Helpless? Yeah – to do
the wrong job – of course we’re helpless.
“Ministry is messy!”
I learned this long ago.
I also came to believe that if one’s ministry is not messy, it’s not
ministry. Sin alone is the proof. But add to that the moment by moment battle
we have with the flesh and, well, you have mess.
It’s a mess just to battle one’s own flesh but when one
accepts the call to be the shepherd of others one takes on their mess as well.
Add to this the unreasonable and unbiblical expectation that
as a shepherd one should have all the answers –especially the answers people
prefer and it gets even messier.
We, those called to the care of souls, must accept that we
are little more than under-shepherds.
Indeed, I prefer the title “sheepdogs.”
We know what to do in some situations but we are, in the final analysis,
simply servants of the Great Shepherd whose commands we await and obey.
The struggle we all have in not being able to be the Great
Shepherd is uniquely human. A sheepdog
does not tend the sheep. He or she
simply follows the directives of the Shepherd.
Only in a very few circumstances is the sheepdog able to function without
the presence and direction of the Shepherd.
We have to live with the fact that we “CAN’T” provide a lot
of what is needed. Unfortunately many
who are indeed called end up moving from living sacrificially to living
suicidally as they go beyond the
Shepherds provision or more subtly accept the demands of the sheep as always
legitimate.
We look at the misery around us and we ache to relieve
it. Hunger, poverty, cruelty – all these
and more we seek to relieve. Of course
there are the more common “miseries” of health issues, relationship issues,
debt, etc. that are brought to us for resolution.
I have a new favorite word.
It’s UN-autonomous. I am UN-autonomous. I am nothing and can do nothing apart from
Him. Even in those wonderful moments
when I do have an answer or a solution I know it is only because of Him that it
will be of any benefit.
But another issue is bad aim. Yes we desire to solve or resolve the issues
His sheep bring to us but somehow we forget the fundamental facts.
He did not die, was not resurrected, did not ascend, did not
offer sacrifice, “once for all,” and does not interceded continually so His
people could have a happy satisfied life here on earth. He did/does all of this so that we might be
redeemed from sin and forgiven. He
did/does all this so we can be His and ultimately be with Him. The writer of Hebrew seeks to give the aim or
perspective of faith.
For he was looking
forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By
faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age,
since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and
him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and
as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but
having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they
were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it
clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land
from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as
it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is
not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Heb
11:10-16) ESV
The question we must all (sheepdogs) ask either directly or
indirectly is, “What are they (the sheep) looking for?”
Are they looking for the promise fulfilled or are they
looking for heaven here and now?
I always go back to:
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have
peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome
the world." (Joh 16:33) ESV
This is what characterizes our lives here.
Θλίψις; thlípsis;
gen. thlípseōs, fem. noun from thlíbō , to crush, press, compress, squeeze,
which is from thláō (n.f.), to break. Tribulation, trouble, affliction. Zodhiates
Though our tribulation is utterly attached to persecution which
we suffer for proclaiming and living the faith it is also a result of living in
a fallen world and redeemed creatures that are being transformed.
Below Paul gives us the true utility of the sheepdog. It is in this “tribulation” that we are to
ministry. Yeas, we feed, clothe and
house, etc. as we are able (Note-also
as the Body of Christ individually and collectively is willing to sacrifice to
provide for those in any trouble.) But
here is the bottom line – actually the front line of the battle.
For I do not understand my own actions.
For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I
do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I
who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells
in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not
the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do
not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no
longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law
that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law
of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against
the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my
members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law
of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
(Rom 7:15-25) ESV
You, called and commissioned as a sheepdog, must focus on
what your God given purpose is:
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the
shepherds and teachers, to equip the
saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until
we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so
that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried
about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful
schemes. (Eph 4:11-14) ESV
This is the “buck,” and the buck ends with you and I.
It is through this, “work of ministry,” that the physical
needs of the flock are met and this is to be the work for which we equip the
flock. I don’t provide (apart from how
He prospers me) – the “saints” are to provide – what they can, when they can –
with His sacrifice as the example and motivation.
Look here:
So those who received his word were baptized,
and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles'
teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders
and signs were being done through the apostles.
And all who believed were together and had all
things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and
distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
And day by day, attending the temple together
and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and
generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord added to their number day by day
those who were being saved. (Act
2:41-47) ESV
This is the Body of Christ.
This IS the Church. What happened to her – where did she go?
When did all this become the job of one person?
No, the sheepdog (whether they are called: apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers) are to equip the saints
to follow the example we see in Acts. He
takes care of His own – we take care of His own – first.
Bottom line:
The problem is, well, sin.
We sheepdogs have failed miserable in helping the saints understand,
appreciate and engage in the only spiritual war they have a part in. The battle against the flesh. Satan – we simply resist – we stand in the
armor. The world we simply say no to –
we do not conform. But the flesh – that’s our foe – here we are to engage and
do battle. But we have to keep in mind
that the allies of the flesh are the world and the devil and they will work with
and through the flesh to make us miserable – unfaithful, hopeless and unfruitful. They don’t have to win us over – actually they
can’t – all they want is for us to be so focused on ourselves that we forget
that we are part of His Body and that within that Body is the help (note I say
help and not fixes) for our needs.
But is we are looking for “heaven” here; if we are looking
for a “good life,” a “comfortable life,” here – maybe we need to really consider
whether we are His or not.
Too many who claim (and may be) to be His are really looking
to return to Egypt and have everything be good – not gonna happen – at least
not by His hand. We live in a world
working hard to create a Hell on earth.
Huh?? Well, what else do you call
a place where God is rejected and denied?
As men move forward in building their Hell we have to accept that as
long as we’re here it’s gonna be hot and we’re gonna have the stink of sulfur. AND it’s gonna just get worse.
For you, my fellow sheepdogs, who feel the burdens of each
and every sheep – bless you. For you, my
fellow sheepdogs, who feel you, have to relieve the burdens of each and every
sheep – repent.
Remember, your job = “to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
That’s it – that’s all – wow.
Now – you have to look at what “works of ministry” God has presented
the flock and you have to determine what “equipping” them look like. And for god’s sake don’t go buy a book about
it! You have the only book you need –
and an inexhaustible source of power.
I hope this helps -- We are all in my prayers – bark at the
sheep/bite the wolves!!!!
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