The Good Shepherd

"My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish." John 10:27-28

There's an awful lot in these few words, don't you think?

Jesus says we belong to Him, we are His sheep. He bought us, redeemed us with his very blood.

Christians recognize His voice, receive His words in the Bible. Accept the Bible, His teachings as being life giving and true.

He knows us, better than we know ourselves. Yet, despite our faults, He loves us and still shepherds us.

Sheep follow their shepherd. Believers follow Jesus. It doesn't matter what you call yourself, if you don't follow Jesus, you're not one of His sheep.

He gives us abundant, everlasting life, now, not after the rapture, or after the great day of the Lord, but now, and continuing forever.

His sheep don't go to slaughter and become mutton. We produce fine wool, a crop of good works for the kingdom. And we will never perish

FREEDOM

As we look forward to the Fourth of July, “Independence Day,” I thought it would be fitting to share some quotes with you to remind us ‘from whence cometh our liberty’...

So Jesus was saying to his followers, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and your will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.” “So if the Son (Jesus) makes you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31,32,34,36

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Declaration of Independence

For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible” George Washington

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior (Jesus) of the world is communicated to us through this book. Abraham Lincoln

"We've staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us . . . to Govern ourselves according to the commandments of God. The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded." President James Madison

“Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” “ Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.” Alexis de Tocqueville

Doing for others?

In Jesus last week of His earthly mission, He prophesies about the destruction of the Herodian Temple. In response to His announcement, His disciples ask Him when these things will take place, which launches Him in to a series of parables about end times and His future role. In this passage He speaks plainly, not in a parable.

“When the Son of Man (Jesus) comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep (believers/disciples) from the goats (non-Christians). He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous (believing sheep) will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’*

Matthew 25:31-40

This is the Bible account David Pendleton was referencing last week when he talked about the upcoming prison ministry opportunity. As I read this my thoughts were, “Am I doing what I should be doing for others, particularly the poor, the down and out, the prisoners?”

Carrot or Stick?

The old farmer says there are two ways you can motivate a mule. Either get behind him with a stick and prod him to go the way he should go, or get in front of him, and encourage him along with a juicy carrot.

God told Israel in Deuteronomy 30 that He has set a blessing and a curse in front of them. God set a land flowing with milk and honey ahead of them, encouraging them to follow Him and be faithful to only Him. He also had Pharoah, a bunch of chariots, and slavery behind them.

He asks us to circumcise our hearts, set our soul apart for Him, observe His way (behave), and He will encourage us with blessings, and prosperity, and joy. He also has consequences for sin: following after other gods like money, prestige, immorality. Consequences, we’ve all had enough experience with to know to avoid.

We can apply this to our style of spiritual leadership, especially in the area of parenting. Proverbs says that if we love our children we will discipline them. The rod or correction is mentioned more than once. But, we must also encourage our charges. We need to be out in front, doing the right thing, and cheer leading for our families.

Think about your own life. In a boss or parent or spouse, what ratio of encouragement and criticism would you prefer? Let’s be Barnabas, sons of encouragement most of the time. But, let’s not neglect loving correction and discipline to keep those under our care on the path of blessing and prosperity.

A Priestly Perspective

I’ve been enjoying listening to Deuteronomy. This record from Moses gives a priestly perspective on God’s dealing with the nation of Israel, and the giving of God’s law or standards. In chapter 5, we get the second record of the 10 commandments. You know “do this, and don’t do this and that.” Any honest examination by the sincere seeker convinces us that we all fall short, or miss the mark on one, if not all of these simple rules.

Chapter 6, though, hints at the secret to being right with this relational God. This records the greatest commandment as affirmed by Jesus to the young scribe in the gospel. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” If we love God, our heart will lead us to please Him.

Finally, there is the challenge to parents to teach God’s standards and laws to our children and encourage them to follow Him. Or, in other words, pass on the secrets to a healthy relationship with our Maker.

Realize that we don’t measure up. Have a loving relationship with the true God of the Bible. Teach your children and others how to do the same. Gee, it seems like the Gospel to me way back in the Hebrew Scriptures. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

3 G Theology

You’ve heard of 3 G technology. Let’s talk about 3 G Theology. I heard a teacher sharing that the message of the book of Romans could be broken down into 3 phases, and 3 G’s. They are GUILT, GRACE, and GRATITUDE.

Man was not supposed to live with guilt. But Romans lets us know that we are all guilty. “There’s none righteous, not even one.” “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Who hasn’t broken one of the 10 commandments: Never told a lie? Never taken something that hasn’t belonged to you? Not wanted something that rightfully belonged to someone else?

But Romans then tells us that we are saved, not by works, earning our way, but by GRACE. God’s unmerited favor. “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” Jesus did what we couldn’t: Live a sinless life. He paid a price we couldn’t, sacrificing a perfect life to take our punishment; then applying his work to our account, our sentence.

Once we accept that gift of grace, our adoption into God’s family, how do we then live: On our own power, in our own strength? No, we let Him live his life through us. We put off our nature, and put on His will and life. “Present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” And, we then live a life of GRATITUDE. “You yourselves are (now) full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to encourage one another.”

Live bravely in your 3 G Theology!

A Life Well Lived

The funeral director stopped counting after 1100 people passed through the visitation line at her visitation. Her oldest son said, we are losing another of our role models. When she went home to be with her Lord, she left a big hole in her husband’s, her four children’s, her seven grandchildren’s and four great grandchildren’s and hundreds of friend’s hearts.

She was a first grade and kindergarten teacher who taught dozens of children to read, hold their pencils correctly, and line up and behave. Another said, she raised the bar, on what it means to live a successful life, giving to others. Always with a gift for loving and comforting others, it was fitting that her funeral was on Mothers’ Day, 2010.

She reminded me of what’s important in life, the legacy one really wants to leave, of lives touched and love extended. We honored and celebrated her life. So for those special, godly women you know, I encourage you to provide for, protect, lift up and honor them while they are with us.

One of the two pastors who spoke about her and her love of her Savior quoted Proverbs 31:

An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

She looks for wool and flax And works with her hands in delight.

She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar.

She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She girds herself with strength And makes her arms strong.

She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night.

She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle.

She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet.

She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen.

Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future.

She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:

“Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.”

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.