Salute Our Pastors

For the culminating verse for our series, our last memory verse for the theme "Pastor" is in Hebrews 13:24. The Bible says, "Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you".

What comes to your mind when you hear the word salute? For me, I always associate salutation to military or police officer. Isn't before a military subordinate talks to his superior, he salutes first. Before he leave his officer, he will salute again. And I remember that COCCs salute CAT officers when they meet them in hallways or corridors.

But what does salutation implies? For me, this is a sign of high respect for a person. In this verse, we are instructed to salute those who have rule over us, which none other than our pastors. Meaning, we are instructed not only to OBEY them, REMEMBER them, but also RESPECT them .

1 Timothy 5:17

In continuation of our topic for this week, our memory verse for today is in 1 Timothy 5:17. The Bible says "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine."

Although in this verse, it is not explicitly stated that the double honor only pertains to pastors, but in the phrase "they who labour in the word and doctrine," we can surely say that the one who is counted worthy for double honour is our pastors. Because they are the one who really labour in the word and doctrine. They diligently study the Word of God to make sure that they do not distort the Message of God and feed us with substantial food for our spirit.

I personally believe that we should give due respect to our pastor for they watch for our soul. They are our spiritual father here on earth. They care for us even though they are not related to them. They pray for us and they definitely love us as brethren in Christ. Is this not enough reason to give them the double honor?

May God give us the grace to continue to love our pastors and honor them as the Word of God instructed us to do.

Hebrews 13:7

Today's memory verse is still related to pastors. Our text is in Hebrews 13:7. The bible says "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation."

Yesteday, the Word of God instruct us to OBEY those who have rule over us. Now, we are instructed to REMEMBER them. Remember them when? Remember them in our prayers. As I mentioned in my previous post, pastors and minister are also human beings. They are not supernatural being who have supernatural power who cannot commit sin. Just like us, they are also tempted and there are times that they also fall into sin. Satan's eye is always on them because they have bigger responsibility to God and bigger influence as well with the people of God. If he fails or fall into sin, not only Him will be affected but if not all most of the members of the church or even the outsiders. The work of the Lord will be criticized by none believers and if the church does not have a solid foundation on the Word of the Lord, it may collapse.

So as members of the church who benefit on the Word of God spoken by our pastors, we ought to pray for them always. We should always remember them in our personal devotions. We should also remember their needs in our prayer and if we are able, we should also be generously sharing them our material blessings because our pastors are feeding us with spiritual food.

Hebrews 13:15

Today's memory verse is in Hebrews 13:15. This is related to our yesterday's memory verse. For those who came in late, we will be sharing verses about pastors to give us the correct standard in treating them.

Hebrews 13:15 says "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."

In this verse, we are instructed to obey those that have rule over us, and that includes our pastors. Do we obey our pastor? Do we follow his instructions? The Word of God also tell us the reason. Three reasons are given in this verse: they watch for our souls, they are accountable to God for our souls." It is their accountability if they were not able to teach the whole counsel of God. If they keep teachings profitable for themselves or if they did not teach doctrines that they supposed to teach. If we are accountable for ourselves in the sight of God, our pastor has double accountability. They are accountable for themselves and for us. So we have to obey them because it would be for our benefit.

Jeremiah 3:15

Hey, welcome back! How was your weekend? How did God spake to you through the preaching of the Word? Were you blessed, encouraged, challenged or reproved by the Word of God? Were you able to remember to thank God for your pastor for being God's mouthpiece in sending you His Message?

Most of the time, we members of the church neglect our pastors. We often give them the least importance but most responsibilities. Sometimes, they even become the center of our criticisms and the recipients of our never ending complaints. Sad, but there are even churches who condemn their pastors for their mistakes forgetting that pastors are also human beings who are also susceptible to sins and temptations. They kick their pastors out from their church as if they are the ones who chose their pastors.

I was too blessed by God's message last night on our Sunday Evening Service delivered by one of the preachers in our church that I desire to encourage you to memorize verses that pertain to pastors. This is to encourage you to love your pastors and give double honor. I encourage you to join me as I memorize these verses and glorify God as we continue to study the Scripture.

For the initial verse, I want to share with you the text of last night's message. The reference text is in Jeremiah 3:15. The Word of God in Jeremiah 3:15 says "And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."

In this verse, it is clearly stated that pastor our from God's own heart. They were given to us, to teach us the Word of God, to help us understand it, to nourish our spiritual bodies through the preaching of the Word of God. We are not the one who choose them, but God. If it is God who chose them and put them in their position, only God can also take away that position from him. We as members of the church have no right to replace him anytime we want and choose someone who will fit to our own set of qualifications. Only God can fill-in the Pastoral's Office. If Satan is in process of deceiving us to afflict our pastor, let us be reminded that our pastor is given to us by God according to His own heart .

Let us continue to pray for our pastors that God may continue to use him for our spiritual growth.