Sheep Without a Shepherd

Who Touched My Clothes?

Planting the Seed

Relationships

Together
My friend, Kent Jobe, is a minister in El Dorado, Arkansas. Last week he shared his thoughts on Facebook about New Year’s resolutions. Kent writes, “I gave up resolutions several years ago. I had the same resolutions each year and never lasted more than a couple of weeks with any of them. Something that has worked better for me is to identify a word I want to direct me in the New Year. I do not pick this word lightly but spend a lot of time in thought and prayer to see where I am and where I want/need to be.” Choosing a word to serve as a theme or point of focus is something that my wife has done in recent years as well. This can be a helpful process for individuals, but it can also be a good way for us to remember and stay focused as a church family. Throughout the Bible, people and places are named to help followers of God remember what He has done and promised. Why not give 2021 a name?
This year we will focus on the word, “together.” Through the pandemic we have learned more than ever just how important being together can be. God designed the church, our families and friendships to give us ways to be together. In fact, the first thing in creation that God declared not to be good was that man was alone, so he created Eve to be together with Adam. (Genesis 1:18-22)
Although it is important for us to be together with each other, it is exponentially more important for us to be together with God. He wants us together with Him so much, that He sent Jesus to make it possible. What an amazing thought!
Brian
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. – Ephesians 2:19-22
Prayers of Trust

- Search me. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23-24) We understand that God knows everything about us, but are we willing to lay our secrets and shortcomings before Him?
- Break me. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (James 1:2-3) James teaches that brokenness leads to greater faith. Peter’s is broken eye to eye with Jesus after denying Him and rebuilt after the resurrection. We are quick to pray for protection, but would we invite God to break and rebuild us?
- Send me. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) Christians are called to be light in darkness and to be witnesses of the story of Jesus. Are we willing to ask God to give each of us regular opportunities to do those things?
Parables on Prayer
As we have considered the prayers of Jesus over the past few weeks, I hope you have been reminded about how important prayer was in His earthly life. The things He prayed about can be lessons to us on how to pray and about the God we pray to. In Luke 18, Jesus tells two parable about prayer. In these stories we see two things that should characterize our own prayers: persistence and humility.
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector teaches us to keep our worth in perspective. God values people in a very different way than the world does. He does not show favoritism based on wealth or status. When we come before Him, we must realize His desire to hear our prayer and the prayers of others, His power to take action and His will to decide justly.
Can We Really Know Jesus?

learn from scripture about who Jesus is, there are many people who are skeptical. How long after these events happened were they recorded? Were the stories embellished?
The Prayers of Jesus

- Jesus prays at His baptism. (Luke 3:21)
- Jesus prays after healing a leper. (Luke 5:16)
- Jesus prays before calling His apostles. (Luke 6:12)
- Jesus prays with His disciples. (Luke 9:18)
- Jesus prays at His transfiguration. (Luke 9:28)
- Jesus prays when teaching His disciples to pray. (Luke 11:1)
- Jesus prays for Peter. (Luke 22:32)
- Jesus prays for those crucifying Him. (Luke 23:34)
- Jesus prays before His death on the cross. (Luke 23:46)
Still All to Us
