Meditations for Difficult Days - No. 18 - Paths of Righteousness
Pastor’s Blog - By Pastor Roy Summers
The Other Side to Sheep
Don't do this at home.
Many moons ago (I want to separate, you see, the foolish actions that follow, from the wiser me of today; this happened many moons ago), I stopped our car in a mountain pass with fields of sheep on either side of the road. We got out of the car to stretch our limbs and then I did something real dumb: I called out to the sheep!
To my surprise - and fright - they came down off the mountainside in their droves, or should that be flocks, and surrounded the car!
I can only surmise that my voice sounded much like the voice of their true shepherd.
As I say, don't do this "at home!"
Sheep are followers; they listen to a shepherd's voice and follow him.
Having said in our last blog that sheep are prone to wander, we now point to another characteristic of sheep - they are also capable of following a shepherd. "My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow me" says Jesus (John 10:27).
Psalm 23 verse 4 reads, "He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
Paths of Righteousness
Whenever sheep are seen walking in a straight line, says shepherd MacMillan, you can be sure that they are following a shepherd. It's the only time they walk in a straight line. On their own, they are all over the place, but with a shepherd up front, they'll walk in a straight line.
That's the meaning of "paths of righteousness." The Lord Jesus walks in front of us, and we the sheep, follow behind in straight paths, just paths, holy paths, righteous paths.
Satan tries to lead us astray into crooked paths, impure paths, wicked paths. But the Lord Jesus only and ever leads us in the paths of righteousness.
The path of righteousness is living in love, holiness and godliness, in every department of our lives: money, leisure, work, relationships, family, state, neighbourhood, church and so forth.
Discipleship
But how exactly does Jesus lead us into paths of righteousness?
Someone says "Well, through his Word and Spirit, as we read it, hear it and meditate on it." And who could quibble with that. Of course, yes, of course.
But is that all?
Is there no "human example" aspect to it? After all, a husband might read "husbands love your wives as Christ loves the Church" but if he is privileged to actually observe a husband demonstrating practical self-sacrificing love for his wife, will that not help him to know how to work out that exhortation in real life?
It will, for sure.
I believe it is a great mistake to imagine that Christian learning is done merely from Bible Studies. I am aware that some may possibly misunderstand me, but the Western church at least, has been so shaped by the bookish Academy that we think that a Christian can learn the paths of righteousness from words alone.
We have forgotten that God came down in human form and lived by example a godly life before the Twelve, and they listened not only to his teaching, but they also watched his holy life.
The Twelve were "led in paths of righteousness" by Word and Life.
Now that Jesus is in heaven, how can that happen? We can't watch Jesus live a godly life, and his holy Apostles have all gone home.
Well, one of the last things Jesus said to the Twelve was "Go and make disciples of all nations." What he meant was this: "You go and do for the world what I have just done for you. Just as I taught and lived before you, so you both teach and set an life example to the world."
And this is what the Twelve did. They gathered little groups of people (called churches) and taught by both lip and life.
Look at what Paul says:
"I urge you to imitate me." (1 Corinthians 4:16)
"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).
"Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice." (Philippians 4:9)
We can't learn to follow Jesus merely by reading the Bible on our own, or "going to church" on Sundays. We become followers of Jesus by copying the living examples of those who have been on the road longer - or deeper - than we.
Putting it all together
Many vital implications flow out of this teaching: that we learn to follow the Good Shepherd as we follow his older sheep (by older I do not mean age, I mean spiritual maturity).
First of all, undershepherds (elders) must invite people into their homes and lives to teach them the straight paths of the Shepherd. By watching how elders serve in their homes, how they use their time, how they care for their families, the flock are being taught - by example. There is no such thing, in the New Testament as distance learning!
Second, you and I grow best by committing ourselves wholeheartedly to a flock, a church, where we can see first hand, and follow the example of other more mature believers.
Thirdly, older believers ought to take seriously the task of leading younger lambs onwards and upwards. What a deep challenge to spur on older Christians to Christlikeness!
Older Christian: if a young Christian lived in your home for a year, what savour of Christ would they pick up? There can be no greater challenge for older believers than this: young sheep are watching you. No, they are imitating you. And you cannot take anyone further than you have travelled yourself.
Fourthly, make sure that the saints you follow are saints you know. In the internet age any Trickster Tom, Dodgy Dick or Heretical Harry can set themselves up as a teacher. You have no idea what kind of life they lead off screen.
True pastors fear this aspect of the internet age. Members of our congregations can end up following people who sound plausible in two dimensions, but whose offscreen lives are unknown. Let's make sure that the people we follow are known to us in the flesh: that's how Jesus led the Twelve, and how Paul made Christ-like Christians.
Fifthly, wow do we have to be careful with young lambs! They are watching every move and every word. It's called imprinting: a newly hatched chick imitates whatever it first sees. There is a spiritual imprinting also. A baby Christian is hyper-influenced by the first Christians they come across. We must make sure that we set the highest standards of Christ-like speech and actions in their presence. Not in a hypocritical way, of course, but in a genuine and natural way.
A kind of "preachy" blog today, I realise! Forgive me!
But if we want to unfold how our Good Shepherd leads us today in the paths of righteousness, discipleship is essential teaching.
In sum, Let's follow, in word and deed, godly examples in our churches.
In sum, Let's become godly followers of Jesus ourselves so that - not when, but as - we take young lambs under our care, we ensure that by Life, Word and Spirit, they become fully dedicated followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For His Name's Sake
And why does the Lord us in the paths of righteousness? "For his name's sake." The Glorious Name of the Shepherd is connected to the lives of his sheep! He wants us to live in paths of righteousness so that we will reflect well on his Spotless Name. Just as children are an echo of their parents, so followers of Jesus are an echo of the Saviour.
A SONG FOR THE DAY
My song for the day is a prayer that the beauty and fragrance of Jesus will fill our churches and lives, so that lambs in the flock will become like Jesus, and the Name of the Chief Shepherd will be honoured and exalted.
May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place. (Men)
May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place. (Women)
May the fragrance of Jesus fill this place. (Men)
Lovely fragrance of Jesus, (Women)
Rising from the sacrifice (All)
Of lives laid down in adoration.
May the glory of Jesus fill His church. (Men)
May the glory of Jesus fill His church. (Women)
May the glory of Jesus fill His church. (Men)
Radiant glory of Jesus, (Women)
Shining from our faces (All)
As we gaze in adoration.
May the beauty of Jesus fill my life. (Men)
May the beauty of Jesus fill my life. (Women)
May the beauty of Jesus fill my life. (Men)
Perfect beauty of Jesus, (Women)
Fill my thoughts, my words, my deeds, (All)
My all I give in adoration.
Graham Kendrick © 1986 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)
Hear it here:
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Gracious heavenly Father,
We pray for those who mourn the loss of loved ones, many elderly, but not all, in this season of global pestilence.
Have mercy on us, we pray.
Thank you for the promise that your Beloved Son, our Good Shepherd, will lead us in the paths of righteousness.
How we thank you for the church. We miss the physical presence of our brothers and sisters. We see so much of your beauty in them and pray that we may all grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ,
In whose Exalted Name we pray these things,
Amen
Pastor's Blog
This post is taken from our Pastor Roy Summers’ blog, where he discusses and comments on a wide range of current subjects and issues both in the world and in the church.