Martin Luther: Here I Stand
“My soul is free!” Thus cried Martin Luther when he realized the Bible truth that he could not be saved by his own efforts, but only by faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death on the cross.
Five hundred years ago, on October 31, 1517, Luther, an obscure German monk, nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg. This seemingly insignificant action sparked the Protestant Reformation, which transformed Europe of Luther’s time and whose influence has continued to the present day.
In commemoration of the five hundredth anniversary of the Reformation, Grace Valley Scholars, a high school group, will present an original play, “Martin Luther: Here I Stand,” on Friday, October 27, at 7:00 pm. It will be presented again on Tuesday, October 31, at 6:00 pm. as part of a Reformation Day celebration. Both performances will be at Grace Valley Christian Center, 27173 County Road 98, Davis. Admission is free.
“Martin Luther” is written by Sarah Trombly, MA, an alumna of Grace Valley Christian Academy, Davis Senior High School, UC Davis, and California State University, Sacramento.
Trombly says, “Luther’s story is that of an unlikely hero who, driven almost to the brink of despair, recovers the flickering flame of the true gospel. His life’s work, especially of translating the Bible into the common language, allowed the message of salvation by faith alone, through Christ alone, to shine brightly again.”
Noah Faber, who plays the part of Luther, adds, “It’s been an exciting experience to act the part of such an important historical figure who started the Protestant Reformation.”
In a lively and engaging manner, the play dramatizes Luther’s spiritual struggles as he sought to work his way to heaven. It was only when he began to study the Bible that he realized that we can never earn salvation by our good works, but only through trusting in Jesus Christ and his atoning death on the cross. This realization of justification by faith alone prompted Luther to post his 95 Theses, which spoke against certain practices existing in the church of his time, including the sale of indulgences.
The storm that Luther sparked by this action changed the world. Even today, the ideas of the value of the individual, the dignity of all work, and the ability for people to read the Bible in their own language and worship God directly instead of being dependent on a mediator, are results of the Protestant Reformation. But most importantly, as Luther himself discovered, we can have assurance of salvation by faith in Christ alone.
