Coronavirus and Pastors

Today is April 4, 2020; and today CNN reported that

“The novel coronavirus has infected more than 1.1 million people and killed more than 60,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. The US has more than 300,000 cases and more than 8,100 deaths, according to revised figures.” (https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-04-04-20/index.html)

This virus has spread like lightening since the beginning of this twentieth year of this new millennium. It started within the planet’s most populous nation and now, just a few days beyond the first three months, it affects us all while literally bringing our so previously perpetual society to a halt!

I. Did God allow this to happen?

Well…

• It happened.
• He has not stopped it yet.
• It is therefore clear that he has allowed it to occur.

II. Did God send it?

• • The Bible is full of accounts of this question being answered in the affirmative. (Details of this will be given in tomorrow’s Sunday evening message.)
  • To be brief, listen this part of a message given by Jesus Himself, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Saviour of the World, over two thousand years ago.
    • “And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.” (Luke 21:11)
    • Regarding the word “pestilence” used here, the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says,
      • “Any sudden fatal epidemic is designated by this word, and in its Biblical use it generally indicates that these are divine visitations.” (https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/pestilence/)
    • Did God realize what it would do to preachers and their churches?

The Coronavirus! Among other important things, can God possibly be using it in some way and for some reason to effect the work generally performed by recognized ministers of God; the pastors, the preachers, the priests, the bishops, those who had been oh so privileged..

• To administer the Word of God,
• To teach the life changing world bending “whatsoever I have commanded you” of Jesus Christ, their Saviour,
  • as stated by Him in his great (yea, greatest) commission given to them,
  • as so clearly stated in the last three verses of that first book of the New Testament, that first Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, wherein he told them to
    • “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Oh, men of God, what did our Lord show you to by his excellent and perfect example? What exactly did he then tell you to do through the power of his own word (the Word of God) spoken directly from his own heart (the Heart of God)? And you, what did you then begin to do and what have you evolved (devolved?) to do afterwards and ever since until now? And you, oh congregant, oh critical outsider, oh “every creature” (Mark 16:15) what must you now do with what is left of a medium, a remaining means of communication, between the God of the Universe… and you?

III. Did God wish to call those ministers back to a stricter following of his Son, their Master, their Lord?

Here are four words of world-stopping importance, as given in Luke 3:23, “He began His ministry.” (NASB)

Let it speak to us and then let us speak to Him, now.

Oh, Lord, you have our attention. How shall we then live? We would see you. We watch you. We, created in the image of God. We those who seek to follow the Son of God, we Christians, and those given to be our guides. As it is written,

“Sir, we would see Jesus.” (John 12:21)

And so we see that after you, Lord Jesus, “began your ministry”, and after demonstrating to us all how to

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10),

You then

“Returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.” (Luke 4:14)

Who could stop you? No one.

• “There went out a fame of him through all the region round about.” (Luke 4:14)
• “They were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.” (Luke 4:32)
• “They were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying ‘What a word is this! For with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.” (Luke 4:36)
• “And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to others cities also: for therefore am I sent.” (Luke 4:43)

Conclusion

Yes, dear listener, He did all of this by Himself. That’s right! He hadn’t even selected the twelve disciples yet. Jesus did this alone, and in doing so showed us all what a man of God with only God as his companion could do. He also and even more importantly left “us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (I Peter 2:21)

As it is written and as he has said,

• “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

OUTLINE:

Coronavirus and Pastors

1. Did God allow this to happen?
2. Did God send it?
3. Did God know what it would do to preachers and their churches?
4. Did God wish to call them back to truly following his Son, their Master, their Lord?

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)