REFORMATION SUNDAY 31 OCTOBER 1517 THE DAY MARTIN LUTHER, CATHOLIC MONK PINNED THE 95 THESIS ON THE DOOR OF THE CHURCH IN WITTENBERG. 1) WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY? 2) WHAT WAS IN THE THESIS? 3) HOW DOES IT IMPACT OUR LIVES TODAY ?

LET US TRACE BACK AS HTO HOW THE CHURCH LANDED HERE ? CHURCH WAS OFFICIALLY PLANTED ABOUT AD29 WITH THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – ACTS 1:8 CHRISTIANITY MOVED FROM TEMPLE / SYNAGOGUE WORSHIP TO WORSHIP IN HOMES, GATHERINGS AND PLACES OUTSIDE OF THE TEMPLE THE DISCIPLE STARTED TO PREACH WIDELY AND EXTENSIVELY AFTER THE ASCENCION OF JESUS.

SOME EXAMPLES WE CAN LEARN FROM PETER AND THE DISCIPLES PREACHED AND 5000 PEOPLE WERE SAVED WHAT DID THIS MEAN? THE CHURCH WAS GROWING PEOPLE WERE FREE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION IN JESUS CHRIST. THEN CAME PAUL, SILAS, BARNABAS, TIMOTHY, PHILIP,

1) 1 ST PERIOD “EARLY CHURCH HISTORY” THE GOSPEL AD29 TO AD500 GREAT THINGS WERE HAPPENING - PAUL’S 4 EXTENSIVE MISSIONARY JOURNEYS THOMAS WENT TO INDIA DISCIPLES TOOK THE GOSPEL ALL OVER THE THEN KNOWN WORLD THEN IN AD300 CONSTANTINE A BYZANTINE –CONSTANTINOPLE – ISTANBUL BECAME EMPEROR OF ROME HE UNITED THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH TO THE ROMAN EMPIRE AD300

2 ND PERIOD – THE MIDDLE AGES BECAUSE THE CHURCH AND STATE WERE TOGETHER – ONE HOLY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH THERE WAS GREAT CORRUPTION BOTH IN THE CHURCH AND IN GOVERNMENT BIBLE IN LATIN - VULGATE CHAINED TO THE PULPIT – FEAR OF UPRISING AGAINST THE STATE INDULGENCES PENANCE

3 RD PERIOD MODERN CHURCH HISTORY ROM 1:17 “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH ALONE” START OF THE REFORMATION MARTIN LUTHER – GERMANY HULDRYCH ZWINGLI – SWITZERLAND JOHN KNOX – SCOTLAND - THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH JOHN CALVIN – GENEVA / FRANCE