October 31st is well remembered for Halloween, but did you know that date was also the beginning of the Reformation? The posting of Martin Luther’s 95 theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg on October 31st, 1517, was the beginning of a movement that changed the course of church history and prepared the ground for a spiritual awakening of the people. It is that movement that is at the core of who we are as a Lutheran church, and we need that renewal as much now as back then.

This is the fourth article in our Healthy Congregation Series which has covered theological, missional, cultural, and now spiritual renewal. If Emmaus is going to continue to be healthy, we need to continue to grow. We need to grow because spiritual health is what produces the spiritual fruit.

The living vine produces fruit when it is attached to the branch, but if it is separated it will quickly die.

The irony of spiritual renewal is that it includes choices that we make, but the Lord is the one that causes the renewal within us. Paul described this in Colossians 1:9-10 by praying that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,  so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. This growth includes the knowledge of God’s will, the walking in a worthy manner, and the bearing of fruit.

At Emmaus, being filled with the knowledge of God is our highest priority. God’s Word is the center of our worship services, it is the reason that we offer 40 different classes, and it is written in our church’s Core Values. We need His Word to permeate our minds, our character, and our actions. To be renewed in spiritual wisdom and understanding takes initiative on our part, at the same time, the Holy Spirit is the one that gives us the desire to seek Him and He opens our eyes to understand His Word. How are you renewed in God’s Word?

Knowing the Lord is the beginning of spiritual renewal, but it is only the beginning. Knowledge must be put into practice in our lives. Colossians says, Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. That means live in such a way that it is obvious as to whose we are; we will naturally reflect His priorities of our lives. In fact, you know what your friends will say, or think, or do, just because you know what is important to them. Would people who watch your life see a reflection of Jesus? If they do, that is also a miracle of God. Maybe we could begin by praying that people would see Christ in us.

The third aspect of spiritual renewal listed here is described as bearing fruit. The spiritual fruit described in Scripture most often refers to our character. The Fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 describes a person that is becoming like Jesus. In fact, Galatians 5:22-23 makes sense when it is worded like this: The fruit of [Jesus] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

When our lives and our world get crazy, we can feel these attributes seem to fade away. However, when our thoughts and our actions are renewed in Jesus, these attributes come more easily, as he displays Himself through us.

We all need reforms and renewal in our lives, and perhaps the images of Halloween can remind us of where we would be without Jesus transforming us from the inside out.

Renewed day by day,

Pastor Kevin Olson