Today is a milestone day in the history of Trinity Lutheran Ministries. This man who sits before you will soon become one of your pastors. Vicar Shank becomes Pastor Shank. You mark this occasion, as well you should, with a special service, special music, special events, special guests, a reception honoring this man and his family and his ministry.
This is your special day, John. It is a day unlike any day in your life. It is a day that marks the end of years of prayer, of study, of reflection, of preparation, of learning ancient languages that you never thought you would either have to learn or even want to learn – and a whole lot of plain old-fashioned hard work. You have your degree and you have been officially certified as being eligible for ordination and installation. You have been duly called to serve as Associate Pastor of this Church. In a few minutes you will kneel before this congregation, before these fellow pastors and before God – and you will be ordained.
But ultimately, John, this day is not really about you at all. It’s about the one who gave the Holy Ministry to His Church. It’s about the one who calls men like you, John, to serve as ministers to the people of His Church. It’s all about Jesus. Jesus is why we are here. Jesus is why you are here.
One of the reasons that pastors wear vestments in the Church is that they cover up the man, because the focus must never be on the man but must always be on Jesus. The words you speak as a pastor are the words of Jesus. “I forgive you all your sins.” “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” “Take, eat, this is my body. Take, drink, this is my blood.”
In a world where preaching increasingly becomes a motivational self-help session, where words like “sin” are banished so that people can come to church and have a good time, where the Gospel is forsaken in favor of self-serving checklists of ways to become happier or healthier or more successful, where Jesus becomes a cheerleader instead of a Savior, you will now and you will always preach nothing but Law and Gospel.
You will speak stern and bitter words of Law, where God threatens sinners with divine punishment and death. But you will also speak sweet, consoling words of Gospel, the joyous good news that God declares our sins to be forgiven for the sake of the suffering and death of His beloved Son Jesus Christ.
As St. Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Nothing – except Jesus. Being a pastor is not all about you, John – not today, not ever. It’s all about Jesus. It’s all about what Jesus has done for us and for you, for what He continues to do for us and for you.
In our Gospel lesson we heard Jesus say: “’These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness should be proclaimed in his name to all nations.’” Those words are your life, John. Those words are your ministry. “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness should be proclaimed in his name to all nations.” So few words to explain all 66 books of the Bible, to make known God’s magnificent and all-loving plan for the salvation of His people.
John, you will speak those words from this pulpit. You will speak those words at the moment of someone’s birth and at the moment of someone’s death. No matter whether you’re in a hospital room or a room at SIUE, in a conversation in your office or in a parking lot, talking to someone in your own home or the home of a stranger, here in Edwardsville or wherever God may choose to lead you, everything you do and everything you say can – and must – and will – be all about Jesus.
As one of our professors once said, all of your learning, all of your people skills, your personality, the strength of your Christian commitment, even your burning desire to be a pastor – those simply aren’t enough. Because it’s all about Jesus. By His Gospel, he called you out of darkness to light, from death to life, from unbelief to faith. And now, through His Church, He has called you to the Holy Ministry. He has called you to serve His Church, to minister to His people, to minister to these people here gathered today.
Today we rejoice with you, John … with Casey and Jack and your unborn daughter … with your family and friends … and with these fellow pastors … that Jesus has chosen and called you to be His servant and His shepherd. We rejoice with the good people of Trinity Lutheran Ministries that God in his great mercy has given you such a faithful and loving servant. We rejoice that God has brought John Shank here, to serve you with Word and Sacrament. To preach Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
If you’re like most new pastors, John, you won’t remember much of what takes place today. You’ll remember the day, but in the joy and excitement of this day many of the details will become a just a happy blur. But this you will most assuredly remember. Jesus loves you. Jesus died for you. Thanks be to God, that is your life. And thanks be to God, that is your ministry.
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