Spiritually speaking, a bad shepherd might be a pastor (which means shepherd) who doesn’t care for the congregation. For example, a shepherd who doesn’t preach or teach the Bible in it’s truth and purity, thereby starving the congregation of spiritual food.  A bad shepherd will do nothing to prevent the attacks of false doctrine. And a bad spiritual shepherd is one who tells you that your sin is OK; that it doesn’t matter; that it’s not sin.

The truth is that you and I and the world have a desperate condition. Sin is real. Sin is disobeying God in our actions, words and even our thoughts. Sin earns us death. The reality is that we are steeped in sin.

That is why we need the care of the Good Shepherd – Jesus. Only the Good Shepherd forgives your sins. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

On Good Friday Jesus willingly surrendered his life. He was crucified with your sins and my sins. His dead, limp body was placed in the tomb. But on Easter Sunday God raised him from the grave, showing you that your sins have been fully forgiven and that God accepted that payment.

The pastors of our congregations can be faithful shepherds when they reflect the Good Shepherd – Jesus Christ – teaching the Bible, guarding against false teachings, warning about sin and pronouncing forgiveness of those sins through Jesus.

Jesus is your Good Shepherd! He wants you to listen to his voice (found in the Bible). He knows YOU, he calls YOU, he forgives YOU, and he wants YOU to follow him.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

As we consider Holy Week this week, we focus on Christ’s blessed suffering for us. On the surface, it seems that Christ suffered for nothing, that his ministry ended in failure. Yet as he hung on that cross, he bore our sins under God’s wrath, enduring the punishment we deserved for them. From his suffering comes eternal blessing—we are rescued from our sins.

Salvation from sin is no trivial thing. Sin comes in many forms. Some sin is obvious—petty crime that troubles every community. Other sin is notorious—a gunman shooting numerous victims at a school or place of business. Most sin is not punishable by our human courts of law, for example lying to our parents, gossip, or complaining to God about one’s lot in life. But all sin is punishable in God’s court of law. He sets the Ten Commandments before us and says: “You have broken all of these!” The punishment we deserve for this is eternal, no matter who we are. This type of suffering is NOT blessed at all.

But in Christ’s suffering God showed himself as the great compassionate God. He didn’t want to punish us, but save us! That is why he sent his eternal, almighty Son to suffer for us so that we might be spared. Seven hundred years before Christ came, Isaiah prophesied about him: “He poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).

In his death, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19).  This suffering of Christ brings us blessed hope for eternity and strength to live through the day-to-day sufferings of this world! Remember this during this Holy Week.

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Adult Bible Class

Bible Class is at 9:00AM Sundays at Cox Elementary School! This is an exciting new class where we study God’s word in depth. Please know that you will not be asked to read or answer questions. Some people feel more comfortable just observing and listening. However, there will be plenty of opportunity for questions if you have them.

Sermon from Sunday April 29

Pastor Kerkow’s sermon for Good Shepherd Sunday!

You are Safe in the Arms of Jesus!

If you see someone walking around with a smudged cross on their forehead, you will know that Lent has begun. The season of Lent, the forty days before Easter, beginning with Ash Wednesday and then concludes with the remembrance of Jesus’ death.  It is a time set aside as a time for soul-searching; a time to take stock and repent for our sins.  It is a time to contemplate the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross.  For many, the cross stands as a symbol of shame as the popular hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross”, states.

On a hill far away

stood an old rugged cross,

The emblem of

suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross

 where the dearest and best

For a world of lost

 sinners was slain.

Jesus “endured that cross”. When we look at the crucifixion scene, we may be over-whelmed with thoughts of physical pain. But, Jesus endured far more pain when He was nailed to that cross. He was suffering not only physically but spiritually as well.  He was paying for our sins and the sins of the whole world.  He endured the punishment of hell in our place so that we don’t have to endure it. Through His suffering and death on that cross, Jesus has won for us eternal life.  This is the meaning and purpose of Jesus’ death.  Our sins are forgiven! Repent and believe the Good News! Because God’s children have been blessed with this great gift of forgiveness, we no longer look upon that old rugged cross as just a symbol of suffering and shame.  It is for us the symbol of salvation. May it be for you also.

Advertisers want you to think it is the Super Bowl.  They spent $3.5 million for 30-second advertising time slots.  One of them bought 9 slots.  That’s a lot of money – but estimated Bible sales will be $500 million in the USA this year.  Year after year, the Bible is the best selling book.  91% of American homes have at least one Bible.  The average American family has 4!  Why does the Bible continue to be the most read book in the world?  It continues to be read because it tells us of the great victory that Jesus won over sin, death, and the devil.

The foes were formidable.  They won their first “game” when they tricked Eve into eating the fruit.  They continued to plot against everyone – tearing down defenses, filling people with fear and despair.  God intervened.  He sent His champion, Jesus, onto the field.  Jesus saw through their strategies of deception and temptation.  He was able to live a perfect life.  To seal His victory, He used the greatest trick play in the history of the world.  He made His opponents believe that He was weak.  They overpowered Him.  They nailed Him to the cross.  They killed Him.  They gloated over His still body as it lay in the tomb.  They had won!  They had killed the Son of God.  But, they were wrong.

Jesus was not weak.  The grave was not strong enough.  It could not maintain its grasp of the righteous Son of God.  He rose from the dead.  In doing so, He conquered sin for us all.  Our sins are forgiven. THAT is why the Bile is the most read book of all time.

Most watched?  Super Bowl.  Most read?  Bible. What’s more important… A championship ring, or a heavenly crown?

Get your hands on a Bible.  Learn more about Jesus.  Celebrate His victory!

We will have a time of fellowship and connecting, then a “19 minute” Bible study on the book of Genesis, then time for snacks. If you don’t know much about the book of Genesis then this is a great opportunity to learn!

Contact Pastor Kerkow for more information: pastork@hopeaustin.com

Before we set our goals for the New Year it is good to remember that Jesus Christ came to us with a goal. It wasn’t to live healthy or make lots of money. No, Jesus came with the purpose of being your substitute and dying for you. At his crucifixion Jesus paid for all of your failures and sins. The resurrection of Jesus is proof that he met his goal! You are forgiven and heaven is open to you who believe in him.

The Prophet Isaiah said, ”[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak… those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” (Isaiah 40: 29-31) Put your hope in Jesus this and every New Year! The Lord will renew your strength for this life, and open the doorway to the next.

Pastor Kerkow