Advent 3
Devotional
Pause Before The Pulpit
Personal Reflections For Pastors On The Lectionary Readings
John 1:6-8, 19-28
Who are you?
"What?" you ask. "What do you mean, 'Who are you?' "
That was the question asked of John the Baptist in this text. It's a good question to ask ourselves, for it might shed some light on how we view our calling as a pastor.
John was asked if he was the Messiah, or Elijah, or the prophet. Now think with me how it would have affected his ministry, if John had thought himself to be the Messiah or Elijah. I'm sure he would have presented himself much differently. No doubt his message would also have been different. Perhaps his way of relating to people would have been different, and no doubt they would have responded to him differently. Worst of all, John would have failed miserably at carrying out God's purpose for his life and ministry.
So I ask you again, "Who are you?" How you answer that question is a direct reflection of how you view yourself, your position in life, and God's purpose in calling you. For example, if you see yourself largely as an administrative pastor, you will fill your day with administrative details and become annoyed with most everything else. Sermon preparations and preaching will be something you do because you have to, not because you feel called to.
Let's suppose you see yourself as primarily a visitation pastor. You love to visit people, whether in their homes, at a restaurant, in the hospital, or in nursing homes. You would spend all of your time visiting people if you could. Now, on the one hand, that is commendable, for much good ministry takes place in visitation and how well you do in this area can make or break your ministry. However, as in the previous example, if this is primarily how you view yourself, sermon preparation and preaching will be something merely to be tolerated since you have to do it.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, who have been called by God to be ministers of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, our primary calling is still very similar to that of John! We are called to be the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. The Apostle Paul put it well when he wrote to the church in Rome: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? (Romans 10:13-14).
I urge you to put your name in the appropriate places in verses 6-8 of our text so that it might read something like this:
There was a [person] sent from God, whose name was _(name)__. [He/She] came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through [his/her preaching]. (Name)_ was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
When I read the text in this way, it clarifies for me who I am and what my primary purpose as a pastor is. The difference between the day in which we minister, and John's day, is that in John's day, the true light was just coming into the world. In our day, the true light has come. There is no mistaking who he is and the immense value of us testifying about him.
Don't get me wrong; administration, visitation, and everything else that is expected of pastors have their place, but anything that diminishes the importance of our calling to proclaim the gospel and testify for Christ is distorting our identity and hindering our ability to quickly reply, as John did, to the question, "Who are you?"
Many in the church today see little or no value in the pastor's role and identity as a proclaimer of the word; therefore we must defend it with conviction and the authority of God's Word.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for making me who I am. Thank you for the privilege of proclaiming your word to a world that is searching for the true light that has already come into the world. Please forgive me for times I have taken the importance of this calling too lightly. Help me to give it first priority in my ministry and to know how to communicate to my parishioners, not only your precious truths, but how important this part of my ministry is. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
These "final exhortations," in the Apostle Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, are delightful gems of truth for all Christians, but especially significant and meaningful for those of us in ministry. Let's carefully examine them to see how this is true.
Our text begins with this quick, almost shocking exhortation: Rejoice always! Really? Even when I'm having a bad day? Even when the whole world seems to be against me? Even when I feel like I'm ineffective and accomplishing nothing? Yes, even then -- and especially then! You see, the Apostle Paul had learned how to do this, as he pointed out further in his letter to the Philippian church. In that letter (ch. 4) he wrote about rejoicing and being content no matter what circumstances he was facing. Where does such joy come from? It doesn't come from people, successful programs, good sermons, more money, or anything temporal. It only comes from a deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
His next exhortation is just as brief and startling: Pray without ceasing! What? How do we find time for that? I'm sure we've all taught this verse to parishioners who reacted similarly to Paul's challenge, and so we know he doesn't mean that we should pray 24/7. However, we don't want to just brush this off as hyperbole either, for he does mean something by this. The meaning of this, and its fulfillment in our daily lives, is seen and experienced by being in such an intimate relationship with God that at any moment we burst into conversation with him. So, for example, when stuck on a difficult Bible passage, or facing a tense situation in a meeting, or confronted with a hard counseling issue, we can, at that moment, talk to God (at least in our thoughts) and ask for wisdom, comfort, peace, or whatever we need. That is praying without ceasing. It becomes our way of life and ministry.
Paul's third exhortation is a bit longer, but as shocking as the first two: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Oh how hard this has been for me, and still is yet today. Does he really mean every circumstance? Am I to give thanks for difficult people? Am I to give thanks for personal crisis? Am I to give thanks when giving or attendance, or both, are down? Well, again, remember who wrote this and how he probably faced more discouraging circumstances in his lifetime than a whole district of pastors combined! Paul had learned from experience that difficult circumstances are good for us, as it is in the heat of trials that faith and godly character are developed. That is something to be really thankful for!
The fourth exhortation doesn't so much shock us, as it causes us to pause in thoughtful reflection about its meaning and significance for our life and ministry: Do not quench the Spirit. You mean to say, I might do that? I can somehow hinder his working in me and my parish? Absolutely! And that ought to be a sobering thought for all of us. Perhaps the remaining exhortations in the text shed some light on this, for if we despise the words of God's prophets, if we don't test everything for truth or falsehood, if we don't hold fast to what is good, if we don't abstain from every form of evil, and if we don't allow God to sanctify us entirely -- keeping our spirit, soul, and body sound and blameless until the coming of Christ -- we will most definitely quench the Spirit of God who is at work in and through us.
If there is anything I have learned over fifteen years of ministry, it is how desperately I need God's Holy Spirit in every area of my life and ministry. But how easily and quickly I can quench his work in and through me due to sin. We, in ministry, cannot afford to preach, teach, and beseech our parishioners without the help of the Holy Spirit. If we attempt to do so, we will eventually fail.
Our human nature often rebels when confronted by such blunt truths as these Pauline exhortations, but they are for our good and hold the key to successful ministry.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Please help me to take each of these exhortations to heart and to allow your Holy Spirit the freedom to work in and through me. I want to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances and think, say, or do nothing that will quench your Spirit's work in me, nor the ministry you have called me to. Thank you. Amen.
Who are you?
"What?" you ask. "What do you mean, 'Who are you?' "
That was the question asked of John the Baptist in this text. It's a good question to ask ourselves, for it might shed some light on how we view our calling as a pastor.
John was asked if he was the Messiah, or Elijah, or the prophet. Now think with me how it would have affected his ministry, if John had thought himself to be the Messiah or Elijah. I'm sure he would have presented himself much differently. No doubt his message would also have been different. Perhaps his way of relating to people would have been different, and no doubt they would have responded to him differently. Worst of all, John would have failed miserably at carrying out God's purpose for his life and ministry.
So I ask you again, "Who are you?" How you answer that question is a direct reflection of how you view yourself, your position in life, and God's purpose in calling you. For example, if you see yourself largely as an administrative pastor, you will fill your day with administrative details and become annoyed with most everything else. Sermon preparations and preaching will be something you do because you have to, not because you feel called to.
Let's suppose you see yourself as primarily a visitation pastor. You love to visit people, whether in their homes, at a restaurant, in the hospital, or in nursing homes. You would spend all of your time visiting people if you could. Now, on the one hand, that is commendable, for much good ministry takes place in visitation and how well you do in this area can make or break your ministry. However, as in the previous example, if this is primarily how you view yourself, sermon preparation and preaching will be something merely to be tolerated since you have to do it.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, who have been called by God to be ministers of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, our primary calling is still very similar to that of John! We are called to be the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. The Apostle Paul put it well when he wrote to the church in Rome: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? (Romans 10:13-14).
I urge you to put your name in the appropriate places in verses 6-8 of our text so that it might read something like this:
There was a [person] sent from God, whose name was _(name)__. [He/She] came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through [his/her preaching]. (Name)_ was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
When I read the text in this way, it clarifies for me who I am and what my primary purpose as a pastor is. The difference between the day in which we minister, and John's day, is that in John's day, the true light was just coming into the world. In our day, the true light has come. There is no mistaking who he is and the immense value of us testifying about him.
Don't get me wrong; administration, visitation, and everything else that is expected of pastors have their place, but anything that diminishes the importance of our calling to proclaim the gospel and testify for Christ is distorting our identity and hindering our ability to quickly reply, as John did, to the question, "Who are you?"
Many in the church today see little or no value in the pastor's role and identity as a proclaimer of the word; therefore we must defend it with conviction and the authority of God's Word.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for making me who I am. Thank you for the privilege of proclaiming your word to a world that is searching for the true light that has already come into the world. Please forgive me for times I have taken the importance of this calling too lightly. Help me to give it first priority in my ministry and to know how to communicate to my parishioners, not only your precious truths, but how important this part of my ministry is. Amen.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
These "final exhortations," in the Apostle Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, are delightful gems of truth for all Christians, but especially significant and meaningful for those of us in ministry. Let's carefully examine them to see how this is true.
Our text begins with this quick, almost shocking exhortation: Rejoice always! Really? Even when I'm having a bad day? Even when the whole world seems to be against me? Even when I feel like I'm ineffective and accomplishing nothing? Yes, even then -- and especially then! You see, the Apostle Paul had learned how to do this, as he pointed out further in his letter to the Philippian church. In that letter (ch. 4) he wrote about rejoicing and being content no matter what circumstances he was facing. Where does such joy come from? It doesn't come from people, successful programs, good sermons, more money, or anything temporal. It only comes from a deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
His next exhortation is just as brief and startling: Pray without ceasing! What? How do we find time for that? I'm sure we've all taught this verse to parishioners who reacted similarly to Paul's challenge, and so we know he doesn't mean that we should pray 24/7. However, we don't want to just brush this off as hyperbole either, for he does mean something by this. The meaning of this, and its fulfillment in our daily lives, is seen and experienced by being in such an intimate relationship with God that at any moment we burst into conversation with him. So, for example, when stuck on a difficult Bible passage, or facing a tense situation in a meeting, or confronted with a hard counseling issue, we can, at that moment, talk to God (at least in our thoughts) and ask for wisdom, comfort, peace, or whatever we need. That is praying without ceasing. It becomes our way of life and ministry.
Paul's third exhortation is a bit longer, but as shocking as the first two: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Oh how hard this has been for me, and still is yet today. Does he really mean every circumstance? Am I to give thanks for difficult people? Am I to give thanks for personal crisis? Am I to give thanks when giving or attendance, or both, are down? Well, again, remember who wrote this and how he probably faced more discouraging circumstances in his lifetime than a whole district of pastors combined! Paul had learned from experience that difficult circumstances are good for us, as it is in the heat of trials that faith and godly character are developed. That is something to be really thankful for!
The fourth exhortation doesn't so much shock us, as it causes us to pause in thoughtful reflection about its meaning and significance for our life and ministry: Do not quench the Spirit. You mean to say, I might do that? I can somehow hinder his working in me and my parish? Absolutely! And that ought to be a sobering thought for all of us. Perhaps the remaining exhortations in the text shed some light on this, for if we despise the words of God's prophets, if we don't test everything for truth or falsehood, if we don't hold fast to what is good, if we don't abstain from every form of evil, and if we don't allow God to sanctify us entirely -- keeping our spirit, soul, and body sound and blameless until the coming of Christ -- we will most definitely quench the Spirit of God who is at work in and through us.
If there is anything I have learned over fifteen years of ministry, it is how desperately I need God's Holy Spirit in every area of my life and ministry. But how easily and quickly I can quench his work in and through me due to sin. We, in ministry, cannot afford to preach, teach, and beseech our parishioners without the help of the Holy Spirit. If we attempt to do so, we will eventually fail.
Our human nature often rebels when confronted by such blunt truths as these Pauline exhortations, but they are for our good and hold the key to successful ministry.
A Pastor's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Please help me to take each of these exhortations to heart and to allow your Holy Spirit the freedom to work in and through me. I want to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances and think, say, or do nothing that will quench your Spirit's work in me, nor the ministry you have called me to. Thank you. Amen.
