Grace worked out in the real world. The pastor/flock relationship.

In prep for this Sunday's sermon on Galatians 4.1-20 I was struck by how Paul's "real life" relationship with the churches in Galatia provide the field of application for all the great theology of the book. Simple though I know, but still in light of the opening verses of the chapter it is in a pastor/flock relationship, in the church, that the Trinity's adoption of us is experienced. When we commit to a local body and the structure the Lord has given to His church, we fully know how much He loves and provides for us. It is my opportunity as a shepherd to provide Jesus' care and a congregation member's opportunity to receive from Jesus. That reality makes it almost depressing when, in our consumer society, people bounce around from church to church and thus do not experience the fullness of body life that Jesus intends. Likewise it is sad when pastor act as ranchers and managers in the body and deprive Jesus' intent for the flock…there is another reason why Scripture refers to pastors as shepherds.

A prayer for your day from Titus 1.1

May Jesus be the object your faith.

May you rest in knowing that God choose you.

May you listen to Jesus as He reveals Himself to you.

May you know Jesus more and more.

May you allow Him, as the truth, change you.

May you follow as He leads you to look more like Him.

Loving Jesus' Appearing

I have been meditating on 2 Timothy 4.8 and the idea there of the crown of righteousness being awarded "to all who have loved His appearing." I wanted to dwell on this verse a bit so I did a word study on the use of "appearing" in Scripture. A starting observation: Jesus' appears refers to both His first and second coming (as I already have eluded). Here are some summary statements from the study in the following categories: Theology, what God has done or will do; possible emotional response to "love" His appearing; and other applications.

Theology—

• 2 Thessalonians 2.8 speaks of Jesus' power, at His return, to defeat Satan and his anti-Christ.
  
• 2 Timothy 1.10 reveals how God saves us with a holy calling, given by the Father to Jesus before time began.
  
• 2 Timothy 4.1 has the fantastic context of how the Holy Spirit uses Scripture in our lives. In Paul's argument he relies on God as judge of all, that Jesus came once and He's coming again, and that His rule and reign has been inaugurated (first advent) and will be finished latter (second advent).
  
• Titus 2.11-14, while a simple thought, let's not forget that grace is a work of God!
  

Emotional Response—

• 2 Thessalonians 2.8 Jesus is so worth loving as we long for the day that evil is conquered and He rights the wrongs of injustice.
  
• 2 Thessalonians 2.8 how amazing that I cannot come to Him so He came to me and imparted Himself in my life! May I humbly await His glory, my destiny.
  
• 2 Timothy 1.10 the great I AM, creator of the ends of the earth and still He shows and becomes the manifestation of God the Father's plan, wow.
  
• 2 Timothy 4.1 to have a teachable attitude and allow the Spirit to do His work in my life through Scripture. What fantastic motivation to preach Jesus: the timeless and eternal presence of Jesus.
  

Applications—

• 2 Thessalonians 2.8 no matter what the difficulty, HANG ON! the victory is Jesus'.
  
• 2 Thessalonians 2.8 to live and minister "well" as, in every moment, I practice the presence of God.
  
• 2 Timothy 1.10 in all the ways Jesus' speaks to me—I am to obey!
  
• 2 Timothy 4.1 preach the Word. Nothing else.
  

Closing Observations—

• It is interesting that all but one of these references are in the pastoral epistles. This then is huge, for my own walk with Jesus but also how I pastor.
  
• There is (in the background) the setting of suffering. Paul is saying "I've suffered", "don't be afraid of my suffering" and "join me, in my suffering". Specifically in 2 Timothy 1.8 the invitation is not to masochism, but an invitation to live boldly on Jesus' mission.
  
• I have applied the label of being "consumed by the good work" to all this pastoral motivation, from Titus 3.17.
  

SUMMARY STATEMENT: to have my affections set on the appearing of Jesus, as I long to hear Him speak to me!