https://youtu.be/0lkXf2RIeNg

TITLE 7 other Spirits more wicked Today is Reformation Sunday! Today I’m going to use our scripture that we’re in Matthew, to illustrate a point about Martin Luther, the catholic church and why receiving Christ is paramount to livingOur Scripture for Today is Matthew 12:43 -45 READThe explanation of this verse is connected to the context of what Jesus is trying to explain to the l- Jesus says- I am the savior, the chosen one- receive me as Savior and all will be wellHe uses an allegorical example of a Demon as an example- if demon leaves a man, there must be something to replace what has left, or 7 more demons come back and make it even worse. Which- pertaining to Israel- if they reject Christ (in their current sinful state) and Christ leaves them, the only option that is that 7 times the amount of demons will overtake them without receiving Christ.- This is true for Israel- it is true for us- we can’t have an empty house. Do you know what a squatter is? I read a story of a guy who has been in a house since 98- do you know what squatters do? Look for vacant houses- they don’t move into where someone isThose who reject Christ are found in the end, worse of than the beginning- bc of empty house2 Peter 2:21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.The simple answer is- Don’t reject Christ or you’re not going to turn out well. This is what was happening during the time of the protestant reformation (the time when Christians broke off from the Catholic Church) The Catholic church WAS Christianity and it was in disrepair- it had wholly become something that was not doing what it was supposed to do- setting people free from sin- quite opposite- it was freeing people to sin- The pope in the early 1500s was Leo X- a man who history has not regarded well- The supreme leader of the catholic church at the time- used money from the church for his own art, allowed people to buy their way into heaven, he enlisted other cardinals to collect money for his personal use. Many claim he wasn’t even a professing Christian- but pope nonetheless He was quoted as saying “How very profitable this fable of Christ has been to us through the ages.”. And that’s what he did- used Christ for his own Gain- He was- in fact- not a Christian while leading the global Christian church at the timeA man, who rejected Christ, who found himself 7 times worse because he had not ChristThis is an historical example of a man without Christ- all of the outward appearances of godliness- a pope, a leader, the right clothes, words, actions and power- all useless in his pursuit of righteousness- because of his refusal to accept the simple offer of Salvation that Christ offers- he was an empty house that an evil spirit moved into. Its people like this that profane the name of Christ that people use as a reason to not accept Christ- people who are CINA Christians in Name only- Rejection of Christ and reception of evil because the house is found emptyHere’s a truth- there is a no-option option- every- body- house- has a spirit choose to receive Christ- We know we’re spirits- “stinky Stanley” “That isn’t you- you’re matthew be matthew” And so today is the 504th anniversary of Martin Luthers day of ReformationI Think its important that we celebrate it today- it encapsulates why we are not CatholicIts important because it encapsulates who we are as protestants. (People wonder these things) Over 504 years ago on 31 oct 1517 there was a monk named Martin luther who nailed 95 thesis on to the door of a church in GermanyThe church door in those days was like a facebook wall- it invited debate on an issue. Someone printed a bunch of copies (thanks to Gutnebergs new press) and the rest is historyLuthers parents wanted him to be a lawyer, but while in law school he was almost struck by lightening.