A friend preached a wonderful sermon on the bible last Sunday. He spoke, among other things, of Luther's attitude to the bible:
The whole reformation was birthed by a tenacious asking, seeking and knocking at the door of Scripture:
I beat importunately upon Paul at that place (Rom 1:17), most ardently desiring to know what St. Paul wanted. At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words... There I began to understand... I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open doors.
Do I beat importunately upon Scripture? Luther spoke of treating the bible like the rock in the wilderness - smiting it with the rod until water gushes out. Do I do that?
When he lectured on Ecclesiastes he found it tough. He wrote to a friend "Solomon the preacher, is giving me a hard time, as though he begrudged anyone lecturing on him. But he must yield."
Wow! It's been a while since I've wrestled with Scripture like that. Do we really believe that there's life-giving Waters in this book? Well then, let's smite it till our thirst is slaked!
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