Christocentric Faith

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:4)

What is ministry? Why do we minister? To whom do we minister? What is the end and focus of our ministry? Why do we prophesy? What is the focus of that prophecy?

It is very interesting that many ministers rarely ask themselves these questions. Some do not think that they ought to be asked. Some have never thought that there should be such questions

For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. (Matthew 11:10, 13)

It is evident when we read the Bible that the clear focus of the Old Testament was the Christ. There is no doubt at all that Israel was very clear on that one fact. That is why you see all their arguments with Christ focused more on that point than on anything else. That is why they condemned Him to the cross – because He did not meet their criteria as the Christ. And that is the reason many Pharisees turned to Him once they understood what the prophets had really said and understood the whole tapestry of prophesy. That is the reason Saul was transformed from a persecutor to an apostle once he realized who Christ was. That is what transformed him from a killer to one willing to die for the person whose memory he had been ardently seeking to eradicate.

What is the focus of my preaching? Why do I preach anyway? What will make me successful as a preacher?

What is the focus of my books and blog? Why do I write anyway? What do I use to gauge the success or otherwise of my writing?

You see Christ is either everything or nothing. He can never be worth much even if He occupies 99% of my focus.

Who is an under-shepherd? Can he be compared to the chief shepherd? Is he a junior chief shepherd? Is he an employee of the chief shepherd?

My understanding of the scriptures is that the under-shepherd is another sheep; only that this sheep enjoys the submission of the other sheep a little more and so the shepherd finds it easier to lead the sheep by calling that lead sheep. The Chief Shepherd therefore chooses that lead sheep to oversee His ministry with and to the other sheep.

In the pastoral communities you will see that lead sheep, cow or even goat being given a bell. Then the shepherd can generally know where his flock is by simply following that jingle.

In Kimeru, that lead sheep or cow is called ‘kiirithia’ which simply means self herding. This makes it clear that the lead sheep may be farthest from the voice of the shepherd. He enjoys that position by the trust other sheep place on him. The shepherd therefore knows that he needs to know where that sheep is to know where the rest of the flock is. And we see that a lot in the Bible.

Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; (Ezekiel 34:18 – 21)

We see the same with the Sadducees during Christ’s time. They were spiritual guides who were never interested in the spiritual. But even the other leaders, though they were spiritual were not much different.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13)  

And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. (Luke 11:46)

An effective under-shepherd for me is one who, though he enjoys the submission of the other sheep is able to accurately hear the voice of the shepherd. In fact he should be able to hear it better than the other sheep so that instead of the shepherd looking for him to find his sheep will simply concentrate on looking for better pastures as His lead sheep is in step with Him. He will not need a bell as that sheep never loses sight of the shepherd. It is the other sheep that might require him to have a bell so that should they stray they will know where to find the shepherd.

Our ministry is unto God. Our ministry should point people to God. Nothing in anything we do should have any other focus. It should be the craving of our hearts that every atom of our being should scream what John the Baptist said

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

My ministry should be a guiding light to point people to Christ. Even support or lack of it should not feature in my ministry to God. He knows I need support and will get it for me. He in any case owns everything and does not need me to ‘make tents’ to be able to serve Him effectively, unless He is the one who has expressly ordered me to. I insult Him when my support becomes part of the message I proclaim. I insult Him when sales feature in my calling as a writer, however faintly it is seen. No wonder He has ordered me to be giving out my books to those who need the message He has given me.

The prophets pointed to God alone and that is the reason they were effective. There was no way they could be compromised as they did not feature anywhere in the messages they proclaimed. The kings they many times preached against trembled because though they had power to kill the prophets were sure that the prophet was an instrument of someone much bigger than his throne and power. Though Herod was riled by the rebuke of John the Baptist, we find him continuing to listen to him instead of killing him. We even see him being saddened when he has to kill him. Why? It was unmistakable that John represented God.

Will we stop preaching our own things so that we enjoy the support of the masses? Will we stop pursuing our own ends for the sake of ‘our’ ministry? Will we allow ourselves to be wholly swallowed by the agenda of our Shepherd to ensure that the other sheep we lead will get to the shepherd? Will we stop wasting time building human structures (and I am not only saying buildings though they are part of it) and start building people’s spirits so that they can connect to the shepherd?

You see ministry that is not centered sorely on God is not really ministry.

Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Colossians 1:15 – 19)

Let our desire be to make all who come to us desire, nay, crave to hear and obey Christ, the desire of the ages. Let us, like John before us rejoice when Christ increases and we diminish, even disappear for the glory He reveals through us. Let us choose to forget self as we point people to Christ who not only is but should be purposely made the source of our sustenance. Let us not allow people to make fun of us because we are thinking more of our comfort and agenda instead of following His orders. Above all let us seek to clearly hear those orders that we stop doing things the way they have always been done. Let us walk in fresh revelation as we receive fresh orders so that we can enjoy fresh anointing.

LET CHRIST BE THE CENTRE OF OUR BEING

God bless you