The Good Shepherd

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:  Who, being in the form of God, though it not robbery to be equal with God; But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and thing in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2:4-11

The Good Shepherd

Do you know what the greatest distance in the Universe is? I believe it is the distance from the throne of God to a manger in Bethlehem Judea. I remember the first time that I read this passage from Philippians and how it affected me. To think that the Lord of All Creation came down to the earth and was born into the vulnerability of a human infant body, in a place where animals sleep, displaced from His family home and hunted by the legal authorities who wanted to kill him.

Have you ever wondered why He came this way? Why He who deserved the honor and worship of all Creation humbled himself below all things? He did it for you and me! Because our sin had taken us down below the perfect glorious realm He had created for us to dwell in, He left it all to bring us back. Like the good shepherd, Jesus left the ninety-nine sheep who were dwelling in safety, and hazarded his life to find you and I and bring us back home.

How should we think and act in the light of such wonderful love? Paul tells us the answer. We should follow his example. We should think and act for others like Jesus did for us.

Today, sad to say, the Gospel message has deteriorated into a formula for getting what we want rather than giving what we should. When we hear about giving it is often about giving to someone who will live lavishly on our gifts and promise God’s blessings in return. Many who have been called to leave their comfort zones and seek the others who are lost like they once were, choose rather to sit in buildings on padded pews, scratching their ears and waiting for the next new revelation. How sad this must be to Him who left such obvious and contrary directions for us as His followers.

I believe the time has come when the line is being drawn in the sand. Where is your heart? Where is your kingdom? Where is your first love? Do you see that many of the teachers claiming to be from God are calling you to live in exact opposition to the pattern of Jesus Christ? Many voices that claim to be prophetic today are only so in the fact that they themselves fulfill the prophecies from Scripture about false teachers and wolves in the end times.

Shake off these things or you will not survive what lies ahead. If your faith is merely a belief system to help you achieve your personal goals in this life you may in fact do so, but what you gain will be your only reward.

We are on the verge of the greatest battle of our lifetimes when the enemies of Christ and His Church are lining up in full force against us. Though the battle is the Lords, the message of the Kingdom has been given to you and I. We must go forth carrying the banner proclaiming the Truth. “There is only one God and Jesus is His Son.” If you believe otherwise I do not believe you are a Christian. Though this may sound harsh to those who seek the path of least resistance, “Let God be true, but every man a liar”. (Rom. 3:4).

If you have truly been born again you should be able to see the Kingdom of God. If you can see the Kingdom of God the kingdom of this world will hold little desire for you . . . or as Paul said in his letter to the Colossians, ‘Set you affections on things above, not on things on the earth”. (Col. 3:2)

Let others believe what they may, they have the right to do so. You do not have that right if you are a true follower of Christ. “For ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your body and your spirit WHICH ARE GOD’S.” (I Cor. 6:20)

May your heart desire to be like Jesus Christ,

Craig Marlatt