March 29, 2020 CAC Living Water Devotional :- PREACH AND REACH OUT
Read previous CAC Living Water Devotionals here
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
THE LIVING WATER {Jan ~ June, 2020}
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Sunday, March 29, 2020
TOPIC: PREACH AND REACH OUT
Read John 10:1-14
[1]Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.[2]But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.[3]To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.[4]And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.[5]And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.[6]This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.[7]Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.[8]All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.[9]I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.[10]The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.[11]I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.[12]But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.[13]The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.[14]I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
MEMORISE: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep (John 10:11)
EXPOSITION
Our general belief is that the preacher’s duty starts and ends on the pulpit. However, the preacher’s duty begins from the time he puts the homily together (preparation), continues when he delivers it, and ends when he gets the feedback from the pews. The church sermon can be likened to the communication process which is incomplete until positive feedback is received. When you preach and fail to reach out, it is as if nothing has been done at all. Follow-up is a complementary effort on your post preaching. Learn lessons from the follow up steps of Jesus Christ (Jn. 5:13-15; Jn. 9:34,35).
You reach out when you do the post-pulpit works. You do not depend on their physical regular appearances every Sunday or worship days to adjudge the congregation’s spiritual and physical well-being. It is incumbent on the preacher, who may be a Pastor, Sunday School teacher, evangelist, elder, etc., to go down to the pews, by visiting, calling, or messaging them. When a preacher does not know much about the people he preaches to, he cannot be adjudged to be a man who has the shepherd’s heart (Jn. 10:11). Jesus Christ, the Chief Shepherd, cared and cares not only for His sheep’s spiritual needs, but also physical ones (cf. Jn. 10:14).
Why do some church members continue to suffer for things the church can readily make available (cf. Acts 6:1)? The church must be active in this regard as the preachers alone cannot do it all. We need to be very sensitive to the needs of our members, whether implicitly or explicitly made known. Preachers should not wait until the sheep come to them. Today, as you go out, replicate Jesus’s skills in shepherding the fold, now and always.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Holy Spirit, give me the heart of the true Shepherd of our soul, in whatever capacity You have programmed me to serve and lead, for You.
2. O Lord, help Your Church to reach out in various ways, so that the Kingdom of God will be populated the more.
3. O God, expose the hirelings who parade themselves as shepherds among Your people, today, in Jesus’ name.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Deuteronomy 28 & Acts 1
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!