The pastor’s work is a not a job. A job is a vocation that pays you to perform. I know many pastors who are dirt poor and still work tirelessly. Unfortunately, I know many pastors who are far wealthier than they deserve and work very little comparatively. However, the point is that a shepherd of the flock has an objective in mind with all of his prayers, preaching, counseling, admonishing, and working. His goal, at least it should be, is summed up by Paul here:
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Essentially, the Christian walk with Christ is a walk that is dominated with the pursuit of holiness in fear of God. Our work is to “cleanse ourselves” from the things that defile. The question is, what defiles? The earlier context tells you: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers” (V.14). Paul then explains what he means and ends on the passage quoted above about the work of perfecting holiness out of fear of God.
One of the most powerful assets the Christian has in order to accomplish this is the work of the faithful shepherd. A shepherd is an elder in the church of God who works hard to wean the child of God off of the world. He or she has the privilege, really, of learning to trust the faithful man of God to work for the benefit of their own soul:
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”
Hebrews 13:17
What this means is, whether by prayer, writing, preaching, or conversation, a pastor/elder has work to do. He must fulfill his ministry so that the church of Jesus Christ is ready for His imminent return via the Rapture.
What does the Coronavirus have to do with this? Nothing and everything. The Coronavirus does not present an unknown threat to your position in God’s household. However, it does present a threat to your sanctification. To summarize my point consider: the world is in full anxiety mode because of the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus which is all over the globe and spreading as we speak (here is the official CDC map showing affected regions of the world). The world is in a panic and many voices are crying for temperament.
But, what I find interesting is that the church is behaving the same way. Some are panicking, and some are trying not to panic. Some, to their credit, are sober-minded and waiting on the Lord, faithfully carrying out their lives as always. But, for the most part, many in the church are responding to this problem in a very non-distinctly Christian way.
If I could encourage you personally, I would tell you this: “What did you expect out of the world?” They know that God has found them guilty, they will die, and once their life is a used up, they will be judged by Him. The fear of death is not the fear of death for the world, it is the fear of God’s judgment after death that makes men afraid (but not afraid enough to repent). If we are to not behave as the world, that would mean that must not fear like world. Also, understand, when you and I behave as the world, we are behaving in a manner consistent with those who are enemies of God.
“You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.””
James 4:4-6
Haven’t you read that the world is being told to repent from their transgressions against God?
““Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.””
Acts 17:30-31
Haven’t you read that there must be birth pains prior to the actual delivery?
“And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
Matthew 24:4-8 (emphasis mine)
Haven’t you read that God ordains natural catastrophes, even at the hands of man, in order to call this world to repentance?
“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. “And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ “And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’ ””
Luke 13:1-9
Don’t waste this time of world-wide panic and anxiety on acting like the world. We have hope. They do not. Rather, use this time to announce to the world a much worse famine and disease that is coming, unless they repent.
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.”
Revelation 19:11-19
So, please church, come out from her and be clean and do not fear as the rest who have not hope (2 Thessalonians 4:13).
Sketches of Scripture 