Thoughts from Pastor Stan

Sermon Notes

Boundaries III

Sheep Without a Shepherd

PASSING OF THE PEACE:

QUESTION: If you were to be an animal,

what kind of animal would you be?

NOTICE THE ANSWER has to do with definition of the animal

QUESTION: If you were going to be a human

what kind of human would you be?

NOTICE THE ANSWER: has to do with definitIon of what kind of human

INTRO TO SCRIPTURE: Matthew 9:35ff

The mission of Jesus is to focus on reaching people everywhere he goes. Where Jesus goes, people gather.

QUESTION: Do we emulate Jesus?

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 9:35 - 38

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had COMPASSION on them,

NOTE: The ministry of Jesus was driven by compassion. His compassion was love driven (Greatest and Second Greatest Commandment).

OBSERVATION: Jesus is aware that people are in need.

QUESTION: Are we emulating Jesus’ awareness of seeing the need?

36b because they were harassed and helpless,

NOTE: “harassed” literally means “torn.”

QUESTION: When you see the crowds, what do you see?

When you are in worship, what do you see?

POINT:Jesus had compassion on them because they were “harassed&helpless.”

36b LIKE A SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

POINT #1: Sheep are lost without a shepherd.

LOST: Ever feel lost?

Amazing Grace, “Once was lost, but now am found”

Definition of LOST:

Luke 15: Lost coin, sheep and son

Lost is lacking a relationship of God

ONE REASON TO BE LOST: Lack of BOUNDARIES

When we fail to set good boundaries (not knowing who we are authentically)

we risk being lost.

POINT #2 Sheep without a shepherd are in need of a shepherd

QUESTION: Why don’t they have a shepherd (leader)?

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 27: - Joshua to Succeed Moses

15 Moses said to the LORD, 16 "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd." 18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him.

POINT: Moses was concerned that the with his death, the people would not have a leader, they would be like sheep without a shepherd. They would not know where they were going, or who they are.

QUESTION: Who is your shepherd?

implication: who are shepherd is, identifies who we are.

if Jesus is our shepherd, then we are his sheep and we follow him.

IMPLICATION: if we do not know who we are, and who are leader is, then we will become lost, like sheep without a shepherd.

THUS: Failure to set good boundaries = like sheep lost without a shepherd.

QUESTION: Each of us are driven by something within us. As we define who we are we become more aware of what is driving us in our decision making process. The more we grow spiritually, the more we too are driven by compassion and love. It is crucial as we continue in ministry to know ourselves (define who we are and who we are not) and who we follow as shepherd.

V 37

“the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

NOTE: The mission of Jesus is not a solitary mission.

IMPLICATION: we are to be trained to emulate Jesus (discipleship)

OBSERVATION: According to Jesus, Christianity is more than proclaiming and teaching, it is doing. Action speaks louder than words.

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

At all times preach the gospel, when necessary use words. St Francis Of Assisi