Sermons on Trust (Page 3)
We live in very uncertain times. There is truly nothing stable and lasting in this world. Sin and death mean that our certainty must come from outside this world. Our certainty is found only in the life, death and resurrection of Christ, our Savior, for only in Him do we have a righteousness before God.
In difficult times it is easy to lose heart and think prayer is useless, because it is not in our nature to believe in the true God. We would rather not think about the true God because of our sinfulness, but when we believe in gods of our own making, such inventions disappoint. The true God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and He loves us so fervently that He gave His own Son to be the sacrifice for sin. Because He loves us and has promised to hear and answer our prayer in the best possible way, we do not lose heart.
The Lord describes Himself as a Good Shepherd. He uses the word picture to explain that He will guard and protects us, feed us with the food and drink that nourishes to eternal life and that He will give up His life for His flock. That’s us, the sheep of the Good Shepherd. We are the ones He cares about. We are the ones He would rescue by sacrificing Himself to pay for our wayward sinfulness and bring us to the safety of heaven. In faith and thankfulness, let us forsake our wandering ways and follow His paths of righteousness. We need not fear for He is with us, guiding us home.
Many heard Jesus’ word and saw His miracles and yet did not listen and did not see that He was and is God, our Savior, because they were looking for another, more fashionable savior. By God’s grace, He has worked faith in our hearts, so that we have heard and seen and believed. By that same Word, He draws us together in His flock to guard and keep us unto eternal life.