Thought About Being a Pastor? Terrified? Good! By Rev. Caleb Schewe
“Behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”
What kind of sadistic man puts lambs in the midst of wolves? Apparently Jesus does. Surprisingly, it’s not the wolves that the pastor should fear. We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Stop fearing the wolves.
H I G H E R T H I N G S __
A pastor should have fear, reverent fear, as he handles holy things. He handles the Word of God. The Word of God is no trifle. God’s Law is a hammer. The pastor must dare to wield that hammer to break prideful hearts in repentance. God’s Word is a sharp two-edged sword. The pastor must dare to use it to cut and lance wounds caused by sin, that the remedy of the Gospel may heal those wounds in Christ. The pastor must dare to preach damning Law and forgiving Gospel and believe that God’s Word will do its work. That Word doesn’t need gimmicks or anecdotes to make it appealing. The Word of God is sufficient, powerful enough to take beaten paths, rocky and thorny ground, and turn them into good soil to bear good fruit.
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A pastor should have reverent fear as he handles the holy things of the Sacraments. Baptism drowns. Baptism puts to death. Baptism washes. Baptism makes alive. Baptism makes one a temple of the Holy Ghost. A pastor should have reverent fear as he handles the true Body and Blood of Christ. You hold Jesus. You put Jesus into people’s mouths. If this terrifies you, it should. God is not mocked. Even as it terrifies you, do not despair. Jesus deigns to dwell with sinners and to eat and drink with sinners and to be counted among sinners at the Cross. As you consider the Office of the Holy Ministry, take comfort in the knowledge that God has a 100% rate of calling sinners into an office they don’t deserve. God uses sinful men to preach His Word and
