February 22, 2010
http://www.proclaiminghisname.org
For many years, a conventional stream of wisdom among Christians has been that if a minister falls or fails, it's to be well hidden and covered up so as not to 'hurt the sheep' that were influenced by his ministry.
I am convinced the better strategy is to let the sheep know who their REAL Shepherd is!
He originally lived in magnificent splendor and glory with His Heavenly Father, the Holy Ghost, and all the angelic hosts of heaven. He willingly left it all to be born of a virgin as a babe in a manger, and lived a sinless life, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, yet with joy and gladness "above His fellows". Everywhere He went, He was doing good. He saved people, healed people, restored withered limbs, delivered people from demons, opened blind eyes, deaf ears, and even raised the dead.
And He is the baptizer in the Holy Ghost.
He was led from the upper room where He had to sup with his traitor to the Garden where He agonized to the sweating of great drops of blood, and declared, 'Let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done.
He was arrested in that garden by a great multitude with swords and staves, and led to the court of the high priest where false accusations were levied against Him. He was tied up, and led on to Pilate's judgment Hall. Pilate said, "I find no fault in this man", and washed his hands.
Nevertheless, He was whipped and scourged and mocked, and received the Crown of Thorns from soldiers mocking him and spitting upon Him. Then He was led up Golgotha's Hill , to the Cross where He was pierced in His head, nails and feet, pierced in His side, and left to die.
The Bible says He was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. The Bible so poetically declares Him to be "holy, harmless, and undefiled."
This man, Jesus, the very Son of God is the One who opened up the way to Glory! Not your favorite TV preacher. Not the great healing evangelist, or that up-and -coming prophet who can "read your mail".
It was Jesus who spilled His life blood, then split the seams of hell so He could triumphantly demand the keys of death and hell back from the devil, and lead a host held captive up out of the bowels of the earth to bear witness to Him with "infallable proofs" all around Jerusalem and Galilee for about 40 days until He led them up through the atmosphere, through the billowing clouds right back into that glory He had originally had with His heavenly Father, the Holy Ghost, and all the heavenly hosts of angels! But, on His way up, He didn't leave without giving gifts unto men.
Some of these very same men who have received His gifts have very sadly faltered, and failed. But, it's no reason to be shakened in mind, or troubled in spirit! Because this very same Jesus is alive, and well and absolutely in control of His own Church! He is still the Head of His Body, the firstborn among many brethren, the High Potentate of His own kingdom of kings and priests unto God, and the Lord of Glory!
How can we be shaken, troubled, distracted by any one, any preacher, or lay person whose breath is in his nostrils, nothing but a mere man, and not a god at all! When we look at Jesus, the sacrifice He made, the price He paid, the victory He wrought, how can we let what we perceive as the weakness of a man, the transgressions of a man, the deceptions of a man, the charlatanism of a man, or the hypocrisies of a man even for a split second turn our heads from our True Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ!
If the man or woman of God, a dear friend, a concerned neighbor or a loved one in your family truly led you to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith, nothing anyone else does, nothing that appears slimy, nothing that looks deceiving, even nothing that pierces you in your heart because the wound is so deep and hurtful and offensive...NOTHING ......no one in your family, church, neighbors, friends and no powerful preacher can shake you off of that firm foundation when you've truly met Jesus, and made Him the Saviour, Baptizer, and Lord of your life!
When the church of Jesus Christ stands for integrity and allows the flock to partake of the gift and spirit of true discernment (another gift that Jesus gave when He ascended on high) when ministers fall into sin, things won't be left like a bowl of soup, tightly covered with the lid on until the problems boil over, and blast the lid off that boiling pot for the stove top to become a great big mess, and all the world to see.
The story of the exposure and then covering of Noah's nakedness doesn't "fit" every situation. If Noah kept getting drunk, and then acting the naked fool, his kids might have handled him in a different way! They covered him because, even though the law was not yet written, there was an awareness of the eternal laws of God, and it was a sin to look on the nakedness of a parent , and it was a first offense. But if Noah made that a pattern of behaviour, you can believe eventually others would have seen it, and there would have been nothing that could have been done to prevent it!
Things are being exposed because they've come to the boiling point. They're being exposed because when you start with a pattern, and you follow through, you eventually end up with a garment, and the thing you wanted to keep covered is covering you for all the world to see!
It's time for the ministry in the Church to own it's problems and not make it the burden of the sheep to cover up for those who are living below standards set forth in God's Word. It's time to give the sheep credit they deserve for following their Chief Shepherd who will never fail them, disappoint them, or lead them astray. You say, What about the lambs? Sheep are parents to lambs. Not shepherds. And as sheep respond to the Voice of the True Shepherd, the lambs will follow the sheep.
I see written here, and there, and everywhere how we've got to "protect the sheep". Well, the sheep are not protected by lies and cover-ups. The sheep are protected when mere men who, even though they've been graced with gifts and callings recognize they are STILL "mere men" and quickly admit their weaknesses and failures and cry out for mercy and help in the time of need, recognizing there is only ONE who was tempted in all points, yet without sin, and it is JESUS, and no one else!
Don't be shaken in your mind, troubled in your spirt, or disappointed in your heart over mere men who fail and fall. Don't try to figure it out, and don't defile yourself by filling yourself with endless speculations of their sins and shortcomings. When you can give your heart and mind to meditating on Jesus, and what a wonderful Saviour He is, and how He truly is the "One true Lover of your soul, why would you even want to think about anything else, or anyone else?
JESUS is my Saviour, I shall not be moved!
From His love and favor, I shall not be moved!
Just like a tree that's planted by the waters,
Lord, I shall not be moved!
Amen and AMEN!
JESUS: THE ONE TRUE SHEPHERD AND BISHOP OF OUR SOULS!
AMEN!