THE MARRIAGE & FAMILY INSTITUTE

PRAISE WORSHIP BEGINS OCTOBER 5TH AT 9:00AM!

Share your musical gifts with the LORD!

St. James Gospel and Praise Ministry is initiating a PRAISE WORSHIP on Sunday October 5, 2008 from 9:00am till 10:15am. We are seeking Christian musicians who are willing to share their gifts by participating with our worship team. For more information please call 610-797-4565 or email the pastor at vdmiae@rcn.com.

Understanding the context of Matthew 24 helps us avoid misunderstanding its point. Its background actually begins as far back as Matthew 16:21: "From that time Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."

Jesus set the stage for what appeared to be to the disciples a showdown in Jerusalem between himself and the religious authorities. He continued telling his disciples about this imminent conflict as they made their way to Jerusalem (20:17-19). Jesus was explaining that he was to suffer at Jerusalem. He took Peter, James and John up a high mountain. There, they experienced the Transfiguration (17:1-13). This must have made the disciples wonder if the establishment of the kingdom of God was close at hand (17:10-12).

Jesus also told the disciples they would sit on twelve thrones judging Israel "when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne" (19:28). No doubt, this sparked additional questions about the time and manner of the coming of the kingdom of God. Jesus' talking about the kingdom even prompted the mother of James and John to ask him to give special positions in the kingdom to her two sons (20:20-21).

During the triumphal entry into Jerusalem Jesus rode into the city on a donkey (21:1-11). This, fulfilled what the prophet Zechariah had spoken about the Messiah. The entire city was stirred, wondering what would happen as Jesus arrived. In Jerusalem, He overturned the moneylender's tables and took other actions to demonstrate his messianic authority (21:12-27). "Who is this?" people asked in response (21:10).

In 21:43 Jesus told the chief priests and elders of the people: "I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit." His audience knew he was talking about them. Jesus' statement could have been taken as an implication that he was ready to establish his messianic kingdom, but the religious leaders would not be a part of it.

The disciples must have wondered what was going to happen. Was Jesus ready to announce He was the Messiah? Was he ready to put down the Roman authority? Was he on the verge of bringing in the kingdom of God? Would there be a war, and what would happen to Jerusalem and the temple?

In Matthew 22:15 the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus by asking him a question regarding the paying of taxes. They hoped to use his answer as the basis for accusing Jesus of rebelling against the Roman authority. But Jesus answered rather cleverly, and their plan was foiled.

The Sadducees also tested Jesus (22:23-32). Not believing in the resurrection, they asked him a trick question about seven brothers marrying one woman. Whose wife would she be in the resurrection? Jesus answered them indirectly by telling them they didn't understand their own Scriptures. He confounded them by pointing saying there is no marriage in the kingdom.

Then the Pharisees and Sadducees together tested Jesus on the meaning of the greatest commandment in the law (22:36). He answered wisely by quoting Leviticus 19:8 and Deuteronomy 6:5. Jesus then asked them a trick question about whose son the Messiah was to be (22:42). They fell into his trap, and "no one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions" (22:46).

Chapter 23 shows Jesus criticizing the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. Toward the end of the chapter, Jesus talked about sending prophets, wise men and teachers whom they would flog, pursue, kill and crucify. The tension was obviously mounting, and the disciples must have been wondering about these hostile encounters. Was Jesus about to reveal himself as the Messiah?

Jesus spoke of Jerusalem’s house becoming desolate and added a cryptic comment: "For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'" (23:39). The disciples must have become increasingly puzzled, curious and anxious about the things Jesus was saying.

As Jesus was walked away from the temple the disciples pointed to its buildings. In Mark's words, they said, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" (13:1). Luke says the disciples remarked how the temple was "adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God" (21:5).

Think of what must have been going through the disciples' minds. Jesus' comments about Jerusalem's desolation and his confrontation with the religious leaders both frightened and excited the disciples. They must have wondered why he was speaking of impending doom on Judaism and its institutions. Wasn't the Messiah coming to glorify both? By their comments about the temple, it appeared as if the confused disciples were thinking that nothing could happen to this beautiful temple in which God dwells!

There's an old saying, you can't see the forest for the trees - which teaches us the importance of perspective. But there's another old saying, don't throw out the baby with the bath water - which reminds us how important it is to know what is really important. Do you know what's important; do you know how to order your priorities? That's the question we need to address.

We are beginning to enter the season of Santa Claus, reindeer, snowmen, tinsel, lights, decorations and wonderfully wrapped boxes - for many this is the stuff of the season, with party after party to celebrate it. That's the joy, that's the season, that's the story, or so we are lead to believe by what we see and hear.

Imagine a box under the Christmas tree, a big box, well wrapped, heavy but it doesn't make a sound when you shake it, and you wonder what it is, big boxes look important, and you long for the day when you can open it. And the day comes, and this was all you had on your mind, and so that's where you start. And so you tear off the wrapping paper, and cut through the tape to see what's inside, and as it opens, you see another beautiful box, smaller than the first, well wrapped, and you take it out and proceed to open it, tearing off the paper, cutting through the tape, till you can see what's inside, and as it opens you see another beautiful box, smaller than the first, well wrapped, and you take it out and proceed to open it, tearing off the paper, cutting through the tape, till you can see what's inside, and as it opens you see another beautiful box. And so it proceeds box after box until you reach the last box, and its empty - how do you feel? Cheated?

Its Holy Week, Sunday was Palm Sunday, Jesus had made triumphal entry, he had cleansed the temple, the Passover is at hand, Jesus had told everyone that what was important was not the temple, but the one who dwells in the temple—and yet here are the disciples so impressed with the temple buildings, that they have forgotten what was really important. It’s a case of thinking that the wrapping paper was more important than the contents. What's important is Jesus, Jesus is with them, and in patient love Jesus tells them that as impressive as the buildings are, they will perish. What is important is Jesus, Christmas is all about Jesus, our lives are all about Jesus. Everything else is passing away. Jesus tells us that how these things will happen, Jesus tells us these things because he loves us, Jesus doesn't want us to trust in something which is perishing, Jesus doesn't want us to be disappointed. Jesus wants us to know that He is our savior, and that His blood washes away all our sins, Jesus wants us to know that he has given us everlasting life.

Jesus caused the disciples to be even more perplexed. He brushed aside their lavish praise of the temple. "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down" (24:2).

This must have shocked the disciples. They thought the Messiah was going to save Jerusalem and the temple, not allow both to be destroyed. As Jesus spoke of these things, the disciples must have thought about the end of gentile domination and the glory of Israel, both which are prophesied so many times in the Hebrew Scriptures. They knew these events would occur at "the time of the end" (Daniel 8:17; 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9). It was at this time that the Messiah would appear or "come" to usher in the kingdom of God. This meant Israel would arise to national greatness as the spearhead of that kingdom.

The disciples believed Jesus was the Messiah and were anxious to know if the "time of the end" had come. There was great expectation that Jesus was about to announce that he was the Messiah (John 12:12-18). It's not surprising, then, that the disciples pressed Jesus about the nature and timing of his "coming."

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples wanted to know when the things Jesus said about Jerusalem would take place. They associated these things with the end of the age and his "coming." They didn't have a "second" coming in mind. In their thinking, the Messiah would come and immediately establish his government in Jerusalem which would last "forever." There would be no "first" and "second" coming. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" (24:3). Jesus’ disciples wanted to know when the things Jesus said about Jerusalem would take place, for they associated these with the end of the age and his "coming."

They were asking three questions. First, they wanted to know when "this" would happen. "This" could be a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, which Jesus had just finished describing as being threatened with destruction. Second, they wanted to know what the "sign" of his coming was, which Jesus finally gave them in 24:30. Third, the disciples wanted to know when the end of the age would occur. This is something Jesus said they could not know (24:36).

Jesus said Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed in their day. This happened when the Romans destroyed after the fall of Jerusalem during the Jewish rebellion—AD 66-70. The "sign" they asked about, Jesus said, would be associated with his coming, not with the destruction of the city. Finally, Jesus said that no one could know the answer to the question of when he would return and "the end" of the age would occur.

The disciples' questions about the end were based on a wrong conclusion—that all the events would occur almost immediately and simultaneously. They thought the Messiah’s coming was extremely close; it might happen within days or weeks. Still, they wanted a physical "sign" of his coming as a confirmation. We should understand Jesus' comments in Matthew 24 in that context. The disciples think Jesus is about to assume power and want to know exactly when this will happen. They want a preparatory sign. Unfortunately, they totally misunderstood Jesus' mission.

The scenario they were asking about was much more complicated than their simplistic notions. They could not know when Jesus would "come." Meanwhile, they should worry about or "watch" their relationship with God and not worry about "watching" world or local events. Jesus warned the disciples not to be deceived by traumatic events that might make it appear as though "the end" was near (4-8). Tumultuous things would happen in the world, but "the end is still to come" (6). They would be persecuted and put to death (9-13). How shocking that must have seemed! The Messiah's people would be triumphant and victorious, not butchered and destroyed.

Jesus then began talking about a gospel to be preached to the whole world. After this, "the end" would come (24:14). This must have also been confusing to the disciples. They probably thought the Messiah would "come" and first establish his kingdom. Only after that would the word of the Lord go forth to all the earth (Isaiah 2:1-4).

Basically, the sign of Jesus' coming, as he gave it, was his coming! Here is a lesson for us. Quite simply, there is no advance sign of Jesus' coming for us to be able to predict. He comes when he comes, and the people who are then alive will know it when it happens. Jesus' warning that his disciples always need to be spiritually ready was precisely because they cannot know when he will return. The parables in Matthew 25 continue that same theme.

Despite Jesus' clear teaching; many Christians throughout the centuries have repeated the apostle’s mistake. Many have tried to predict when the end would come and most said it would be very soon. But history has proven Jesus right and every false prophet wrong. Quite simply, we cannot know when "the end" will come.

Sadly, we still tend to be impressed by buildings. But the church is not the buildings. The church is the people who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The church is the people who gather to hear the good news of salvation. The church is the people who sing God's praises. The church is the people who tell the world- the good news about Jesus. God has given us a sense of direction, and a sense of purpose, He has washed away our sins. God has made each of us a new creation. And yet we still forget what is important. It’s not what we do that matters, but rather what God has done for us in Jesus our Savior.

So what are we to do in the meantime, while we await Jesus' return? Jesus gave the answer to His disciples, and it is our answer as well. He said: "Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come....So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (24:42, 44). Jesus was speaking about watching world events. Christians must "watch" our relationship with God. We must always to be ready to meet our Maker. Meanwhile, we are to be engaged in mission to proclaim to our neighborhood and the entire world the good news about Jesus Christ.

Fall Schedule

Sundays

PRAISE WORSHIP 9:00am-10:15am
Pastor Christopher Hershman
Pastor Juan Nivar
Mark Sinex, Worship and Evangelism Team Coordinator
Steve Morris, Musical Coordinator

Traditional Lutheran Worship 10:30am-11:30am
Pastor Christopher Hershman
Betty Minor, Organist and Choir Director

Spanish Worship 5:00pm-7:00pm
Pastor Juan Nivar

Tuesday

Bible Study on 1Kings 12:15pm - 1:15pm
Pastor Christopher Hershman

Other Activities

Sunday: Narcotics Anonymous 7:00pm-9:00pm
Tuesday: Obsessive Compulsives Anonymous 6:30pm-7:30pm
Friday: Chess Club
Saturday: Chess Club

He Leadeth Me

One of my favorite hymns is "He Leadeth Me" which was written by the Rev. Joseph H. Gilmore in 1862.  Gilmore later wrote about how the hymn came to be:

 “As a young man who recently had been graduated from Brown University and Newton Theological Institution, I was supplying for a couple of Sundays the pulpit of the First Baptist Church in Philadelphia [Pennsylvania]. At the mid-week service, on the 26th of March, 1862, I set out to give the people an exposition of the Twenty-third Psalm, which I had given before on three or four occasions, but this time I did not get further than the words “He Leadeth Me.” Those words took hold of me as they had never done before, and I saw them in a significance and wondrous beauty of which I had never dreamed. It was the darkest hour of the Ci­vil War. I did not refer to that fact—that is, I don’t think I did—but it may subconsciously have led me to realize that God’s leadership is the one significant fact in human experience, that it makes no difference how we are led, or whither we are led, so long as we are sure God is leading us. At the close of the meeting a few of us in the parlor of my host, good Deacon Wattson, kept on talking about the thought which I had emphasized; and then and there, on a blank page of the brief from which I had intended to speak, I penciled the hymn, talking and writing at the same time, then handed it to my wife and thought no more about it. She sent it to The Watchman and Reflector, a paper published in Boston, where it was first printed. I did not know until 1865 that my hymn had been set to music by William B. Bradbury. I went to Roches­ter [New York] to preach as a candidate before the Second Baptist Church. Going into their chapel on arrival in the city, I picked up a hymnal to see what they were singing, and opened it at my own hymn, ‘He Leadeth Me.’”
 
The hymn is as follows,

He leadeth me, O blessèd thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

Refrain

 He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, over troubled sea,
Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.

 Refrain

 Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

 Refrain

 And when my task on earth is done,
When by Thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

 Refrain

 Some thoughts on being lead by Jesus:

Jesus clearly identified Himself as a Shepherd. In John 10: 1-15, Jesus said,

 "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. “

Jesus identified Himself as the Good Shepherd, the One who was willing to give His own life to protect the sheep. Then He goes on to explain that there are other types of shepherds. Jesus said the hired hand, the one who is not an owner, but a hired man who doesn’t own the sheep himself, doesn’t really care for the sheep. He says the hired hand, who doesn’t own the sheep and can’t relate to the sheep, flees when he sees danger. When he sees the wolf, he runs to protect himself. The wolf comes and catches the sheep and scatters the sheep. 

 But Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd, and I give my life for the sheep."  Jesus said "the good shepherd." The word good means someone that is noble. Jesus is above the religious leaders of the time. In essence he is saying, “You are letting these men stand before you like they are shepherds, like they are your leaders, but watch out when things get difficult, when there are hard decisions to be made, and when things don’t go their way, because they are going to be the first ones to leave. When there is a little bit of pressure put on, they are going to be the first ones to go. When the sheep are in danger, these hired hands are going to run.

But Jesus said, "I give my life for the sheep." So the Scripture shows us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. It is good for us to know that there is One who stands before us who is noble. One who watches over us who is willing to protect us and willing to defend us from whatever may come our way. Also, in the book of Hebrews, Jesus is identified as the Great Shepherd.

 In Hebrews 13:20-21 the writer gives us a beautiful benediction, "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."

He is praying, he is invoking the blessings of God on the readers of that great letter, but inside that invocation of blessings, he points out that Jesus is the Great Shepherd and he tells us clearly why Jesus is the Great Shepherd. We see that Jesus is the Good Shepherd because He laid down His life, He was willing to die, He possesses, He owns the sheep because He gave the ultimate sacrifice for them. But here we are told Jesus is the Great Shepherd, not because He died for the sheep, but because God raised Him from the dead again. It is one thing for the Shepherd to die for His sheep, but it is something else for Him to be raised back to life again! 

 Consider the wolf for just a moment. The wolf is watching the flock and he is looking, and he sees the shepherd standing guard over the sheep. Now, as long as the shepherd is in place, the wolf doesn’t dare attack the sheep. The wolf doesn’t try to bother them because he knows that he will be chased away or injured, or worse, killed by the shepherd. But suddenly, something happens to the shepherd, and he is no longer there. The shepherd dies and it appears as if all the sheep are helpless before the wolf. But it is because the Good Shepherd died that the Good Shepherd is now the Great Shepherd because He has been raised back to life again!

And this Great Shepherd, what is He going to do? What is His task now? Is His job over because He died for the sheep? Is He through? Is it time for Him to rest? That’s not what the Bible teaches! The Bible teaches that now, more than ever, even more diligent than before, this Good Shepherd is watching over His flock. He is doing it from a different perspective now. Now, He doesn’t stand on the knoll at the edge of the field, but, now He watches over the flock seated at the right hand of God. His new perspective shows Him everything. And He is able to continue to do the work of the Shepherd because now He doesn’t have to worry about death. Now He doesn’t have to worry about worldly things. Now He doesn’t have to worry about anything that may hinder Him. He has transcended all that. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He died for His sheep. Jesus is the Great Shepherd because God raised Him back to life and set Him at point-guard again. 

 Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:1 - 4 that Jesus is the Chief Shepherd,

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

This title carries a very special meaning with it. A Chief Shepherd is not necessarily what we would consider a shepherd. We think of the shepherd as the man who is out in the field. We think of the shepherd as the one who, day in and day out, rain, sleet, or snow, is out tending to the sheep. And as he pastures them he goes with them. As he waters them he stands watch over them. As he beds them down at night, he finds a tree to lean against, wraps his cloak around himself, and stays with the sheep.

But as the Chief Shepherd, Jesus is the One who supervises all the shepherds of the field. He is the one who watches them to ensure they are doing their job properly. It’s not that He is not concerned about the sheep—He’s more concerned than ever—and He places other shepherds over them to help watch them, to help provide for them, to help protect them. And He wants to make sure that He has the best shepherds in place.

 How do you get the best people for a task? You pay them better than anyone else can pay them! And the Chief Shepherd, who has under shepherds working for Him, offers them a payment, a benefit, which they cannot get anywhere else. And Peter says there is a day coming when the Chief Shepherd will return to make payment to all those who are serving as under shepherds.

 This just doesn’t apply to preachers but to all of us. When the Chief Shepherd comes back He will bring reward to all of us, depending on how well we did the task that was set before us. So now we know who the Shepherd is. We see that Jesus is the Shepherd. And we see that He has different offices, different capacities as Shepherd. But let us consider the work of the Shepherd. 

 Psalm 23: 1-6 says, 

 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
       he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
       He guides me in paths of righteousness
       for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death,  
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
       in the presence of my enemies.
       You anoint my head with oil;
       my cup overflows.
 Surely goodness and love will follow me
       all the days of my life,
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
       forever.

Isn’t that the image you get in your mind? God has condescended. God, in our mind now, is not sitting on the throne. He’s not an untouchable God.  He’s not a power so awesome that we cannot begin to image it.  He’s a Man. He’s a Man who cares. He’s a Man who has taken upon Himself the task, the function, the obligation to provide for those that cannot fend for themselves; that cannot tend themselves, that can’t feed themselves, that can’t seek out a place to rest, that can’t look for a place to get a simple drink. And God has assigned Himself the task of doing that. So we see that the work of the Shepherd is feeding the flock.

Isaiah 40:11 says,

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
       He gathers the lambs in his arms
       and carries them close to his heart;
       he gently leads those that have young.

We need to understand that there is more involved here than just providing physical nourishment. The work of the Shepherd requires not just providing physical nourishment. The shepherd will want to know the terrain. He’ll want to know the land. He’ll want to know where the best grass is growing. He’ll want to know where there has been a recent rain. He’ll want to know where every brook and river is. He’ll want to know a place of safety that he can take his sheep to. He wants to feed them. And as they go through an area, and they feed of an area, and they draw that nourishment from the land, there comes a time when they have to move on. And the shepherd is willing to do that. He steps out before the flock. He looks ahead and finds the place for them; the place where they can feed, the place where they can find plenty to drink, the place where they can be nourished.

Spiritually we see that Jesus Christ is at work in our own lives doing this. What good would it do us if we spiritually came to one field, if we spiritually came to one place in our life and we feed, and we feed, and we feed until there was nothing more we could receive from that field? Much like Bible study—sometime you can open your Bible and find a passage of Scripture and it just fill you, it just speaks to you, it just enriches you, it just, well, it just makes a new person out of you. And you keep going back and you keep going back, but what happens after a while? After a while you’re just not getting enough out of it. Oh, it’s still good, you still enjoy it, but you’re just not getting enough out of it. What does that tell you? It’s time to move on. It’s time to go to another field. It’s time to go to another passage of Scripture. We don’t build our whole Christian life, our whole spiritual realm, on one passage of Scripture, but we continue to feed off the Word of God and we continue to grow. And that’s the Shepherd’s job because He knows what we need in our life. One of the reasons the Shepherd is able to do that is because He knows His sheep. Jesus said in the 10th chapter of John, the 14th verse, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me." 

 It is important to understand what He meant when He said "I know my sheep." Jesus knows each of us, not by what makes us the same, not by what makes us a church, not by what makes us Christians collectively, but He knows us in greater detail than that. He knows us by what makes us different. He knows us by our infirmities and by our weaknesses because those are the very areas in our life in which He can be glorified; because He exhibits, He demonstrates, He pours out His strength into our weaknesses. So it is essential for the Shepherd to be able to know His sheep because when He knows them, He can feed them. One brother may not need the same Scriptural food that I need. One sister many need strengthening in another area. And the Shepherd knows what we need, and He directs us to that field, to that pasture, to that place in the Word where we can receive it. So, the first work of the Shepherd is that He feeds His flock.
 The second work of the Shepherd is to guard the flock. Isaiah is not introducing this chapter to describe a servant, a shepherd or someone whose task is work, work and work. He’s talking about the God of all creation. He identifies and adores God for His greatness and majesty. And then after the 11th verse, once again we see the majesty of God. We see that He is the great architect. He is the one who set this universe and measured it out and staked out the corners and built it Himself! But in between, he says, don’t think of yourself as being small and insignificant because this great God of power and might, this great one who created it all desires nothing more than to be with you and to protect you! And look how He does it. It says, "He shall gather the lambs with His arm." Now that is significant because "with His arm" literally means "by His own strength." By His own power. By His own might. God doesn’t need any help to gather His sheep; He doesn’t need any help to guard His sheep. In the real world, the shepherd may need to bring some help along. If he is going to take the sheep through dangerous territory, through a place where there is a lot of wolves, coyotes, or something, he may have to call in some help. 

 But Isaiah said God doesn’t need any help. He can do it by His own arm, by His own strength. He doesn’t have to bring in outside help. He doesn’t have to recruit anyone to help Him. He doesn’t have to sell them on the idea or teach them of the need. God is able to take care of us by Himself. That’s a lesson we all need to learn. We all have problems in our day to day life. There are areas in our lives where we are pressed down and are torn apart and we are trying to endure by our own strength and by our own power. But we don’t have to! We have the Shepherd! And by His own arm He is able to protect us, to guard us from whatever threat is around.

We think of David as a shepherd boy, as a soldier, as a king. And we like to identify with David. David stood before King Saul one day and basically said, "I just cannot believe that your soldiers, your warriors will permit this loud-mouthed, braggart Philistine to say these things about God. And I intend to do something about it." Saul looked at David and said, "You’re a kid! What can you do?" And David said, "I’ve tended sheep for my father, and once a bear, and another time a lion came out and took a lamb. And I chased it down. And I got the lamb from the bear and I got the lamb from the lion. And when they rose up against me, I slew them."

The New Testament paints a very similar picture for us. We are the sheep. We’ve got the Shepherd. And we’ve got a warning, as well.

1Peter 5:8 says,

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like aroaringlion looking for someone to devour." 

 There is a lion that is after us. Picture this lion. Here are the sheep out in the field. The shepherd is out of sight for whatever reason. And there is a lion out there and he’s laying low in the grass, studying the flock trying to decide where he should attack, which lamb should be the first one that he pounces on. And he looks at the strong ones and ignores them. But he looks to the feeble ones, to the slow ones, to the immature ones, and he looks at those who’ve been injured, and he sees the newborn lambs and begins to lick his lips. 

 Satan is no different. When he looks at the body of Christ, and he sees one of God’s lambs, one of the sheep of Jesus Christ who has allowed himself to get away from the Shepherd, has strayed from the Shepherd, he becomes a prime target. And when Satan sees a new lamb, a new Christian who is not strong and not able to defend himself in the word, he considers him a prime target. When he sees the feeble sheep that have slowed down and as the Shepherd continued on they have fallen farther and farther behind, he considers them a prime target. So all he has to do is look around to which one he wants to choose to devour. 

 But God’s Word says that God, as our Shepherd, is able to gather us with His arm, the power of His strength, the might He possesses. See what He does when He gathers us? He draws us up to His bosom, close to His heart. Anything that wants to get at us now must destroy Him first. He holds us like a mother holds a newborn baby. Consider your children. Think about the little ones when they’ve been sick. Think about the little ones when there has been a near calamity, and how you are just overwhelmed with compassion for them. And what do you do? You grab them and hold them close to protect them, to defend them, to comfort them. And that is what God is doing to us. That’s the work of the Shepherd: to feed His flock and to guard His flock. But the Shepherd also leads the flock.

 "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

Again, Isaiah 40:11 says,

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
       He gathers the lambs in his arms
       and carries them close to his heart;
       he gently leads those that have young.

"He leadeth me! O blessed tho’t! O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
What-e’er I do, wher-e’er I be, Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me!

 You know, it’s hard to lead when those you are leading won’t follow. Still, that’s His work. Sometimes our Shepherd may have to walk backwards to ensure that we are all still following along. Sometimes He may have to redirect us to make sure that what we are going through is not too dangerous or too steep. He is diligent and He keeps working.

 Where does He lead us? Where did David say? David said, " He guides me in paths of righteousness
 for his name's sake. "  He leads us in that the way that is right. He leads us to the areas that are good. He takes us to the places in the places that glorify God. 

 If we are following that Shepherd, we are going places for God. If we are following that Good Shepherd, we are going through some things that may be difficult, but we’ve got our eye on Him, because He is right there with us.
 If we are following that Great Shepherd, He’s taking us to places that are good for us. If we end up in a place that’s not good for us, end up doing things that aren’t good for us or end up doing things that are against Scripture and against the direction of God, then we have separated ourselves from the Shepherd. We’ve allowed ourselves to drift away from the One who always wants to defend us and protect us. 

 He leads us in the paths of righteousness—for His name’s sake—to glorify Him and honor Him. Praise God that we’ve got a Shepherd watching out for us. We have a Shepherd who is feeding us, taking us where we need to go, teaching us what we need to be taught, feeding us the Word that builds and nourishes and strengthens and encourages us through our day. Thank God that we have a Shepherd that guards us, keeps Satan and his dominions away from us, watches over us while we do His work. We thank God that we have a Shepherd who leads us.
 

When I chose where I would go it was wrong because when I went on my own I went to places that were unsafe and ungodly. I did things that did not glorify God. But when He leads me, He leads me on those paths of righteousness, so that through my life, and through my lips, I can glorify Him for His name’s sake. I praise God that there is a Good Shepherd, a Great Shepherd and a Chief Shepherd. I praise God that He is the Shepherd of my life and I am overjoyed that He is your Shepherd too!

CHRISTIAN PILGRIMAGE TO ISRAEL

The Rev. Dr. Christopher Hershman, St. James pastor, psychologist and marriage and family therapist, is organizing a ten-day HOLY LAND TOUR to Israel during 2009. The specific dates and costs are yet to be determined, but he is presently attempting to draw together those interested in this pilgrimage.

Although the costs, including airfare, will likely cost between $1,500.00 and $2,000.00 per person, this will be a faith-engendering and moving experience you will never forget. You will personally visit the most famous sites mentioned in the Bible, including Jesus' tomb in Jerusalem, the site of His crucifixion and resurrection, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Garden Tomb, the Praetorium, where Jesus was judged by Pontius Pilate, the house of the High Priest Caiaphas, the ruins of the Temple Mount and Western Wall, King David’s palace, where he looked down and saw Bathsheba, the Mount of Olives, the Church of the Nativity and the Shepherd's field in Bethlehem, Lazarus' tomb in Bethany, Mary's house in Nazareth, a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, where you can sit on a stone pew amid the ruins of the synagogue where Jesus taught, the sites where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and fed 5,000 people with fives loaves and two fish, Mt. Carmel, where Elijah contested with the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18: 1-40), the Dead Sea and numerous other places.

Dr. Hershman has previously visited Israel and has more than 25 years experience preaching and teaching on the Bible. If you are interested in registering your interest please write Dr. Hershman at vdmiae@rcn.com

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INSIDE ST. JAMES

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS

JESUS

ABRAHAM, MOSES, KING DAVID & JOHN THE BAPTIST

ST. STEPHEN AND ST. PAUL

DR. MARTIN LUTHER AND DR. HENRY MELCHIOR MUHLENBERG