President's Piece for Peace
On the 2nd Sunday of Easter I not only had the blessed privilege of leading the saints at Immanuel Grand Mound in the Service of the Word; later that afternoon I was honored to officiate the installation of their newly called Pastor, Pastor Steven Anderson. Early this coming summer I will gather with three of our congregations as they will celebrate the ordination/installation of three candidates from our seminaries to serve as their shepherds.
These are only a few examples of the gracious goodness of the Lord of the Church. He not only promises to send workers into the harvest field, He fills that promise with servants who tend and feed His sheep. In Ephesians 4:8-11 Paul refers to the Offices of service as "gifts" to the people of the parish. The essence of the gift is not the skill level or talent of each man. The gift aspect of the Office is founded on the fact that they are sent from God for the purpose of life and salvation.
When Paul was writing to the congregation in Ephesus (Acts 20:28) he reminded the pastor's who it is that is in charge of the Ministry and by what divine power they serve where they are. He says: "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which He bought with His own blood." Here Paul is emphasizing the value that God places on the souls in the congregation. The purchase price was the redeeming blood of His one and only Son. He loves the congregations so much that He sends a shepherd to watch over them with the blood of the Lamb.
Paul instructs the Office with its responsibilities when he writes to Timothy (4:13-14) "Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you." In a marvelous and systematic way God designs how He is going to deliver the Heavenly Treasures to His sheep. He does it through Word and Sacrament as officiated by the man ordained in the Church to do so. This is why Paul uses the word "gift" so often when speaking of the Office of the Ministry.
As we joyfully walk through the blessed season of Easter to Pentecost, we do so hand-in-hand with the shepherd the Lord has given us as a gift. In and through the Servant of the Word God bestows upon us His blessed Gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. I pray we can look at the Office of the Ministry and the servant God sent as His gift.
We have other offices in the church which are also sent by our Lord to serve His lambs. I speak of Directors of Christian Education, Principals, Lutheran Day School Teachers, Deaconesses, Directors of Music and others as well. I wish to address the biblical and confessional encouragement and support for these servants in the next edition of the IDE Today. God reminds the church how much He loves and cares for us by sending to us His workers in the harvest. Thank the Lord of the Church.
President Saunders.
