Undivided Attention – Call for Commitment is a look at what it takes to follow Jesus. We do a little deeper dive this week into the public ministry.
There are some that look for special signs that accompany the modern day prophets or spokesmen for God, but there simply aren’t any. Pastors have no powers that are passed on from the former generations dating back to the Apostle’s. We talked about how Jesus’ forgiveness empowers us to answer his call. God is the one who gives me the authority and the responsibility to tell you what he says – whether you want to hear it or not – whether I feel like telling you or not. God did not speak to me directly during the night as he did for Samuel. I stand before you because I received my divine call from God through you. Elisha’s wasn’t that much different. Nowhere does it say that God spoke directly to Elisha. God did extend to Elisha a divine call to be his public spokesman through Elijah. Public ministry means the same if you’re Donald Trump or if you’re Pastor Guldberg. Public ministry or service is done on behalf of someone else. The difference is that Don represents the United States of America for the people who elected him. I represent Star of Bethlehem Lutheran church and the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit because God has called me through you.
In the sermon I showed a couple pictures, one from a recent pastor conference in Maryland. The other was a graduation picture from our seminary in 2024. Josh Koelpin was in both of those shot. He is the new missionary to Boston. Yes, that’s right, we’re starting another church!
Please click HERE to meet him and his wife as they talk about this new opportunity.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s message taken from our summer sermon series on discipleship, Undivided Attention – Call for Commitment.
Book(s): 1 Kings
Series: Undivided Attention
Tag(s): Ministry
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg