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neighbors through the labor we have been given to do in our jobs or occu- pations in daily life. No matter how you are employed, Luther would have you search for the possibilities you are given to serve neighbors in your daily work. Whether one works at a business, in medicine, in education, as a homemaker, or some other occupation, God gives you neighbors whom you serve through your employment. Also students and retired people have neighbors to serve in their daily involvements. Third, you serve neighbors by


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clothed with Jesus Christ (Gala- tians 3:27) and “ordained” for daily service to the neighbors God gives them. The service by Christians to the neighbors God gives them in daily life is the highest form of Christian service. The ministry of the baptized in daily life is the vanguard for God’s mission in the world.


The particular ministries of bish- ops, pastors and diaconal ministers are each properly ordered only when they are directed finally “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). Only a theology of ministry that gives priority to the vocation of the baptized in daily life can renew and reform the mission of the church for the challenges of the 21st century. Luther’s understanding of the two kingdoms (here described as God’s two strategies) for bringing forth God’s reign over all creation says there are distinctive arenas where the baptized are sent to serve their neighbors.


According to the right hand (or spiritual) strategy, the baptized are sent to their neighbors as bearers of the good news message of Christ’s


mercy, forgiveness and healing spo- ken to others. This is the vocation of evangelizing, practicing the art of evangelical listening to the stories of other people, in order to talk to them about how God is present with them in both the struggles and joys of living.


The work of evangelizing belongs to all Christians, not just to pastors or trained professionals. Only as the baptized claim the vocation of speaking the good news will we become an evangelizing church like unto the church of the New Testament. The left hand (or civil) strategy says the baptized are sent to serve neighbors in three distinct arenas of daily life.


‘(Having told them the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus asked:) “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise” ’ (Luke 10:36-37).


engaging in your communities for the sake of the common good. Through community organiza- tions like food pantries or homeless shelters, volunteer efforts in car- ing for the sick or improving the environment, or political advocacy to improve government services to those in need, Christian people live out their bap- tismal vocation in service to neigh- bors. Moreover, there are many forms of Christian service that allow us to reach out to care for neighbors


in other parts of the globe. Evangelical Lutheran Worship


First, we are to see the members of our families as neighbors God has given us to serve. No matter what the constellation of your particular fam- ily, you are called by the ordination of your baptism to relate to its mem- bers as neighbors to be served. Second, we are sent to serve


includes a wonderful rite for “Affir- mation of Christian Vocation.” The people of God are asked: “Will you endeavor to pattern your life on the Lord Jesus Christ, in gratitude to God and service to others, at morn- ing and evening, at work and at play, all the days of your life?” May you be emboldened to reply each new day: “I will, and I ask God to help me.” Only so will the Lutheran church reclaim its understanding of the universal priesthood as the neighborliness of all believers. 


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