A Messenger of the Divine Mercy

In a series of sermons for the Lenten season, pastor and author John H. Baumgaertner shares one of the greatest moments that can ever happen to a pastor, though, in truth it is available to all who have experienced the joy that comes from receiving God’s grace:

Every Christian minister from time to time is visited in the privacy of his study by some person who is completely crushed by a guilt that the despairing individual believes to be beyond forgiveness. And it is precisely then that a pastor is most grateful for the privilege of being what he is by the grace of God. A messenger of the divine mercy, a spokesman for the suffering Son of God. For he can say something like this “Let’s forget about you for the moment and talk about Jesus.

It’s because He came that I’m here, and I know it’s because of Him that you came to me. And you’re right. He has something He wants to say to you through me. He is saying to you, i came to make it possible for you and for anyone to find forgiveness in the love of the Father. That’s why He sent Me. He wanted Me to take the burden of your guilt on Myself.

He wanted Me to share your whole life that you might share Mine. I’ve done that. I’ve lived for you, and I’ve died for you. And I’ve been raised from the dead, and I’m living now to tell you that My Father loves you that much. And ai/ We ask of you is the willingness to believe that, to accept it We want you to know the joy of a penitent heart that has found forgiveness. We want you to live the changed and the radiant life of one who knows what it means to be born anew.