Introduction:

Nancy, the big day is finally here. It seems like it was just a couple years ago that you came up with this crazy idea to go to sem. No, it wasn't your crazy idea; you had it right; God called you.

Then, Summer Greek, Candidacy Committee, four years- it's all over now. And a wonderful new beginning is about to start. You've never been one to plunge in half-hearted. You've plunged in and done so many things so well- Mary Kay, real estate, plunging into Bible Study Fellowship; and even plunged in up to your neck in freezing water in Hezekiah's Tunnel in Jerusalem during our Holy Land trip a few years ago. (Glad we went then, not today!) And you you've plunged through the tunnel of seminary, and now the light at the end of the tunnel is shining on Truman, Minnesota. You're going to do a great job.

But this is a sermon, and its focus should not be on you. It's time to wrestle with these texts you chose. Each one deserves a good solid sermon. Good texts. But we haven't got an hour and a half. I think if we look at a bit from each one, it will give us a chance to reflect on the ordained ministry of Word and Sacrament and maybe even give you a bit of a challenge.

So, I'm just going to preach to you, and let the rest listen. Here goes.

I) Good News to All

Our Gospel gives us a good jumping off place. These are the verses from Isaiah that Jesus used to inaugurate his ministry. Not a bad choice:

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,

[19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Yes, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, too, Nancy. You were baptized by that Spirit, confirmed by that Spirit, and you have served in the power of that Spirit for many years. That Spirit came to you and spoke to your heart through his Word here for many years, under the faithful ministry of Pastor Satre. You learned that Word, and received that Gospel Word by the Spirit's work in our Lord's Supper. The Spirit has called you to faith, filled you with hope and now compels you away from home and family to be a channel of that same Word.

Ultimately, that's what counts. That's what we as Lutherans have always taught. Ordination is about the Word. It's not about power, it's not about authority, ordination isn't about a human action, it's about the Word. It's a call so that always and faithfully someone will be there to proclaim the Gospel, and administer the Gospel in a way we can touch, taste and smell in the Sacraments.

It's the Word of Gospel. That's what we need: "Faith comes from hearing, and what is heard is the preaching of Christ." (Rom 10:17) It's most needed by the poor. Who are the poor? Anybody who doesn't think that they're rich. The ones who think they have it all are pretty hard to help; but around you will be surrounded by those who hurt; those who are carry burdens of guilt, shame and fear; people who are pinned under deep loads of 'If only's...' and 'What if's...' Prisoners who need to be set free from this pain, and addictions, and blindness of the heart and soul and mind.

Because you care, you will be surrounded by hurting people. You're going into a farm community at a time of record low prices on corn and soy beans. Marriages are hurting. Young folks are making mistakes. You will be surrounded by brokenness, just are we are here, in the midst of addictions and crime. People are people, and sin is sin. I served for many years in a small town not far from where you will be serving. People hurt there just as they do here, and they get themselves into just as many sad things.

And only the Gospel can set them free. Proclaim it clear and strong and solid. And these will be the years of the Lord's favor in Truman, Minnesota.

You're called there to pour your life out. My dad had more understanding of human nature than anybody I've ever met. He used to say, "Roland, there's two kinds of people in this world, gives and takers. There's an awful lot of takers. You need to be a giver." Nancy, pastors are givers. That's the call; to give our lives away; we're there to teach how the Master served. Good ministry is always characterized by a spirit of giving. I challenge you to give your life away in the Gospel. As you reflect on that at 2 AM by a bedside in the middle of a blizzard, it will make sense.

Your call is what Paul says in our Epistle Lesson: [5] For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

II) Sometimes it Will be Hard

Yet, in the midst of this talk about call, Paul goes on in a curious direction:

[7] But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. [8] We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; [9] persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. [10] We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. [11] For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. [12] So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Crushed? Persecuted? Struck down? This does not sound like fun. And sometimes ministry will be like that. Not sometimes it might be like that; sometimes it will be like that. There will come days, maybe weeks when you want to chuck it all and go sell Lutheran Brotherhood. Paul experienced that. Every pastor I know has experienced that. Three of my closest pastor friends have left the parish ministry in the last year. Did you hear those words? [10] We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. [11] For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.

Sometimes it will be hard. If they killed the Master, will it be any easier on his servants? These are days with much anxiety. Hurting people lash out. These are challenging days for Christians and for the church. But these are good days. These are days when the Gospel is desperately needed. These are days when the power of God will sustain you and bring you through. It may have been the great missionary Hudson Taylor who said it- [:The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.:] Sometimes it will be hard.

At those times you will need to dig deeply into God's Word. Those are times when you will also have to go deep inside yourself and remember God's call. God's call is not just a piece of paper. It's not just the call of the ELCA. It is the call of the Living God which plunged you into this; it is that sense of call that will bring you through those days that will be ahead. You have been called; we join in affirming that call today.

On other days, you will soar with the joy of bringing folks to faith; of leading Bible studies where all of a sudden somebody 'gets it' and faith makes sense. There will be days of great progress, of heartfelt times with seniors, with kids and with troubled folks whose burdens you help God lift. There is no other profession left today with whom people have such a constant connection with their care-giver. Not with their doctor; not with the teacher; not with their lawyer-- only we, as pastors, are still allowed to build that long-term, life-changing relationship. And in a church the size of your churches or this church people get to know their pastor and vice verse. And it doesn't get any better than that. Interesting words with which Paul starts that section out: Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

Gene, you will be a big part of this, too. You will be there with your gentle and calming presence. You're helping to plow new ground. Pastor's husbands are a phenomenon we haven't seen much since the days of Priscilla and Aquila. You have a shared ministry, but you will have to figure out how that works for you two. Cling together; wrestle with God's Word together; your years together will give you strength that many young folks don't have. As a Pastor's husband, have fun defining your own role. This will be an adventure! You will find that God will use you in ways you can't even imagine right now. And family, now that Mom and Dad are running away from home, they will need your prayers and constant contact more than ever.

III) Ending With A Promise

So let those first words we heard from Isaiah sink in deeply; claim them as your birthright:

This is what God the LORD says--

he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,

who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:

[6] "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you...

He will keep you. He is the powerful God who created the heavens and the earth. He has sustained your parishes for many years, and will continue to strengthen them as you bring your unique gifts and personality. They will be blessed. Because your God is able, and his Word is true. He reminds you this afternoon: 6] "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you...

Nancy, we're proud of you. This is a very special day for St. Paul's. Sure, we've had about 50 seminarians around here in the past 14 years, sure we've been to a few ordinations-

You're the first lifetime member of St. Paul's to get ordained here in a really, really long time. This is a red-letter day here at St. Paul's. We're proud of you and we will pray for you. Now, let's get you ordained. Amen.

Isaiah 42:5-9

This is what God the LORD says--

he who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,

who gives breath to its people,

and life to those who walk on it:

[6] "I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.

I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,

[7] to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison

and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

[8] "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.

[9] See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare;

before they spring into being I announce them to you."

2 Cor. 4:1-12

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. [2] Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. [3] And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. [4] The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. [5] For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

[7] But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. [8] We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; [9] persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. [10] We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. [11] For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. [12] So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

Luke 4:18-19

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,

[19] to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."