“He Goes on Ahead”
John 10:4a

Two days after Easter Sunday, you may feel like I do: I find myself wanting to keep close to Christ, and the power of His resurrection! (Phil. 3: 10)

I don’t want the joy to fade or the celebration to subside or the reality to get dull. It’s not about sheer emotion (though what Christ has done stirs every emotion in us). It’s not about escapism (though His new life keeps us from all kinds of destruction).

It’s all about Jesus’ steadfast love, his great salvation and his unlimited power to live a new life through us - for His glory!

This “Easter blessing” is also very much about our Lord’s amazing promise to go before us !

It hit me anew, afresh - like a fragrant apple blossom in the springtime - when I read it again this morning: In John 10: 4, Jesus declares that he is “the good shepherd,” the trustworthy One who cares enough for his sheep that he actually lays down his life for those sheep - for us. In highly personal terms, Jesus says that he “. . . calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10: 3b-4)

Jesus’ promise to “go ahead of us” gets very practical: it means that while we may be experiencing something entirely new to us, he already knows the way and he is already there. It means that he is asking us to join him in ministry, assured that he is at work, he knows us and he will unfailingly help us to find our way as we rely on him - the One who is The Way.

Now that is news we can use (as a friend of ours likes to put it).

It is the promise that sustains us during times of change and new directions.

You may have gotten the word by now, but here is a recent and significant change: John Ryser, Eastern Area Superintendent, has just in the past few days accepted the position of Senior Pastor at Damascus Friends Church, effective July 1, 2006. He and Phyllis and their two sons, Joe (a high school junior) and Justin ( an eighth grader) are looking forward to the challenge and the privilege. As John and I have prayed together and talked about God’s leading - his promise to “go on ahead” - we have both sensed the unique peace that only God can bring as he has drawn John and Phyllis in a new direction. But it does not make the change easy.

On a very personal note, John has been on my staff for nearly 17 years and I will miss him greatly. He is both a “son in the faith” and a brother/partner in ministry. John and Phyllis are dear friends of ours; Carol and I and our children have grown to love them dearly through these years of close ministry.

John has brought a sensitive heart, a discerning mind and a passion to serve Christ and God’s people to every aspect of our multi-faceted ministries. He has helped wonderfully in our church planting efforts, he’s been a key liaison and coordinator in our growing Hispanic churches and has - all the while - cared deeply about people.

John Ryser, you are a great friend and partner! “Thank you” isn’t enough.

Dr. John P. Williams, Jr.
General Superintendent, EFC-ER