Today's Reading: Jeremiah 26:1-15
Daily Lectionary: Genesis 39:1-23; Mark 10:13-31
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord all the words that I command you to speak to them, do not hold back a word.’” (Jeremiah 26:2)
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. God speaks to us through the Word. He calls us to repent of our sins, to turn from our wickedness, and bids us to flee from His wrath. He enlivens us to faith, forgives our sins, and makes us His own—all through His Word.
So read His Word, mark His Word, take His Word to heart. Live from it. Let it fill your conversations with your friends. Let your prayers drip with His promises and the thankfulness that comes from the certainty that what the Word says of you is true.
God is your Father. You are His child. He loves you—even you—not because you have something that is lovable inside of you. You know what’s inside of you, and you know it’s not good. You are his precious possession, His beloved child, solely because of what Christ did for you on the Cross.
To put His Law and Gospel into your ears, God has sent you your pastor. Your pastor is Christ’s servant, sent to deliver His gifts to you. He takes God’s words and applies them to you. When you need to hear the Law, pastor gives you the Law. When you need forgiveness, He forgives you for Christ’s sake. That’s his whole job!
Christ works through your pastor. So when your pastor preaches the Law to you, Christ is calling you to repentance. When he forgives your sins and reminds you that you are a child of God, Christ is reminding you that your sins are forgiven and that you are a child of God. When he baptizes you, Christ is baptizing you. When he feeds you the Lord Supper, Christ is doing that, too.
Your pastor isn’t Christ. He doesn’t want to be. He is Christ’s servant, His messenger, for the delivery of His Gospel to you. When he preaches the Word, Christ is speaking to you.
A faithful pastor, or a prophet like Jeremiah, will speak words that you may not like. Jeremiah’s preaching of the Lord’s words would get him killed. Yet, he still spoke them to save the people the Lord sent Him to save.
The Lord may speak some harsh words to you through your pastor. Remember, that’s God dealing with you, trying to get you out of your sins and rescue you from hell. Pastor is speaking what God wants Him to say to save you. You may not always like the words or the man saying them, but you are given to listen to him and respect him.
God speaks, after all, through His Word. So that you might know this and believe this, God sent you your pastor. Pray today and ask God to give Him a happy and forgiveness-filled Lent. In the name of Jesus. Amen.