Do you have a shepherd?

Do you have a shepherd? The Bible is full of agricultural images. One of the greatest is the image of sheep and shepherd. We are all like sheep following someone or something. The question is -- Do you have a "good shepherd"?

Most of us are familiar with Psalm 23. Psalm 23:1 begins "The Lord is my shepherd." Jesus picks up on the image of sheep and shepherd in John 10, saying, "I am the good shepherd." (10:11)

You probably have never seen a shepherd up close, but you may have a pretty good idea of a shepherd's job. The shepherd is responsible to take care of the sheep and keep them safe from harm. The shepherd's job is hands-on, 24-7. You can't be a shepherd from a distance; you have to be willing to get involved, and to get your hands dirty. When Jesus compared himself to a shepherd he made a number of interesting comparisons that reveal a lot about our relationship with Jesus. Let's take a look.

1. Jesus points out that sheep listen to the shepherd's voice (10:3-4). I can tell you from working with farm animals, especially horses, that sheep listen to the shepherd's voice because 1) they recognize the shepherd's voice, and 2) they have come to trust the shepherd's voice. The shepherd has spent much time with the sheep to earn this trust.

2. Jesus points out that the shepherd leads the sheep and calls them by name (10:3-4). Most of us have a picture of the shepherd herding the sheep much as cowboys herd cattle on the movie screen. But Judean shepherds would often go out in front and call to the sheep to follow. Real leadership is not manipulation. It is showing someone a better way and call them to step forward.

Jesus personalized the shepherd's role by adding that the shepherd calls the sheep by name. A good shepherd knows his sheep, even by name.

3. Jesus points out that the sheep run from a strange voice (10:5). Not only do the sheep know the shepherd's voice, but they run from a strange voice. Believe it or not animals recognize you or not fairly quickly. They know you by your smell, by your voice, and sometimes by your mannerisms. One of the characteristics of those who follow Jesus is that we are quick to flee other voices. You can't follow multiple shepherds.

A good shepherd not only keeps the sheep safe, he leads the sheep into green pastures, and abundant water. A good shepherd provides life for the sheep. Jesus offers himself to us as the good shepherd. It's up to us to follow his lead and listen to his voice.

I hope you will turn to him as your shepherd. See you Sunday. Tom Ragsdell

Spiritual Blindness

How would you define spiritual blindness? If you know someone who struggles with their sight, you know how truly precious good eyesight can be. Most of us have pretty good eyesight. Unfortunately spiritual eyesight is not as common.

This past week we took a look at Jesus' words "I am the light of the world." In the following chapter (9) Jesus heals a man born blind and then warns the Pharisees about spiritual blindness. In the story of the blind man gaining sight we receive a simple definition of "spiritual blindness."

Jesus says to the Pharisees "For judgement I have come into this world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." (John 9:39) What did Jesus mean? I think the answer is both profound and a simple. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 5, when he said, "Blessed are the poor in Spirit."? He is saying something very similar here.

Spiritual blindness is failing to acknowledge your need for God's help. If you think you have it all together and everything under control, God's word says, "you are blind". How many people do you know that are trying to live life on their own? Somewhere in their heart or mind they are convinced they can make it in their own strength.

Jesus reminds us that spiritual eyesight begins when we acknowledge our need for God. There are many ways to acknowledge God in your life. Pause for prayer with your family. Begin a devotional life of personal prayer and Bible study. Submit your finances to God. Participate in church life. You can probably add to the list.

The most important thing is that we never look past God in our pursuit for sight or success in this life or the life to come.

Join us Sunday at the ARC as we consider steps to spiritual eyesight. Tom Ragsdell

Jesus and forgiveness

Have you ever needed forgiveness? I mean, you really messed up and you need someone to offer you mercy and forgive your mistake. Forgiveness is one of the most important teachings of the Bible. All cultures share the idea of mercy or forgiveness, but the Bible's teaching on forgiveness is unique for a number of reasons.

John's gospel tells us the story of the woman caught in adultery (8:1-11). There are three characters who stand out in the story line. They are the critics, the criminal, and Christ. The critics are the "teachers of the law and the Pharisees". They are more focused on trapping Jesus than showing concern for the welfare of the woman. For them the woman is nothing more than an object with which to trap Jesus. Jesus points out their hypocrisy with the words, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." (8:7)

The woman, of course, is a criminal. By Jewish law she could be legally stoned for her trespass of adultery. But so could the man! So where was he?! Leviticus 20:10 says, "If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress should be put to death."

Christ is on center stage in this drama. Both because the religious leaders want to trap him and because the woman needs his compassion and forgiveness. Jesus doesn't ignore or minimize her sin, but neither does he condemn her. Instead, he offers her compassion and hope for the future.

Where do you see yourself in the story? Are you more like the critics or the compassionate Christ? The Bible says "confess your faults one to another" (James 5:16), not confess the faults of others. A critic is someone who loves to point out everyone else's problems, pretending that they have none of their own. Christ, on the other hand, shows us a better way. The next time someone you know fails miserably, why not show them compassion and offer them a better way.

Maybe, as you read this, you can identify with the woman? We've all messed up in life. Too often we allow our sins to condemn us and keep us tied to the past. Receive the forgiveness of Jesus into your life today and move past your mistakes and short comings. Jesus offers us not only compassion, but also cleansing. He said to the woman, "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." (8:11)

Through the power of forgiveness we can rise up to live a life free from the past. I'm praying for you today to receive the forgiveness which Jesus offered the woman in John 8.

Have a great week, Pastor Tom

Giving

You can't out give God! There are many lessons to be learned in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand (see John 6), but my favorite lesson comes from the little boy. The boy's presence reminds us that Jesus fed more than 5,000 men that day. Women and children were also present.

We don't know how Andrew found the boy or if the boy perhaps offered his lunch to the disciple (John 6:8). I would like to think that the little boy offered his lunch to Andrew when he overheard Philip's answer to Jesus' question, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" (6:5) I am certain of this: Andrew didn't force the boy to give up his lunch to Jesus.

Children view problems in very simplistic terms. I remember the time I was having a discussion with my wife about some monthly bills. One of my younger children overheard the conversation and quickly offered to use his own money to pay for the bill. He really didn't understand how much the bill cost, but he was willing to help -- in that moment that's all that mattered to him and to me!

I wonder how often we look up to God with the heart of this little boy. We see a problem or a need and say to the Lord, "I don't have much, but here's what I have!" I really think that is the kind of heart that God is looking for in us. He's not waiting for us to solve the problem, he just wants to know if we are willing to help, willing to believe. He will work the miracle with the little we offer him.

Some people miss this, but one of the most amazing parts of this miracle is not the feeding of the 5,000 plus people, but the fact that there were 12 baskets of bread left over. I wonder who they gave the bread to? Remember what Jesus said, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." (6:12)

I think the disciples gave the 12 baskets back to the boy who gave up his lunch. So imagine yourself as the little boy. Your family has been wandering around following Jesus for the day. Mom had put together a lunch for the family that morning. Then a big surprise - you offer the family lunch to Jesus to help feed the crowd. Wow! What a moment! Then comes the bigger surprise. You gave two fish and five loaves of bread but you got back 12 baskets full of food.

What is God asking you to give up to him in your life today? I hope you have the heart of the little boy in John 6. Because you can't out give God. Giving is really not about money at all; it's about your heart. If you give God your heart, you won't have any problem giving him your time, talent, or treasure.

Whatever you give will be blessed and multiplied. This is especially true when we offer our lives to the Lord to serve him and others. Jesus said, "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap." (Luke 6:38)

I want to encourage you to be like the little boy in John 6. Be a giver and enjoy the blessings of God in your life. See you Sunday. Pastor Tom

Jesus as the living water

Jesus was a master at taking everyday situations and teaching us deeper spiritual truths. That's the story in John 4. As the story begins we find Jesus at a well in Samaria. Apparently he is thirsty, but he also has something other than thirst on his mind.

To begin the conversation, Jesus asks the Samaritan woman for some water. The story is full of interesting details. For instance, why was the woman coming to the well at noon? Why was Jesus talking to a woman or a Samaritan? Apparently, Jesus had a plan for the woman's life that included more than helping her get some water from Jacob's well at Sychar.

I see three important truths in this story that we can apply to our lives. One, Jesus is willing to cross barriers to communicate God's love and life. Two, Jesus is the only true source of spiritual water on the planet. And three, Jesus had one great purpose in life. Let's try to break these down and apply them to our lives.

#1: Crossing barriers -- Bill Hybels wrote a book called "Walk Across the Room". In the book Bill suggests that all we need to do as Christians is walk across the room and make ourselves available to others, if we want to share our story of God's love and his grace in our lives.

Jesus is a great example of this in John 4. He not only walked across the room, he crossed some major barriers. First of all, no Rabbi in that day would have been caught dead having a spiritual discussion with a woman. Jesus overlooked this artificial barrier. Second, the Jews and Samaritans hated each other mostly for good historical reasons (come to the Sunday gathering and I'll explain). Let's just say that the Samaritans were illegitimate as far as the Jews from Judea were concerned. But Jesus ignored this barrier as well. Third, this woman was not an "upstanding citizen" (maybe that's why she was drawing water at noon). This woman had experienced brokenness and failure in her life and most likely was an outcast. This didn't stop Jesus either.

Jesus didn't allow man-made barriers to keep him from sharing the good news of God's love with others. We shouldn't either. When is the last time, you walked across the room to tell someone else about God's goodness in your life. Go for it!

#2: Jesus is the only true source of spiritual water on the planet. The overarching point of the story in John 4 is Jesus' identity as "living water". There is a passage in Jeremiah (2:13) which condemns God's people because they have forsaken "springs of living water" and turned to "cisterns made by hand". This is still true today.

The human condition has one common denominator - pain, misery, disappointment, and failure and the desire to get away from it! Call it Murphy's law or original sin, we've all experienced it. And we are all looking for something better. We want to live a satisfying and full life. But there is often just one problem. We tend to look in the wrong places or crate our own artificial wells.

To the woman at the well who was still depending on her spiritual father Jacob to quench her spiritual and physical thirst, Jesus offered himself and a relationship with God as "living Water".

#3: Jesus had one great purpose in life. How many purposes do yo have in your life? Do you have a purpose? Jesus had one. He wanted to fulfill his father's will for his life and proclaim the good news of God's kingdom (John 4:34). Jesus never veered off this course.

How about you? Are you wandering or are you on course? Join us this Sunday morning as we take a look at these three truths and experience the beauty of Jesus as the "living water". See you Sunday!

Blessings, Pastor Tom

Jesus, the Lamb of God

The innocence of a lamb is hard to match. God choose innocence as the sacrificial exchange for guilt--your guilt and mine. Guilt is not a favorite topic for discussion in our culture today. We are quick to shift the blame even as Adam did in the Genesis record. Some are even proposing that the guilt we feel is self-induced or taught to us by our society; in other words, guilt is not a genuine spiritual reality. But, we know guilt is a genuine reality. Paul wrote to the Romans, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of god." (3:23) We feel guilt because we are guilty!

As far back as we can read or remember, sacrificial offerings were required by God's law because of the spiritual reality of guilt. Hebrews 9:22 tells us "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Forgiveness is the byproduct of the great exchange which the innocence of Jesus makes with our guilt. all we have to do is receive the forgiveness offered to us.

Too often, we overlook God's over of forgiveness and seek out our own path to dealing with, hiding from, ignoring, or covering over our guilt. All God requires is that we acknowledge the sacrifice of Christ and run to His protection and forgiveness of our sin. It really is that simple! I want to encourage you this week to run to the cross and embrace Jesus as the Lamb of God.

Join us this week at New Life as we continue the series The Beauty of Jesus and look at Jesus as the Lamb of God. See you at the ARC at 10:15 AM on Sunday morning.

Blessings, Pastor Tom

The Beauty of Jesus in an Ugly world

Sunday, we had a great gathering focusing on the beauty of Jesus in an ugly world. If you weren't there you really missed out. You don't have to look far to uncover the ugliness of our world. Child abuse, sexual slavery, and other injustices remind us that evil is real and present in all of our lives.

Just this last week two stories caught my attention in the daily news. The first was the story of Jaycee Duggard, a young girl abducted, raped, and kept prisoner for 18 years by a husband and wife. How could a couple do this do a young girl and another family? And worse, the guy who perpetrated the heinous crime was defending himself. Also in the news was the story of a couple who basically beat their two-year-old to death. Unbelievable?! What kind of home allows such behavior? We all like to ignore it or avoid it, but the truth is -- we live in an ugly world full or hate, evil, and moral ugliness.

That's why we need the beauty of Jesus in our lives. We all like beauty. We are attracted to beauty and like to surround ourselves with beautiful people or visit beautiful places. The real beauty we seek is the moral and spiritual beauty that can only be found in a relationship with God through Christ.

The apostle John had seen this beauty in Christ Jesus. In his gospel he used the word "glory" to describe the beauty of Jesus. He wrote in John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. The glory of Jesus is what each of us needs to make our lives more beautiful.

For many, Jesus is beautiful because he was a great teacher. For others, he is beautiful because of influence on human history. Why is Jesus beautiful to you? I hope you will decide this week to invite the beauty of Jesus into your life. John's gospel reminds us that Jesus is beautiful because he is the savior of the world and the very image of God.

See you next week for more of the beauty of Jesus! Pastor Tom