John 10:12 The
hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf
coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the
flock and scatters it.
I
read a very sad statistic this morning and it has bothered me since that time.
According to a 2008 survey of a mainstream denomination, 54% of pastors did not
believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. That was four years
ago, so I now suspect that the number will be about 57 - 60% of pastors.
Why
is this happening? Any business that employed sales people who did not fully believe
in the product would soon go under. Any sports team that did not have players
who believed in the coach would keep on losing. And any church that has a
pastor who does not believe Christ is the World’s only Savior is doomed to fail
because congregations, with shepherds who believe in nothing, always end up
believing in anything.
I
am fortunate to lead a congregation of folks who try to put Christ at the
center of their lives. They know Who He is and all that He has done
for them. They understand that they have faults and sins like everyone
else on Earth, but they also believe that the grace of Christ saves them from
being eternally separated from God. If I didn’t believe 100% in Christ being
the Good Shepherd who calls everyone to His flock in order to be forgiven and
restored to God through Him alone, then I would create havoc with their beliefs,
confuse the minds of the congregation, and eventually scatter the sheep. I
would only be a hired hand and not influenced at all by a Higher Hand.
Any
business that employs sales people who do not fully believe in the product is
doomed to fail. Any branch of Christendom that ordains pastors who do not fully
believe in Christ being the Only Savior of the World is destined to diminish
and, sadly, eventually die.
Hired hands or the Higher Hand – which leads the
church we serve?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we play
around in our minds with notions, ideas, and opinions that are self-serving,
self-fabricated, and self-centered. You died for those sins and, deep within
our hearts, we know that only You have the key to unlock Heaven’s Door. Forgive
us for failing to believe in You and for allowing the world to distract and
deceive us. Help us today to fully accept that You are the Good Shepherd and that
when we listen to Your voice, we find salvation. In Your Holy Name, we pray.
Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian
Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s
message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s
image is John’s latest Pentecost drawing. It’s a stained glass design called “Pentecost
Paraklesis.” If you would like to view a larger version of the image,
please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6978306792_200832531b_b.jpg
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