Shepherds and sheep

Great day, yet busy: 5:45 am-get up, go plant a tree for a client of the Irish Planter, 7:30am- leave job site and go home to take shower and clean up before Gospel Coach Seminar at Hope Community Church led by Scott Thomas from Mars Hill Church Seattle/Acts29 Church Planting Network (which was awesome and insightful) which began at 9am, get home around 4:45pm-kiss bride, boy, and puppy and then venture out on the Greenway trail in South Minneapolis by the Mighty Mississippi River to Lake Street getting well needed family time for our explore walk, 5:45pm-get home to eat pot stickers, kiss bride and send her off to work (nurse night shift), and now getting ready to put the little man to bed after praying, thanking Jesus for a great day, singing songs, and then typing up notes for Old Testament class tomorrow night in Numbers- "in the Wilderness". I think I actually will sleep well tonight...:)

Side Note: with my thoughts and insights from today on shepherds and sheep so it goes: know the sheep, feed the sheep, lead the sheep, and protect the sheep. Isn't is funny how we many times make it more complex than that in the the church when Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, shows us who to care for, how to do it, and where to get our strength? Lord may we be better shepherds to those with whom you have entrusted to our care. Here are a few passages that I went over today and started to ponder as I consider church planting again and what that really means...

Acts 20:28
 
English Standard Version (ESV)

^28(A) Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all^(B) the flock, in which^(C) the Holy Spirit has made you^(D) overseers,^(E) to care for^(F) the church of God,^[a] which he^(G) obtained^(H) with his own blood.^[b]

English Standard Version (ESV)

John 21:15-19

English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus and Peter

 ¹⁵When they had^(A) finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ^(B) "Simon,^(C) son of John,^(D) do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed^(E) my lambs." ¹⁶He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, ^(F) "Tend^(G) my sheep." ¹⁷He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him^(H) the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord,^(I) you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed^(J) my sheep. ^18(K) Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young,^(L) you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." ¹⁹(This he said to show^(M) by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, ^(N) "Follow me."

1 Thessalonians 2:4-8

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴but just as we have been approved by God^(A) to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not^(B) to please man, but to please God^(C) who tests our hearts. ^5(D) For we never came with words of flattery,^[a] as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—^(E) God is witness. ^6(F) Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others,^(G) though we could have made^(H) demands as^(I) apostles of Christ. ⁷But we were^(J) gentle^[b] among you,^(K) like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. ⁸So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God^(L) but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

Beautiful and Glorious is this day...

I am going back and forth through a few passages in Scripture on Genesis 50:20 and Exodus 20 and meditating on what God's will and law were intended for, currently are, and how they all relate and point to Jesus who is the perfect fullfillment in and through the cross while listening in the background to Mumford and Sons "Awake My Soul" with my son, Shepard, who is drumming in the background. I stand in awe of how blessed I am to have the amazing wife, boy, and baby on the way, and family and friends that I do. I am truly floored at the hope we who know Jesus have beyond the grave. I also and broken in knowing that many who don't know Jesus will die apart from Him. Let us contend for the faith that has been entrusted once and for all for us to fight the good fight of the faith.