Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Nov 16/62

Contributor - John Moerman

Title - Charge to the Congregation

Topic - Congregation

We are happy to have you here!

"Beloved brethren and sisters, receive this your minister in the Lord with gladness and hold such in reputation". I am sure a congregation which has been vacant for sometime will not find it hard to answer this question with "We do". For to be vacant is difficult and to be pastorless is generally not good. So you are ready to receive your minister in the Lord with gladness, I am sure of that !

In the Lord

But now, have you taken note of the fact that it said, "Receive this your minister in the Lord with What does this " in the Lord" mean? This: your pastor stands in communion with the Lord.

There is an unbreakable relationship established, in baptism already, and later on through the public confession of faith in Jesus Christ.

Then there was the call the to Gospel Ministry. And at last but certainly not least, there was the unforgettable day of the "laying on of hands". I am convinced, this is one of the most solemn occasions in a minister's life. This baptism, confession of faith, call to the ministry, laying on of hands, together with the means of grace the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments and the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart and the life of the pastor, brings on a oneness in Christ. Call it a union if you wish.

So I charge you beloved Congregation, to receive this your minister in connection with the Lord. There is a oneness through Jesus Christ. And your pastor stands in communion, in union with the Lord.

And as you will understand, this "in the Lord" should bring additional happiness with which you are to receive your pastor. You are not just glad because now you have your own leader, period. You are glad you now have your own leader "in the Lord".

Hold him in reputation

It is not only the pastor who should hold high the reputation of the Minister of the Word, the Congregation should do the, same. Each member individually. No derogatory remarks concerning your minister in the Lord. Never! And in case the Lord leads you (but then be sure that it indeed is the Holy Spirit and not some evil kind of spirit!) to say something about your minister in the Lord, speak to your elders or see your pastor personally. In any case, no derogatory remarks or gossip. Never! Hold your minister in the Lord in reputation.

I don't think that will be hard either, will it ? No, of course not ! Because it is not for the person that you hold the minister in reputation. Nor for the wide and thorough education of the man. It is because of the office, apostolic and prophetic at that.

God speaks to you through him

"Remember that God Himself speaks to you and beseeches you through him". Well, that is quite a statement to make, isn't it ? Is there biblical ground for that too ? Of course, there is! Otherwise it would not be in official charge. . . . entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (II Cor. 5 :19 b-20).

You see, your minister in the Lord is an ambassador of God. When he proclaims the Word, God Himself in the Holy Spirit speaks to you, through your pastor. And when he calls anyone to repentance and faith God is beseeching you to be reconciled to Him, through Jesus Christ. Complicated? No. Understandable ? Yes. But true just the same.

This should make it clear why you are to "Receive the Word which he, according to the Scripture, shall preach unto you, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the Word of God".

Obey your pastor

I charge you, beloved, to "Obey them that have rule over you". One of the office bearers who have rule over you is the "teaching and preaching elder", the Minister of the Word. As he rules over you, you are to obey him. Period ? No I "In the Lord!" You know, you are "in the Lord" too. It is not only your pastor, who is "in the Lord"; you too ! Every Christian is. Therefore, as Christians you are to obey your pastor as he rules over you "in the Lord".

And remember, this is not an iron rule, or a rule of the fist. There is no dictator at the wheel. It is the compassionate rule of love. Thus it is the rule of Christ, your pastor exercises. To the Congregation and/or individual this compassionate rule of love is not a joke. The reverse side is true ! It is a blessing. It is your pastor's holy concern for you. Therefore, obey this compassionate rule of holy concern.

Submit yourselves

To what ? To your pastor's love for you. To his admonition. To his counsel. To his advice. To his preaching. To his teaching. To his shepherding. In all, to his God given authority over you.

And now let no one say, "Yes, but he is so much younger than I am. He could have been my song. For even though this may be true one hundred times over, it should never stand in the way of his ministry to you and his authority over you. And this is biblical too. Thoroughly biblical! "Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity". (I Tim. 4 :12). Therefore, give heed to his words and submit yourselves.

He keeps watch over your soul

"Obey your leaders and submit to them ; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account". (Heb. 13 :17 a). Now, that is quite a task, to watch over the souls of the flock. I don't know how about you, but have we all not quite a job already to watch over our own soul ? Just imagine, if you get the care and the responsibility to watch besides over your own self, and than the task and duty to' watch over an additional one hundred, or five hundred others? I Then you got something on you hand, don't you ?

For, this watching over the souls of others includes that if one person goes astray on account of your pastor's neglect, God will hold the Minister of the Word responsible. Are you jealous of the office ? "Son of man, I have you made a watchman for the house of Israel ; wherever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, "You shall surely die", and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood I will require at your hand". (Ezek. 3 :17, 18). Your minister, as well as every other minister, shall on the Day of Judgement be called upon to give an account of the watching over the souls under his care.

However, let me hasten to add, this "accounting" is not a thing that should wait until Judgement Day. The Christian minister should sit down and evaluate the work he has done each day. Let no pastor wait with this till the time he goes with retirement, or worse when the Lord summons him Home.

Make your pastor do his work well!

"..that they may do it (watching and giving account) with joy, and not with grief ; for that is unprofitable for you". Again, that 'is not only what our official charge says, that is what the Word of God says ! "Let them do this joyfully, and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you". (Heb. 13 :17 b).

Must I tell you that many pastors are unable to do their work joyfully ? That is wrong! Deadly wrong. That makes poor workers. The Charge says, "that it is unprofitable for you". You know why, don't you ? Because it is not only the minister who must give account but also you, the Congregation. And if the individual or the Congregation has made its pastor to unnecessarily grief over and over again what will the Lord say about that? Also, when the individual or Congregation brings unnecessary grief in the life and upon the work of its minister, it is not profitable to them in that this incapacitates its pastor. Here tie work of the Christian minister is like your own. If your work is never appreciated, just the opposite : practically always condemned, it takes the spirit of joy out of you and you are unable to do your work well. I here would remind you of a paragraph out of the Interrogation, which you have answered with: "I DO". "Do you promise to encourage and help him in his sacred work, and to labor with him in faith and prayer for the honor of Christ, the well-being of His Church, and the welfare of men".

Once again, therefore, I charge you that each of you see to it that your pastor can do his work with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable to you.

The peace of God in your heart and house

If you do these things, it shall come to pass that the peace of God shall enter into your houses, and that you will receive this man in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward, and through his preaching, believing in Christ, shall through Christ inherit life eternal".

Is not that gracious, wonderful, and blessed? When you obey the Word of God, which his messenger speaks, the peace of God shall enter in your houses. And what do we need worse than that? What does this world need worse than this peace of God which passes all understanding?

Moreover, to receive this man as a prophet, will also bring you a prophet's reward. One would be inclined to say, these promises almost go against, "So you also, when you have done all that is commanded to you, say, "We are unworthy servants ; we have only done what was our duty". (Luke 17 : 10). Yet, even though this is true, there is also the other side : God will regard all what you have done to Christ Himself, whose ambassador he is.

The Person which the minister preaches, you accept. Then, according to that faith in Christ, you live. You blessed of the Lord, inasmuch as you have done these things to the least of this My servant, you have done it unto Me. Inherit life eternal. Enter into the joy of your Lord.

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