Encore Post: In Holy Baptism we are made God’s child. This is perhaps the greatest and most wonderful vocation into which we are placed. Let’s call Baptism ground zero for vocations. Moving from ground zero there are other vocations that are built into the kingdom of God. The vocation or calling of a pastor comes to mind.
In the Old Testament God commanded the men of the tribe of Levi to serve in his tabernacle and later temple as priests and the specific men who would do the bulk of the public preaching and teaching concerning the Lord and his wonderful works of salvation, like the Exodus events of the Passover Lamb and Red Sea.
In the New Testament, no longer is it about tribal blood lines. Jesus calls 12 men to be his disciples and we are not really told much about their tribal relationships. The original 12 disciples who were with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry from his baptism to his ascension into heaven were then sent to proclaim their testimony concerning what they had seen. They were to proclaim the salvation won for us by Jesus Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension. They did this publicly. Paul was a late comer but chosen by the risen Christ, Himself to be the voice to the Gentiles.
Jesus called these 12 apostles to preach and to proclaim the saving Gospel. They also wrote letters and the Gospels that are in our Bible, as John so aptly puts it, “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life in His Name.” Today’s pastors are placed into a very related office of the apostles. Pastors are called to preach the Word, as it has been handed down by the apostles in Scripture. For by this preaching of Jesus’ salvific work, faith is created in the hearer. Baptisms are administered. The Lord’s Body and Blood is given to the body of believers. The baptized child of God is then ministered to by the next vocation in the line.
Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana
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What is the difference between a vocation and a calling? A vocation I think of as your station in life, loving and serving in your responsibility to others. Out of love for God, you are called to love your neighbor as yourself, right where are stationed. For the most part, I think of a calling as being led by God in service to the Word. When Jesus called the disciples, they were taken from their station to follow Jesus. So I see both distinctions and commonality.
Theologically speaking I think you are on track. Unfortunately, in today’s age (in my opinion) we have lost that distinction between the words in question and in most parlance they are synonymous. I would warn though, that just because the 12 were called by the Lord into the service of the Word, they did not lose all their vocations or stations. They were husbands and fathers for instance. And after the crucifixion of Jesus they went back to fishing, albeit for a shot. time. There is much more to wade into and Gene Veith has some great books on vocation. I would recommend those as well as recent article written by Dr. Ben Mayes in the Concordia Theological Quarterly. He also was just on Issues, Etc. Talking about these very topics.