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One Lost Sheep

3/26/2023

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          “All we like sheep have gone astray…”.  It’s the first part of Isaiah 53:6. It popped into mind while Pastor Josh was reading from the Bible.  He was reciting Matthew 18:12-14.  It’s funny how the mind focuses on things.  He emphasized the words, “How think ye?”  “What do you think?”  “How’s your take on what I’m going to tell you?”
          This is the parable that Jesus posed to his disciples about half-way through his response to their question of who the biggest deal in the kingdom of heaven was.  It’s apparent that Jesus was intent on making his point.  In verse 12 he begins the parable of the lost sheep.  All of them are where they’re supposed to be but one who is lost.
          Lost can be many things.  Here, though, Jesus is talking about a shepherd who is missing one of his sheep.  Our pastors are often referred to as shepherds.  The parallel here is unmistakable.  Jesus is the shepherd of all.  This parable can lend itself to more than one inference. 
          “Which sheep do you want to be?  The one that is in the back of the pasture or the one that is in the shepherd’s arms?” asked Pastor Josh.  He also said, “Stay where you’re supposed to be.  Be an honest Christian.”
          Then Pastor Josh related the story of Elijah (I Kings 19) when Jezebel threatened to kill him.  He ran for his life, thought there was no one left in God’s corner but him and wanted to die.  Or, the story of Jonah who objected to warning the Ninevites of their evil ways and wound up in the belly of a fish (Jonah 1-2).  God, the shepherd, found them when they went astray.
          Now to modern days.  Don’t the same things happen.  Really good people who go to church suddenly exit.  They’re there and then, they’re not.  Like Jesus said, “What think ye?”  The ninety-nine are still where they’re supposed to be.  But for whatever reason, the one has been led astray.  For sure, the devil has a hand in it and works tirelessly.  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
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Bring Your Best Sacrifice. God Did.

3/19/2023

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          Moses is credited with writing Deuteronomy.  Those who know about this book say that it’s three of his last sermons and a few of his prophetic poems.  In it Moses is urging Israel to not repeat its’ past mistakes.  Deuteronomy 17:1 is just such a verse.  Basically it says not to sacrifice bullock or sheep that are blemished.  Why?  Because to God it is detestable.
          It makes sense.  Who wants a gift (sacrifice) that has been spoiled, no one.  When I was a first-year teacher (a long time ago) the Home Ec teacher kind of took me under her wing.  Sometimes at the end of a long day, she would bring me a small plate of something they had prepared in class that day.  After a few times, I thought I would congratulate my students on how delicious the previous days’ fare was.  There was an awkward moment as the students looked at each other.  Then, one of them asked, “Did she bring it to you on a blue saucer?”  I nodded and said, “Yes.”  It turned out that was the dish that the students emptied their plates onto.  I actually thought I would get ill.
          I imagine God would feel the same way with sacrifices.  Especially since he sacrificed his only Son for us.  He gave the best.  We shouldn’t do any less. 
          People may think that sacrifices are over and done with.  But, Romans 12:1 will clear that up.  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  As Christians, we’re the living sacrifice.  We’re to do as much serving God as he has equipped us to do. 
          What it boils down to is how much you love God.  There are probably those that don’t really know what God is like and may not even know where to look to find out about him.  Ephesians 1, 2, and 3 is a good place to begin.  In those three chapters are the provisions God has made for us in Christ.  Second Corinthians 5 is Paul’s testimony of his motivation to press on because of what God did for him (Paul) in Christ.  Look for God’s attributes.  They’re sprinkled throughout the Bible.
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For God So Loved...

3/12/2023

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“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”  The most amazing verse in the Bible and probably the most under-appreciated.  This planet has close to what? 8 or 9 billion people.  Something like that.

There’s a second verse that should give everyone a pause if they even half-way believe the Bible, the Word of God.  It’s Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”  Now that’s a plan that God gave directly to Jeremiah.  Long before Jeremiah came into existence, there was a plan.  Think about it.  If God has a plan for Jeremiah, then he’s got plans for us, too.

There’s more to this story.  God does have a plan for us.  But, there’s always a but, Deuteronomy 30:15-20 lets us know that God has set before us life and good, and death and evil.  We can go either way.  We can follow God and his plans or we can choose not to.  If it sounds pretty simple, that's because it is.  Whatever you choose is going to be what you’ll live with in eternity.

Time for a recap.  Before we are ever born, God has a plan.  He knows what his plans are for us.  As we grow and mature there is an opportunity to make choices—either for good or evil.  As humans we make those choices.

But God did not leave us with no hope.  That’s where John 3:16 comes in.  “For God so loved the world”—not just the specially selected but the world and all of us in it.  “That he gave his only begotten Son”—God gave us his most loved gift, his Son, Jesus.  This is living proof of God’s love for us.  “That whosoever believeth on him should not perish”—all that accept Jesus as their savior will not die into a world that waits for the wrath to come (John 3:36).  “But have everlasting life”—eternal and permanent and no separation from God.

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Stand in the Gap

3/5/2023

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         Jacob, whom God called Israel, was the father of Levi (Levi is his third son).  Levi’s son, Kohath, is the father of Korah.  Kohath is also the father of Amram who is the father of Moses and Aaron.  For a while Moses was lost to the family, but, as God would have it, Moses was the one who led the Israelites out of Egypt.  The Levites, including those listed here, were established by God to be the priestly line with Aaron its’ first priest.
          This family didn’t get along any better than many of today’s families.  Korah, who was probably jealous, accused Moses and Aaron, his nephews, of being high and mighty when, as Korah tells it, the Israelites were really a holy people and not nearly as stiff necked as Moses believed (Numbers 16:3).  This bickering turned into an outright rebellion, which didn’t set well with God.  By verse 21 God had had it and warned Moses and Aaron away from Korah.  By verse 32 God opened up the earth and swallowed up Korah and his rebels (250 men).  The Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron for their deaths.  Had it not been for Aaron rushing out to save them from God’s wrath (verse 47,48) the entire congregation would have been wiped out.
          Aaron was the intercessor for the Israelites just as Jesus is the intercessor for all.  Jesus knew full well he was going to be crucified and yet he was willing to stand between the dead and the living and offer himself as a sacrifice.
          Today, Christians are asked to ‘stand in the way’ and go to God on the behalf of unbelievers.  I especially liked it when our pastor said that faith can make a difference and that patience makes a perfect difference (James 1:4). How marvelous!  I shall tuck this one away in my heart and treasure it.  Amen.  Thank you, God.

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    Linda Johnson

    Linda Johnson moved to Douglas County with her husband Tom 12 years ago after retiring from teaching. Following Tom's death in 2016, Linda began facilitating a grief support group called GriefShare through Sweden Church.​ She serves as the Sunday School teacher for our High School class. Her "Layman's Pen" articles are also published in the local paper, The Douglas County Herald. 

    Andrea Strong

    Andrea is Pastor Joshua Strong's wife. She also serves Sweden Church as Church Secretary, website administrator, and Sunday School teacher to the Intermediate Class.

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