Good Morning Friends,
Today I am meditating on the paradox of Jesus being both Lamb and Shepherd while reading the parable of Lost Sheep. And I cannot help but think that we too are a paradox of being both alive and dead… of being saints and sinners…of simultaneously being lost and found. So, I pray and contemplate Schrodinger’s Cat wondering what scripture might open up and what my life’s choices might open up for me as an answer to the question behind the question. The problem is that I do so hope for a world of utopian unity knowing full well that too many we embrace a reality of dystopia. I do so hope we be more than the walking dead. And so, I seek hopeful words in my prayer, and I hope the thought creates a contagious compassion in me and captures the heart of a living God. And the joyous part I find is that a lost and abandoned sheep has been found. But moreover, I have found that there is power in seeking others out with the Spirit of Jesus so they too will know the joy and choose it over death. Friends, indeed, it is a comfort that our Savior seeks us and finds us and comes to us when we need the comfort most. But as this happens, we must also choose life. We must choose to follow the way. Have You Opened The Repentance Box?
Scripture: I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:14-15 (NRSV)
So he told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Luke 15:3-7 (NRSV)
Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:23-26 (NRSV)
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8 (NRSV)
For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
Ezekiel 34:11-16 (NRSV)
and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5:5b-11 (NJRSV)
Message: The teaching of Jesus and of the New Testament is that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, who seeks out the lost sheep, and dies for His flock. This is in contrast to those who are not shepherds at all, but merely hired helps, who have no personal concern with the sheep except as a source of work and therefore of income. This teaching did not suddenly arrive on the scene with Jesus. It was already known by those who were familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures. There is one whole chapter which contrasts irresponsible shepherds with the one true Shepherd: Ezekiel 34. The bad, irresponsible, or false shepherds represent the leaders, particularly the religious leaders, who fail to fulfil their duty towards God’s flock. This is true, whether we are thinking of Israel and Judah before the Exile, after the Exile, in Jesus’ day (when the flock was seen by His sympathetic eye as scattered like sheep without a shepherd), of the Church at any stage of history, in the present, or nearer yet to the end of time. We do so tend to wander off seeking an earthly utopia. But it does not exist. What is worse though is a continual focus on dystopia where everything is bad. Dwelling on good thoughts is so much better. That is why when a sinner repents all heaven rejoices. That is why it is such a good thing to seek others out to share the good news. We are to come with no hidden agenda. We are to come moved by the Spirit with urgency, energy, and effort. It makes a difference the way we engage others in the search for something greater than ourselves. You see, being alone and lost is one of the worst experiences you can have. When that happens, we are often confronted with fear, frustration, fatigue, and failure. The beauty is that when we seek out those who need comfort, Jesus in turn will seek us out. So, rejoice when Jesus comes searching for you. There is hope here. For here is the opportunity for God to make sinners right in His sight. So, repent of your sins and then believe Jesus the Good Shepherd will not only find you but save you as well.
And So, friends, we need to receive the reconciliation offered by Christ. We are without the strength to do it on our own. We are powerless to help ourselves even in the choosing. We are sinners. Many even exclude God from their thinking and feeling, mind and heart. We need reconciliation to not be cold towards God. The problem, if you have never responded to the love of God is that we miss the mark of having a relationship with God and instead choose by default to be an enemy of God. The amazing thing is that Christ died to fix the problem. God had a planned purpose to redeem the world from before the beginning of time. Outside of Christ you are bound by sin and destined for an eternity apart from God and no amount of struggle will free you from being lost. The remarkable thing about the death of Christ, the good shepherd, is that he took our place while we were still sinners, helpless and powerless. And God does not wait until we have performed well enough to merit His love. God is as a loving Father who, having forgiven His prodigal son, watched daily for him to return home. And God is waiting for us today. The proof of God’s Amazing Love for us is the gift of His only Son, Jesus. The peace offered is one of reconciliation. So, be declared righteous. Be saved. Live life though Christ and be reconciled to a relationship that offers life in abundance. Be reconciled.
Pray that even though we are sinful we have a heart of repentance. Pray we ask Jesus to help us. Pray that in our struggle we fight against sin. Pray we repent.
Pray thanking God for having a habit of forgiving. Pray because we have hope and wait… believing help is on the way… Pray that we believe God’s provisions are not only sufficient but overflowing in abundance. Pray that we would discover Christ as Christ finds us. Pray thanking God for finding us lost sheep and then leading us to green pastures. Pray we keep our minds on God’s word. Pray we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Pray we are joyous because of Jesus holds us together.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 