Luther on Faith, Love, and Sermon Preparation

Abstract

This essay examines how Martin Luther approached biblical texts for the sake of evangelical preaching, in faith and for faith. His identification of Christ as the center of scripture’s message propelled his own preaching and informed how he taught others. This Christocentric starting point provided a creedal center for biblical interpretation, in which the creed serves as a reliable, communal summary of the Bible’s gospel message.

After an examination of Luther’s creedal approach to preaching, this study looks at the preaching aids for Sunday lectionary texts in Advent that Luther first published in 1521 and 1522. Many of the Bible readings Luther covered in the lectionary of his time continue to be used in Sunday worship today. This essay therefore examines Luther’s comments on Advent texts included in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary: Rom 13:11–14, Rom 15:4–13, and Matt 11:2–11. Rather than identify static conclusions from Luther’s explanations, this study hopes to highlight lively concepts that can inform faith, preaching, and practice today.