Martin Luther was born in Eiseleben, Germany into a middle class family when he was five years old, he was to school in Mansfeld, where his parents now lived.  The subjects taught at this school were the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, church music, together with some Latin and arithmetic.  The sad part of the instruction was that Martin and his fellow pupils learned little about the love of God.  They learned to know Jesus, not as the Friend of sinners, but as the Judge.  They feared Jesus, but did not love him.
 Martin was a bright pupil and studied hard, At the age of fourteen he was admitted to the Latin High School at Magdeburg, sixty miles from his home. Here, for the first time, Luther had the opportunity to read a Bible.  The next year his father transferred him to a school in Eisenach.  Here a rich and pious young woman, Mrs. Ursula Cotta, took a special liking to him.  At one time, when a group of boys was singing before her house, she invited Martin in and offered him free lodging.  He readily accepted.  He received free meals in another house where he taught a young child of the family. Luther was now free to devote more time to his studies.  Moreover, since the Cotta family was a cultured family, Luther's stay in this home taught him to appreciate such things as music and art and helped him to develop especially his remarkable talent for music.
By the time Martin Luther was far enough advanced to enter the university his father had become a prosperous man.  He could now afford to give Martin a college education.   Recognising the gifts of his son, the father intended that his son should become a lawyer and therefore sent him to the University of Erfurt. Here again the young student prayed and studied diligently.  To increase his knowledge, Luther spent much time in the library.  At the age of twenty one he was awarded the Master of Arts degree which gave him the right to teach.
  However although things appeared to be going well for Martin he was only staying on at the University to please his father, by now he had lost all  lost interest in the law and other matters were occupying his thoughts.
  More and more he studied religion and worried over his sinful condition before God. But no matter what he tried to do to please God, his soul never seemed to be at peace.
 One day a close friend of Martins died unexpectedly.  Luther was so shaken that he became fearful and deeply disturbed.  He asked himself, "What will be my lot in eternity?"  A little later, while returning to Erfurt from a visit to his parents, he was suddenly overtaken by a violent thunderstorm. In his fear he cried out to God to save him, promising that if he did so he would become a monk.
 Martin was faithful to his promise and upon his return to the University, he sold his books, said goodbye to his friends, and entered the Augustinian monastery at Erfurt.  "Now," he said, "I shall certainly lead a far more God pleasing life than I ever did at the University."  In the "Black Cloister" Brother Martin was assigned to a small, unheated cell only seven by ten feet; the room contained a single table, chair, straw bed, and one window.
  While in the monastery Luther continued his study of the Bible.  Dressed in the black robe and little cap, to be worn day and night, he faithfully engaged in the many daily religious rituals and exercises prescribed.  He also spent much time in trudging through the streets of the city, carrying a sack on his back, as was the custom then, begging for bread, butter, eggs, and whatever else he could get for the monastery.  In addition, he swept the chapel, cleaned the rooms, rang the bells, and performed similar work.  Back in his little cell, he diligently studied religion and philosophy and prayed to the saints, eagerly striving to earn his way to heaven through his own good works.  More than ever he was searching for peace of soul; however he could not find rest through all his work.   One thought that was ever present during these days made Luther miserable.   "I am a sinner," he said to himself, "and my sins move God to anger."  As time went on, however, and as he continued to study the Bible, he made the marvellous discovery that salvation is a free gift from God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and that it is ours simply for the asking.
   In the spring of 1507, Luther, now twenty three, was made a priest.  So highly was he thought of by his superiors that he was asked to teach at the University of Erfurt and the newly founded University of Wittenberg.  He soon became known as a great teacher of the Bible.  Students came in great numbers to listen to his lectures.
 His work as teacher was interrupted, however, by a request from his Father Superior, Dr. Staupitz, to go to Rome, where the Pope lived. Martin and a companion set out to walk to Rome.
 The journey to Rome was long and difficult; the two travellers spent their nights in monasteries along the way.   When they finally saw the city before them, Luther fell on his knees and cried out, "Hail, thou holy city of Rome!"  Luthers impression of Rome was not at all favourable he was deeply disappointed to discover the sinful lives of the priests and bishops in that city, as well as the irreverent way they said mass and conducted the religious services.
 After five months Luther returned to the monastery and resumed his teaching at the University of Wittenberg.  In the autumn of 1512, he was honoured with the title of Doctor of Divinity.  Besides teaching at the University, he now also began to preach in the large Castle Church.  Never before had the people heard the Word of God proclaimed so richly and so eloquently.  They flocked in ever increasing numbers to hear him.  In his sermons Luther warned his hearers against trying to earn salvation by good works and pleaded with them to accept God's offer of free salvation in Jesus.
 It was at this point that John Tetzel came to Wittenberg. In those days it was the common practice for the Pope to raise funds by authorising certain monks to sell indulgences for money.  People who purchased these indulgences were promised freedom from punishment on earth and in purgatory.
 John Tetzel was such a monk and he urged people to buy forgiveness for all past, present, and future sins.  Some of Luther's church members purchased these worthless letters of indulgence.  They boldly refused to repent of their sins.  Their impenitence roused Luther to action.  He refused to give such members absolution and Communion unless they showed themselves repentant.  Deeply disturbed by the attitude of the people, Luther preached many sermons on repentance.  Finally he wrote ninety five theses, or points for discussion, in which he condemned the sale of indulgences.  On October 31, 1517, he posted these Ninety Five Theses on the University bulletin board, the door of the Castle Church. In one of his theses he stated, "Every Christian who truly repents has full forgiveness, even without letters of pardon."  Thousands, both in high places and low, were glad that Luther had spoken out.
 When Pope Leo X in Rome heard of the affair in Germany, he was furious and threatened Luther with excommunication if he did not recant within sixty days.  But Luther stood firm, for he felt that he was right and that he had acted for the glory of God.  In 1521 Luther was ordered to appear before the Diet of Worms for trial.  At this convention the highest officials of the Roman Catholic Church and of the State were present, and Luther was again asked to recant.   Not one opponent could bring forward a word from the Bible to show that Luther was mistaken.  Luther, therefore, refused to change anything that he had said or written.
  Luther was now declared an outlaw; anyone might have killed him without fear of punishment.  Although his life was in great danger, Luther was unafraid and began the return journey to Wittenberg. While on his journey a group of his friends got hold of him and conducted him safely to the Wartburg castle where he could remain protected while his life was in danger.
 While at Wartburg Luther translated the New Testament into the German language so that the common people might easily read and understand the Word of God the German Bible was soon being distributed and for the first time the German people were able to read Gods word for themselves.
 Luther remained in seclusion at the Wartburg for almost a year.  Then he returned to his beloved Wittenberg and again appeared in his pulpit.  He preached eight powerful sermons to clear away certain errors into which many had fallen and to show them what the new way of life was really like.  He warned them against using force in their struggle against the Pope and his followers.  Their sole weapon, he urged, was to be the powerful Word of God.   From Wittenberg Luther went to a number of other towns and communities, everywhere counselling to use the liberty from the Papal tyranny for only one purpose  - to trust in Jesus for salvation by faith alone.
 Luther lived in constant danger of being arrested and killed.  But although his friends were worried, no one ever touched him.  That he remained alive seems like a miracle.
 Knowing that Christian faith must be grounded in Christian knowledge, Luther organized Christian schools.  To aid pastors and teachers in their instruction of children, he wrote his Small Catechism in 1529, and also a number of beautiful hymns, he published the first Protestant hymnbook in 1524, and interested other able writers and composers in the production of good hymns and tunes.  He helped in writing the Augsburg Confession, published in 1530.  He completed the translation of the the Old Testament in 1534.  Though hampered by ill health, he was ever active, both among the people and in the quiet of his study.  His writings fill many volumes.  He continued to work hard until the day before he died.
 On June 13, 1525, Luther had married Katherine von Bora, a former nun.  The wedding ceremony took place in the Black Cloister in Wittenberg, now changed into a dwelling place for Luther.   God blessed this marriage with three boys and three girls.  Luther loved home life, and he took time to play with his children, to make music with them, and to write letters to them when he was away from home.  He was also interested in gardening and in the problems of running a household.  He had many visitors.  Although Luther was a man of modest means, he was very generous.  His kindness and liberality to others sometimes worried his wife, especially since Luther was extremely hospitable and would freely give shelter, food and even money to the unfortunate.
  On January 23, 1546, at the urgent invitation of the princes of Mansfeld, Luther set out for Eiseleben.  Since he did not feel well enough to make the trip alone, he took his two sons Martin and Paul with him, for the weather was bad and the roads were hard to travel.  Five days were required to complete the journey of eighty miles.  Luther went only because this was to be a mission of loving service.  He had been invited for the purpose of re-establishing peace in a family torn by bitter strife.  It was a trying experience for him.  After twenty days of patient counselling, however, he brought about a reconciliation.  But his ailing body was now completely exhausted.  In the evening of February 17 he was taken to his room to rest; near him were his sons and three close friends.  Luther knew that his end was approaching.  In fervent words of prayer he committed his soul to his heavenly Father.  He was asked whether he was ready to die in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose doctrine he had preached.   He answered with a distinct "Yes."  He now dropped into his last sleep and died on February 18, 1546.  His body was taken to Wittenberg; where a funeral service was held on February 22.  Burial was made in the Castle Church, the grave being directly before the pulpit.  It is still there today.
 Luther is dead, but his works live after him.  The Reformation of the Church, which he began, has been carried into all parts of the world.  Jesus, the King of Grace, whom Luther proclaimed, lives in the hearts of millions of believers.  After four hundred years Luther is still honoured as the father of the reformation and one of the greatest teachers the Protestant church has ever known.