Sacred Relationship

Today’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Isaiah 46-47
NT: Romans 1
W&W: Psalm 78.1-16

Today’s Reflection:

In his opening remarks at the pastoral installation, Dr. Doug Van Nest said: "A sacred relationship exists between pastor and people. We do not hire pastors. We call pastors. There’s a big difference. You do not enter into some kind of employment contract today. We believe that within the Church, within the body of believers, we enter into a covenant. That’s what we are doing here this morning: you are entering into a covenant between pastor and people, before God--a sacred relationship."

Wow! A covenant! Lana and I have entered into a covenant with the people of Bethel Nazarene Church. That is no light thing.

Covenants across the centuries have taken many forms in different cultures and contexts. Two forms of covenant that are applicable to our agreement as pastor and people are The Promissory Covenant and The Obligatory Covenant. The Promissory Covenant is one such as Yahweh entered into with Abraham and his descendants in Genesis 15, in which he pledged himself unconditionally to grant promised blessings to Abraham and his descendants. Another example would be the promise of God to establish David’s throne forever as found in 2 Samuel 7. It is a unilateral pledge. The Obligatory Covenant is an agreement made in which both parties bind themselves to abide by certain stipulations. The covenant between Yahweh and his people in Exodus illustrates that type of covenant.

How does that apply to our “sacred agreement?” Is ours obligatory or promissory? How about both!

It is promissory in the fact that each of us – pastor and people – must promise that we will abide by the terms of the covenant no matter the weaknesses of the other party! Let us each enter into this covenant whole-heartedly in this fashion. Let us model the grace-giving God in the making of this covenant: No going back! I make a pledge to the people. The people make a pledge to me. Each of us can assume the position of the covenanter who makes the promise!

But, may it be obligatory as well. Let us recognize that it is indeed an agreement. May each one of us obligate ourselves to the mutual terms of the covenant. Let us knowingly obligate ourselves to live out the covenant and hold each other to the terms of the covenant! In this way we become accountable to one another.

In everything, we must realize, however, that this covenant is sacred because God has brought us together in this relationship. He has called; we have answered. God has performed this marriage between pastor and people. It is indeed a sacred relationship.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
1 John 1.10: If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.