Pressing On!

     Do you remember the lesson about the shepherd with one hundred sheep that Jesus talked about in Luke 15:3-7 So He told them this parable, saying,  ”What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.   ”And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’  ”I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.  I think for the most part I understand what is being taught here, however there are some things about this story that I still do not understand, if in fact what I am looking for answers to is actually in this passage. 

     The understanding I have taken from this passage is this, Christ loves all, those that leave the fold and those that stay.  He wishes for the lost to come back home and even rejoices when they do.  Not down playing at all the faithfulness of the sheep that stayed where they should have been the entire time.  

     I believe that I get it when it comes to the lost one coming home, the faithful remaining faithful, and the faithful not looking down on the returned lost one.  Here is the part I have trouble understanding, what about the sheep that when the shepherd has gone after it does not desire to come back.  Or what about the sheep that knows and understands the difference between being on the inside of the fold and not, and prefers living on the outside. 

     Perhaps I struggle with this because of the position in the Church I am in.  As an evangelist I work together with the elders in our congregation not only to promote the Gospel to the lost, but to perpetuate faithfulness among the body of obedient believers.  This is where I am torn and I have a feeling I always will be.  When a sheep steps away and knows where the fold is and knows what they are leaving and still does what they desire to do, what, if anything does one do to try to get them back?  I realize that all one can do, is all one can do. 

     You see in the parable the shepherd goes out and finds the lost one, picks it up and puts it on his shoulders and brings him back.  What if the sheep does not want to come back?  Then what?  The answer probably lies later on in Luke 15 when the father can only wait for the prodigal son to return home.  Then that brings up this discussion, isn’t there a difference between being the “Father” and a shepherd?  Why didn’t the father go after the son and bring him home?  I know I have heard it said before about Luke 15 that the sheep and the coin did not know they were lost, but the son did.  The shepherd went and gave no choice to the sheep.  The woman gave no choice to the silver.  However, rejoicing still resulted.  The father let the son go (I know the Lord does not wish to force someone to love or obey Him) and waits for his return. 

     So, I guess this is my personal dilemma, do you go after the sheep or do you wait for the son to come home?

     Many times in my busy life I forget this very concept.  I am not saying it is right or acceptable I am just saying it happens.  I was reminded of it the other evening when in one of our Wednesday night Bible study classes, the teacher, one of the elders in our congregation pointed this thought out, “the attitude of gratitude”.  The attitude of gratitude, I thought.  WOW, I have really missed the boat on that one lately.  What a spiritual slap in the face it gave me or boot in my pants whatever you prefer.  I realized that there is no excuse for not being thankful.  Oh, I know I thank God and praise the Lord for what he has done in my life.  But many times I fail to thank those that the Lord uses to bring those blessings to me.  I forget to thank my beautiful wife for being there for me and for the training she gives to our sons.  I forget to thank my boys for, well being my boys.  I forget to thank my family (wife and sons) along with my parents and sisters and their families for the support they give, as well as my in-laws (no out-laws here) my wife’s parents and her siblings and their families are the best one could hope for to marry into a family like theirs.  My grandparents all seem to get overlooked by my thankfulness.  Why is it that the Lord knows just what to have someone say to bring up this barrage of family visions as the teacher taught about gratitude?  However the flashback or whatever it was didn’t stop there during his lesson.  I thought of how blessed I am to be able  to work with the congregation at the Church of Christ in Harlan.  They have blessed me through the hand of the Lord so much, that I hardly know where to start.  One verse about thankfulness that keeps coming back to me is Colossians 3:17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  I need to take more time to thank those around me and I will certainly try to do better.  As the elder said gratitude is an attitude and mine needed a little fine tuning.  I pray with the help of the Lord and the patience of those around me that I can remember to express the gratitude that is in my heart. 

     Recently I had the honor and privilege of attending our congregations annual Men’s Camp with my three sons, three of my brother-in-laws and three of my nephews.  We call the camp that we are invloved in Widga-Didga (Man Camp) and the name alone is enough to write another article on perhaps at another time.  Widga-Didga is held up in the northern woods of the great state of Michigan.  Away from cell phone reception.  Away from TV.  Away from many outside forces that daily work on us.  We had 51 men and boys at the camp this year.  Anyway the camp is designed with the idea and intent to help men (dads, grandpas, uncles and the such) remember what our responsibilities are to our children. 

     The word responsibility was brought up and used in many of the messages that were brought throughout the course of the week.  One thing that really hit me head on this week was a simple statement but meant much to me and it was that as men, God has given us the ability to carry out our responsibility.  I have always understood that we have a job to do, a task at hand if you will.  However, I have been brought face to face with the realization now that God has given us the ability to get the job done.  Too many times I hear someone say, I know what needs to be done, I just don’t know how to get it done.  I was reminded about 2 Peter 3:18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.  We have been given by God every tool we need to be the men we ought to be.  We use this time in the north woods to bring dads and sons together.  But this year I realized it is not as much about bringing the dads and sons together as it is to separate the Men from the Boys.  Now when I say this I am not talking about physical men and physical boys, but rather the spiritual men from the spiritual boys.  Our mission verse for our camp is 1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  It is high time that if you are the man in your family that you live like it.  God has given us the ability to be… everything He wants for us to be. 

     Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against their 18 year old child.  Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against their 8 year old child.  Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against their wife for not letting him take a stand against their children.  Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against their overbearing wife.   Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against their personal sin and they let it keep control over them.  Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against the culture that says being a real man is real mean.  Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against the running down of today’s father.  Guys are losing the battle today because they will not take a stand against the fiery darts of Satan and whatever they might be.  Men remember you are your children’s father not their buddy.  Be their dad let the little boy down the street be their buddy.  Tell them no, when it should be no.  Tell them you love them.  Tell them you are not happy with the wrong they have done.  Be their dad and you will have their respect.  Be their pal and you will regret the outcome.  Now is the time dads to take the opportunity to separate the Men from the Boys.