Easter 4 – 26 Apr 2015 – Year B
Grace to you and peace from our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
The text for our meditation is written in the 10th Chapter of
the Gospel according to St John: Verses 14 – 15
“I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father,
in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for
them”
Let us pray: Father, guide the words of my
mouth and the meditation of our hearts, that in your word of truth, we may be
reassured in faith of your gracious and abundant love for us, your flock of
wandering sheep. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
How often are you identified with a number?
At the bank you have account numbers, PIN numbers to access your accounts, and credit card numbers.
At the bank you have account numbers, PIN numbers to access your accounts, and credit card numbers.
The taxation department identifies you by your Tax File Number.
You have a Medicare number.
The electricity and telephone companies give you a costumer number that is displayed on the top of your bills.
When you go to the meat section of the supermarket you are required to pick up a number and will be served when your number is called.
If you are in business you need an ABN, an Australian Business Number, and we could go on.
If you are pulled over by a police officer, he/she is interested in numbers – your licence number, your registration number, and … the number on the radar gun indicating how fast you were travelling.
Numbers are so impersonal. Isn’t it nice when someone remembers our name, or when we are known by name rather than by a customer account number?
You have a Medicare number.
The electricity and telephone companies give you a costumer number that is displayed on the top of your bills.
When you go to the meat section of the supermarket you are required to pick up a number and will be served when your number is called.
If you are in business you need an ABN, an Australian Business Number, and we could go on.
If you are pulled over by a police officer, he/she is interested in numbers – your licence number, your registration number, and … the number on the radar gun indicating how fast you were travelling.
Numbers are so impersonal. Isn’t it nice when someone remembers our name, or when we are known by name rather than by a customer account number?
Today’s Bible readings – the 23rd ‘shepherd’ Psalm and the
Gospel reading about the Good Shepherd – give us that kind of warm feeling. We
are told about the very personal and intimate relationship that God has with
us. In John 10: 14, Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. As the Father
knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know
me" – Think about that, in this reading, Jesus is comparing His
relationship with us to His relationship to the inseparable Trinity – Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus
earlier gives this description In John 10: 3 – 4, of the relationships between
the shepherd and the sheep; “The sheep hear his voice as he calls his own
sheep by name, and he leads them out. When he has brought them out, he goes
ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.”
Talking about shepherds who know each sheep individually, even calling
them by name, is quite foreign to us in Australia. The Australian sheep farmer
is not one bit like the shepherds we read about in the Bible. The modern day
sheep farmer has his large mob of sheep, let’s say a thousand sheep, in a
paddock and he occasionally goes out to check if everything is all right. When
he wants to shift them he hops on his motorbike and with the help of his dog he
drives them to where he wants
them to go. He doesn’t call them and at the sound of his voice they follow him
wherever he wants them to go. He doesn’t have names for them all. – Well … He
might give them names when they act so stupidly and go where he doesn’t want
them to go, but in my experience, they are not affectionate names. This is
nothing like the picture that Jesus gives, "My sheep listen to my
voice; I know them and they follow me" (John 10:27).
A shepherd in ancient times firstly didn’t have thousands of sheep to
look after. He had a small flock and he knew each sheep individually. One of
the most meaningful pictures in Christian art, shows Jesus the Good Shepherd
leaning over a cliff with his arm reaching down to clutch and rescue a lamb
caught in a thorn bush. The artist wants to get across the idea that Jesus is
the one who cares, the one who saves the lost, and rescues from trouble. He is
the one who is intimately and individually concerned about each one of us. We
are led to think of what would have happened to that lamb if Jesus did not
rescue it, if it was wild and independent of all help, an unpleasant end surely
would have resulted. It would have been easy prey to passing dingoes or wolves,
etc., depending on the country.
A party of British tourists was on its way to Palestine and its guide
was describing some of the customs of the East. "Now," he said,
"you are accustomed to seeing the farmer driving his sheep through
the English lanes. Out in the East, however, things are different, for the shepherd
always leads the way, going on in front of the flock. And the sheep
follow him, for they know his voice."
The party reached Palestine, and, to the amusement of the tourists, almost the first thing they saw was a flock of sheep being driven along by a man. Now, the guide, being a bit embarrassed, immediately made it his business to approach the man. "How is it that you are driving these sheep?" he asked. "I have always been told that the Eastern shepherd leads his sheep." "You are quite right" replied the man. "The shepherd does lead his sheep. But you see, I'm not the shepherd, I'm the butcher." – This is not only an interesting story but an excellent analogy – we are led by God’s means of grace, His word and sacraments, to the safety of forgiveness, salvation and freedom; but, we are driven by our own sinful human nature, with some considerable help from Satan, to follow the path that ends only in judgement and damnation.
The party reached Palestine, and, to the amusement of the tourists, almost the first thing they saw was a flock of sheep being driven along by a man. Now, the guide, being a bit embarrassed, immediately made it his business to approach the man. "How is it that you are driving these sheep?" he asked. "I have always been told that the Eastern shepherd leads his sheep." "You are quite right" replied the man. "The shepherd does lead his sheep. But you see, I'm not the shepherd, I'm the butcher." – This is not only an interesting story but an excellent analogy – we are led by God’s means of grace, His word and sacraments, to the safety of forgiveness, salvation and freedom; but, we are driven by our own sinful human nature, with some considerable help from Satan, to follow the path that ends only in judgement and damnation.
The picture of the good shepherd and the way he lived among his sheep;
sleeping among them; walking out in front leading them; feeding them; guiding
them over dangerous places to good pastures; being alert for predators that
might threaten the flock; directing and protecting his sheep with his
shepherd’s staff; knowing each sheep by name, and each sheep responding to the
familiar voice, builds up a mental image of someone with an intense love for
our total well-being at every turn of our life. This is a description of how
Jesus feels about each one of us. Big business thinks of us as a number. Jesus
knows us by name.
In the "Lord is my shepherd" psalm - Psalm 23, the writer
gives expression to the very personal relationship that the shepherd has with
his sheep. He keeps on using the words "I" and "my".
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me…" and so on.
It’s obvious that the writer is expressing his own personal relationship with God. The real presence of God in his life is not something theoretical or even wishful. It is real. The help and confidence that God has given him evokes the picture of a shepherd caring for sheep and he is trying to describe what the presence of God in his life has meant to him personally. In fact, we are told that the Good Shepherd was even prepared to risk his own life for the safety of the sheep. Describing Jesus as a shepherd fills us with feelings of being cared for and loved. We have a picture in our minds of Jesus who will do anything for us to keep us safe and happy, even to the point of giving up his own life. Friends, what a very real picture that is during this third week after Christ did die for us as a substitute for our sins and did rise to overcome death and the devil to ensure our eternal safety and salvation.
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me…" and so on.
It’s obvious that the writer is expressing his own personal relationship with God. The real presence of God in his life is not something theoretical or even wishful. It is real. The help and confidence that God has given him evokes the picture of a shepherd caring for sheep and he is trying to describe what the presence of God in his life has meant to him personally. In fact, we are told that the Good Shepherd was even prepared to risk his own life for the safety of the sheep. Describing Jesus as a shepherd fills us with feelings of being cared for and loved. We have a picture in our minds of Jesus who will do anything for us to keep us safe and happy, even to the point of giving up his own life. Friends, what a very real picture that is during this third week after Christ did die for us as a substitute for our sins and did rise to overcome death and the devil to ensure our eternal safety and salvation.
No doubt there are times when it seems that Jesus is a million miles
away. – When we have prayed for help in times of sickness and we don't feel any
better. The pain is as intense as ever.
We have asked him to guide us through some difficult decisions but we have blundered on making one mistake after another.
We have wanted him to watch over our loved ones, but they have still been caught up in trouble and accidents.
We may feel as if we are losing our faith in Jesus.
We may have even stopped going to worship and lost touch with the church members.
But the fact is Jesus hasn’t gone anywhere. He is right there with us. He knows what is happening in the lives of his sheep. He will use his power to help and support us. He is the good shepherd who promised, "I will be with you always to the end of time."
We have asked him to guide us through some difficult decisions but we have blundered on making one mistake after another.
We have wanted him to watch over our loved ones, but they have still been caught up in trouble and accidents.
We may feel as if we are losing our faith in Jesus.
We may have even stopped going to worship and lost touch with the church members.
But the fact is Jesus hasn’t gone anywhere. He is right there with us. He knows what is happening in the lives of his sheep. He will use his power to help and support us. He is the good shepherd who promised, "I will be with you always to the end of time."
The picture of the good shepherd reminds us that even though our grip on
him is weak, his hold on us is still firm and strong; no one can snatch us
out of his hand. Or as he says earlier: I know my sheep and my sheep
know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. Friends, you can't get anything
closer and more personal than the relationship between the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit in the Triune God. Even though we are down and almost out,
we are assured that we are in the arms of the everlasting shepherd who lovingly
supports and strengthens us in our weakest and most painful moments. Like the
lamb that is often pictured in Jesus arms, we can be at peace and feel safe in
the arms of our loving shepherd.
This reminds me of a passage from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 49:15-16) in the Old Testament where God
says, "Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore?
Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you. … I have
written (carved) your name on the palms of my hand".
Even though we might think that God has forgotten us, he has our name constantly before him carved indelibly into his hands.
Even though we might think that we don’t deserve such goodness (and we don’t) God is gracious and kind. Jesus sacrificed his own life to save us. As he said, "I am the good shepherd … I lay my life down for the sheep."
Even though we might think that God has forgotten us, he has our name constantly before him carved indelibly into his hands.
Even though we might think that we don’t deserve such goodness (and we don’t) God is gracious and kind. Jesus sacrificed his own life to save us. As he said, "I am the good shepherd … I lay my life down for the sheep."
The image of the Good Shepherd is one of love, care, protection,
intimacy and closeness. This text about the Good Shepherd is yet another
emphasis on God’s grace, his gracious gift to all humankind. Friends, I know
that it is a jingle that you have heard countless time ‘God’s love, the more
you give away, the more you get’ – is this a ‘feel good’ slogan? – I read from
1 John 4: 7, 10-11: “7Dear friends, let us love
one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God
and knows God. …. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he
loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear
friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
What the scripture is saying is that just as Jesus is our good shepherd,
we become shepherds to one another – shepherds to one another as members
of this congregation - shepherds to one another in our families –
shepherds to one another in this community. – Just as Jesus guides and protects
his sheep, mothers and fathers guide and protect the lambs he has given to us
in our families.
Just as Jesus shepherds us with patience and love, we shepherd those whom God has entrusted to us.
Just as Jesus, the good shepherd gives protection and guidance through the ups and downs that life brings so too parents give guidance and help to the lambs God has given.
Just as Jesus comfort and helps us, husbands and wives comfort and help one another.
Just as Jesus shepherds us with patience and love, we shepherd those whom God has entrusted to us.
Just as Jesus, the good shepherd gives protection and guidance through the ups and downs that life brings so too parents give guidance and help to the lambs God has given.
Just as Jesus comfort and helps us, husbands and wives comfort and help one another.
Friends, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know that we
have a loving shepherd who walks with us through the good and bad. And one day
when we must walk through the valley of darkness and death he will walk with us
and lead us to the glorious new life beyond the grave. Because we have a loving
shepherd, surely goodness and love will follow me all my life and I will live
in the house of the Lord forever. Amen
The grace and peace of God that is beyond all human understanding, keep
your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen
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