Is there in all this world a more complex and diverse work than that of the contemporary pastor? I'm sure there is, but I'd still contend that the pastoral role, especially in certain settings, vies with the most demanding professions of earth. Attempting to fulfill the demands of all that is expected of one, the pastor can easily find his or her energy and attention dissipated, drawn off to concentrate on that formidable multitude of foci. In all of this the pivotal role of ministry is easily obscured. But what is this pivotal focus?
Near the end of his gospel, John gives his reason for writing as he has: "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31, NIV). "That you may believe." This is the essential role of ministry communicating, living, serving in such a way as to awaken genuine faith in Jesus Himself. And bringing life through that name.
In framing this statement, John has in mind all he has written in his gospel. But it is fascinating to notice that the statement directly follows the story of Thomas and the specific difficulty he had in believing something for which he had no physical evidence. "He said to them, 'Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it' " (John 20:25, NIV). We could say that Thomas had good reason not to believe. All that had happened to him and all that had not, gathered to assault a formerly strong confidence. Watershed events had transpired that seemed to give the lie to all in which he had invested himself. Nothing anyone could say could make much difference. Thomas was not only skeptical; he was cynical and disillusioned. Above all, he was internally shattered, and he was angry. I think he wanted to believe, but all told, he could not and so he would not. And in so many ways Thomas is archetypical of twentieth-century humanity.
Thomas muddled through another week of anguish (verse 26) and then a fabulous gift was given to him. It was the gift of faith, the gift of a transforming trust that came to him in the face of his misgivings. Perhaps because it seemed he had little else he could do, Thomas had continued to keep company with his fellow ministers. Apparently his questions had continued, and so I think the immense struggle within himself had lingered.
It was through locked doors that Jesus finally got to Thomas and the others. Jesus "stood among them," greeted them, and then turned to Thomas. "Put your finger here," He said. "See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe" (verse 27). Here is the greatest invitation a human being could ever be given. With it there is the implicit summons for Thomas to see for himself. To "see" despite his cynical stubbornness and his distrustful ultimatum. He was asked by Jesus to take his own finger and his own hand, to "see," to "stop doubting and believe." Jesus' invitation is to do exactly what Thomas said he would have to do before he could believe the most significant thing a human being could possibly believe.
There are at least three convincing miracles here for Thomas. Jesus being alive at all is the first and most obvious. Jesus coming into the room through closed doors is another. The third is not so obvious. It is that Jesus had heard and felt the weight of Thomas' bewilderment, sorrow, and cynicism when a week before Thomas had laid down his doubt-ridden conditions of faith. Though Jesus had not been present when Thomas spoke, He knew all about these sentiments in Thomas, and I believe He calculated the moment when He could best come to Thomas and the most effective way to bring this man to faith. It is this sort of providential timing, this kind of personal revelation, that is the only thing that can break through the encrustations of uncertainty and cynicism that are so much a part of our generation.
There is yet another miracle, which is that Thomas does what Jesus invites and there follows his great cry of recognition and faith: "My Lord and my God!" (verse 28).
Again, to bring our fellow humans to this kind of recognition is the heart of the ministerial mission. This is our primary pursuit, the fundamental reason for our being who we are to offer, as best we can by the grace of God, opportunities such as this one. Simply to bring human beings to touch the hands of Jesus.
Take another look at the cover of this issue. I am especially pleased with it. It depicts beautifully this pivotal task of the Christian minister. "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14, NIV). This is what we proclaim and live. Jesus stretching out the wounded palms of his hands for the world to see so that those who will may place their searching fingers right into those wounds, see and feel the reality of His suffering and so perceive Him, come to faith, and have life through His name. It is the essential task and privilege of the minister of Christ to take hold, as it were, of the fingers of struggling human beings and bring them over to the outstretched, crucified hand of the living Christ. It is to lead them into the wounds of a resurrected Lord so that they can see for themselves and believe.
Preaching the Resurrection. This was definitely at the heart of the New Testament mission, and it remains at the heart our mission. It is what Dwight Nelson, Gardner Taylor, and Hyveth Williams are about in the three sermons published in this issue. It is, of course, the particular passion of this issue of Ministry, and we hope the underlying ethos of every issue.
