Sublime

You and I both know that you have transgressed over and over and over again. And you’re going to stand before a holy God to be judged by these things, according to a stricter standard than all others because you are a pastor, and he will ask you to give an account. And looking back over the failures of your life and ministry, you will grasp at

Jesus Christ alone is the hope, treasure, joy, and purpose of pastoral ministry. Not church growth, not church planting, not church success, not church business, not church programs, not church activities, not church popularity. Let everything be a means to this end: the treasuring of Christ and the enjoying of his glory.

Jesus was not content to simply say what was true. Being right was not enough. Being biblical was not enough. Being exegetically correct was not enough. That was not his purpose in coming. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. And he communicated to that end.

Jesus is the way — the path to a lifetime of adventure, fulfill-ment, challenge, and purpose, even when we sacrifice or suffer for his sake. Jesus is the truth — and he provides us with wisdom that works for our everyday life and the turbulent times as well. And Jesus is the life. He — and he alone — can give us confidence in our future for all of

Ask: What is the relation of this text to the character and work of Christ? What does Jesus perfectly do or fulfill in this text that we could not do for ourselves? How does Jesus resolve the redemptive theme of this text? How does Jesus complete the story of this text? How will Jesus’ return complete the story of the text?

On that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia,[36] from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. 12 He will raise a signal for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather the

In the United States, numbers impress us. We gauge the success of an event by how many people attend or come forward. We measure churches by how many members they boast. We are wowed by big crowds. Jesus questioned the authenticity of this kind of record keeping. According to the account in Luke chapter 8, when a crowd started following Him, Jesus

19You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death persons who should not die and keeping alive persons who should not live,…

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