shepherding the shepherd
from PreachingToday.com
Garlands of Grace
When some people put their trust in Christ, they gladly believe that he forgives all their sins and redeems their lives from death and hell, but don’t grasp the wonder of their other blessings. They believe that God loves them in a kind of global way, but they cannot imagine God celebrating them personally and delighting specifically in what they are becoming. They don’t realize how safe they are or just how far and deep God’s grace reaches into their stories.
Redeemed from the Pit
Some of the saints in your church trusted Jesus when they were so young that they only know the threat of the pit because the Bible tells us so. Others well remember living among the tombs. They testify to the isolation, hopelessness, and bondage, but also arouse our worship for Christ’s astonishing ransom.
The Cure of Souls
So we praise God that our souls, once blind to his grace and truth, now see. Our hearts, once deaf, now hear with understanding. Our spirits, once lame, now walk and leap. Those are developing miracles. We gradually see better, hear more clearly, rejoice more deeply, till we step into glory.
Our Soul’s Song
Believers can begin to take forgiven sins for granted. After all, we hear about forgiveness all the time and sing about it every Sunday. On the other hand, Christians can be so sensitized to sin that guilt becomes a shadowy companion, parroting the accusations of Satan, and distracting us from the Lord’s open-ended invitation to his throne of grace.
The Mother Lode of Wisdom
Pastors work the mines of wisdom day in and day out without realizing just how rich we’re getting. Studying, contemplating, and applying Scripture as we do takes us deep into the treasures of God in Christ.
When the Elder Brother Celebrates
Who can grasp how rich we are in Christ? As long as we have been with Jesus we have never wanted for any good thing. He pronounces Amen to all of God’s promises. Our pastoral challenge is teaching God’s people how to draw upon the inexhaustible riches of God’s kingdom. No one who remembers their prodigal life, when they squandered their inheritance and came to envy pigs, ever thinks, “Those were the good old days.”