Chief of Sinners - Kingdom of Grace

Chief Of Sinners Though I Be.

I count it as an incredible thing that the Lord should take someone like me and make me a pastor. How in the world did I get here and what is the Lord thinking?

I sometimes think about the Lord’s marvelous sense of humor as I consider that a little kid that grew up ditching church and school and dropping out of high school to be a rock star should grow up to receive two degrees and be a pastor. How in the world did this happen?

It is always encouraging to me to read about the Apostles in the Bible and what a diverse crowd they were. Fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, not exactly all the most likely candidates to be the first pastors, at least not likely if we were to chose them.

We like to think of pastors as holy men and righteous individuals, but the Lord is the one that calls that which is not Holy to be Holy in Him.

You see, I, as a pastor am a sinner just like you are. I am just a fallen man given a position to proclaim the mercy and forgiveness of Christ, that’s my whole reason for being here. I am simply to be the hands and mouth of Jesus, and I must say that is a scary thing, for my hands are unclean and my lips are full of sin.

Just as Jesus has called me to be the spiritual head of a congregation, He has called you to be the spiritual heads of your homes. Fathers, lead your children in matters of the Lord. model prayer and devotion to them, teach them the catechism and minister to your wives with love and patience. Wives, honor your husbands and gladly teach your children at home.

Oh sure, I know you fight and quarrel among yourselves in the home, it is the result of sin and we all do it from time to time. Oh sure, I know marriage is hard and raising your children is not easy, but I encourage you my fellow sinners, to confess to one another and speak the words of mercy to one another and together, under Christ, we will somehow muddle through life together.

I am still not sure why the Lord would call me to be a pastor, but I am sure glad that He has, because I can think of nothing else that I would rather be. What a great thing I get to do, tell others about what a wonderful God we have. How loving and merciful our Savior, Jesus is to lay down His life for me and then call me to tell others about it.

Why me? Perhaps to show you that the Lord is able to do anything He pleases, and to show that He is the Divine Fox who loves a good pun. You see, as the chief of sinners, that simply means that I lead other sinners and to where am I leading you? I pray that I will lead you to the foot of the cross of Christ, where we can lay down our burdens, once and for all.

In Jesus’ Name
The Ranting Reverend