There is no bigger conversation killer than to tell someone you've just met that you are a pastor. If it has happened to me once, it has happened a thousand times, I am engaged in a nice conversation with someone I've just met, I tell them I'm a pastor and that little piece of information changes the entire tone of the conversation. They suddenly back track, feel the need to explain previous comments, tell me about the church they attend and how active they are. The fact that I am a pastor makes them feel insecure and guilty. I am willing to bet I am not the only pastor with this experience. Satan does his best to rob Christians of the gifts Christ has given to his Church.
The Christian life is one that is filled with troubles. Christians are sinners, they live with other sinners. Therefore we all sin against each other. I sin against you. You sin against me. It has a tendency to make life complicated. As if that were not enough, there are untold disasters and diseases that occur all the time that again make life complicated. "Why is this happening to me?" "Where has God gone?" "Does God still love me?" God has given pastors to Christian to help with these very issues.
You have troubles, you have sins, you have frustrations, but because of the Satan induced stigma, you can’t tell the pastor. You don’t want him to know. He will make you feel guilty.
Jesus says “Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest.” Jesus says to his pastors, “If you forgive the sins of anyone they are forgiven.”
Jesus has not given you a pastor to judge you. Jesus has given to you a pastor so that when you tell him your sins, you have an ear that will listen. Jesus gives to you a pastor so that after he has heard your sin there will be a mouth and a voice to speak to you forgiveness. Jesus has promised that when pastors speak forgiveness it is Heaven's forgiveness. Jesus promises that when a pastor speaks consolation and comfort, it is Heaven's consolation and Heaven's comfort.
God gives pastors to his church. God gave Peter to the Jews to be their pastor. They were cut to the heart (Acts 2:37) and he told them of Christ’s forgiveness (Acts 2:38-39). God has given a pastor to you. His voice delivers to you Jesus. His ears deliver your cares to Jesus. His voice forgives your sin. Do not let Satan take this away from you.
