“May the Lord bless you in this period of repentance with joy, knowing that Jesus loves sinners,” says the Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, in his Lenten message to the church.
In the 7-minute video (available here), Harrison details the last days of reformer Martin Luther and reminds viewers that Luther’s final written words, his “great legacy to Christianity” — “We are beggars, this is true” — serve as a timeless reminder that it is only by God’s grace and mercy we are saved.
“We as a church body need the mercy of Christ,” Harrison says. “We’re in turbulent and challenging times, there’s no doubt about it. Recent events in Ukraine harken back to many wars and challenges in the past. I’ve been traveling in Africa and other places in the world, and right in the midst of all the difficulties and challenges, the Gospel is prospering mightily.
“We’re in a challenging time in the U.S. but it’s time — always time — for us to confess Christ, to be who we are as Lutherans, to hold firm on the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.”
