The Reformation 500 Poem

A Celebration and a Charge in 500 words

In the Middle Ages, there was a truth the church forgot

That you are saved by God’s grace never to be bought

Or to be earned by merits, sweat, and tears

The Gospel’s main truths were lost for many years.

But make no mistake, the church was not forgotten

During its corruption and when the theology was rotten

For God was on the move for His word to go far

To get it to his people, he raised a Morning star

The Bible in Latin was only known by a few

So John Wycliffe knew exactly what to do

Passionate that authority was in God’s word alone

Wycliffe translated diligently, like a dog on a bone.

God‘s word to His people with a clear communication

Yet God’s work was just starting with a great reformation

A monk with a mallet is what people think.

A monk who both married and began to drink

But make no mistake about his role

Even Martin Luther knew who was in control

For The night before his memorable stand

Luther wrote in his prayer by his trembling hand

“The work is not mine, but Thine.”  He had penned

“I have no business here… I have nothing to contend”

Luther had sensed God’s call for His stand

To be in the Living Book that he held in his hand

His conscience captive to the everlasting Bible

He would stand firm against the questioning rival

Who asked him to recant of what he taught

To obey God’s word was his only thought.

The movement of God through the nations persisted

Reform was on the rise and the Papacy resisted

“After Darkness, Light” was the cry of the Swiss

A metaphor of the Gospel believers could not miss

In England, there was a political and papacy storm

Monarchs with religious power was the troubling norm

But make no mistake for God had his man

Thomas Cranmer was part of his sovereign plan

His writing established Biblical worship and preaching

Even in his martyrdom, they were works of far reaching

In Scotland John Knox was a man who was frail

Yet God strengthen his work so he would not fail

The Puritans of England were mistaken to have no compassion

But they loved God and his Word with a fiery passion.

They declared God’s beauty and grace in eloquent professions

They left for the Church doctrinal writings and biblical confessions

To keep reforming the church we live in today

By the Word of God is the only way

Let’s pray that we will see His Glory and His might

But make no mistake we must stand where God’s word is right

In our lives we must trust God’s supreme and sovereign plan

To bring glory to himself and to save all elected man

Be it through people like Zwingli,

Calvin and Hus

Just as God had used them, God will use us.

We must stand as stewards of a continuing Reformation.

Proclaiming God’s truth with bold declaration!