Reformation Day

Today is not only a day for candy and costumes.  It is also "Reformation Day" - the anniversary of the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg.

Martin Luther was a monk and a theologian of the Catholic Church in the 1500s. He had struggled his whole life with overwhelming feelings of guilt and awareness of his own sinfulness. He finally was able to overcome this by studying the book of Romans, where he learned that salvation is a Free Gift and that Jesus Christ had already done everything required by God.  He was known for both his scholarly teaching of students, and his compelling sermons at the local church. 

Pope Leo X needed money to fund the building of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, so he sent out priests on a fund-raised selling "indulgences".  Indulgences were pieces of paper that could be bought to get loved ones who had died out of Hell and into Heaven.  (This Pope didn't start the practice.  It was well-established by this time.  But it had not been seen in Germany during Luther's lifetime.)  Some of the priests of the time were so zealous to sell indulgences that they used tactics that we'd associate with a "used car dealer" today.   

Luther was outraged to see people selling Christ's "free gift".  He put together his 95 Theses - a list of 95 statements of what Luther believed to be true - and nailed them to the door of the local church.  (This was a common practice of the time for advertisements.)  He intended to have a scholarly debate on the subject with other theologians.  But copied of his 95 These made their way to Rome, and the pope ordered that Luther be tried for heresy (i.e. teaching false things about the Bible and the Church). 

The trial and its results triggered the Reformation, whereby nations and churches broke away from the Catholic Church and formed the many denominations of Christianity we know today.

FINISH THE VERSE: Acts 9

Remember, the full list of FTV's can always be found at this link. The // in the verse marks the minimum number of words you need from the FTV to uniquely identify it.

QUESTION:  But the Lord // said to him...
ANSWER:  ...“Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:15-16)

QUESTION:  But Saul increased // all the more...
ANSWER:  ...in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. (Acts 9:22)

QUESTION:  But Barnabas // took him...
ANSWER:  ...and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. (Acts 9:27)

QUESTION:  So the // church...
ANSWER:  ...throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. (Acts 9:31)

REFERENCE QUESTIONS: Acts 9

Remember, the full list of Reference Questions can always be found in the sidebar or at this link.

QUESTION:  According to Acts 9:18, who was baptized?
ANSWER:  (He) Saul.  (cf 8:13; 9:18)

QUESTION:  According to Acts 9:25, by night what?
ANSWER:  His (Paul’s) disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket .  (cf 9:25; 17:10; 23:31)

QUESTION:  According to Acts 9:35, who turned to the Lord?
ANSWER:  All the residents of Lydda and Sharon (cf 9:35; 11:21)

QUESTION:  According to Acts 9:37, in those days what?
ANSWER:  She (Tabitha) became ill and died.  (cf 1:15; 2:18; 7:41; 9:37)

QUESTION:  According to Acts 9:42, who believed in the Lord?

ANSWER:  Many throughout all Joppa  (cf 5:14; 9:42; 18:8)

THIS WEEK: Study Acts, Chapter 9

This week (October 28 thru November 3), please study Acts, Chapter 9.

If you want to read the chapter online, click here. (Free website Biblegateway.Com)

Click here to download an MP3 of the chapter.

If you'd like to read a commentary on the chapter, click here. (Free website, Biblegateway.Com)

If you want to download the puzzle for this week, click here.

Study Tip: Looking for more study tips from a different source? Check out StudyTips.Org for other ideas for improving your studying of the Bible and in school.

Upcoming Events:
- November 1 - Quiz Meet in Trumbull, CT
- December 5 - Christmas Party with Trumbull (in Monroe)
- January 17 - Midwinter Quiz Meet in Monroe, CT

CHAPTER REVIEWS: Acts 8

If you'll miss practice this week we don't want you to miss out on the review of the chapter.  You can download Coach Mark's lesson by clicking here, or on the image below.

BONUS COMIC: Godly Coverage

BIBLE NEWS: North Korea frees Bible-carrying man

It is easy to think of persecution being something that requires an overt act like preaching on the street corner, but in many parts of the world Christianity is offensive in even it's smallest, most personal forms.  One man was arrested in North Korea for simply leaving his own Bible in his hotel room.  Thankfully, the diplomats have gotten him freed.

Jeffrey Fowle, one of three Americans being held captive in North Korea, is on his way home. Fowle was detained in May after leaving a bilingual bible in his hotel room (or in a nightclub, or in a restaurant bathroom, depending on the source, because this is North Korea). The 59-year-old was charged with "anti-state crimes."