Thursday 6/16/11 What's in a Name? 8

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Good Thursday Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Yes, I am late, but it is still morning and once again we were being blessed, as we got a late call last night to pick up at the Giant this morning. I need to unload it yet, but boxes of pies and cakes and bread. Also have cooking this morning a very large piece of pork laying in kraut, and it will cook and cook. Some be pulled to serve to others, the rest will be frozen till the day of our picnic, yes, some pork and kraut sandwiches.

Thursday and the day we pray for families and also our schools, and even though out for the summer, we need to really pray for our schools. Also, brothers and sisters, I have received a request to pray for a young family whose father/husband is serving our country in Iraq. Please this time pray for one of our military who have left families to serve our nation, pray for the one serving and remember it is not always the father who is away on duty, but sometimes the mother, or both. As you can see, families need prayer and our military families need to be remembered.

What's in a Name 8: Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." (NIV)

While there is more than one name in this passage, and I do believe we talked about "The Son and The Son of Man" as names for our God... Now let me point out another name, for His name shall be called Ransom.

We have seen it in the movies and on TV and also in real life. People have been kidnapped, most often children of the rich, sometimes even pets of the rich. Then they hold the person for ransom, most often in the form of money. But God the Father knew that we, we His children were being held by sin, our sins, and while I could put the full blame on Satan, I will not do it, for once we know of sin, we have a choice of either repenting or sinning we all at one time or another sinned. Satan, while he is the master of evil, will not get me, or others who have come to Christ, and the reason. JESUS PAID "RANSOM" FOR OUR SINS IN THE FORM OF HIS BLOOD AND HIS LIFE. To this day Ransom is being paid by our Lord Jesus and I know for a fact that Jesus has paid Ransom for me, MORE THAN ONCE. How many times has He paid Ransom for you?

Let's do one more name today. Oh, did you know that the name Curtis, means courteous? What does your name mean? Ok, one more for the Lord.

John 10:11 - "I am the good shepherd! The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep!"

We have talked about the shepherds before, about how they would stand watch over their flocks and keep the sheep from being eaten by the wolves and other animals that like to snack on those helpless sheep. The good shepherd would go after those attacking his flock and would often be hurt or even killed by those attack animals. So another name for our Lord is The Good Shepherd, for He was willing and indeed did lay down His life for His flock, meaning US. Today we pastors take on a flock, we have been granted a flock to take care of for our Lord, and trust me when I say this, once we take on the flock we need to be willing to lay down our lives for the flock if needed. By laying down our lives, I mean telling the Truth and the whole truth from the Bible for we need to remember we will be judged for how we deal with our flock.

Dear Father, please Father, pay the ransom for our sins this day as we want to come clean from our sins and work for You. Today, Lord, we place Pastor Charles in Your hands for Your will to be done, We also ask that You look at our prayers and honor them according to Your will. Also please Lord, Kathleen is in Your arms, waiting on You. Your will be done, and we ask You be with Tom in his walk with You and Kathleen... In Jesus' name, I ask You watch over families and also be in our schools... In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now go forth, sharing your blessings and living to serve our Lord... Love ya, Pastor Dan.