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Series Code: LIN
Program Code: LIN000003A
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00:24 The song says,
00:25 "It only takes a spark to set a whole fire going," 00:29 and once the fire was lit in one part of Europe, 00:32 it spread quickly to other areas. 00:35 John Wycliffe had made a massive impact, 00:38 not just in England but further afield in Europe, 00:41 in particular here in Prague 00:44 and the region that was known then as Bohemia. 00:52 John Huss was of humble birth 00:54 and his father died soon after he was born. 00:57 His mother sought an education for him 00:59 and he was able to get admission 01:01 to the University of Prague as a charity scholar. 01:04 As she reached Prague with her son, 01:06 she knelt down and prayed that God would bless his life, 01:10 a prayer that was answered again and again. 01:14 He soon distinguished himself 01:16 by his tireless application to study 01:18 and by his blameless life. 01:20 Upon completing his studies 01:22 he entered the priesthood and rapidly rose to prominence, 01:25 soon becoming attached to the court of the king. 01:29 In a few short years he was the pride of his country 01:32 and his name was known all over Europe. 01:36 Today they've built a statue to commemorate him 01:39 here in the old town square. 01:45 Several years after becoming a priest, 01:47 Huss was appointed preacher 01:49 of the Bethlehem Chapel here in Prague. 01:52 The founder of this particular chapel 01:54 had advocated as a matter of importance 01:56 the preaching of the scriptures in the language of the people. 02:00 At that time there was a large degree 02:02 of ignorance concerning the Bible, 02:05 and Huss also believed that it was vitally important 02:08 to preach the scriptures in the language of the people. 02:17 At this point in his life 02:19 Huss came in contact with Jerome, 02:22 who would prove to be his right-hand man 02:24 until his death. 02:26 Jerome was a citizen of Prague 02:29 and he had brought back with him 02:30 from a recent trip to England the writings of John Wycliffe. 02:34 The Queen of England at that time 02:36 was also a convert of John Wycliffe, 02:38 and she was a Bohemian princess, 02:41 and through her influence 02:42 his writings were circulated at length in Bohemia. 02:46 Huss read them, 02:48 believed their author to be a sincere Christian, 02:51 and believed the writings to be true. 02:58 Huss's impact was growing, not just here in his homeland, 03:02 but also in neighbouring Germany. 03:04 And soon news of the work here in Prague reached Rome 03:08 and he was summoned to appear before the pope. 03:12 To go would be fatal. 03:14 The king and queen of Bohemia, 03:16 nobility, and the government 03:18 all asked for a local trial but this was not granted. 03:22 The trial of Huss went ahead in his absence, 03:25 during which the city of Prague was put under interdict. 03:29 This struck terror into the hearts of everyone. 03:33 No church services could take place. 03:36 Baptisms, funerals, weddings those ceremonies 03:40 that were so key to life in general 03:43 were not allowed to take place. 03:44 And through this means, 03:46 Rome was able to hold sway over the people. 03:51 The city was in turmoil, 03:53 and so Huss withdrew to his native village, 03:55 but he continued to travel to the surrounding countryside 03:58 where he was able to preach to eager crowds. 04:01 When the danger and excitement had subsided, 04:04 he was able to return to Prague where alongside with Jerome 04:08 he was able to continue his work. 04:16 During this time in Europe there was not one, or two, 04:20 but three rival popes, 04:22 all claiming to be the Vicar of Christ. 04:25 This abuse of power in the church 04:28 was something that many men strongly condemned, 04:30 Huss being one of the loudest voices. 04:33 The emperor at that time, Emperor Sigismund, 04:36 called for a council in Constance, 04:38 Germany to settle this dispute 04:41 once and for all 04:42 and also to deal with some of the new heresies 04:45 arising from men such as John Huss 04:48 that they didn't agree with. 04:49 Huss was summoned to appear before the council 04:52 and was given assurance 04:54 of a safe passage by the emperor. 04:57 One thing that stands out from this story is the prayer 05:00 that John Huss' mum made with him 05:02 as he was on his way to university. 05:05 I wanna encourage you, if you're praying for a child, 05:08 if you're praying for a parent, 05:10 to never give up in your prayers. 05:12 The prayer of John Huss' mother 05:14 was answered many, many times over 05:16 in ways that she couldn't have even imagined. 05:19 Maybe you're praying for your children, 05:20 maybe they're on their way to school, 05:22 maybe you're praying for a loved one. 05:23 Keep them in prayer 05:25 and never think that our prayers 05:26 will go unanswered. 05:28 God does hear 05:29 and God does answer our prayers. 05:56 Here in Constance, Germany 05:58 a council was convened in the year 1415. 06:02 Three significant things took place. 06:04 Firstly, it was called to discuss the schism 06:06 between the popes. 06:08 At that time there wasn't one, nor two, 06:11 but three rival popes, 06:12 all declaring themselves to be the true and right pope. 06:16 This council settled that schism 06:19 and appointed someone 06:20 who would rule after those three. 06:22 It was also here 06:24 where they declared the writings and John Wycliffe 06:26 to be a heretic and ordered that his bones 06:29 be exhumed and burned. 06:32 It was also at this council 06:33 where John Huss was ordered to appear 06:36 to defend his teachings. 06:44 When Huss left for Constance, 06:46 he said goodbye to his friends 06:48 as if he wasn't going to see them again, 06:50 even though he had a letter of safe passage 06:53 from the emperor and the pope. 06:56 Soon after arriving here in Constance, 06:59 by order of the pope and the cardinals, 07:01 he was thrust into prison. 07:03 This building behind me, though today a nice hotel, 07:07 was one of the places used to imprison John Huss 07:10 whilst he was here in Constance. 07:17 The trial of Huss took place here in Constance 07:20 in the Munster. 07:21 It is said that he sat on aisle 24. 07:24 He was asked if he wanted to recant, 07:26 to which he said 07:27 he would prefer death over recantation. 07:30 He was thrown back in prison and brought back here again, 07:33 and the last time he spoke at the trial, 07:37 he fixed his eyes on the emperor 07:39 and said that he had travelled here 07:41 under his own free will 07:43 and under the public protection of the emperor sat here. 07:47 It is said that when everyone's eyes 07:49 turned on Sigismund, 07:51 that his face turned crimson red. 08:00 Sitting here in aisle 24 08:03 where Huss sat during his trial, 08:05 our minds go back to Jerome. 08:07 When Huss left for Constance, 08:10 Jerome told him 08:11 that if he heard of any misfortune, 08:13 he would come and help right away. 08:15 Hearing of his imprisonment, 08:17 he left and travelled down here, 08:19 but without a safe passage. 08:22 On arriving in Constance he realized 08:24 there was not anything he could do, 08:26 so he headed back to Prague. 08:28 But he was captured on the way 08:30 and brought back here to Constance. 08:33 Some people wanted to kill him right away, 08:36 but they put him in prison 08:37 where he almost died for lack of food. 08:40 They wanted to keep him alive. 08:42 They realized that Huss' death hadn't accomplished very much, 08:46 and so they wanted Jerome to recant. 08:49 He was left in prison for about a year 08:51 in terrible, terrible conditions. 08:53 Suffering from doubt, 08:55 he eventually renounced the teachings of Wycliffe, 08:58 he renounced the teachings of Huss, 09:00 and pledged to adhere to the Catholic faith. 09:04 He went back to prison, 09:06 but the council was not done with him. 09:08 Either wanting more blood 09:11 or wanting a fuller and broader surrender of faith, 09:14 they called him again, 09:15 but this time he renounced his former recantation. 09:20 He asked to address the house and this was denied, 09:24 but he remonstrated 09:25 and was given the opportunity to speak. 09:28 He stood up and pledged his support of Huss 09:31 and influence he had had on his life 09:34 and he went on to say, 09:36 "Of all the sins 09:37 that I have committed since my youth, 09:39 none weighs so heavily on my mind 09:41 and cause me such poignant remorse, 09:44 as that which I committed in this fatal place, 09:47 when I approved of the iniquitous sentence 09:49 rendered against Wycliffe 09:51 and against the holy martyr John Huss, 09:53 my master and my friend. 09:55 Yes, I confess it from my heart, 09:58 and declare with horror 09:59 that I disgracefully quailed 10:01 when, through a dread of death, I condemned their doctrines. 10:05 I therefore supplicate Almighty God 10:08 to pardon me my sins, and this one in particular, 10:12 the most heinous of all." 10:20 One thing we learn 10:21 from the story of Huss and Jerome 10:23 is that although at the end of his life 10:25 Jerome fell away, he then came back. 10:29 Maybe you have fallen away in your walk with the Lord, 10:32 maybe you've backslidden, 10:33 maybe you've done things 10:35 that you wish you had never done. 10:37 Jerome was once strong in his faith and fell away, 10:40 but at the very end he came back. 10:43 There's always time for us to come back to God. 10:45 If you've fallen down, 10:46 the most important thing is that you get back up 10:49 and renew your acquaintance with the Lord. 10:52 Maybe today if you've fallen away, 10:54 you need to renew 10:55 that acquaintance with God again. 11:32 After Huss was delivered up to the secular authorities, 11:35 he was asked one last time if he wanted to recant. 11:40 "What errors shall I renounce?" He asked. 11:42 "I know myself guilty of none." 11:45 He was brought to this very spot here 11:47 in Constance and they burned him to death. 11:51 They had to light the fire three times. 11:53 They wanted to ensure his body was completely consumed. 11:57 They dug up his ashes, 11:59 along with the soil under him 12:01 and threw it into the Rhine River. 12:13 About a year later 12:15 Jerome was also brought to the same spot 12:18 and as his executioner was standing behind him, 12:21 Jerome said, "Apply the fire before my face. 12:25 Had I been afraid, I should not be here." 12:29 They died with heroic bearing, 12:31 and a zealous papist, 12:33 commenting on the death of Huss and Jerome, 12:35 said these words. 12:37 "Both bore themselves with constant mind 12:39 when their last hour approached. 12:41 They prepared for the fire 12:43 as if they were going to a marriage feast. 12:46 They uttered no cry of pain. 12:48 When the flames rose, 12:49 they began to sing hymns and scarce 12:52 could the vehemence of the fire 12:54 stop their singing." 13:04 Both these men lived their lives 100% for God, 13:08 so that when they died, as tragic as it was, 13:11 they died with no regrets. 13:13 If we live our lives today 100% for God, 13:17 fully surrendered to Him, 13:19 we also can live a life where we have no regrets. 13:57 The execution of Huss and Jerome 14:00 had caused a national uproar back in Bohemia. 14:03 He was believed to have been a faithful teacher 14:06 and as is often the case, now that he was dead, 14:09 his writings attracted an even greater interest. 14:13 The Hussite Wars commenced about four years 14:16 after the death of Huss and Jerome 14:18 in the year 1419. 14:29 As pope and emperor 14:30 united to crush the Hussite movement, 14:33 the Lord raised up a deliverer. 14:35 i ka was one of the most able generals of his age 14:40 and was the leader of the Bohemians. 14:42 He had lost sight in one eye during a battle in 1410 14:46 and later in his life 14:47 he would lose sight in the other eye as well, 14:50 but he would still lead his armies into battle 14:52 after battle without losing. 14:55 He is one of the few generals about whom it can be said, 14:58 never lost a battle in war. 15:01 He was a military genius 15:02 and is credited with inventing an early form of the tank. 15:06 They were called War Wagons, 15:08 and they were wooden boxes 15:09 that were reinforced with steel on wagon wheels 15:12 and he would send these into battle 15:13 with people inside 15:15 and load them with cannons and crossbows and pistols. 15:19 Despite having mainly peasants as soldiers, 15:22 with the use of clever war tactics 15:24 and with providence on their side, 15:26 the Hussite armies were able to repel 15:28 the numerically larger 15:30 and better-trained papal armies. 15:40 i ka would fight 15:41 over 250 battles in his lifetime 15:44 and will withstand 15:46 two full papal crusades against him, 15:48 but he was not to die on the battlefield. 15:51 Instead, he would fall victim to the Black Plague. 15:54 But before he would die, 15:55 he gave his men some instructions, 15:58 telling them he still wanted to go with them 16:00 onto the battlefield. 16:02 He told his men to make a drum out of his skin, 16:06 which they did, 16:07 and they took this drum made with i ka's skin 16:10 and would beat it as they went into battle. 16:20 His place was filled by Procopius 16:23 who was a skilful and brave leader 16:25 and in some aspects, a more able general. 16:28 The enemies of the Bohemians, 16:30 knowing that the blind warrior was now dead, 16:33 thought they would now be able to win. 16:35 The pope launched another crusade 16:37 against the Bohemians in 1427 where he was defeated. 16:42 He then launched another crusade 16:44 where he was defeated again. 16:46 In 1431, under a new pope a fifth crusade was launched, 16:51 but once again the papal armies 16:53 were soundly defeated by the Hussite forces. 17:01 Realizing 17:03 that they couldn't conquer by force, 17:04 they resorted to diplomacy. 17:06 A compromise was entered into 17:08 that while appearing to offer freedom of conscience, 17:11 really betrayed them into the power of Rome. 17:14 The Bohemians had specified four points 17:17 as a condition of peace with Rome, 17:19 and these were: 17:21 the free preaching of the Bible, 17:23 the right of the whole church 17:24 to both the bread and the wine in the communion, 17:27 the use of the mother tongue in divine worship, 17:30 the exclusion of the clergy 17:32 from all secular offices and authority, 17:34 and in cases of crime, 17:36 the jurisdiction of the civil courts 17:39 over clergy and laity alike. 17:48 At last the papal authorities agreed 17:51 to accept the four Hussite articles, 17:54 but that the right of explaining them, 17:56 that is, of determining their precise import, 17:58 should rest with the council, 18:00 that is, with the emperor and the pope. 18:03 On this basis a treaty was entered into 18:06 and Rome gained by dissimulation and fraud 18:09 what she had failed to gain by conflict. 18:11 For in placing her own interpretation 18:13 upon the articles, as upon the Bible, 18:16 she could pervert their meaning to suit her own ends. 18:20 Often times when Satan is not able to defeat us 18:23 through open confrontation, 18:25 he tries the tactic of compromise. 18:27 It's something he's done repeatedly 18:29 throughout history and throughout the Bible. 18:31 May we be careful, wise and discerning, 18:34 and most of all resolute. 18:36 And now we stand for God 18:39 through whatever tactic Satan uses against us, 18:42 whether it's confrontation or whether it's compromise, 18:45 and that we may always stand for God. 19:16 Thirty years after the death of Wycliffe, 19:19 at the Council of Constance in Germany 19:22 he was declared to be a heretic. 19:25 A decree was made to dig up his bones 19:27 and burn them to ashes. 19:29 At that time, the Bishop of Lincoln 19:32 was a former friend of his, 19:33 and he delayed in acting on this request for five years. 19:38 He moved out of the area 19:39 and the next one who came in also vacillated for eight years 19:43 before finally succumbing to this demand 19:46 and dug up the bones and burned them. 19:56 After burning his bones 19:59 they threw the ashes into the River Swift, 20:02 but the significance of this gruesome act 20:05 and the symbolism it would come to later represent, 20:08 they could not have imagined. 20:10 The River Swift flows into the River Avon. 20:14 The River Avon flows into the Bristol Channel. 20:17 And the Bristol Channel eventually flows 20:20 into the Atlantic Ocean. 20:23 And so symbolically the effect of his work 20:26 spread around the whole world. 20:29 He is called the Morning Star of the Reformation 20:32 because he was the beginning in a chain of events 20:35 that once started, became unstoppable. 20:39 John Wycliffe gave to the Christian Church 20:42 perhaps the greatest gift possible, 20:45 the Bible. 20:46 And once given, the light would begin to shine 20:49 and the darkness would be peeled away. 21:01 John Wycliffe's work is key in our Christian heritage, 21:05 for at the Center of our faith is the Bible. 21:10 Never underestimate 21:12 the extent of the work that you do. 21:14 John Wycliffe was called here to Lutterworth, 21:16 a small quiet country town, 21:19 or probably back then just a village. 21:22 If any of us were called here to this town today, 21:24 we might think it's not good enough 21:26 or not big enough or not prestigious enough. 21:29 But he faithfully did the work that God had called him to do 21:33 and gave to the Christian Church 21:35 perhaps the greatest gift possible. 21:38 Wherever you are, 21:39 use the gifts and the talents that God has given you, 21:43 for you never know how far your influence may spread. 22:09 Every so often 22:10 a technological invention comes along 22:12 that changes everything about the way we live. 22:16 If you were born in this millennium, 22:17 it's likely you only know a world 22:19 where there have been smartphones, the internet, 22:21 and satellite TV. 22:23 These things are as much a part of life today 22:26 as putting our shoes on in the morning 22:28 when we leave the house 22:29 or eating breakfast first thing in the day. 22:32 Those who are little older, though, 22:33 will remember a world 22:35 where there was no social media, 22:36 where the internet was very slow or non-existent, 22:40 and the idea of taking a photograph 22:42 on your mobile phone was mind-boggling. 22:46 Video chat seemed way distant in the future, 22:49 and yet today these things are considered normal 22:52 and a part of life. 22:58 There was a time 22:59 when if you wanted to read something, 23:01 then it would have been hand written by someone else. 23:04 Books were expensive and hard to come by. 23:07 The materials were costly. 23:09 Monks would write on treated skins called vellum 23:13 and a single copy of the Bible 23:14 would require 300 sheepskins 23:17 or 170 calf skins. 23:20 Most people could not read, 23:22 and the majority of books were in Latin, 23:24 a language that only the most educated 23:28 could understand. 23:32 In the 15th century the printing press came along 23:35 and revolutionized the world of literature, 23:38 fundamentally changing the way that we communicate, 23:41 as it enabled the fast flow of information 23:44 and led to the quick spread of new ideas. 23:47 Once text could be reproduced quickly, 23:50 people had access to read books that they didn't have before. 23:54 A previously illiterate populace 23:56 now turned into a more educated and inquisitive one. 24:05 The printing press was invented by a German goldsmith 24:08 by the name of Johannes Gutenberg. 24:11 The exact date of his birth is not known 24:13 as he was not a famous man during his lifetime, 24:16 but it is believed 24:18 he finished working on the printing press 24:19 at around the year 1440. 24:24 The first book to be published in several volumes 24:26 and multiple copies was the Bible in 1452. 24:31 The Gutenberg Bibles 24:32 would prove to be immensely popular, 24:34 with all 200 copies of them being sold 24:37 before the copying was even complete. 24:40 This was 65 years 24:42 before Martin Luther published his 95 Theses, 24:45 and while he was able to preach 24:46 to only a relatively small number of people, 24:49 the printed page would reach thousands of people 24:52 in a short space of time and across national borders. 24:59 With books being translated from Latin 25:02 into other languages, 25:03 people naturally began to ask 25:05 why was mass still being conducted in Latin. 25:09 People began to ask 25:10 why church services were not conducted 25:12 in the language that members of society, 25:15 regardless of their wealth or education, 25:17 could actually understand. 25:24 Gutenberg's printing press 25:26 meant more access to information, 25:28 more detailed discussion, 25:30 and more widespread criticism of the authorities. 25:33 As such, the printing press popularized ideas 25:36 associated with the Protestant faith 25:38 during the Reformation, 25:40 allowing the press to shape and channel a mass movement. 25:48 The printing press removed control of written material 25:51 from the Catholic Church, 25:53 and made it difficult for the church 25:54 to inhibit the spread of ideas 25:56 that they regarded as heretical. 25:59 Had it not been for Gutenberg's invention, 26:01 the news of Luther's revolutionary ideas 26:04 would not have spread as quickly as they did. 26:07 Today God have given us technology 26:09 that we can use to spread ideas very quickly. 26:12 May we use the talents we have, the gifts we have, 26:16 and the technology we have 26:17 to spread the news of Jesus to the world today. |
Revised 2020-04-29