Not long ago, on a public social media platform on the internet, a recent convert to Confessional Lutheranism expressed some misgivings about the themes and emphases of Lenten services in this person’s new church. This person had come from a church where Lent was never discussed, and where no such special season was observed. Instead,…
Job 4:14-20 A well-known African-American spiritual includes these poignant words: Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they laid him in the…
Jonah 3:1-10 The reading from the Book of Jonah that we heard a few minutes ago tells us that, after Jonah called the ruler and people of Nineveh to repentance for their sins, they did indeed repent. And their repentance was accompanied by certain outward actions that symbolized and underscored their humility before God, and…