A Good Shepherd



Well, here we go. 
This is the text of my first sermon at my new call,serving three ELCA churches in Oklahoma City. 
The text is John 10, and Psalm 23. 

Below are some quick photos from the pulpits.
Ascension (8:30 am)


The choir at Redeemer (10:00am).
I didn't get a good photo of the congregation.
St. Mark at 11:30 am

Also below are links to the  audio versions of the sermons. Ascension_22April2018.m4a
Redeemer_22April2018.m4a 
StMark_22April2018.m4a 



One of the things you will learn about me is that I am a Bible nerd, which can be good if you are a pastor. Each of the four Gospels tells the story of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, from a different perspective. John’s Gospel is the most unique. One of the characteristics of John’s Gospel is that in it, Jesus tells no parables.
But the description of Jesus as the Good Shepherd comes close, and may best be looked at the way parables are analyzed. Parables are used to describe the indescribable. Jesus used parables to describe a type of love that humanity cannot understand, and so he uses ordinary, everyday items and situations to try to allow us to have a glimpse of God’s grace and love.
In Jerusalem on a Sabbath, Jesus has healed a man who was born blind. The Pharisees want the man who was born blind to identify the person who healed him. He cannot because Jesus put mud on his eyes, and left when the man went to wash the mud off. The Pharisees have thrown the man who was born blind out of the Temple, and Jesus goes to console him. Some of the Pharisees followed the man, and Jesus’ speech has an audience that includes the man who was born blind, Jesus’ disciples, some Pharisees and others listening in. 
Jesus talks about taking care of sheep, but uses different terms. Just prior to this, he describes how sheep will follow their shepherd. Then he tries to describe how the sheep are kept safe, by either a sheep’s pen or by the shepherd. You can assume that he looked at those he was speaking to, gauging to see if they are understand what he is saying. 
He continues. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus describes the love that God is giving us through God’s Son, who not only was willing to lay down his life, but DID lay down his life for his sheep. 
The Good Shepherd has a relationship with the sheep that a hired hand does not have. They are HIS. They belong to him. Others may care for the sheep, but the one who is responsible for the sheep IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHEEP. That love, that care moves one to act in a different way. It moves them to go way above and far beyond. 
It isn’t just that the Good Shepherd is willing to lay down his life, but that the Good Shepherd will provide a good life, and abundant life for his sheep. The language of Good Shepherd calls back to the description of what type of shepherd God is from Psalm 23.
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd because we shall not want for anything.
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd because we will be provided for with green pastures and still waters. 
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd loves us and restores our soul.
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd takes me down the right roads.
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd is with us in the darkest, most dangerous times. We have nothing to be afraid of.
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd is with us always. 
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd provides us with comfort.
The Good Shepherd is God as shepherd sets a meal for us while we are surrounded by those who want to do harm to us and see us fail. Think about that image. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Imagine you are a sheep. Imagine you are a sheep surrounded by growling, snarling wolves, and bears, and panthers, all of whom want to devour and destroy you. In the midst of that potential death, the Good Shepherd pulls out and provides a meal for you. In the heart of that danger, the Good Shepherd showers you will love by anointing you and claiming you as one of his own. In the center of your panic and anxiety, the Good Shepherd gives you so much that your cup, or better – your heart, cannot contain it all. 
This is one of my favorite images in Psalm 23, and one that I often refer to at funerals. God, the Good Shepherd, takes care of us when the forces that want to tear us down and destroy us are right there. They surround us. And in the midst of their presence, God turns to us and provides and protects us. We are fed. We are loved. We are blessed. 
Because of him, we will dwell in the House of the Lord all of our life, and after our life is over. We have & will have these things because we believe in the one who lays down his life and picks it back up again. That is what we are celebrating during this Easter season. The Good Shepherd laid down his life for us. BUT the Good Shepherd picked his life back up again to show us that not even death can separate us from God’s love. While we are sinners, He lays down his life for us.
Jesus tells this audience of Jews that he has other flocks, Gentile flocks, those whom they judge to be unclean and unworthy. He will call to those flocks and they will follow.
One of the features of John’s Gospel is the call to believe, to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that Jesus is the Messiah, that through Jesus – his life, death and resurrection, we are claimed as a child of God, forgiven for all of our sins, and promised life after our death. 
We, as Christ’s sheep, need only listen and follow the Good Shepherd’s voice. We, as Christ’s sheep, need only believe in our Good Shepherd and His love, grace and mercy. We, as Christ’s sheep, need only to trust our Good Shepherd. We, as Christ’s sheep, need to follow his final command, Love one another as I have loved you.
The origin of the title pastor stem from the Latin word for shepherd. That is because the origin of the roles was similar: to lead, to guide, to protect, to steer and to watch over. I understand what a responsibility that is, and I appreciate your trust and accept that charge.
But to be totally honest, I view my pastoral role as more of a coach, than as a shepherd. That may come from twelve seasons of standing on the sidelines coaching high school football in Michigan. A coach’s job is to prepare you to deal with what you will face on game night. 
A coach works with you on the basics – such as our understanding of God’s love. 
A coach works with you on an overall strategy. A coach helps you adjust when the opponents come at you in different ways and overwhelm you. A coach pushes and challenges you to be your best.
You may not always like your coach, because a coach will demand more from you than you want to, or think that you can give. But they see that there is more in you than you believe.
I cannot be the capital G Good Shepherd. But I promise I will do my best to be a good shepherd, to be a good coach, and to be a good pastor for you.
But because the Lord IS OUR Good Shepherd, we want, or need, nothing else. 


AMEN.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oh Yeah, Football

Lutheran Carnival LV

Sermon + No They're Yours