Member and ordained minister, Rev. Eunice Wilson, preached a sermon recently from John 10:1-10. How are we supposed to imagine God as Good Shepherd while we are burdened by so many cares? Read on to see how Eunice unpacks this with a tender heart.
On Thursday morning, as I was approaching this sermon once again, and hoping to finalize it, I got two phone calls. One was from my cousin Vangie who told me her sister’s house had burnt down last Sunday. Thank God that Carol, her son adult son, Bobby, and adult granddaughter, Ally, all got out safely with only the clothes on their back. Then, there had been a text from my friend Lindy in Vermont. When I returned her call, she began to tell me of her brother-in-law and how sick he was.
When done with these two phone calls, and feeling very burdened for them, I asked God how am I supposed to write a sermon with these burdens on my heart and mind? The thought came to me that these situations can’t be put aside, so somehow they must be included in the ideas and prayers we share today.
As we begin to look at todays scripture we will first look at the story in Chapter 9 immediately prior to today’s scripture. We have the healing of a man by Christ. This man was blind at birth. Jesus made a mud pack for the man’s eyes on the Sabbath which was prohibited, and he proceeded to put the mud on the man’s eyes. After the healing the temple leaders questioned the man and eventually threw him out of the temple as they were so infuriated by his stance that Christ was a man from God. To be excommunicated from the temple is a serious thing. This man, previously blind and now seeing, had gained some status in society only to be put in a position of shame once again. To be excommunicated meant loss of spiritual and social standing.
After the healing of the blind man, we then we have the story of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. As Jesus tells the story, the temple leaders do not understand what he is trying to tell them. So, he explains it again in simpler terms. The characters we are given in this story are interesting. We have Christ, first, as the good shepherd and then as the gate, then we have the gatekeeper, and finally we have the people who try to enter the sheep pen by not going through the gate, but by climbing over the walls of the pen.
In this video, while the first people calling the sheep didn’t give their best effort, it is well know that sheep do indeed know their master’s voice, and will respond only to his voice. It is also known that the shepherd knows his sheep and often gives then names. These sheep pens in rural areas were often communal pens, large enough for a number of flocks of sheep. This is why it was so important for the sheep to know and follow only their shepherd’s voice.
The gate keeper was an actual person who was hired to let in only the right sheep as he recognized the shepherds. At night, once all the sheep were in, the gatekeeper actually slept across the opening to protect the sheep from being harmed or leaving the pen.
We have Jesus then saying he is the gate. Not the gatekeeper but the gate. The right way to enter and exit is by way of the gate, or by Christ. So, is Christ the good shepherd or is he the gate? Because these are metaphors, examples of how Christ thought, operated and acted, he indeed can be both. And, Christ can know us by the fact that we enter the pen or kingdom through him, and we can exit the same way. And Christ can know us by how we follow him. Christ knows each of us by name!
We also have people who enter the pen through other means. This would implicate the temple leaders, or other people who have ulterior motives rather than acknowledging Christ. This can include people who have distorted ways of thinking, and behaving. Folks who operate from erroneous theological messages from their past and present that can prevent them from going in by the gate. Feeling unworthy to approach the good shepherd, the Christ, our Christ directly, can be another reason for wanting to enter but not through the gate.
Where does this leave us? My own strong belief is that in order for us to recognize Jesus as our Christ, our Good Shepherd, or the gate, is if we first identify ourselves as a child of God. We are children of God who are totally loved and totally forgiven by God, and totally accepted by God. If we recognize this relationship, then it makes sense that we would then be able to recognize and want a relationship with Christ. By following Christ we attempt to return God’s love back to God. We return love back to God directly, and by giving to and loving other people. It is when we hold on to these beliefs that we can confidently approach Christ’s gate and enter in. And, when we exit, we follow Christ, our shepherd.
Many of us have been feeling penned in. We are socially isolated in our homes. Most of us are tired of it. Some folks can’t work from home. They are waiting for unemployment checks to come. Some folks are so tired of isolating that they are ignoring the CDC’s recommendations on how to try and avoid the corona virus. Some churches are still meeting in person. Some are using masks and distancing to worship together.
So back to the sad news of my beloved cousin Carol and of my friend Lindy’s b-i-l. My first cry to God was how can I write this sermon now given how burdened I feel. What I did was immediately give them up to God. I prayed for each of them. I asked God for healing and God’s presence for them. Symbolically, I entered by the gate while making these requests. Not only did I enter by the gate, but I envisioned taking the hands of Carol, Bobby, Ally and Lindy’s b-i-l and sister through the gate with me.
I am hoping this vision of being able to go into the pen for safety and comfort, and then to eventually leave it to find good pastures following our good shepherd will be a comfort to us now and for our everyday life when it is back to “normal” whatever that will be.
Remember that the good shepherd leads the sheep. Whatever your burden at this very moment, leave it with Christ. And, for those you care about who need special protection and blessings right now, I hope that you will take their hands and invite them to enter the gate that is our Good Shepherd.
A caution here. Besides the sheep knowing the shepherd’s voice, when trouble comes along such as a predator, the sheep will panic and scatter. They will go in all different directions being more vulnerable to whatever the cause. I would remind you that we are a church family. Please don’t isolate yourself. If you have a need, the worse thing you and your family can do is scatter. Call, text, or email someone from the church. Call John, Wendy, me, or whoever you feel comfortable calling. Let’s stay together as a group, and follow our Good Shepherd together.
Depending on which Biblical version we use, if we enter by the gate, we are promised a life to the full, or, a real and eternal life better than we could ever expect, or yet another version states that we will have an abundant life. Now, this does mean that all Christ’s sheep will have a good job, enough food, or make enough money, and have a stable always peaceful life. No. What it does mean is that we will have an abundance that is more of what is in our hearts than with what is in our hands. It is a trust in our shepherd that we will not be led astray, and that he will give his life for us if need be.
Let us symbolically take by the hand folks we would like to and symbolically lead them through this gate of safety and comfort into a fuller life with Christ. Let us keep them in our hearts or express them on our lips as we pray. Amen.
On Thursday morning, as I was approaching this sermon once again, and hoping to finalize it, I got two phone calls. One was from my cousin Vangie who told me her sister’s house had burnt down last Sunday. Thank God that Carol, her son adult son, Bobby, and adult granddaughter, Ally, all got out safely with only the clothes on their back. Then, there had been a text from my friend Lindy in Vermont. When I returned her call, she began to tell me of her brother-in-law and how sick he was.
When done with these two phone calls, and feeling very burdened for them, I asked God how am I supposed to write a sermon with these burdens on my heart and mind? The thought came to me that these situations can’t be put aside, so somehow they must be included in the ideas and prayers we share today.
As we begin to look at todays scripture we will first look at the story in Chapter 9 immediately prior to today’s scripture. We have the healing of a man by Christ. This man was blind at birth. Jesus made a mud pack for the man’s eyes on the Sabbath which was prohibited, and he proceeded to put the mud on the man’s eyes. After the healing the temple leaders questioned the man and eventually threw him out of the temple as they were so infuriated by his stance that Christ was a man from God. To be excommunicated from the temple is a serious thing. This man, previously blind and now seeing, had gained some status in society only to be put in a position of shame once again. To be excommunicated meant loss of spiritual and social standing.
After the healing of the blind man, we then we have the story of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. As Jesus tells the story, the temple leaders do not understand what he is trying to tell them. So, he explains it again in simpler terms. The characters we are given in this story are interesting. We have Christ, first, as the good shepherd and then as the gate, then we have the gatekeeper, and finally we have the people who try to enter the sheep pen by not going through the gate, but by climbing over the walls of the pen.
In this video, while the first people calling the sheep didn’t give their best effort, it is well know that sheep do indeed know their master’s voice, and will respond only to his voice. It is also known that the shepherd knows his sheep and often gives then names. These sheep pens in rural areas were often communal pens, large enough for a number of flocks of sheep. This is why it was so important for the sheep to know and follow only their shepherd’s voice.
The gate keeper was an actual person who was hired to let in only the right sheep as he recognized the shepherds. At night, once all the sheep were in, the gatekeeper actually slept across the opening to protect the sheep from being harmed or leaving the pen.
We have Jesus then saying he is the gate. Not the gatekeeper but the gate. The right way to enter and exit is by way of the gate, or by Christ. So, is Christ the good shepherd or is he the gate? Because these are metaphors, examples of how Christ thought, operated and acted, he indeed can be both. And, Christ can know us by the fact that we enter the pen or kingdom through him, and we can exit the same way. And Christ can know us by how we follow him. Christ knows each of us by name!
We also have people who enter the pen through other means. This would implicate the temple leaders, or other people who have ulterior motives rather than acknowledging Christ. This can include people who have distorted ways of thinking, and behaving. Folks who operate from erroneous theological messages from their past and present that can prevent them from going in by the gate. Feeling unworthy to approach the good shepherd, the Christ, our Christ directly, can be another reason for wanting to enter but not through the gate.
Where does this leave us? My own strong belief is that in order for us to recognize Jesus as our Christ, our Good Shepherd, or the gate, is if we first identify ourselves as a child of God. We are children of God who are totally loved and totally forgiven by God, and totally accepted by God. If we recognize this relationship, then it makes sense that we would then be able to recognize and want a relationship with Christ. By following Christ we attempt to return God’s love back to God. We return love back to God directly, and by giving to and loving other people. It is when we hold on to these beliefs that we can confidently approach Christ’s gate and enter in. And, when we exit, we follow Christ, our shepherd.
Many of us have been feeling penned in. We are socially isolated in our homes. Most of us are tired of it. Some folks can’t work from home. They are waiting for unemployment checks to come. Some folks are so tired of isolating that they are ignoring the CDC’s recommendations on how to try and avoid the corona virus. Some churches are still meeting in person. Some are using masks and distancing to worship together.
So back to the sad news of my beloved cousin Carol and of my friend Lindy’s b-i-l. My first cry to God was how can I write this sermon now given how burdened I feel. What I did was immediately give them up to God. I prayed for each of them. I asked God for healing and God’s presence for them. Symbolically, I entered by the gate while making these requests. Not only did I enter by the gate, but I envisioned taking the hands of Carol, Bobby, Ally and Lindy’s b-i-l and sister through the gate with me.
I am hoping this vision of being able to go into the pen for safety and comfort, and then to eventually leave it to find good pastures following our good shepherd will be a comfort to us now and for our everyday life when it is back to “normal” whatever that will be.
Remember that the good shepherd leads the sheep. Whatever your burden at this very moment, leave it with Christ. And, for those you care about who need special protection and blessings right now, I hope that you will take their hands and invite them to enter the gate that is our Good Shepherd.
A caution here. Besides the sheep knowing the shepherd’s voice, when trouble comes along such as a predator, the sheep will panic and scatter. They will go in all different directions being more vulnerable to whatever the cause. I would remind you that we are a church family. Please don’t isolate yourself. If you have a need, the worse thing you and your family can do is scatter. Call, text, or email someone from the church. Call John, Wendy, me, or whoever you feel comfortable calling. Let’s stay together as a group, and follow our Good Shepherd together.
Depending on which Biblical version we use, if we enter by the gate, we are promised a life to the full, or, a real and eternal life better than we could ever expect, or yet another version states that we will have an abundant life. Now, this does mean that all Christ’s sheep will have a good job, enough food, or make enough money, and have a stable always peaceful life. No. What it does mean is that we will have an abundance that is more of what is in our hearts than with what is in our hands. It is a trust in our shepherd that we will not be led astray, and that he will give his life for us if need be.
Let us symbolically take by the hand folks we would like to and symbolically lead them through this gate of safety and comfort into a fuller life with Christ. Let us keep them in our hearts or express them on our lips as we pray. Amen.