Sermon on Good Shepherd and his sheeps

Luther House Service

Rev M Augustin 

Exodus 32:7-14

7 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'

9 "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

11 But Moses sought the favour of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance for ever.' " 14 Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

1 Timothy 1:12-17

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Early 1800, Fanny Crosby caught influenza at 6 years old, they treated her eyes with mustard and caused her blind. She grew gracefully with forgiveness and wrote 8000 hymns under different names. Blessed Assurance 

The black sheep always get lost all the time, always want to see if the grass is greener on the other side. 

Exodus 32:1

1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered round Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."

Israelites were quick to forget after Moses' 40 days conference with God. God called them stiff-necked people who were too arrogant to bow their heads. God was fuming in anger wanting to burn Israelites. But Moses interceded with God for his people. He used logics, psychology to argue with God to show mercy to his people and not to remove them. Moses was a shepherd in the desert for 40 years. So he had a heart of shepherd. 

We are the people of God. We are called to be good shepherds in this nation. How to do this role well ?

1) Pray for our land

What and how do we pray ? If we were them, what would we pray for ? Not to ask that they be wiped out. We cannot intercede until we open our eyes to see the sufferings around us and out ourselves in their shoes.

2) To love

There is only one all powerful being and his weapon is love.

We could only intercede with we are filled with love. The only way we can change this world is love.

People are self-centered and we don't care.

3) Our standard as good shepherd is Jesus

What set us apart is the grace of God and our achievements. As we measure up to the great Shepherd then we know we lack and in wanting.