#DailyDevotion Do You Support Ministries But Not Your Home Congregation
2 Corinthians 11:19―21
19because you, being wise, like to put up with fools. 20You put up with any one who makes you his slaves or devours what you have or traps you or lords it over you or slaps your face. 21I’m ashamed to admit it: As you say, we have been too weak. But what anyone else dares to claim – I’m talking like a fool – I can claim, too.
How would you like to have St. Paul tell you that you like to put up with fools? Look at how he describes those fools: “any one who makes you his slaves or devours what you have or traps you or lords it over you or slaps your face.” Some people apparently like being used and abused. I don’t see this as much in the local church, although if Paul saw it there, and things don’t change, it probably does in local churches as well. As a pastor as I have seen it during my ministry is when people buy up the latest, popular Christian book by someone who teaches a lot of error. I see it as people gobble up some radio or TV preacher and sends them money, a lot of money, as their own congregation is struggling to pay their own pastor who deals with them personally, visiting them in person, bringing them the LORD’s Supper, doing the ministry of the LORD Jesus in their local and taking care of the congregation.
Yes, these people put up with being these preachers slaves who devour their funds and traps them in false belief. Like St. Paul, the local pastor has to spend 10 times as much time trying to undo what these plagues upon the church do and rebuild a true Christian faith that will sustain these same people into eternal life.
Paul admits and is ashamed to admit it, “We have been too weak.” We, your pastors have been too weak as well. Well Paul and your pastor cannot be on your TV or on the radio every day with you nor can they sit and hold your hand every day. We’d love to be able to do that but we can’t. We, your pastors, may not stir up your emotions like these guys do. We may not or rather we should not, appeal to your fleshly nature to make you feel good about yourselves.
You know what we can and will do? We will study hard throughout the week to give you a sermon and bible study that is actually edifying to your spirit. We will administer the sacraments so you may be strengthened by them. We will hear your confession of sins and give you absolution almost on demand in most places. We will visit you in the hospital and pray for you and yes even hold your hand for hours while you are there (Covid restrictions notwithstanding). When you are no longer able to come to worship with the congregation we will be bringing the Word and Sacrament to you in your home and listen to you. We are going to do this not to fatten up our wallets and egos but because we are servants of Christ Jesus who lived, died and rose again for you. We’re doing what Christ our LORD has given us to do. Let us give thanks and praise to God he sends us pastors who will do Christ work where we live.
Heavenly Father, give us your grace to send us pastors who minister to us faithfully and grant that we rightly give thanks and praise for their service to us and fill them with your Holy Spirit to serve us faithfully. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.