Saturday after Easter - Devotions in Exile

Saturday after Easter - Devotions in Exile

The lection for Saturday after Easter:
Exodus 19:1-25
Hebrews 13:1-25

Today’s text comes at a time when I think many pastors are wondering about how they can most effectively do that which God called them to do. Many are struggling because they cannot conduct full services with the entire congregations entrusted to their care by God. Many already felt inadequate, for they know their sinfulness and wonder, “why would God want a scumbag like me to care for His beloved children?” COVID-19 has only made that feeling of inadequacy intensify.

Of course, there are also the lay people who think that since the pastor isn’t doing all that he normally does (he may in fact be doing more, but because of safer-at-home and social distancing, people do not see it), after all, “He only works one day a week, and now he isn’t even doing that.”

Gossip in the church, particularly against the pastor, is sinful.  The talk comes back to him, and he is hurt deeply. His wife and children are affected by it, providing an outlet as he puts on a happy face for the public.  All the while, his family is unaware of the pain. Meanwhile, he looks for a solution.  He wonders whether he should resign and get a job that he won’t take home with him.  Depression can lead to other sinful thoughts against himself or others. Satan has a field day!

It is long past time that we pray for all the faithful pastors out there. It should not take such worldly dilemmas to bring us to our knees in prayer, especially for those who are trying, in this once in a lifetime situation, to care for those who are entrusted to them by God. And when this time passes, keep praying for them. I know they love you. They keep you in their prayers. They worry over you, and your eternal well-being, sometimes so badly that it hurts

So why do I bring this up at this time? Well frankly, I did not want to. I would rather avoid it like the plague. But, if you look at the Treasury of Daily Prayer or if you look at the Daily Lectionary in Lutheran Service Book, you will see that I did not choose the reading from Hebrews today. Given the world situation, maybe it is a good thing.

So, I am simply going to copy and paste portions of this text from Hebrews (and from Ezekiel), ask a few questions, and give some concluding comments.

13:1 Let love of the brethren continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it… 7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.  

Who are those called to speak God’s Word to you? Who are called to lead you in that Word? God calls them to speak His Word to His people? Who are they?

But let us read a little later in the text.

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

Who are those who are leaders, who keep watch over your souls as those who will have to give an account? What does verse seven say those leaders are? Those who spoke the word of God to you? They keep watch over souls? They will have to give an account? For what? To who?

These are all great questions.

I wonder, is there anyplace else we can look for answers? All of Scripture is God’s Word, is there any place else in scripture that might help lend some understanding?

I thought the prophet Ezekiel would be a good choice, for he was a leader, sent by God to speak His word to the Israelites. Let me cut and paste portions of the third chapter of His book for you here:

Ezekiel 3:1 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll. 3 He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.

4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them….

…

…9b… Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely. 11 Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’” …

…

… 16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. 18 When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. 20 Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. 21 However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.” (Ezekiel 3:1-4, 9b-11, 16-21   see also Ezekiel 33)

Who is responsible for the souls of those entrusted to His care? What would you call a watchman over the people, who has a Word from God to speak to the people? To whom will that watchman have to answer? What will be required of the watchman by God?

On a regular basis, the people of Israel (church members) ask their watchmen-leaders (pastors) to preach, teach, and do things they want them to do. When the watchman does not do what they want, they get angry at the watchmen. They may even claim that the watchman is “hired” and that he must do what is best for Israel (the congregation). But what is best? Is it what the people want? Or is it what the Lord has said?

And it is then that the watchman cries himself to sleep. He cries because he loves those who have been entrusted to Him by the Good Shepherd. He wants to care for them, feed and nourish them. He has only the things He has been given to do, he is not allowed by the One who has called him to be a steward to freelance. Stewards are like babysitters – if a babysitter is disobedient to the parents of the children in his care, the parents will not ask them back. Indeed, will make sure “he never works in that town again.” But that doesn’t stop the children from begging the babysitter to do what they want, and telling the babysitter that they hate him and want him gone when he continues to do what the parents commanded him to do when they left him in stewardship of their children

That is exactly why Paul warned the young pastor Timothy about what would happen in Israel (the congregations) in his second letter to him.

4:1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

What a blessed thing to be watchman and people, yoked together by God that they might be built up together in Christ. Thankfully neither has to rely upon their own ideas to be “The Church”. In fact, it is Christ who has accomplished all. It is He who has purchased the gifts which the pastor delivers by His own precious blood shed upon the cross. It is a good thing that pastors are only servants, stewards of the mysteries (sacramentum) of God.

The author of the Hebrews ends his Epistle with these words, a fitting ending to this devotion.

18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. 19 And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

                20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

                22 But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. (there are a couple greetings to specific people after this verse, but I did not include those here)

We pray: Gracious God, Your Son appeared to His disciples in His resurrected flesh to ordain them and to send them out into the world, that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name. Continue to raise up for us faithful men to serve in the Office of the Holy Ministry, stewards of your mysteries, and sustain those whom You have sent with courage and endurance. Bless their service among Your people who, with St. Thomas, confess Jesus as their Lord and God. Amen.