Some people change a community, some, even a nation.
Some people change the world.
We're here in Wittenberg, Germany in front of a door.
This isn't the original door, but this does have 95 Theses that changed the world.
Who was it that was involved in this?
Why did he do it?
You're gonna find out.
[MUSIC]
I'm standing in the very living quarters of Martin Luther and his wife Kathryne.
The original walls and wood and benches.
It's a very impressive sight.
It's right here where they used to eat and fellowship with the students that lived with them.
It was a unique type of education, where students learned,
not only in a classroom setting, but also, side-by-side with their master teacher.
Similarly, we have wonderful Seventh-day Adventist institution around the world.
And one of them is a very unique one.
It's located in Isny, Germany.
Isny is a small town in southeastern Germany with around 14,000 people.
What was once a royal city is today a city overcome by its own beauty and tranquility,
with its quaint homes submerged in natural beauty.
It is in this peaceful place that I found these young Adventists,
paying attention to every word spoken by the teacher.
They are receiving medical missionary training, learning to help others with health
education but also with biblical truth.
That's because at the end of the course, they choose between the health ministry,
or seminary to study theology and become pastors.
I believe in young people.
I believe that if young people get the right training and the right motivation they can
accomplish a lot.
And that's why I'm so passionate about running a school like this.
I came here because I wanted to get a better connection to God.
To know him better.
I came here because a friend told me great things about it.
So I decided to try things for myself.
I came here to learn how to share Jesus.
I believed for a long time, but I had always problem to share it with others.
I'm here because I feel that this is God's will.
And another important contribution is that young people who have never thought
about becoming pastors, they come to our schools and they receive God's calling during
their training here and they decide to become pastors.
I came to the Mission School through a friend.
As I saw the changes this school caused in his life, I was really impressed.
In church I learned to understand everything mentally, but here you learn to understand
with your heart.
I came here for two reasons.
Firstly, I wanted to enhance my spiritual life.
And secondly, I wanted to learn how to proclaim the gospel to others.
My dream is that the students are strengthened with a clear vision and with a big heart for
Jesus.
I also hope that they know that God is speaking, and that they know to listen and react to his
voice.
I believe that each conference should have a school like this and encourage their young people
continually to attend a school like this.
That meeting with those young people impressed me a lot.
It gave me hope for the future.
It helped me to understand that truly the Lord is not only calling young people,
but he's calling you and me to be missionaries for him in these last days before Jesus' soon
return.
The education they receive now, will be shared later with others.
What gives this so much meaning is how much of themselves they are giving in preparing for
their future, and the future of others.
And while on the subject of preparedness, let me take you to a different place in Germany.
Worms is a charming city in the southwest region of Germany.
Downtown we have the cathedral of Saint Peter, today known as the Worms Cathedral.
Next to the church, there is a square that has the largest reformation monument in the
world.
It contains 9 statues and 8 portraits of the most important figures in the Reformation.
At the center of the monument, the statue of Martin Luther has an engraving that reads: "Faith
is nothing else, but that right, truthful life in God himself.
To understand Scripture right, one must have the spirit of Christ." Seated at his feet are
the main forerunners of the reformation including John Wycliffe and Jan Huss.
We're here in downtown on Worms, Germany.
I'm standing on the spot where a very important building used to exist.
It's gone.
Let me tell you about it.
Here is the exact place where the Diet of Worms took place – an incredible meeting with the
emperor, the princes of Germany, the representatives of the Papacy,
[who were] there to try to get Martin Luther to recant.
Let's move on and see what happened.
On this very spot, on this very place, here in Worms is where Martin Luther made his
incredible defense for truth, for the testimony of Jesus, for righteousness by faith.
And he made such an eloquent and valiant explanation before the Diet of Worms.
A spokesperson of the Diet was enraged, and demanded that he recant.
Martin Luther went on to say, "unless I can be shown from Scripture,
from the testimony of scripture, or from very logical reasoning.
I cannot recant.
I will not, I cannot recant." He went on to say, "Here I stand.
I can do no other.
May God help me." Not far from here, in the city of Lahr, the same spirit and determination
drove Heiner Lachmann to start a work of reformation - a revival for mission.
I want you to meet Heiner Lachmann, an Adventist who also has a story of influence,
humility, and dedication.
It seems that these three conditions are essential for the Word of God to reach as far as
possible.
Being in a place where it is difficult to share his faith, he came up with a strategy for
reaching his friends - a small group.
I decided to start a small group because I was fascinated with Acts 2.
The disciples weren't just in the temple, they were in people's houses.
A peaceful life, a healthy diet, a solid marriage and a genuine experience with God,
this was the recipe to Heiner's impact on his friends and guests - being an example to show how
he received so much peace.
I met Heiner Lachmann when I was 13 or 14. Back
then, I was a very rebellious person.
I was born in an atheist country.
And when I came to Germany, I didn't believe in God.
I was a "tough guy," I guess you could say.
Alcohol was my best friend.
Then I got to know Lachmann through friends.
He told me, I could come to his Bible study group.
In my own life, I myself received so much love from God through the gospel.
Therefore I could only justify my existence as a Christian by sharing it.
I found nourishment for starving people and wanted to pass it on.
While looking through the paper, I saw an ad.
In the ad there was a phone number, and Lachmann picked up.
I was invited into the Lachmann's home.
They were just celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.
If she hadn't been by my side, supporting me, it wouldn't have worked.
Because she was always there.
And then I started to inquire about it, because all other Christians keep the Sunday holy.
Then I was told to go to this small group.
So I started attending the small group.
After that, I started retracing my family's genealogy, and discovered that my grandmother,
who had died in 1969, was an Adventist as well.
In my despair, there was only one possibility left - to go to that man who always talked to me
about the existence of God.
And in the Bible group I started realizing that I was living was totally wrong.
And when I was done with the course, Lachmann came, gave me a gift and invited me to come to
his Bible study group.
And from then I kept coming.
So after I came to the small groups, I decided to do a 180 and follow Jesus.
And 1991, I got baptized.
And in 1995, I starting working with the Pathfinders and have been since then.
In March 2012, I got baptized.
And that's how I found the Seventh-day Adventists.
I started coming to the small groups in 1991.
And I got baptized the following year.
All of heaven rejoices when even one person repents.
So why shouldn't we also rejoice?
There's a special reason why Revelations 14:12 says, "Here is the patience of the saints." I
believe we have to learn to have more patience with the people God places in our lives.
I wouldn't be standing here today if He hadn't had that much patience with me.
The power of influence is something that is absolutely undeniable.
Historically, many leaders, artists, and even ordinary people were influential.
In this German city, we have an example of what an idea can do to the entire world,
in the hands of a person who is determined and driven.
Yes, we are talking about the Protestant Reformation; a movement that is not restricted
to the past, but is even today influential to our way of thinking and our relationship
with God.
And in these old streets of Wittenberg, reform seems to speak powerfully,
even in silence.
To protect him from this fate, Prince Frederick seized him on his way home and hid him in
Watburg Castle.
It was during his time in Watburg that Luther began his German translation of the Bible.
Martin Luther's powerful testimony of faith at the Diet of the Worms in 1521 made an
indelible impression upon the mind of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach,
who turned his eyes to the new faith earlier than any other German Prince or any other
member of the House of Hohenzollern.
Moreover, Luther entered into correspondence with him, discussing with him the most
important problems of faith.
The edict was temporarily suspended at the Diet of Speyer in 1526,
but then reinstated in 1529.
When Luther eventually reemerged from the Wartburg Castle, the emperor,
distracted with other matters, did not press for Luther's arrest.
Ultimately, because of rising public support for Luther among the German people and the
protection of certain German princes, the Edict of Worms was never enforced in Germany.
We're here in the Wartburg Castle.
It's a magnificent place.
It's perched up in the mountainside surrounded by incredible forests.
And centuries ago, something incredible took place right here.
This castle started being built in 1068 and was instrumental during wars,
marking territory, and being a fortress for nobility; but it is most famously known as a shelter
for Martin Luther from 1521 until 1522.
This happened when King Frederick the Wise decided to help the theologian after being
excommunicated from the Catholic Church by Pope Leo X.
It was in this isolated environment that a work of tremendous influence was
created.
Influential for the people and for the world - an extraordinary revival began.
I can imagine Martin Luther spending hours of time right here,
translating the New Testament from Greek into German.
And then it was produced in a tremendous way.
He was a visionary because the printing press had been established,
thereby putting the Word of God into the hands of the German people,
which then, by God's grace, produced revival and reformation.
In the Wartburg Castle, God protected Martin Luther personally in a safety
situation.
But he also protected Martin Luther from a kind of pride and a kind of arrogance that
could've occurred when people would've lifted him up in the beginning of the Protestant
Reformation.
And in this very room, in this particular place, Martin Luther studied the scriptures.
And produced some tremendous material that would help the beginning of that great
Protestant Reformation.
In fact, the book The Great Controversy indicates that Martin Luther was protected here
from that kind of elevation that those people would have produced had he been in their midst.
God had a special purpose for Martin Luther here.
Because in this very place he produced the German text of the New Testament,
coming from the Greek.
He used 16 different dialects, in order to in essence, create a unified German language - what
persistence, what determination, what dedication.
And today we have wonderful stories of dedication and perseverance.
Now let me tell you a story about spiritual vision, about the power of prayer,
about the dynamics of small groups, and how the Holy Spirit produced results.
This is Bergamo, an Italian city in Lombardy, 25 miles northeast of Milan.
With ancient streets and buildings, it houses over 120,000 people,
some in the upper part and others in the lower part of the city,
which is full of churches lined with gold and classical works of art.
It was here that we found these people, revived in their faith, and devoted to their study of
the Bible.
We started these small groups with one goal in mind: to give ourselves totally to the Lord,
to re-live Acts 1 and 2, as the early church did.
Small groups actually give us a very positive experience because they give us the opportunity to
know each other better so much better.
These small groups have created a spirit of friendship between us,
with Christ.
Even though we had already done them in the past, we started Bible studies.
And from there, we got baptized.
These small groups have created a very strong bond between us.
We share the prayer.
We prayed for the purposes of the church.
Small groups create an opportunity to forge strong ties,
with is the objective of the church.
After I left the church, something inside of me pushed me to read the Bible once again.
These groups, instead, create this atmosphere that is very special.
There is a very loving atmosphere.
It's almost as if we were a family.
It's a fundamental means for sharing Jesus Christ to friends and family.
These groups have given a special energy to the church.
And a kind of awakening has resulted from them.
Not only has the Sabbath School become a family group, the small group has flourished and has
created three additional small groups.
They give a lot of energy because everybody prays to the Lord with great confidence.
In the church we are a little bit shy, but in a small group, there is less pressure.
The small group is a creation of God, the will of God for the church today.
I came to understand this very clearly in the past 3 years.
It is by loving others that you receive love back.
Jesus is the one who gave me the opportunity to have life.
Jesus is everything to me.
He's the one that gave me life and transformed me.
My personal Savior.
He supports me in every moment of my life.
My friend, God, creator and savior.
For me Jesus is everything.
He's everything to me, because in Him, I find peace in times of trouble and times of
difficulties.
Jesus is my personal savior.
Jesus asks us only obedience to His commandments, to believe in Him a personal Savior.
He lets me live on Earth as if I were in paradise.
This question moves me.
To me Jesus is everything.
He's my Comforter.
He's my teacher.
He's my guide.
He's my father.
It takes time to influence people.
Much patience is needed, just like it takes patience to take care of flowers such as these,
the lavender.
Alone and quietly, this tiny flower takes time to grow and develop,
but in fulfilling the purpose it receives from the Creator Himself,
it gives off its perfume, its essence, to everything around it.
Its scent can be perceived even a mile away.
Such is the influence of someone who lives for Christ.
It is simply impossible not to talk about Him - to have the essence of a Christian.
This is the gospel message; it changes us!
It's sweet like the scent of lavender in Provence, changing everything,
just like Luther's Reformation.
My dear friends, I want to ask each of you to consider in your own hearts,
how the Holy Spirit can truly take possession of your mind and your heart.
And help you to stand for truth, regardless of what you may face.
What a beautiful and shinning example Martin Luther gave centuries ago.
And now God is asking you to continue this reformation by focusing upon Christ,
upon truth, upon the Bible, and upon His soon second coming.
I'd like to ask God's blessing on us in a very special way as we face the future.
Our Father in heaven we thank you for this very precious place - this place where one of your
servants stood so valiantly for you - one of the shinning moments in history.
Lord, we know that he did this through your power.
And now Lord, I ask that you will empower each of us to also take a beautiful,
and powerful, and wonderful stand for you.
Focusing upon the truths of scripture, and pointing people to Christ and his righteousness,
and his soon coming.
May we each stand firm for you, as Martin Luther did.
And Lord we thank you for hearing us and for the promise of your soon coming,
in Jesus' precious name we ask you, Amen.
We'll see you next time.
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