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The Authentic Shepherd’s Authentic Call to His Authentic Church
by Dr. H. D. McCarty
INTRODUCTION: In the words of Psalm 19:14 … “may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
And in the prayer of my beloved mentor, J.Sidlow Baxter, before he preached … “Lord Jesus, save me in my sermon from self-pity, self-praise, and self-mention! May there be, Dear Savior, a
maximum of Thee and a minimum of me!”
“Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.” Acts 15:39
“Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” Proverbs 27:5
“Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” Galatians 4:16
“They heal the wounds of my people slightly (KJV), superficially (NASB), as though it were not serious (NIV). Peace, peace, they say, when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14
I. All Authentic Believers Seek DEEPER REPENTANCE (Luke 17:1-10)
A. We must repent of denying the truth (vs. 1)
B. We must repent of carelessly hurting others (vs. 2-3a)
C. We must repent of faithless refusal to forgive (vs. 3b-4)
D. We must repent of expectations when we forgive (vs. 10)
II. All Authentic Believers Seek FULLER RECONCILIATION (II. Corinthians 5:16-21)
A. Reconciling is our dominating vision (vs. 16-17)
B. Reconciling is our highest ministry (vs. 18)
C. Reconciling is our leader’s passion (vs. 19a)
D. Reconciling is our life message (vs. 19b)
E. Reconciling is our cause to die for (vs. 20-21)
III. All Authentic Believers Seek HIGHER REVELATION (Revelation 3:7-8)
A. Open doors are for higher revelation (vs. 7)
B. Open doors can’t be shut by our failures (vs. 8a)
C. Open doors are given only by Christ (vs. 8b)
D. Open doors are entered by romance and truth (vs. 8c-9)
CONCLUSION: The Call of the Authentic Heart
“I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the less I be
loved.”
(II Corinthians 12:15)
R. G. Lee, Billy Graham, Sidlow Baxter…that I have loved you more … because I have tasted the depth of how the Lord Jesus loved me!
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