“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).
The judgement of God will begin from the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). My brother, my sister, we sometimes need to face the truth that saves and sets free… Nowadays, it is easier to access God the Father than it is to access some servants of God! Is that Biblical? Today, some servants of God have so many churches around the world or are too busy with so many things that they don’t have time for the souls of the Lord. In some churches, you need to make an appointment for many months before you can talk with your pastor for 5 timed minutes; in other churches, the pastor is encircled by so many body guards that you can see his face only on his Facebook profile or on videos. These extreme examples are given on purpose, but many others can be listed… people of God, let’s return to the Word of God. Moses lived among the people of God… Jesus lived with His disciples and Judas needed to kiss Him to single Him out. Today, in some churches, Judas won’t need to kiss the pastor… just follow the red carpet leading to His seat, the protocol of idolaters and sometimes the kingly chair reserved for the pastor. Have mercy Lord Jesus, for you humbled yourself to serve us who are sinners!
What does the Bible show us? First, Apostle Paul was a church planter, but none of the churches he helped plant was after his name, so he never ‘owned’ a church. Besides, he left the churches to the locals and continued wherever God sent him next. Second observation: how many church branches did Jesus have? Only one branch, which spread across the earth. Today, believers think that a church is necessarily validated by the Lordship of Christ because its founder is popular or has had many branches around the world. No, a church is validated by Christ when its overseer serves the people of God. Why? Because Jesus came to serve people on earth… The truth has to be told: some servants of God walk around the earth and do not know the name, how much more the situation, of their church members… So, how can they pray for them? My friend, can Jesus really allow His servant to plant churches around the world while many afflicted or unconverted souls are still battling with their spiritual life in the main branch? Jesus is a finisher: when He met Zacchaeus, He took all His time with him. There was a crowd, but He ensured all was well with that soul that had been looking for Him. Did He not have disciples to ask them to look after this new convert? Unfortunately, how often are we sent to the disciples in our churches today? Because the shepherd is too busy! This brings us to the main point of this meditation: if a shepherd is far from the flock, will the sheep be able to get back home safely? Is that not contributing to disheartening some believers and encouraging the wandering of others?
It is the church’s responsibility to lead people to Christ. Unfortunately, many churches have lost the sense of service. And finally, it seems that it is much easier for some believers to talk to God than to talk to their shepherd. Well, the Bible says: Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person” (1 John 2: 4). Indeed, the shepherd is supposed to make disciples of all nations, not to make church members become hall drivers, personal projects funders or seat fillers! My friend, it is also our individual responsibility as believers not to limit ourselves to the acts of man, but to seek to become disciples of Christ, for it is the call we all received to spread the Good News on earth. This is possible only when you know who your shepherd is: Jesus, and certainly not man, because Jesus will never be out of reach for you and me. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.