If Jesus Showed Up One Sunday Morning

One of my favorite songs and Artist is "My Jesus" by Todd Agnew. I was listening to it at work the other day and heard how he doubted that his church would accept Jesus if He came and it reminded me of people who say that most churches would not recognize Him if He showed up one Sunday morning. The song spoke of Jesus' ministry to the lost and hopeless and how we should do likewise. This is great stuff but I was troubled over the thought of not recognizing Jesus. My first thought was, "Why would anyone be involved in a Church they felt would not accept or recognize our Savior?" How is it possible for a Church to be in this condition? In the Bible there are more than a few types mention that picture the Church's relationship to Jesus.

        The first is the Shepherd and the flock. In John 10:27, Jesus is recorded as saying, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." How is it possible for a Church or Flock not to hear the voice of the Shepherd and to know Him"? Jesus says it is not possible. A Church dedicated to discipleship and following Jesus will know Him. They will know His Words, and know when He shows up, when He reveals His presence. If the Church you attend does not fit the Sheep mode, then you might find another flock.

The next type is Bride and Bridegroom. Surely the Bride will know her Bridegroom. The picture in scripture is of a bride who is waiting for her groom. But while she waits, the groom is preparing her for their eternal union. Also, Jesus states that He gave Himself for His Bride. He paid the dowry with His blood on the cross. It does not sound as if it is possible for the Bride to be unknown to the Groom. It sounds hard but we must decide if we are part of a Bride or a harlot. The difference is: a harlot is only able to be intimate physically for a price. A Bride is able to be intimate Body, Soul and Spirit and the Bride and Groom give all. 

The last, but not final type I see is the Church as the Body of Christ to continue His work on earth. Doesn't a person know his or her own body? As we bathe and clean it after a hard day’s work, don't we become familiar with all of it? The Spirit and Soul has an intimate relationship with the body. Likewise the Body of Christ knows intimately the person whom it belongs to. Do you still believe it is possible for a Church to not recognize Jesus if He was to reveal Himself? Of course I am not an expert on scripture or Church life and growth, but this all seems common sense to me. Let’s quit complaining about how bad our Churches are and get about the Master’s business. Hear the Shepherd’s voice and obey. Let the Bridegroom prepare you for His return. And lastly, offer ourselves to His service to reach the lost. In doing so you will recognize Him, He is living in you. Will I quit loving Todd Agnew’s song? Not likely! We all need help remembering who Christ died for and what we are to do about it.

(Note: Not many scripture references are given because I think you would get a lot more out of it if you researched them yourselves.)

https://youtu.be/Y5Svz6YFtkI 

When You Lose a Pastor

I was reading online about a Georgia pastor who committed suicide, and I felt a heavy burden for the congregation that he left behind. Recently we lost our Pastor by natural causes. I have lost pastors before, when they had moved on or the organization ceases to operate. But that loss cannot compare to a pastor passing away. It seems it would be like a sheep missing his or her Shepherd.

First, there is a loss of fellowship. The shepherd is no longer where you expect to see him. You look in the office. He is not there. You look in the pulpit, but he is no longer there. You see his number in your contact list and you know he will not answer if you call. Fellowship is gone. The sheep no longer see him in the fold, the pastures, and the mountains of their life.

 Second, there is a loss of leadership. The sheep have to shake of a sense of confusion. They seek the pastor for guidance, but he is not there. The sheep used to hear the shepherd’s voice, but now it is quiet.

 Third and final, there is a loss of example. As Paul took his disciples to follow him as he followed Jesus (see reference below), the pastor was always an example of how the sheep were to follow the Lord. Now the sheep are at a loss to see any other example outside of scripture to pattern their lives for the Lord’s service.

 But the sheep can be of good cheer. If the pastor did his job right, the sheep will be able to draw even closer to the “Head Shepherd” and gain an even deeper sense of fellowship with the Lord. The sheep would have been taught how to hear the “Head Shepherd’s” voice for comfort and trust He will send another trustworthy shepherd to take the pastor’s place. The sheep will look back at the passing pastor’s example and give glory to God for sending them such a shepherd.

1 Corinthians 4:16 , 2 Thessalonians 2:7 & 9