Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead). NKJV In the name of the One Who calls his ministers through the church, amen.
(The devotions this week are drawn from Luther’s comments of Galatians. They were originally compiled by Pastor Alex Ring, and have been heavily edited for length.)
Every minister of the Word may boast with John the Baptist (Luke 3:2): “The Word of the Lord has come to me.” Therefore when I preach, baptize or administer the sacraments, I do so as one who has a command and a call. For the voice of the Lord has come to me, not in some corner, as the sectarians boast, but through the mouth of a man is who is carrying out his lawful right. But if one or two citizens were to ask me to preach, I should not follow such a private call; for this would open the window to the ministers of Satan, who would follow this example and work harm as we have said above. But when those who are in public office ask me, then I should obey.
Therefore when Paul says “not from men nor through man,” he is knocking down the false apostles. It is as though he were saying: “No matter how much these vipers may brag, of what more, can they brag than that they have come either ‘from men,’ that is, on their own, without any call, or ‘through man, ’ that is, being sent by someone else. But as for me, I have been called and sent neither from men nor through man but immediately, that is, by Jesus Christ Himself. In every way my call is like that of the apostles, and I am indeed an apostle.” Therefore Paul deals thoroughly with this doctrine of the call of the apostles. Elsewhere he distinguishes between apostleship and other ministries. He puts apostles into first place, so that those may properly be called apostles who have been sent immediately by God Himself without any other person as the means. Thus Matthias was called by God alone; for when the other apos-tles had chosen two men, they did not dare decide between them but cast lots and prayed God to indicate whom He preferred (Acts 1:23-26).
The call, therefore, is not to be despised. For it is not sufficient if a man has the Word and the pure doctrine, he must also have the assurance of his call, and whoever enters without this assurance enters only in order to kill and destroy (John 10:10). For God never prospers the work of those who are not called. Even if they teach something good and useful, it does not edify.
Therefore we who are in the ministry of the Word have this comfort, that we have a heavenly and holy office; being legitimately called to this, we prevail over all the gates of hell (Matt. 16:18). Thus you see how necessary it is to boast and glory in our ministry this way. Amen.
Prayer; Lord Jesus, the ministry is Yours, and You called the Apostles into You ministry directly. We see that today You call ministers through Your church. Bless us through those whom You have called, so that we may always have the gospel taught among us, amen.
Copyright 2002 Reformation Lutheran Church http://ReformationChurch.org