The Good Shepherd 2

Chapter 3 of Newbigin’s The Good Shepherd is one of the best chapters I’ve ever read in any book.  It is titled “Preaching Christ,” and in 5 short pages gives a fantastic challenge to those who preach.  A few highlights:

• Flesh is just flesh, but if it is quickened by the Spirit, then it gives life.  Words are just words, but if they are quickened by the Spirit they give life.  The words of Jesus are words that give life.
• (The) life-giving word of God is the power by which the Church lives.  The Church is created and constantly renewed by the word of God.
• We have to preach Christ.  That is really our only business in the pulpit.
• The reason why preaching has a central place in the life of the Christian Church is that the word of God to men is Jesus Christ, and he has to be put before men.  He has to be put before men again and again in his flesh, in the concrete reality of his manhood – his life, his words, his deeds, above all his death and resurrection.  That is our business as preachers.  From whatever part of the Bible we take our text, the business of the sermon is to bring the hearers face to face with Jesus Christ as he really is.
• We have to preach Christ as Savior and as Lord, both as the one who helps and delivers and comforts us, and as the one who has the right to absolute rule over our lives.
• We are called to preach Christ, and preaching Christ means preaching him both as Savior and Lord.  It means that people go out from the church not merely comforted with the assurance that they are saved, and not merely crushed by the unbearable knowledge that they are sinners, but rather re-enlisted in Christ’s army as fighters for the rule of God in this world.  This means that they are liberated from care about their own salvation in order to be totally at his service for the world’s salvation.

Tax Day

For the record, we had our taxes done a long time ago.  However, due to employer error [delete sarcastic comment about poor business practices of non-profit Christian ministry organizations], I found myself heading to the post office at the airport last night around 8.30 pm. 

It was interesting to observe how the USPS handled the late-night crowds.  Clearly they had planned ahead.  Most of the employees were helpful and in a good mood.  But the lesson for the night was this: 

great planning + poor communication = great frustration

in line for 25 minutes to get near the post office

 

helpful police officer directing me into parking lot.  But it was the wrong parking lot (this was for people who just wanted to drop off their taxes, but didn’t need stamps.  I needed stamps.  Oh, and from this post office parking lot, you can’t get into the post office!).

 

friendly postal worker taking tax envelopes (but only if they’re already stamped.  Since the helpful police officer directed me into this line, without communicating any alternatives, I had to wait here for another chance to find my way to where I needed to go.)

 

the correct parking lot, finally.  Here you wait until someone finishes their business in the post office and vacates a parking space.  Again, a helpful police officer directing traffic (he communicated well himself, though there was no signage.)

 

the line inside the post office.  I opted for the self-pay machine line, which turned out to be the correct choice (slightly faster).

 

the obligatory news channel cameraman filming the madness.  Many people still waiting to get into the post office complex, as I was leaving around 10 pm.

 

All in all, not as bad as it could be.  The USPS could help themselves out with some better signage and directions – traffic would have been lighter, lines would have moved faster, and people would have been happier. 

Great systems need great communication to achieve great results!