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The Final Prayer of Michael Sattler

sermonindex Oct 19, 2017


Sattler was born in Germany near the end of the 15th Century and pursued an education at the University of Freiburg. He joined the monastery of St. Peter and was so pious he eventually rose to the position of Prior. His study of the Scriptures ”“ in conjunction with the Reformation ”“ caused him to leave the monastery and marry in 1523.

In early 1527, Sattler presided over a conference of the Swiss Brethren at Schleitheim (in Switzerland), which produced the creed still known today as the Schleitheim Confession. Unfortunately, the young Anabaptist and his wife were captured by Roman Catholic authorities in May of that same year, and tried on the charges of heresy…for claiming that infant baptism couldn’t save.

On the morning of May 21, 1527, Sattler was led out to the executioner. In spite of the horrendous torture that he was about to endure, he prayed for the judge and his persecutors, and then encouraged those standing by to repent of their sins. In answer to his prayers, Sattler’s torturers cut out his tongue. They then took hot iron tongs, and seven different times, gouged out pieces of his flesh.
Sattler’s bleeding body was then taken to the town square where it was further ripped and flayed by the heated iron devices. As they tied him to the ladder to be burned, Sattler uttered another prayer for his persecutors. Soon, his entire body was engulfed in flames.

But Sattler had one more act of faith to perform. He had promised to give his followers a signal from the very platform of torture that day. As the fire burned through the ropes binding his hands, he lifted one of them and gave them the promised sign. They now knew that a martyr’s death was a bearable one.
Finally, from his seared lips, the crowd standing by heard him say, "Father, I commend my spirit into Thy hands.” Then he joined the Savior in death that he had served in life.


from: http://www.itslikethis.org/the-final-prayer-of-michael-sattler/

sermonindex Oct 19, 2017

In May 1527, Sattler was arrested by Count Joachim of Zollern, regent of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, along with his wife and several other Anabaptists. He was kept a prisoner in the tower of Binsdorf in Baden-Württemberg.[8] He was tried and sentenced to be executed as a heretic in Rottenburg am Neckar. The sentence to execution read, "Michael Sattler shall be committed to the executioner. The latter shall take him to the square and there first cut out his tongue, and then forge him fast to a wagon and there with glowing iron tongs twice tear pieces from his body, then on the way to the site of execution five times more as above and then burn his body to powder as an arch-heretic."[9] The other men in the group were executed by sword, and the women, including Margaretha, were executed by drowning.

A memorial plaque at the site of his execution near Rottenburg am Neckar reads: "The Baptist Michael Sattler was executed by burning after severe torture on 20 May 1527 here on the "Gallows Hill". He died as a true witness of Jesus Christ. His wife Margaretha and other members of the congregation were drowned and burned. They acted for the baptism of those who want to follow Christ, for an independent congregation of the faithful, for the peaceful message of the Sermon on the Mount."


from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Sattler

sermonindex Oct 19, 2017

Link to excellent YouTube movie on the life of Michael and Marguerite Sattler.

https://youtu.be/4sD9fjgc3b4

Blaine

sermonindex Oct 19, 2017

Yes, not perfect as it shows romance scenes (kissing) but well worth watching for older saints not teenagers or younger children. The movie shows the radical way that the early anabaptists found the truth that it is not by the sword, not by swearing oaths to kings and rulers, that the Church was under Christ alone and not a pope or man-made king. This radical departure was condemned with anger even from Zwingli, Calvin and even Luther. They became a smaller catholic church persecuting the brethren.

Does not the world need a renewed anabaptist movement in the evangelical church? In a day were american christianity is associated with republican and church and state.

The confession that Sattler put together with other Swiss Brethren (anabaptists in different northern regions of europe) is very powerful and perhaps needed to be adopted in our modern day. The Confession can be read here: https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=60237&forum=40

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