September 5, 2024 

Today's Reading: Catechism: Table of Duties: To bishops

Daily Lectionary: 2 Kings 2:19-25; 4:1-7; Ephesians 4:25-5:14

“He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” Titus 1:9

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. It’s good to know what you are getting into when deciding on a vocation. I remember taking a college and career class in high school. We would explore different professions, finding out the educational requirements as well as the job description for a particular occupation. I’m not sure if the job of “pastor” was included on the list we could choose from. If it was or wasn’t, you could not find any better job description for a pastor than the one given to Titus by the Apostle Paul.  

The pastor only has one job: hold firm to the Word of God and faithfully hand it over; that’s the job description. We know there are other responsibilities a pastor has, but if they fail in their primary duty, does anything else really matter?  

“Hold firm to the trustworthy message as he has been taught.” Thank God for all those who have put the Gospel into our ears. Thank God for all the pastors and teachers who have been true and faithful voices of his Word. This is why Paul encourages a young pastor named Timothy to guard the Gospel that was entrusted to him so he may hand it over to others who will faithfully pass it on as well. It is easy to lose sight of the job description for both pastors and parishioners. Paul knows this, so he is persistent with young pastor Timothy to fight the good fight, wage the good warfare, and do not neglect the gospel of Christ entrusted to you. 

Hold firm! Declare and defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the duty of a pastor – to be a faithful voice of Jesus. And you can be sure the Devil will do all he can to tempt pastors to deviate from their primary calling. Timothy needed Paul, and he needed the support of his congregation to be strengthened to carry out his duties faithfully. So let us, too, be a source of encouragement and strength to those who are called to be servants of God’s Word. Pastors need our prayers and need our support to continue to fight the good fight. As we do this, we, too, find ourselves in battle, striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel. Help us, Lord, we pray. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O almighty God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, gave to His holy apostles many excellent gifts and commanded them earnestly to feed His flock. Make all pastors diligent to preach Your holy Word and the people obedient to follow it that together they may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Collect For the Holy Ministry)

-Rev. Darrin Sheek, pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church Anaheim, CA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.

The new Guiding Word series takes you through all the books of the Bible in six volumes. Starting with the Books of Moses—Genesis through Deuteronomy—you will explore every passage of every chapter of each book with the help of maps, diagrams, links between the testaments, and clarification points.