A Shepherd Who Runs Toward Our Trouble

As a dad, it's hard to think of an image worse than that image, of a father turning away from a son in suffering. As a pastor, I have the privilege of walking through many of life's hardest seasons with people, including some of you, most of which I can't relate to. I can't imagine the depth of your pain, your grief, your confusion. However, the good news is that Jesus can, and he does. [01:00:20] (39 seconds)  #JesusUnderstands

What is your instinct when you see trouble up ahead? Is your instinct to run towards it or to avoid it? From our youngest age, we are taught to recognize trouble and to avoid it, and for good reason. If there's smoke, there's fire. If you see a snake, avoid it. Self preservation says that we should avoid trouble, and that generally serves us quite well. Even the wisdom of Proverbs notes this. Chapter 27 verse two of Proverbs, it says, the wise see danger and take refuge, but the fool keeps going and pays the penalty. [00:51:36] (47 seconds)  #WisdomSeeksRefuge

Easter is about a god who runs toward trouble. Our passage in Ezekiel 34 leading up the verses leading up to the passage we read a moment ago describes the dire situation that they were in. The their leaders, their king are described as bad shepherds. They were shepherds who instead of taking care of the flock, used the flock to take care of themselves. They would shear the sheep for their wool. They would drink their milk. They would eat the best of the flock. [00:55:33] (34 seconds)  #EasterRunsToUs

Gracious God, we thank you that when we were in our deepest and most hopeless need, when we were in over our heads in trouble, you sought us out and you rescued us. You saved us. You claimed us as your own. You suffered unspeakable horrors and misery and anguish on the cross and before so that we could be reconciled to you. You defeated sin and death so that in the end, death does not have the final word, but you do, and that word is life. You are our life. [01:08:42] (48 seconds)  #RescuedByJesus

That punishment of being separated from God, being forsaken from God, which we deserve, Jesus took upon himself so that we can never be forsaken by our savior God. God runs towards us when we are in trouble. He does not avoid us. [01:02:06] (29 seconds)  #NeverForsaken

What trouble are you in right now that perhaps nobody sitting on your pew with you, nobody in your household knows what you are going through, but you're in the thick of it. Jesus is there with you. Jesus was forsaken on the cross as we should be, but he was forsaken so that we don't have to be. Jesus is with you in your pain. [01:06:27] (32 seconds)  #JesusWithYou

She came trucking through all of the dining room furniture, chairs and tables, going left and right. She actually banged herself up pretty good just to come into the living room and see me there crying. I was fine. My brother, though, he was in pretty deep trouble. My mom ran to me when I was in trouble. That's what moms and dads do. When you're in trouble, you need someone who is willing to run toward you, toward the situation and not away from it. [00:54:58] (35 seconds)  #RunToLovedOnes

Jesus is with you in your pain. He is with you in your deepest wounds. He not only knows the number of hairs on our heads, but he knows the deepest scars on our hearts. He knows our thoughts. He knows our grief. He knows our anxieties. Jesus is there with you in your deepest trouble. [01:06:54] (28 seconds)  #HeKnowsYourPain