4th Sunday of Easter- April 29, 2007 “Series C”
Grace be unto you and peace, from God our Father and from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for your Son, Jesus the Christ, who gave his life for our redemption. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, open our hearts and minds to your word, that we might grow in faith, trusting in your gift of grace. Clothe us with the gift of righteousness, poured out for us through the blood of Christ, and empower us to live as your redeemed saints. This we ask in Christ’s holy name. Amen.
This 4th Sunday of Easter has traditionally been referred to as “Shepherd
Sunday,” derived from the fact that our lessons, particularly the Psalm and the Gospel, make use of this imagery. And throughout the history of the church, there has been a tendency to sentimentalize this image of Jesus as the good shepherd. Just think of all the stained glass widows and artwork depicting Jesus tenderly caring for his sheep.
But according to Neil Elliott, in his commentary on this morning’s lessons, our fondness of this imagery may reveal that we don’t really know much about sheep and shepherds. He states, and I quote, “Sheep are not known for marked intelligence, or good disposition, and they tend to smell. People who spend a lot of time around sheep often resent being compared to them. “Calling someone a “sheep” is rarely meant as compliment. And woe to the pastor – literally the shepherd – who tries to force the metaphor by implying that the people put into his or her care must be as docile as sheep!” End quote. [1]
Well, I certainly am not going to take that position. Quite frankly, one of the major strengths of our congregation is the fact that we have many members who have asserted themselves in leadership roles, and have contributed greatly to the ministry of Christ’s church. And I thank you for that fact!
Nevertheless, the imagery of sheep and shepherds abounds throughout both the Old and New Testament, including our Gospel lesson for this morning. And so, let us turn to this text, in order that we might discern God’s word for us today.
Jesus was walking in the temple at Jerusalem. And we can assume that by this time, his reputation as a great teacher and prophet, his ability to perform miracles and healings, had spread throughout the region. Thus, some of the Jews who had been to worship that day, gathered around Jesus and said to him, “Don’t keep us in suspense. If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus responds to their question with a three-part answer. First, he tells them, “I have told you, but you do not believe. Even the things that I have done in my Father’s name, testify to me, but you do not believe.”
This first part of Jesus’ answer points to the very heart of communication between us human beings. If Jesus would have answered their question directly, by stating, “Yes, I am the Christ,” I could imagine that some of them might have reacted and responded by saying, “Really?” or “Your kidding?”
If we do not believe and trust in the person with whom we are engaged in conversation, we are not likely to take their word as truth. And this is particularly so, in situations in which what is being asserted is new or of great significance. For example, a young child standing on the edge of a swimming pool, is more likely to believe the words, “Go ahead and jump, I’ll catch you,” if they are spoken by a parent, rather than a stranger.
The second part of Jesus answer gives us the reason that the persons who cornered Jesus that day, would not believe and trust in him. Jesus said, “You do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and they believe and follow what I say. I give them eternal life… No one will take them from me…What my Father has given me, no one can snatch from me.
These persons would not believe Jesus, because they did not have a relationship with him. Oh, they may have heard the stories that circulated about him – what he had taught, the persons whom he had healed and miraculously fed – all of which raised curiosity about whether he might be the Christ. They may have known a lot about Jesus, but they did not know Jesus!
Before Josie and I first met, a couple of friends that we had in common shared with me a lot of things about Josie, and why they thought that she might be a good person for me to hook up with. And I feel sure that they shared a lot of things about me, with her.
Then one day, this couple invited both of us to a picnic at their home. And I think that Josie would agree with me, that when we met each other that day, it was not love at first sight. I rode in on my motorcycle, slightly heavier than I am now, sporting a beard like Grizzly Adams. I’m sure that didn’t make for a good first impression.
At the same time, Josie didn’t seem to be the vibrant, energetic and caring person that this couple described to me. That first day we met seemed awkward. Yet believing what my friends had told me about Josie, I asked her for a date. She declined.
But several things happened in our separate lives over the next several months, that enabled each of us to deal with some past experiences, and to grow as individuals. Then one Sunday, in which I was on vacation, I happened to go to worship at a friend’s congregation. When I entered the nave, I spotted this woman who had a beauty and radiance that totally attracted me.
And this is the honest truth. I had to ask another person whom I knew from that congregation, who this person was. And Josie told me, that when she saw me, she also had to ask someone who I was. It was a new beginning for both of us, which I truly believe, that through the power of God’s Spirit at work in our lives, we came to know each other, not just about each other. And my life has been blest ever since.
I believe that this is what Jesus is saying in this second part of his answer to those who wanted to know his true identity. It is one thing to hear and read the stories about Jesus, but if you really want to know him and who he is, we need to be in a relationship with him. And the only way that his happens, is through the power of God’s Spirit opening our hearts and minds to enable his Word to become an intimate part of our lives.
Of course, as I often tell my kids in our confirmation class, in order to sustain a meaningful relationship, whether that be with another person or with God, we need to communicate with one another. Thus, we need to hear our Lord’s voice, through the reading of Scripture, daily devotions, and regular participation in worship. And we need to pray for the Spirit’s guidance, to open hearts and minds to his presence among us.
Finally, the third part of Jesus’ answer clearly attests to his identity. Jesus says, “The Father and I are one.” It is a very bold claim that Jesus makes in this statement, one that, if we were to read the next few verses, led those cornered him that day to pick up stones to hurl at Jesus for blasphemy. And yet for those of us who are Christ’s sheep, who have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, and through the power of God’s Spirit have come realize the presence of Christ in our lives, it is not blasphemy, but sheer grace.
And as a result of knowing Christ, our lives are changed forever. For to know the Good Shepherd, to know that he gave his life to protect us and save us from the consequence of our sin and the power of death, empowers us to be a witness to his risen presence in our lives. As Luther said many times, we are not justified by our good works, but our faith in God leads us to proclaim through our lives that we know Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.
For to be a sheep of Jesus’ fold, is not really a sentimental image, but a call to witness to whom we belong. To be a sheep of his fold means more than simply feeling secure in our own life, both here and in the life to come, but through the power of God’s Spirit, to take up our own cross and proclaim his voice to those around us. Thus, do not be or docile timid, but be assertive in your proclamation of the Gospel.
Amen.
[1] New Proclamation, Year C, 2004, Fortress Press
