Go and Serve God’s People in and out of Season

 

by Bishop Ligaya Flores-San Francisco

Scripture Texts:

Exodus 2:7-10

II Timothy 3:14-17

 

Introduction

          Good afternoon everyone!  Being with you in this momentous event of the Commissioning Service has refreshed me of the time when I was one of those who sat in the Chapel of the Evangel when we were commissioned. This is one of the most significant passages in the life of the Divinity School, the Commissioning rite. Everyone anticipated this. Although this time for you, you will just imagine yourself sitting in the Chapel of Evangel for this event together with your classmates. Mixed feelings engulf each one of you, such as, glad to have hurdled the rigors of the academic requirements, able to survived the challenges of the ministerial formation and anxious if the preparations for the ministry were enough to surmount the challenges in the real world.

Questions like, can I survive in the pastoral ministry, the Christian Education ministry, can I stand this calling I set my life out. These are some of the questions keep raging in our mind. Sisters and brothers in Christ, there are more after the commissioning, but mind you, the path you have chosen, and the calling you have responded and you have committed to put your life into is the best decision you have ever made in your lifetime. Because it’s the highest calling you’ve heard and responded, as this is the calling from God.

Looking back at the calling of Moses, when he escaped from the crime he committed to defend his fellow  Hebrew due to the oppression and suffering of his people and taking the comfort in Mt. Sinai, God appeared through a Burning Bush that was not consumed. I know you know the rest of the story, God called Moses who grew up in Pharoah’s palace with all the comfort afforded to him. But his heart bleds when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. (Exo. 2:11-22). In defense he killed the Egyptian, causing him to run for safety. Who could have thought that a killer will be used by God to save his fellow Hebrew in the hand of the Egyptians. Sounds familiar? Saul who was turned Paul from persecutor/killer to become the missionary for the Gentiles. God loves to choose those unlikely and unlovable people to carry God’s work in the people. This only shows that something good will come out from this people. Here we can sense the inclusivity of God that even the most unlovable people who have been judged by many as not suitable to the work but God choose them to highlight God’s work of transforming lives for God’s work. Is this not a manifestation of God’s glory working in the most mundane people?

Ministry in unfavorable times

Moses made a lot of excuses which were valid, but God made God’s way of sending him in the most unfavorable and challenging times of his ministry. Moses did not know anything about the God who called him nor the statutes and the laws God had instilled in the Hebrew people. He was on the job training (OJT). He has to learn along the way of carrying out his calling. He did all that he was set to do to the best way he can. It was not perfect. But God had fulfilled God’s promise to him.

The same is true with Paul, you know Paul’s past, and how God framed him up to work for God in the most amazing way. That dramatic event that turned Paul’s life 360 degrees. He has a lot to resolved in himself and with the people, maybe if we were Paul we would say why me Lord? Ba’t ako pa? However, God had God’s way. He ended up preaching the gospel and converting a lot of people. Paul had given up his life for the life he had not thought of nor prepared for.

Timothy, was Paul’s young buddy and disciple whothe turned to be one of the faithful servants Paul had mentored. Timothy was taught and influenced by his grandma Lois and mother Eunice. They were his grand teachers who made an impact in his life. Their example, teachings and their faith were strong influences in Timothy. Imagine a young  preacher and teacher of his time God has nurtured through Paul. From calling killers, and now a young man who can be taunted as lacking knowledge and experience by adults in the church and in the community. But Paul remind him to “let no one despise your youth but be an example to the believers in word, conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith in purity” (I Tim.4:12) This is a very loaded reminded to Timothy who will be leading, teaching and preaching in the church.  To read further Paul’s instructions to Timothy, it said; Timothy, you know what I teach and how I live. You know what I want to do and what I believe. You have seen how patient and loving I am, and how in the past I put up with ¹¹ trouble and suffering in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. Yet the Lord rescued me from all those terrible troubles. Keep on being faithful to what you were taught and to what you believed. After all, you know who taught you these things. ¹⁵ Since childhood, you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to make you wise enough to have faith in Christ Jesus and be saved. 1 Timothy 5 tells how Timothy should treat all ages in the church. This means you have deal them with respect that will brought them to maturity in faith. Remember like Timothy you are sent to all regardless of who they are.

Application

This is but fitting reminder to all of you who will translate all that you been taught and learned from the Divinity School. All that you professors had taught you using the Bible as the most important tool in the pastoral work as also emphasize in Timothy. Once we were told that once you stand behind the pulpit, claimed that authority because you spent years in your preparations. You were trained by professors who spend sleepless nights just to prepare the best inputs that you can walk through after seminary life. Keep your word, watch you conduct, serve the people with love that no one will be discriminated against, no one will be left behind, love even those who doesn’t like you and tend to ignore because of your age and youth in the Pastoral work. Love them to the best you can, be pure and authentic in your dealing with them because people will sense our superficiality. Make them feel your warmth and your loved of God must be translated in the way you care and listen those who tend to isolate themselves because they poor and felt they have nothing to contribute. Boost the morale of those who feel insignificant in the community. We may set boundaries in our pastoral work but our sincerity and warmth in relating with people felt in their heart.

Let us make sure that our presence sends something that will let them feel accepted and valued. The church has rich and poor members strike a balance in between them because pastors will be branded when we don’t know how to carry our task equally.

We are now in unfavorable times when our ministry with the poor is being branded as something that leans on the left. Let us continue anyway because as the song goes, “We know whom we are serving” We know the imperative of the Gospel, take courage to persevere because God is a God who transforms people’s lives as much as the view of those who ignore them.

Be there when they need to theologize the realities they are facing, in the church we are the resident theologian. Be there in the most trying and joyful moments of our members. We always do multiple tasks.  Members expect us to represent God’s love when hardships struck them. Remember God tend those who seek God’s presence because God is the God who values everyone.

Good day, Congratulations! And God bless you all