG OR LISTEN INTENTLY AS I READ THE WORDS OF OUR SAVIOR. " 20 MY PRAYER IS NOT FOR THEM ALONE (THE DISCIPLES). I PRAY ALSO FOR THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE IN ME THROUGH THEIR MESSAGE, 21 THAT ALL OF THEM MAY BE ONE, FATHER, JUST AS YOU ARE IN ME AND I AM IN YOU. MAY THEY ALSO BE IN US SO THAT THE WORLD MAY BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE SENT ME. 22 I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY THAT YOU GAVE ME, THAT THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE: 23 I IN THEM AND YOU IN ME. MAY THEY BE BROUGHT TO COMPLETE UNITY TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND HAVE LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU HAVE LOVED ME."

OUR LORD HAD US ON HIS MIND JUST BEFORE HE DIED FOR OUR SINS. HE WANTED HIS FOLLOWERS TO BE UNITED IN HIM, BUT IT HASN'T HAPPENED.

ON THURSDAY EVENING I ATTENDED A MEETING OF AREA PASTORS AND LAY LEADERS AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN MONTROSE.

ALL I KNEW IN ADVANCE WAS THAT WE WERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FRANKLIN GRAHAM FESTIVAL, AS THEY CALL IT (HIS DAD, BILLY, CALLED THEM CRUSADES) WHICH WILL BE HELD, AT SUNY BINGHAMTON'S NEW 8,000 SEAT EVENTS CENTER NEXT JUNE 8,9 AND 10.

WHEN I GOT THERE I WAS BOTH EXCITED AND A BIT DISTURBED. THERE WERE 40 AREA PASTORS AND LAY LEADERS IN ATTENDANCE, BUT OF ALL THE DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS IN MONTROSE, ONLY THE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH CAME TO JOIN WITH FIRST PRESBYTERIAN.

THAT REALLY EMPHASIZED HOW SEPARATED WE ARE.

I LEARNED THAT 4 OF THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION TEAM MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY MOVED TO VESTAL AND HAVE AN OFFICE THERE.

I LEARNED THAT ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF THE 4 MEETINGS WILL BE TO BUILD THE CHURCHES OF OUR AREA BY REFERRING PEOPLE WHO ATTEND AND RESPOND TO THE MESSAGE OF JESUS' LOVE FOR US.

I LEARNED THAT ANOTHER GOAL OF FRANKLIN GRAHAM IS TO GET CHURCHES TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER AND HELPING ONE ANOTHER TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. IN OTHER WORDS, TO UNIFY US THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST, JUST AS THE SCRIPTURES SAY.

IT'S TOO EARLY TO KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE WILL DISCUSS OUR CHURCH'S INVOLVEMENT IN THIS EXCITING EVENT. I DO KNOW THAT TODAY, AS WE TALK ABOUT REFORMING, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO REEXAMINE OUR PROCEDURES AND GOALS AS THEY PERTAIN TO OUR OUTREACH MINISTRIES AND MISSIONS.

DURING THE NEXT MONTHS, WE NEED TO PRAY AND ASK GOD WHAT HE WANTS US, AS INDIVIDUALS AND OUR CHURCH CONGREGATION TO BE DOING TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION HE'S GIVEN ALL OF US.

OUR AREA IS BEING GIVEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE REFORMED FOR GOD’S GLORY. BILLY GRAHAM IS NOW 87 AND HAS PARKINSON'S DISEASE. HE NO LONGER DOES HIS GREAT CRUSADES, BUT HIS SON, FRANKLIN HAS ADDED 5 OR SO FESTIVALS (OR CRUSADES) TO HIS BUSY WORLDWIDE WORK WITH SAMARITAN'S PURSE AND OTHER RELIEF EFFORTS.

FOR THE PAST 4 MONTHS HIS ORGANIZATION HAS HAD A TEAM HEADQUARTERED AT DAVIS COLLEGE IN JOHNSON CITY. TO DATE THEIR VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF HAVE CLEANED AND WORKED ON MORE THAN 900 FLOOD DAMAGED HOMES IN OUR AREA.

I THINK OUR AREA IS READY TO HEAR ABOUT GOD AND HOW HE WILL MEET OUR NEEDS IF WE WILL JUST CALL ON HIM AND TURN TO HIM.

WE, AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS THE SLPC FAMILY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH AN EVENT THAT WILL BRING SEEKERS AND NEW BELIEVERS TO OUR CHURCH. WE ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBEY GOD AS HE ASKS US TO BRING HIS MESSAGE OF LOVE, MERCY, FORGIVENESS AND GRACE TO PEOPLE IN OUR AREA.

I WANT, AS I HOPE YOU DO, TO SEE MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS COME TO KNOW GOD IN A PERSONAL WAY AND SO WE NEED TO ASK OUR LORD, WHOM WE SERVE, WHAT HE WANTS US TO DO.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU ASKED GOD WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO FOR HIM? MY CHALLENGE TO US ALL THIS MORNING IS TO TAKE THE TIME TO ASK OUR SAVIOR WHAT HE WANTS US TO DO, TO HELP BRING NEW BELIEVERS TO HIM AND TO FULFILL HIS GREAT COMMISSION.

LET'S PRAY