Ministry is Based on Mercy

Moses was the newborn son of Hebrew slaves. After he was found floating in a reed basket in the Nile River by Pharaoh's daughter, she adopted him into the royal family. Moses received a noble Egyptian education. But he remained a Hebrew. When he was 40 years old, Moses saw an Egyptian guard beating a Hebrew slave. Moses struck and killed the guard. Then he fled into the Sinai mountains and became a shepherd for 40 years.

That's when the Angel of the Lord -- the pre-incarnate Jesus -- appeared to Moses in a burning bush. The Lord didn't see a weak, whining, inadequate shepherd. He saw a man who would speak face-to-face with God as a friend; who would be his chosen servant to speak face-to-face with Pharaoh and say, "Let my people go"; and would lead God's people out of Egyptian slavery and into the Promised Land of Canaan. Jesus -- as the Angel of the Lord -- appeared to Moses to call him into his public ministry.

Matthew was a tax collector. As a Jew, he was employed by the hated Roman Empire to collect taxes from his own Jewish people. Tax collectors were notorious for their greed and corruption. When Jesus came upon Matthew's booth, he didn't see a sinner to shun. He saw a soul sick with sin that the Physician of body and soul could save. He saw a man who would no longer take taxes from people. He saw his future disciple, apostle, and evangelist who would give God's Word to the people. Jesus appeared to Matthew to call him into his public ministry.

On the road to Damascus, the ascended Lord Jesus appeared to Saul as a bright light. Jesus knocked Saul off his horse and onto his self-righteous butt. In Paul's own words, "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:13-14).

The voice of the crucified One spoke from heaven: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me" (Acts 9:4)? And suddenly the shoe was on the other foot. The arrester was arrested. The slayer was slain. Saul was struck down and made blind. But three days later, he was baptized. His sight was given back. His life was given back -- a new life, a difficult life, and with this new life he was given a new name -- no longer would he be known as Saul, but now as Paul. Through Christ's grace and mercy, he was no longer a persecutor, but a preacher. No longer hunting those with Christ's name, but he was now a missionary serving in Christ's name. The ascended Jesus appeared to Paul to call him into his public ministry.

Who would want these guys as their pastors? A murderer and run-away scaredy cat. A hated traitor to your culture and suspected cheater. A violent man who hunted your Christian siblings, threw some in jail, and killed others. Yet, these were some of the greatest leaders, apostles, and missionaries in the Bible -- Moses, Matthew, and Paul!

God used them for his ministry. God used Moses' leadership, Matthew's wisdom, and Paul's passion. That's what he was looking for in his pastors.

The Lord in his mercy called Moses, Matthew, and Paul into his public ministry. He said, "I want you. Leave your old life and follow me in a new life. No longer as a shepherd, but as my chosen leader. No longer as a tax collector, but as an apostle. No longer as a persecutor, but as a missionary." And for countless generations, the Lord has called men so they are no longer a farmer or businessman or builder or soldier or student or whatever, but as a pastor of God's people.

What do you look for in a pastor? What are his duties? What is his role in the congregation?

The pastor is a leader, yet he is also your servant. He is a shepherd, yet he is also a sinful sheep. He heals, skillfully using the double-edged scalpel of Law and Gospel. He is an evangelist, a teacher, a preacher, a confidant, a counselor, a scholar, an entertainer, and a friend. He visits the sick, marries those in love, comforts the grieving, buries the dead, admonishes those who sin, chases down the wandering, and feeds the faithful.

He plans worship services, teaches Bible classes at church and in homes, visits members in the hospital or when they're homebound, goes out for coffee with members and outreach prospects, canvasses homes, organizes events like soccer camp and for WELS Wyoming Youth, does counseling, records podcasts, creates social media content, and more. So, when he posts pictures on Facebook of his hiking exploits, some friend will always ask, "Do you work?"

The Scriptures have some demanding qualifications for every man who is called into the public ministry. Here are just a few of God's qualifications: He must be above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, an example for believers in life, in love, in faith and purity, watching his doctrine closely, blameless, upright, holy, and disciplined (1 Timothy 3:2-7; 1 Timothy 4:12,15-16; Titus 1:6-8).

Ministry is based on mercy. Christ shows the minister mercy. Then the minister shows Christ's mercy to those to whom he is called to minister.

The minister does not do his job to speak to an audience but to preach God's Word to God's people. It's not about gaining glory but about being used by God to gain souls for God's Kingdom to his glory. It's not about receiving prestige or power, but about becoming weak so Christ can be his strength (2 Corinthians 12:10).

There is both honor and humility for a pastor when he sees God using men like Moses, Matthew and Paul in his public ministry. If God can use "losers" like these three, well ... then God can use a loser like your pastor, too. If God could convey his message through a staff-turned-snake to stir Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10), and teach a lesson to an unhappy preacher through a vine (Jonah 4:10) or speak to Balaam through a donkey (Numbers 22:28) ... then God can speak through someone like your pastor.

It's through Christ's mercy that both pastors and people confess with Pastor Paul: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life" (1 Timothy 1:15-16).

Do you remember playing dodgeball in grade school? I shared a meme this week that dodgeball felt like being a rebel on the planet Hoth dodging laser bolts from AT-ATs. Most of us weren't good at dodgeball. No arm. Slow. Can't catch. Can't dodge. Just getting pummeled!

Paul doesn't sugarcoat it. Satan pummels us with our sins! Don't worship. Don't pray. Don't respect our leaders. Don't evangelize. We curse. Cuss. Gossip. Despair. Cheat. Hate. Retaliate. Lust. We're mean. Lazy. Greedy. Hypocritical. We are the worst of sinners! Chief of sinners, though I be!

The surprise for Paul was that God chose him despite whom he had been. The surprise is that God chose a man to be your pastor despite who he is. The surprise is that God chooses you despite whom you had been ... and still are. Understanding that we are the worst, God sent Jesus to display his unlimited patience, to forgive us, give us faith, call us to follow him, and grant eternal life. What a stunning expression of mercy!

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "We hold this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power is from God and not from us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). What a stunning expression of mercy that God continues to convey his treasure of salvation through a cracked pot like your pastor.

By his mercy, God uses men like Moses, Matthew, Paul, me and other pastors to preach, teach, absolve, counsel, and administer the sacraments. It is both in humility and with great honor that the pastor is the voice of Christ to speak his Word of forgiveness to sinners and proclaim comfort to the suffering and grieving. He is the man Christ has appointed to exercise his keys -- locking heaven for the unrepentant and unlocking heaven for the repentant.

Your pastor may not be the greatest orator, but it is the pen of the Holy Spirit who gives your pastor the words to preach. The pastor may dress up to look classy or dress down to look cool, but that's why your pastor wears a clerical robe. Then you don't focus on the man and his clothing but focus on the message and Christ's righteousness which covers the man like a white robe. The pastor may not be the greatest counselor, but he has compassion for the wounded sheep and hurting lambs in his flock. Your pastor may not be the greatest singer, but as one of my previous organists pointed out, "Pastor, we should write music for the three notes you can sing."

At one time you may have a pastor who is fresh from the Seminary, but your sins are still absolved even though the pastor lacks experience, for Christ is speaking through your pastor and Jesus has plenty of experience forgiving sins. Another time you may have a pastor who is older, getting close to retirement age, his cadence may be slow, but Christ's voice is still clearly heard and the gospel still purely preached. You may have a pastor who is no longer as young and energetic as he once was, but God still works through him to grow his kingdom, feed his sheep, and baptize and commune his family. You may have a pastor who grew up working on a farm so working hard is what he expects of himself.

Through his mercy, Jesus uses men like Moses, Matthew, Paul, and your pastors to minister to you with Word and Sacraments. Through his mercy, Jesus brings sinners like you into his church. To pray. To praise. To confess. To listen. To sing. To support his church.

I visited Bob Albrecht this week as a shut-in visit. We talked about God bringing new families to our church. Bob is one of the founding members of Lord of Lords. I thanked Bob for God using him and others to start this church. Some of you were here when Bob and Doris Miller came to Lord of Lords with their seven children. People were excited to see them because they doubled the size of the church. God may move you away from Casper someday. Then he can use you to start a church out of your home -- much like Lord of Lords was started.

In my office is a framed picture of Martin Luther's Sacristy Prayer. It was a gift from the Altar Guild at Water of Life. "Lord God, You have appointed me as a Bishop and Pastor in Your Church, but you see how unsuited I am to meet so great and difficult a task. If I had lacked Your help, I would have ruined everything long ago. Therefore, I call upon You: I wish to devote my mouth and my heart to you; I shall teach the people. I myself will learn and ponder diligently upon Your Word. Use me as Your instrument -- but do not forsake me, for if ever I should be on my own, I would easily wreck it all."

Though Moses, Matthew, and Paul were not great to begin with, God made them great and grew his Kingdom through them. Please pray that your pastor may be a leader like Moses, an evangelist like Matthew, and a preacher like Paul. Pray that God may show mercy to your pastor so he may convey God's mercy to you. Pray that God may show mercy as he continues to minister to you through his Church. Amen.