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"To which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles."
(2 Timothy 1:11)
When I read this biblical text to our church, I was overcome by emotion. I could not hold back the tears. The gravity of the moment weighed on me. I realized that just as God called Paul to preach His Gospel, He also called me.
"To which" refers to the Gospel. Paul would herald or preach the Gospel, be an apostle, a sent one bearing the Gospel, and teach the Gospel. For Paul, it was for and about Jesus and what He did on the cross and in His resurrection. The last prepositional phrase, "of the Gentiles," means this is not only good news for the Jewish people but also for the whole world!
"Flashing through his mind were the sermons he preached (a preacher), the churches he founded and led (an apostle), and the diverse nations he brought to Jesus Christ (a teacher of the Gentiles). He no doubt thanked Jesus as he considered each one." (Source: Enduring Word Commentary online)
God is the one who saves and calls us to His work. Some He calls to vocational service or ministry, others to serve and witness for Christ where they are employed. But if we share the same salvation, then we also share the same mandate from Jesus to serve Him and be His witnesses (Acts 1:8).
I have served the Lord vocationally since I was 19 years old when I became an interim pastor. What a joy and sense of peace He has given to me in serving Him. Have I been perfect? Far from it! Has He been forgiving and faithful? Yes, and far more! If I had a thousand lives to live on earth, I would be honored and thrilled to serve Jesus in the Gospel ministry in every last one of them!
Has it been easy or comfortable? It has not. An interesting thing I have noticed in my ministry is that there is an intensity in serving Jesus as a pastor that I did not encounter while serving Him as a seminary professor or as an evangelist. Those are great callings, but to be a pastor is the highest calling.
How focused are you on your comfort? Are you more concerned with being faithful to Jesus instead of what blessings He will give to you? Perhaps you are looking for an easier path to serving God. The hard road, the one marked with pain and suffering, is certainly not pleasurable. But oh, it will be worth the wait. Can you imagine the joy in your soul when you hear King Jesus say to you, "I am proud of you! Well done, my good and faithful servant!"
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