Three shepherds on the Judean countryside had brought their flocks together at the watering hole. The flocks intermingled as the shepherds talked and ate their lunch together. After a while, the first shepherd called out, “Leku,” (Hebrew for “Come.”) Three dozen sheep immediately left the flock and followed their shepherd west up the hill.

Five minutes later, the second shepherd called out, “Leku,” “Come.” Another two dozen sheep followed their shepherd east toward the valley.

Finally, after the third shepherd had finished his lunch, he called out, “Leku.” The rest of the sheep followed him north.

The teacher who was working in the children’s hospital was asked to visit a boy who was in a burn unit. His regular instructor had said, “We’re studying nouns and adverbs in his class now. I’d be grateful if you could help him with his homework, so he doesn’t fall too far behind the others.”

The teacher went to the boy’s room in the hospital. He was in a clean room. He was wrapped in bandages and in incredible pain. As gently as she could, the teacher introduced herself and the purpose of her visit this way: “I’m the hospital teacher. Your teacher at school asked me to help you with your nouns and adverbs.”

There have been some pretty popular “put-downs” in TV history. “Eat my shorts.” “What you talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?” “No soup for you.” “Kiss my grits.” And one that is definitely popular in the Milwaukee area, “Sit on it.” 

Jesus entered Jerusalem on Sunday morning riding a donkey amid shouts of “Hosanna in the highest!” He is staggering out of Jerusalem on Friday morning, too weak to carry His own cross, amid shouts of “Crucify Him!” On Sunday, Jesus had been hailed as the “the Son of David” (Matthew 21:9), the Son of Israel’s greatest king. On Friday, Jesus is mocked as a Jewish king with a sign above His cross that reads, “The King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37).

Of course, Jesus was going to save Lazarus! Martha had seen Jesus heal so many people before; why wouldn’t He save her brother – one of Jesus’s best friends?

So, when Lazarus became sick, Martha and her sister, Mary, send word to Jesus: “Lord, the one you love is sick.” And of course, Jesus will come.

The mother snake will lay her fertilized eggs in the nest and then abandon them, never to return. Baby snakes hatch with the ability to take care of themselves.

The mother alligator will remain with her young alligators for up to a year. She protects them from would-be-predators up to a year. Many animals hunt alligator hatchlings, but few are bold enough to mess with them when Momma is near.

A number of years ago, I preached for the funeral of one of our members who died at a relatively young age. Many years before her death, she had suffered a severe stroke. In her funeral sermon, I preached, “There was no specific sin that caused [her] stroke, but because she was a sinner in an imperfect world, a stroke happened. There was no specific sin that caused [her] to die young, but because she was a sinner in a sinful world, death happened.”

Peter, James, and John had the awesome privilege of being eyewitnesses of the event that we call the transfiguration of our Lord. On the holy mount, the divine glory of the Christ burst forth. Christ’s face shown like the sun, and His clothes became as white as daylight. Jesus began to glow with the brightness He always had as the only Son of God.

Have you ever had someone criticize your Christianity? They charge that you must not be a Christian because you don’t act or speak or dress or behave in a certain way.

Let me give you some examples. A few weeks ago, our two dogs attacked a raccoon that was in our cul de sac. Our neighbor charged us with not being Christian because the dogs were fighting a racoon.

Imagine that you are looking for a church home. What are you looking for in a church and a pastor?

Would you go to the church down the block if you knew that the pastor is an ex-con? Would you attend the church a few streets over, knowing that the foreign mission pastor had once denied Jesus to escape persecution in his home country? Would you want to attend a church knowing that both associate pastors have trouble controlling their anger?