A singular prophet among the many in the Old Testament, Jonah the son of Amittai was born about an hour's walk from the town of Nazareth. The focus of his prophetic ministry was the call to preach at Nineveh, the capital of pagan Assyria (Jonah 1:1). His reluctance to respond and God's insistence that his call be heeded is the story of the book that bears Jonah's name. Although the swallowing and disgorging of Jonah by the great fish is the most remembered detail of his life, it is addressed in only three verses of the book (1:17; 2:1, 10). Throughout the book, the important theme is how God deals compassionately sinners. Jonah's three-day sojourn in the belly of the fish is mentioned by Jesus as a sign of his own death, burial and resurrection (Mt. 12:39-41). [From "Commemorations Biographies," Lutheran Service Book, LCMS Commission on Worship]
Higher Things ReflectionThe more things change, the more they stay the same. We may be twenty-first century Christians, but we treat our pastors the same way the people of Nehemiah’s time treated their prophets. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s people didn’t listen to the prophets God sent them. They might’ve repented for a short time, but quickly returned to their old habits. We do the same thing today. We repent of our sin of unbelief, and then quickly return to it.
It was the role of the Old Testament prophets to call God’s people to repentance. Calling people to repentance is an unpopular thing to do. People don’t mind admitting they’re sinners, but they don’t like admitting to specific sins, especially when they did something horrifically evil. They’d rather continue thinking that they are basically good people.
When you are called to repentance, what do you do? Do you repent of your sins or do you try to defend yourself?
Like the Old Testament prophets, the role of pastor is to deliver God’s Word to His people. Whether he is teaching a Bible study, preaching, baptizing, absolving sins, distributing the body and blood of Christ, or simply admonishing the unrepentant, your pastor’s role is to preach the Law to show you your sins, and proclaim to you the Gospel news of your Savior and all that Christ has done for you on the Cross.
If a pastor is not properly delivering God’s message of Law and Gospel, then the congregation is right to question his words and deeds. But when your Pastor is delivering the Word to you in its truth and purity, Christ is speaking to you Himself.
It is an unpleasant thing to consider ones own sinfulness. But where there is repentance there is the forgiveness of sins. This is the way of God. The Law convicts us; the Gospel forgives us.
“Salvation unto us has come by God’s free grace and favor; good works can not avert our doom, they help and save us never. Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone, who did for all the world atone; he is our one redeemer.” (LW #355)
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Philippians 4:11b
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