Move Your Hand
StoryIllustration★★★★!Martin Luther was a troubled young man. He had NOT experienced–joy of knowing Jesus. In 1505 he was walking through a German forest. There was a thunderstorm As the lightning crashed it drove Martin to knees.
He looked up and cried to the only he knew, patron saint Anne. He cried out, “Oh, saint Anne, protect me”. Lightning flashed and the thunder crashed. He (St.
Anne) promised to protect me, and if you do I will become a priest. Soon the rain stopped and the sky cleared and the sun appeared. He stayed faithful to his promise. Martin Luther entered a monastery.
In the monastery he felt separated from God and condemned. In monastery He endured penance after penance and still he found no peace.
He stayed up until one or two o’clock in the morning and whipped himself, but still he found no peace. He thought his body is sinful and if I beat it long enough, I’ll have peace. If I fast long enough, I’ll have peace I must do something to satisfy an offended God. He began to study the Bible and discovered the epistle to the Romans.
As he read, something amazing occurred. He read Romans 6:23, which reads “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Martin prayed for that gift. Peace flooded his soul and he sensed freedom from guilt. One night Martin was sleeping and had a dream. Satan appeared to him and unrolled the scroll of Martin’s sins.
These were specific sins, cheating, lies and unclean thoughts. These were sins Martin knew were his. The Devil asked, “Are these your sins”? Martin said, “Yes” The Devil asked, “Is death the wages of sin”?
“Yes”. Then the Devil said you Must you die?
The Devil’s hand was over the top of the scroll. And Martin said, “Move your hand”. Martin said again, “move your hand”! The Devil said, “No”.
Martin Luther said, In the name of the Christ who wore a crown of thorns and had nails through His hands. In the name of Christ MOVE YOUR HAND!” Satan trembled at the name of Christ and he fled. Under his hand it said, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses Martin Luther from all his sins.”
Appeal: That blood can cleanse you tonight It can bring joy, peace, forgiveness into your life Maybe you’ve accepted Christ only on the surface, in name only. You have no assurance and peace. If you died tonight, you don’t know if you would be saved. Come with me to the hill called Calvary just before the death of Christ.
Come with me to Pilate’s judgment hall. Watch as Christ is whipped and beaten. Watch them jam them a crown of thorns upon His head. Behold the agony in His eyes,.
Watch him as blood trickles down His face. Who is He? Jesus the son of God Christ who spoke the world into existence. The one at whose name angels sing: “Holy, Holy” Look at His body, broken, bruised, bleeding and battered.
Jesus loves you enough to die in your place. Can you turn from such love? John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son...” I love the “whosoever”.
It doesn’t say a black man, a white man, or an Asian –It says, whosoever. That means you and me “....That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Peace can be yours. Freedom from guilt and condemnation can be yours. Eternal life can be yours. Can you turn from such love?
The point
Martin Luther, tormented by guilt and condemnation despite penance and self-harm, found peace through Romans 6:23 and in a dream vision of Christ's victory over Satan, declaring that Jesus's blood cleanses him from all sin.
Alternate wording
Move Your Hand392 words
Martin Luther was a troubled young man. He had NOT experienced the joy of knowing Jesus. In 1505 he was walking through a German forest. A great thunderstorm was roaring overhead.
The lightning drove Martin to his knees. He looked up and saw the dark clouds. He didn’t know God; he only knew the patron saint Anne. He cried out, “Oh, Saint Anne, protect me.”
The lightning flashed and the thunder crashed. He promised her, “Protect me, I will become a priest.” Soon the rain stopped and the sky cleared and the sun came out. Luther was faithful to his promise.
He entered a monastery, but in the monastery he felt separated from God and felt condemned. In the monastery he endured penance after penance, but still felt no peace.
He thought my body is sinful and if I beat it long enough then I’ll have peace. If I fast long enough, I’ll have peace. I must do something to satisfy an offended God. He began to study the Bible and discovered the book of Romans.
As he read something amazing occurred. He read Romans 6:23. Martin prayed for that gift and peace flooded his soul. He sensed freedom from guilt and depression.
One night He was sleeping and had a dream. Satan appeared to him and unrolled the scroll of Martin’s sins, specific sins, cheating, lies, unclean thoughts, Sins Martin knew were his. The Devil asked, “Are these your sins?” Martin said, “Yes.”
The Devil asked, “Is the wages of sin death?” “Yes” Then the Devil asked, “Must you die?”
And Martin said, “Move your hand.” The Devil’s hand covered the top of the scroll. Martin said again, “Move your hand!” “Devil said, no.”
Martin said, “In the name of Christ who wore a crown of thorns and had nails driven through His hands, In the name of Christ MOVE YOUR HAND!” Satan trembled at the name of Christ and he fled. Under his hand it said: “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses Martin Luther from all his sins.”1 John 1:7 That blood can cleanse you tonight. It can bring joy, peace, forgiveness into your life Maybe you’ve accepted Christ only on the surface in name only.
Maybe you have no assurance and peace and if you died tonight, don’t know if you would be saved. Friend make that decision tonight.