Today’s Shepherds



This sermon can be listened to here

Gate Pa –  4th Sunday in Easter- Year C - 2019



Readings:

Psalm                         Psalm:23                                                                  

First Reading:             Acts 9:36-43                                                   

Second Reading:                    Rev 7:9-17                                                      

Gospel:                                    John 10:22-30                                                 

What I want to say:

to talk about the good shepherd tradition, and how the gospel writers and John in particular apply that to Jesus. This gives rise to 2 questions

-          how do we pay attention to Jesus the good shepherd that we might follow his voice?

-          how do we live out this tradition today?

What I want to happen:

For people to hear God’s invitation to feed God’s sheep, and to be good shepherds in our world today.

The Sermon


      1.      Introduction:


Happy Good Shepherd Sunday

-          what’s that about?

-          talk

4th Sunday in Easter is always from John 10 1-10, 11-18, - Jesus responding to accusations because healed someone on Sabbath

states – I am the gate to the sheep fold

-          I am the good shepherd

John 10:22-30 – today

-          entirely different story



       2.      Good shepherd tradition


shepherd tradition is important tradition within Judaism

begins with 23rd Psalm – said/sung today

uses common image rural society 

hard and dangerous life as shepherd

not romantic

helped describe

both God’s expectations around leaders/kings

also offered as an image nature of God

Good shepherd/ God/ good king cf bad leaders - kings

-          lead sheep to good pastures and quiet waters

o   provides for welfare of sheep

-          honours the sheep

o   in meal where sheep honoured and blessed

-          protect sheep

-          will have compassion for sheep

-          will enter wilderness to search diligently for, find, gather and bring back the lost sheep.

Image from Psalm 23 used and reinterpreted by number biblical authors to meet needs of their time

eg. – Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Zechariah

as tradition develops it intensifies

Again used by Gospel writers in relation to Jesus

Jesus in Good Shepherd incarnated, made flesh

In Jesus we see God the good shepherd at work.

Mark 6, Matthew 18, and Luke 15.



       3.      John and the Good Shepherd


In John

The good shepherd knows the sheep by name and calls them.

The sheep know the voice of the good shepherd and follow only that voice.

-          it is when risen Jesus calls Mary by name that she knows who he is

-          she knows his voice

-          he knows her name

John also introduces this idea that Jesus is the good shepherd who will lay down his life for the sheep, paying the price so that they may be freed from all that enslaves them.

-          Greek for price is money paid for debt

o   paid to free a slave

-          price of liberating people from what enslaves us.

-          breaking power sin and death in this world

-          that sheep might have life with the Good shepherd which begins now.

important message Johns community under intense pressure

-          thrown out Judaism as heretics

-          deep division within community over place torah – like today

-          seen atheists by Romans – don’t believe in Roman gods

-          seen as foolish and treasonous by Romans

o   no longer saw Emperor as son god, prince of peace, saviour

o   instead worship crucified and dead insurgent from Palestine

§  named him son god, prince of peace, saviour

in this passage they are invited to listen for voice of risen Christ

good shepherd who is bringing home and will protect all hear his voice and follow

message hope, consolation and warning

asks of his original hearers and us

è what voices compete for our attention

è how do we take time hear and respond voice good shepherd?



       4.      We are Good Shepherds


Jesus finishes this week’s reading by saying that “My Father and I are one”

often read some kind of Trinitarian statement about Jesus being God

but in this case

more about in Jesus we see God the good shepherd at work.

often tempted to stop there

Jesus is good shepherd

but that imagery does not finish here

last week heard Jesus 3 times ask Peter to feed his lambs/sheep

Peter was to be good shepherd

in Peter people were to see God the good shepherd at work

This week in Acts hear extraordinary story of Tabitha or Dorcas

-          wealthy woman

-          known both Aramaic and Greek speaking communities

-          only women in NT female for disciple is used –> for her

-          spent her time caring poor

-          providing clothes -> really big deal

-          in her we can see God good shepherd at work.

when John told story of Peter at end of gospel

invitation for all hear voice risen Christ

to also be means by which others see God good shepherd at work

and people did

which is why so much pressure

stood against usual way of behaving

-          violence

-          division

-          impoverishing

-          enriching self

-          living own honour at expense others

lived values and the way of the Good Shepherd

how are we  living out that tradition today

or are we relying on Jesus being our ongoing good shepherd



      5.      Final Questions


è what voices compete for our attention

è how do we take time hear and respond voice good shepherd?

è in what ways do others see God the good shepherd at work in us?

take moment reflect

talk neighbours?



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