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We pray that, wherever your image is still disfigured
by poverty, sickness, selfishness, war and greed,
the new creation in Jesus Christ may appear in justice, love, and peace,
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Reading John 10:11-18
10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
10:12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away–and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
10:13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.
10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
10:16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
Sermon
The Good Shepherd 1870
John 10:1-21
Now here is the question for this morning.
What is an oxymoron?
An oxymoron is a combination of contradictory terms, seemingly canceling each other out.
For example: bittersweet, jumbo-shrimp,
Let me give you another. Good shepherd.
Certainly to the modern ear there is nothing contradictory about that, until we learn that in the ancient world shepherding was really not considered the romantic, humble occupation that we think of it today.
Shepherds were looked down upon.
They were thought dirty, thieves.
So despised were shepherds that under Jewish law, a shepherd could not be a witness in a trial.
They were said to be notorious liars.
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Then, Jesus throws us for a loop and uses the term good shepherd. Like the term the good theif.
So what is a Good Shepherd.
First, The Good Shepherd knows his sheep. Someone tells of being in the Holy Land many years ago. They saw several different flocks of sheep all huddled together at a watering hole. They all looked alike to him. It was simply a mass of white wool. He wondered how the shepherds would ever separate them out. At the appropriate time, however, each shepherd gave his own unique call, and in orderly fashion the sheep divided. Perhaps that is what the Good Shepherd meant when he said: I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
Second, by Good Shepherd, It is that we have a shepherd that is a genuine shepherd. He says, “I will never forget when I got my wife’s engagement ring. But after I had bought the ring, I said to the jeweler–now, be honest with me. The deal is made. I can’t back out of it. Can you really tell the difference between a real one carrot ring and some phony thing that I can buy off the shopper’s channel on TV?
He said: come around here and look at this, I want to show you something. He put the light on two rings–the one I had just bought and a phony diamond. Then he gave me his jeweler’s eyeglass. He said look at this cheap imitation and look at what you just bought and when I did I was amazed. My ring sparkled. The counterfeit was dull and had no luster.
Jesus said: now here are two shepherds. Outwardly there seems to be no difference. The skin of both has been bronzed by the sun and weathered by the wind. They both carry a fleece to keep them warm at night. Both carry a shepherd’s crook. But one is a genuine shepherd and the other is a counterfeit. One is a shepherd in his heart; the other is a shepherd for hire.
On an ordinary day you could never tell them apart. But let trouble come. Let a pack of wolves appear and then the difference comes out. The counterfeit runs, because it is only money to him. He has no ownership. But the real shepherd stays. Jesus said in our text: I lay down my life for my sheep. That is the difference between the real shepherd and the counterfeit.
Here is the good news. No matter how much trouble comes your way; the good shepherd will never leave your side. He will not desert you in times of trial. That is news that will let you get through the night; that is news that will enable you to keep your sanity.
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My explanation:
Sheep think Shepherd can do it all, open gates etc.
Because they can do a lot.
But the shepherd knows somethings they can not stop.
But they wont leave the sheep.
In our troubles, we are given a picture, the shepherd carrying the lamb on shoulders. God preaches in pithy sayings, or pictures that we can keep and carry with us. When we are unwell, we feel ourselves being carried. Like the footsteps poem.
==
Jesus said: My sheep know me. The question is: are we attuned to God’s special whisper. I suppose all of us have seen the painting done in the 1930’s of a dog, looking with a cocked head, at an old RCA phonograph. The name of the painting is the Master’s voice. I know that in my life I have not always recognized my master’s voice. I have been too busy, too preoccupied, too self-centered. Sometimes, frankly, I am afraid to hear his voice; for I know that he will say what I may not want to hear. But I know that it is important for me to hear once again the words of the Good Shepherd: I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.
==
Every place we look, the biblical writers find comfort in the fact that God is our shepherd, and we shall not lack anything. Every need is met and every danger taken care of. There were plenty of dangers for shepherds in ancient Palestine. In that world, the shepherd was absolutely responsible for the lives of the sheep. Fighting off bears and wolves, along with thieves, was part of the job description. If an animal were eaten by a wolf or bear, the shepherd had to bring in part of the sheep’s body to prove that the animal had eaten it.
The shepherd’s staff mentioned in Psalm 23 is a weapon for such battles. The rod used there is the shepherd’s crook, used to rescue lost lambs and guide the others over rocky hills.
The shepherd can’t lead the sheep anywhere, really, can’t cajole them, yell at them, or expect them to follow. There is no planning ahead with sheep. The shepherd only gets anything done by being with the sheep — in the middle of the flock. In this, we understand something about our God. God insists on being in the middle of us, mixed into our lives, right in the midst of our choices, our confusion, our tendency to wander off where we shouldn’t be and our constant need to be called back.
=
Jesus says that “the sheep will recognize my voice.” But we are always looking for his word and guidance in my life… . It is hard to distinguish what he is telling us from everything else we hear.
There are plenty of dangers for us, too.
Our preoccupations with work, our screens, shopping, lead us away from Jesus. We’re constantly getting off the path and needing to be called back.
Conclusion:
Ultimately it is the picture Jesus gave us. Jesus preaches in short stories, pithy statements, or best pictures. When we have need, he carries us. You will this.
Hymn: The Lord is My Shepherd
The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want
He makes me lie in pastures green He leads me by the still, still waters His goodness restores my soul
And I will trust in You alone And I will trust in You alone For Your endless mercy follows me Your goodness will lead me home
He guides my ways in righteousness And He anoints my head with oil And my cup, it overflows with joy I feast on His pure delights
And I will trust in You alone And I will trust in You alone For Your endless mercy follows me Your goodness will lead me home
And though I walk the darkest path I will not fear the evil one For You are with me, and Your rod and staff Are the comfort I need to know
And I will trust in You alone And I will trust in You alone For Your endless mercy follows me Your goodness will lead me home (I will trust)
And I will trust in You alone And I will trust in You alone For Your endless mercy follows me Your goodness will lead me home (for Your endless mercy)
For Your endless mercy follows me Your goodness will lead me home (for Your endless mercy) For Your endless mercy follows me Your goodness will lead me home
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers:
Sisters and brothers in Christ,
God invites us to bring our doubts and fears,
our joys and concerns, our petitions and praise,
and offer them for the earth and all its creatures.
Prayers: Linda (Deb Mc.); Christine A.; Bob H.; Dori; Garfield; Eunice S.; Connie C.; (Church)Suzanne (Ron and Jan);Gloria A. (Carol); Belinda,; Ross B., Francis & Bill W.; Jeff G. (Dori); Kenny; Jim T.; Norma A,;Dave F.; Peter T.; Dan B.;. (Garfield & Diane); Gord T.;Amy W. ;Yvonne;Maryanne;Gus; Jay P.;; Rick W.;.; Sharon; Anne F.; Marcel D.; Jeff B.; (Sandra); Mike J.; Scott H.; Lisa (Keeling), Wendy;Eric P,; Sarah-Jane P.; Linda H.; Sharon D.; Philip D; Jacquie and Cam .; Janice & Darrin R; Roland; .(Suzie D.)
Receive these prayers, O God,
and transform us through them,
that we may have eyes to see and hearts to understand
not only what you do on our behalf,
but what you call us to do
so that your realm will come to fruition in glory. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine.
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Prayer based on Scripture:
Shepherd of all,
by laying down your life for your flock
you reveal your love for all.
Lead us from the place of death
to the place of abundant life,
that guided by your care for us,
we may rightly offer our lives
in love for you and our neighbors. Amen.
Blessing from the Book of Common Prayer:
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.
Our Parting Blessing Song:
May God’s blessing surround you each day
As you trust Him and walk in His way
May His presence within guard and keep you from sin,
