This is an excerpt from the introduction of Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life by Christopher Richmann (1517 Publishing, 2026).
We can bring our troubles, griefs, sorrows, and sins to Jesus, who meets us smack dab in the middle of our messy mob.
Confession isn’t a detour in the liturgy. It’s the doorway.

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If anyone could be accused of squandering riches, it would be Jesus. The Pharisees have seen Him squander the blessings of God on tax collectors and sinners. He did it then. He does it now, for you and me.
We don’t need to make forgiveness, life, and salvation a hard sell.
Jesus will be working in our feeble misguided efforts to reach out to the world. He governs our words and our deeds, no matter how awkward they might seem.
Only true doctrine teaches people how to love God and others. Love is the best test for our theology, for true love and true doctrine go together.
Ultimately it’s at the cross of Calvary, through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the great Lion of Judah, that the stone table is broken, and everything sad does indeed finally come untrue.
We would expect Jesus to be delighted people have responded to the master’s invitation. Instead, Jesus asks these people to reconsider whether they should be following Him or not.
As we do in daily life, so we have done in our reading of the Bible: we have placed ourselves at the center, and Christ at the periphery.
The question that this text poses for us today is “What does it mean to believe in the resurrection?”
On this Day Handel Begins Composing Messiah, and 5 Things We Can Learn From It
Luke does not tell us who asked it. But it’s a good question. “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”
A person, not a nation, can be a Christian because only a person can be saved by grace through faith in the work of Christ.
Contrary to what pop-psychology, social media memes, and your sweet grandmother told you, you are not fine just the way you are.