A few years ago a singer in our country posted: “My truth is MY truth, & it’s mine to own. There is no right or wrong here, it simply just IS.” That is not such an uncommon view now for many people. This particular singer just put it into writing.

“Our” truth can have something to it if we’re simply sharing true things about our own experiences. In a sense no one has the exact same experiences or perspectives as another. But doesn’t the idea of “my truth” easily . . . . creep into “my way or the highway” or into a justification for anything anyone does?

This environment can bring some challenges to our mission of bringing the Word of God to those around us. Even if we care about a person and let them know the message of the Bible transcends any of our own thoughts and ideas, they may close themselves off immediately if a teaching doesn’t fit “their truth.”
That challenge is not as modern as it might seem. The prophet Amos was sent to preach against the king and against the whole nation of Israel. The king, Jeroboam, and his priest didn’t want to hear it. They dismissed Amos and told him to take his prophecies elsewhere.

Amos was not intimidated: 14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” (Amos 7:14-15)

God gives us the right and authority to speak his truth, which is the only eternal and universal truth, and the truth that sets us free in Christ.

We are all sheep. We are all at the same time shepherds by God’s grace. You can be one to help keep the sheep from being shepherdless, both with your own shepherding and leading them to see the Good Shepherd of their souls.

Jesus sees sheep without a shepherd. We do too. Many living without hope or purpose or . . . . a moral foundation to their lives. We “shepherd” as well. Watching over in different ways the spiritual lives of our families and neighbors and acquaintances. We do that through our church with called pastors and leaders. But we also do that ourselves.

We all count ourselves among the sheep who have gone astray and need our Savior. Jesus shepherds us with his grace just as he did that day in the region of Galilee with his teaching of the kingdom of God.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things (Mark 6:34).Jesus’ reaction lets us in on God’s heart:

Which they did. They started out in a boat to a remote area where no one was around and surely let out a sigh of relief. But it didn’t last long. The people tracked down where they were headed. Word got out. The crowd started forming again. Break time was over!

Great crowds turned out to see him and hear him and seek out his healing. So much so that Jesus and the disciples didn’t even have time to eat. Parents know that feeling. Those who work long hours know that feeling. There’s so much on their plates that at times even basic needs like food get pushed to the side. Jesus and the disciples had to get away for a while and rest.

As Jesus began to openly carry out his ministry as the anointed Savior promised in the Old Testament, he achieved a large level of popularity. The people were anxiously waiting for some type of leader to bring them hope, not unlike people throughout history. They saw in Jesus the potential to be that leader. They were impressed with the miracles he performed and the authority with which he spoke.

Wouldn’t it be great to walk outside and have breakfast and dinner ready for you on the porch? Every day? It’s not too likely anyone would turn down that service!
In a desert there are not many options for food. And the whole Israelite nation wandered around in a desert environment for 40 years. That would be quite a few mouths to feed for quite a long time.
The Lord was very gracious to his people. He said to Moses: Tell them, “At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” (Exodus 16:12) That’s how it went. The manna definitely was a regular occurrence every morning (6 days a week) for the entire 40 years. The quail was there as well, although we can’t say for sure it arrived all the time during the desert wanderings. All the Israelites had to do was walk outside and their food was waiting for them.
This, despite their frequent grumbling and complaining. God is good to the world he . . . . created, and provides all the sustenance we need.
An astounding miracle. Manna six days a week, 312 days or so a year, for 40 years. Really the miracle of food is not that much different for us. The intricate details of plant and animal life that cannot be reproduced outside of God’s power. The complex processes needed to produce just one grain of wheat or one grape on the vine. Then the systems and labor involved in getting the food to a supermarket nearby. More than enough food even as the population of the world continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Your cheerios and ribeye steaks are manna and quail from heaven, only available to you because of God’s almighty power.
People that visit the U.S. for the first time are often amazed at the abundance and variety of the food in our country. Every meal is a chance to give thanks to our gracious God in prayer and reverence for his good gifts to the world.
Every meal is also consumed, and we get hungry again. When we enjoy our food, we look in faith to Jesus’ teaching about himself, the “true bread,” that gives true life.
 

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

We are all ministers of Jesus Christ! Just by being believers through the work of the Spirit, we are automatically ministers. Ministry simply means service. We all in Christ serve God and our neighbor.

Caring for your family, sharing the comfort of the gospel with a hurting soul, bringing food to the hungry, teaching a child about the Word – these are all some of the hundreds or thousands of different forms ministry takes.

While so many search for meaning, we have it in the Lord’s purposes in us and through us. What is meaningful about your own personal ministry? Join us Sundays for our NEW SERMON SERIES, “MEANINGFUL MINISTRY,” to deepen your appreciation for Christian service.

We are a mix of all kinds of things on our inside. We know our bodies are mostly water. Anywhere from 50 to 60 percent on average. We’re made up of fat, muscle and bone. There are millions of microorganisms crawling around in and on us, generally good ones. On an emotional level we have happiness and sadness, instincts good and bad.

We also “carry around in our body the death of Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:10). That’s the way the Apostle Paul sees it under inspiration of . . . . the Spirit as he reflects on how fragile we are as we minister with the gospel. In our body is the death of Jesus.

No one likes to think about “death” being inside them (although in a way that’s true physically for us all!). This is a special death. The death of Jesus. All that means is that we will also go through some level of persecution and suffering while we share the light of Christ in this world. Philippians 3:10 says something similar: I want to know Christ—yes, … and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

This is always the case. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, is how it’s put in our Bible verse from 2 Corinthians. Living the light of the gospel will most definitely involve hardship of some kind. Let’s not be too surprised by that!

However, there are a couple wonderful blessings that come out of this. First, if we, the messengers, are less glorious, that just points people more to the glory of the gospel message. And that’s where we want them to look anyway. Second, if we participate in his death, we will also participate in his life. The full Bible verse from above is as follows: We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. Carrying around Jesus’ death all the time isn’t so bad when life with Jesus is ours through faith, and his full life for us in heaven is right around the corner.

One of the bedrocks of our legal system is the Sixth Amendment, which states, “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, … and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation ….” We take it for granted that that’s how it should work. We shouldn’t be convicted without a trial, or without at least knowing what the charges are. We would consider that a basic human right, even if it’s not practiced everywhere around the world.

Job must have been thinking along those lines after going through so much loss and suffering without any explanation that he could come up with. His friends basically told him it was his fault for . . . . some sin or sins he had committed. Job didn’t think so, but he was confused to the point of challenging God to answer: Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense—let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing. (Job 31:35)

And then God spoke in chapter 38, and did answer him. But it wasn’t really an answer as Job (or we) might expect. There never is a direct explanation of why. The Lord’s first words are a question: Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? (38:2). And then a whole long series of questions, like Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand (38:4). The answer was roughly, “You’re a human, and there are many things that you are not able to understand, even if I do.”
God did not support Job’s friends’ accusations that Job was being punished for his sins, but neither did he give Job a reason as to why this was happening. A reminder of the truth of Romans 11:33: Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

God is gracious and compassionate to us at all times! If the “why” is not always available to us, that doesn’t mean his care is less. His grace is as strong as ever, even when we go through the trials of life. His love and salvation and forgiveness in Christ never change. If we’re not able to “look behind the curtain” and always get an explanation for everything that happens to us, that’s ok. The “not knowing” leads us to more peace and trust in God’s loving guidance of all things: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

How often do you express your thanks for oxygen? For your hands and feet? For your oven at home? For roads? There’s no doubt we’re thankful for all the good things in life, but some don’t regularly rise to the level of our consciousness because they’re so common. They’re just always there. But life would be so different without them.

The gospel message sometimes makes its way onto that list. The gospel is working invisibly, and it’s working all the time. It’s such a regular and common force in the world that . . . . we may not often take a moment to recognize its enormous impact.

There are times when the results of the gospel are clearly there. In Acts we see 120 believers (1:15), then about 3,000 more (2:41), then 5,000 just counting the men (4:4). The message of Christ quickly spread into Samaria (8:25) and Antioch (11:21) among other places. Then there are times the gospel doesn’t seem to be producing such a harvest, or the church even seems to be in decline. But it’s always going out according to God’s purpose.

The Apostle Paul and his companion in ministry, Timothy, first give thanks for the faith and love of their brothers and sisters in Christ. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people (Colossians 1:3-4). Then they go on to recognize how it is that they are united in faith and love. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. (Colossians 1:6). The gospel!

Maybe consider adding to your prayers this week a heartfelt one for the gospel that brought you and so many others to faith in Christ. You can’t go wrong in giving thanks for the gospel. It’s hard at work every second of every day!