Sermon - Trinity XII 2024 -2 Cor. 3:4-11

Martin Luther Preaching, from the altarpiece of the Church of Torslunde, 1561

The bold, confident ministry of a pastor

1. The insufficiency of a pastor

2. A pastor’s confidence in Christ

Since I recently accepted the call to Our Savior’s, and my ministry among you is very swiftly drawing to a close, this sets me in mostly an awkward position of being a lame duck for the time being. On the other hand, however, since I have four final sermons to preach to you, this also sets me in a unique position to prepare you for your next resident pastor. In a way I can now preach to you in such a way that was more complicated previously. For example, it’s awkward for a pastor to preach about the office of the holy ministry, and what a pastor is, while he is the local pastor, because it requires him to talk about himself in a way that is uncomfortable. But since I’m departing soon, lot’s of things are already a bit awkward, so let’s lean into the awkwardness and address this very important subject.

Particularly, I would like to talk about the bold, confident ministry of a pastor. Our epistle gives us the perfect opportunity to address this. Corinth was a troubled and divided congregation, some of the people had given Paul much grief since he had rebuked some of the members for their tolerating sinful unchristian behaviors. Some of the members in Corinth questioned Paul’s pastoral authority, insinuating that he was not a good pastor, not eloquent and tactful enough, all because he taught them the truth in love and they were offended by him.

Paul writes this second letter to them because the situation had improved, however it was still rather tense. In order to help Corinth understand his heart and love for them, and on what authority he preached to them, he had to open up his heart to these people. Just as it is important for the pastor to know the troubles of his people, so is it important for the people to know at least some of the troubles of the pastor. 

St. Paul says: “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us.” The pastor, on his own, is entirely insufficient for the ministry. Contrary to the opinions of many, the office of the ministry is not easy. Of course it’s not too physically demanding, but the strain on the soul is immense. There’s a reason many pastors fall prey to stress induced sins, such as gluttony and drunkenness, and most deal with anxiety and depression to one degree or another. Almost every pastor I’ve met has contemplated quitting the ministry and doing something else.

The hurdles before the pastor appear insurmountable. On a broad level our American culture focuses nearly exclusively on temporal pleasures, and ignores the needs of the soul. It’s a pagan culture with an earthly view of life, the fruits of which surround us: immorality of every kind, broken homes, sexual confusion and perversion, addictions, and public mockeries of Christianity. Many institutions have been infected with this worldly philosophy, including public schools, most churches, many civic organizations, and practically all the media which you might consume on a screen.

Yes, every congregation has been infected by this worldly philosophy to one degree or another. Too many Christians have a life which reflects the morals of their screens more than the morals of their Bible. The church is being devoured by these satanic lies from without and within. These agonizing problems and crushing responsibilities weigh heavily on the mind and heart of the pastor, who desires to shepherd the souls in his care. Confronting these pressing issues of the day means that the pastor is regularly going to offend his hearers, and the people whom he loves deeply may hate him, curse him, and walk away. As a pastor, I’m responsible for your souls and will be held accountable for you on the day of judgment.

In light of the giant uphill battle, the pastor feels utterly inadequate and unworthy. Indeed, like Paul, I will openly confess that I, of myself, am completely insufficient for the task. I’m just one of God’s common little people, how could I combat the mighty forces of evil, supported by legions of demons, which every day entice Christians away from the faith? I often feel like I’m a child with a toy sword trying to fight a dragon. 

A pastor’s insufficiency becomes even more pronounced when he reflects on himself. I’m entrusted with the care of your souls, and yet I’m lacking physically, intellectually, and socially. I have my own spiritual infirmities, of which I’m sure are not entirely unknown to you after being with you eight years. Looking back on the past years of my ministry I must wonder if I have been faithful to the Lord or not. I’m always concerned that I’m not preaching clearly enough, not engaging enough, not specific enough. When attempting to admonish the erring and I don’t succeed in their repentance, I wonder if it’s because I was too awkward or ignorant or uncaring, or if I had said something just a little differently maybe it would have gone better. After years of attempting to bring back straying sheep, very few returned to the fold, and I worry that it’s all my fault.

Yet, in spite of all these things, I am determined to not back down, but boldly and joyfully continue in the ministry, with full confidence that my humble labors will not be in vain in the Lord. With St. Paul, I concur: “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God… Our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant.” My confidence is not in myself, because I am not sufficient of myself to do even the least bit of ministry among you. But praise be to Jesus that my sufficiency is from God!

Jesus ordained me to preach His Word, to perform the duties of His calling, and He will continue to make me competent to do whatever I must do in any given situation. My sufficiency is from God, it is out of God, it originates in God. No wonder Paul would boldly confront issues that arose even when he himself personally was of no major consequence. He trusted that God would make him sufficient for the task through His Word. Likewise, as your pastor I’ve trusted that God would work through His Word that I spoke just as He promised. Though I am weak, Christ gives me His strength. Though I am at a loss for the solution, God gives me wisdom. When my heart grows bitter, the Lord renews it with love and compassion. When I have sinned, Jesus’ blood atones for me. So long as I remain faithful to His word and remain His mouthpiece, I trust that He will work through me to do His will. 

The power that a pastor has, the confidence he is given, comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He “has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” The primary work of a pastor is to proclaim Jesus Christ and deliver the gifts of Jesus to God’s people. The Word proclaimed by a pastor is not just like a lecture given by a professor in an auditorium, which may be interesting or boring, but ultimately is nothing but knowledge. Rather, the word proclaimed by the pastor is the living word of the Spirit who gives life! Just as Jesus’ word healed the deaf-mute man, so does Jesus’ word make immediate and eternal changes in a Christian’s life.

When the pastor says: I forgive you all of your sins in Jesus’ name, those sins are forgiven. When the pastor says: I baptize you, the child is made God’s own child. When the pastor says: Take, eat, the body of Christ; take drink the blood of Christ, for the forgiveness of sins, Christians are nourished with the bread of life from heaven. When the pastor says: repent, God is calling that sinner home again. When the pastor says: no, this will hurt you, God is Himself guarding that person from danger. The Gospel which the pastor speaks turns sinners into saints by showing them that all of their sins have been forgiven through Jesus.

Because a pastor has been thus equipped, he speaks with all boldness and confidence, not in himself but in the promises attached to those words. In the Gospel that pastor has at his disposal the power of God unto salvation, and so long as the pastor brings that word to bear upon the souls entrusted to him, he need not be troubled by the results. God will give the increase.

I tell you these things to help you understand the heart of a pastor, and why he speaks boldly and confidently, even though he is so inadequate and insufficient of himself. When the Lord sends to you your next pastor, and he says something which offends you, or says something controversial with much boldness and confidence, he does it because he has been called by God to do that and he loves you. Remember, Jesus spoke with confidence and boldness, and your next pastor must speak the same bold and confident words of Jesus; those are the only words he’s allowed to speak! Jesus says to your pastor, just as he says to you: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”