It's Good Shepherd Sunday and Mother's Day in North America. An
interesting mix. The first time I preached this text, a beloved
parishoner decided I was his "Little Bo Peep." The sentiment was
nice and appreciated but that's no the point of the text. Jesus is
the true shepherd who will do anything for his sheep. Us, preachers,
are his sheep dogs - nipp'n at heels, bark'n to move the flock,
stay'n close on cold nights in the wilderness. Jesus is the only one
who gives it all for we sheep. This is a great post-Easter story.
And although it's tempting to go to other shepherd passages. Let's
stay with John's intent. What do you think it is?
Elizabeth
What is the point? It is not to make an allegory saying that we are
sheep dogs. It is not about keeping people in line.
It is about unconditional love. It says love is stronger than fear!
I think the passage is about Jesus being the boss not the hired
hand. He is the Shepherd - the owner and in charge. Often I think we
try to limit Jesus and keep him as the hired hand whom we can
control. But he shouts out no - I am not the hired hand but the
owner. Do we allow him to be our owner? Are we one of his flock,
listening to his voice and heeding his call. Do we fully understand
that as the owner he has chosen to be in charge. Some thoughts.
Working on it still - Marilyn in NY
Jesus is the great shepard with unconditional love. Like the love of
his father giving love where none can be earned. Sounds like the
good parent doesn't it? Listen to the christian gospel song song
no-charge. The song of a mothers unsacrificing love to her child at
not charge. Agreat leadin to Sundays message written word for word.
GOD'S PEACE jcny
Elizabeth,
I like your image of we being sheepdogs. Not just nipping at the
heels of the sheep, but in keeping the sheep moving in the direction
of the shepherd. Sheepdogs are not more important than the shepherd,
but they, like the sheep, know the shepherds voice. They have to be
faithful in their service, courageous when faced with obsticles. But
always, always, they hear the shepherds whistles, and calls, and
signals telling them what they are to do. Don't know how that
preaches for you for mother's day...well maybe.
clw in co
I'm going to be on vacation this Sunday (some ask where one goes on
vacation when you live at the beach in NC?!), but I've been talking
to a lay leader who will be leading worship this Sunday. She will be
tying together the themes of the Good Shepherd and Mother's Day - it
seems a good time to talk about the feminine side of God, those
nurturing aspects of God's character that these passages point to. I
also like the fact that, in Israel, the shepherd leads the sheep
instead of driving them or sending the sheep dog to do the work. The
shepherd always goes before the sheep. It reminds me of something
written in the sixties about "Settler Theology," comparing two kinds
of theologies - one where Jesus is the town sherrif, making sure
everyone stays in line, with a "Pioneer Theology" that has Jesus as
the scout, going before the pioneers, showing them the way. I found
it in a book by Mark Link. I think it was called, "He Is The Still
Point In A Turning World," or something to that effect.
I like to emphasize to my people what it means to be a sheep.
Sheepdogs will not do. Sheep are ornry, stupid - in fact, if the
lead sheep goes over a cliff, the others will follow. The also
stink. My wife's grandfather used to have to herd sheep when he was
young. It was always a job given to the lowest of the low (usually
kids) because no one else wanted the job. Afterwards, he couldn't
stand to even think of eating one (not out of love or respect!). Of
course, we always had lamb for Easter, which brought up an
interesting situation. Once we decided to have him and his wife for
Easter. We were having lamb, so everyone just agreed not to tell him
what it was. Unfortunately my wife's uncle, a real joker, was also
with us. Half way through the meal, he asked him, "How's the meat
pop? Done o.k. for you?" Grandpa answered, "As long as it doesn't
say, 'Moo!'" To which her uncle replied, "How about if it says, "Baaaaa!?"
Of course, pop turned three shades of green and left the table.
Gary in New Bern
Gary in New Bern (And any others considering looking at the femine
side of our Creator:
If you have the time, it may be worth your while to wade through the
Web Theology site and find the discussion we had on this very topic.
Although there is a fair share of back-and-forth bickering, there
are some powerful images and testamonies that are worth attention!
It is a strong testamony to the femine face of God.
------------------
On another point:
Verse 10:16 talks about other sheep. Any insight, thought, or ideas
of who these 'other sheep' may be? I've heard some say "Gentiles,"
some say "other world religions," some say "people living in other
parts of the world," and several other ideas. I don't know what to
think.
Peace,
DWR
Will we recognize his voice?
In so many of the resurrection stories, people who knew and loved
Jesus had trouble recognizing him. In one account we are told no one
dared ask who it was for they knew it was the Lord, but why would
anyone even say that unless it was difficult recognizing the risen
Lord?
There are many portraits of Jesus. They are beautiful in their own
ways. How silly it would be if we rejected most of them saying
"Jesus did not look like that" because it does not fit with our
favorite one, perhaps Soloman's head of Christ!
A new portrait of Jesus will reach millions of people this week
through a tv miniseries. I hope it is very good. It would be nice if
we preachers could have had an early screening that we might use
this tool to encourage our people to notice certain things.
Perhaps some of us won't even recognize Jesus but the tv guide says
it is a fresh look at Jesus geared for us in the 21st century. Can
we handle that?
It is a very old tradition for ecclesiastical leadership to be very
uncomfortable with the fresh approach of Jesus. I think the question
is always "Will we recognize him?" Another question for us as
preachers, when people recognize the Lord in this new portrait, will
they find our guidance to be helpful and gracious? Will we be
helpful in assimilating new portraits of Jesus into the community of
faith or will ecclesiastical leaders feel uncomfortable with a
portrait of Jesus on which we, the church, do not own the copywrite?
Will the scriptures take on new life again this week in light of a
new portrait of Jesus? Will there be a new spirit of hope and joy
amoung us? Surely the Lord will speak to us in a new way but part of
our task is to discern the voice of the master which may come
through the new portrait but is not synonomous with the voice of the
film maker. The 77 version of Jesus of Nazareth was wonderful. I
hope this new portrait has that kind of refreshing quality.
What have you heard about it? Any ideas on how we can best use this
new tool? Manzel
I lay down my life
... (active) rejected, suffered, crucified ... (passive) humility,
detachment, obedient faith, darkness
to take it up again
... risen, new creation, rebirth, restoration, affirmation ... light
Jesus as Good Shepherd leads us safely along unknown paths to green
pastures ...
tom in ga
Elizabeth,
Thank you for your comment regarding sheepdogs. However I think it
may add something to the passage that isn't intended to be there.
Leadership in the church is an important issue, but Jesus, in this
passage, seems to talk only about sheep (i.e. lay and ordained
together). It's very much a corporate dimension that he's talking
about. The issue of leadership does get picked up, I believe, when
Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd." Good, as in a model for us to
follow. (This needs a bit more thought).
God bless,
Graham
Dear All,
I think the really interesting question stemming from this passage
is whether our knowledge of the common and ordinary informs our
understanding of God, or whether our knowledge of God informs our
understanding of the common and ordinary. To put it another way, do
we know more about God because of the shepherd metaphor, or do we
know more about shepherd through our knowledge of Jesus?
I came to the conclusion some years ago that most of what I know
about sheep and shepherds comes to me from my upbringing in the
Church, and the many agricultural metaphors which Jesus used.
Problem is, of course, that Jesus used these metaphors to teach
about himself and God, not the other way around. I made the mistake
of preaching about sheep one sunday, "how dumb they are", only to
discover that a real shepherd was in the congregation. He took me
seriously to task for my ignorance about sheep, and he was right so
to do.
Having said all that, it does rather seem to me that the image of a
"good shepherd" is one who puts his life on the line for those in
his care. If that be so, it comes as no surprise to us that Jesus
puts his life on the line for you and me.
Peace to all,
Jim
First Comment: How do you all get going so early in the week? I'm
still reeling from yesterday, and sipping my cup of Monday morning
coffee, and here you've already been pondering for next week! I'm
impressed.
Second Comment: Last year, I preached a Mother's Day sermon entitled
"The Mother Heart of God," and I looked at many of the Old Testament
Passages that allude to "mothering" aspects of God, many but not all
from Isaiah. In researching for that sermon, I remember that I
looked into the beginnings of Mother's Day and discovered that they
were to honor not necessarily mothers, but rather to bring attention
to the work that women did in bringing better health systems for
children, ceasing war that killed their children, bringing
humanitarian concerns across national and political lines. In other
words, Compassionate action was being honored.
I think this might fit nicely with this scripture, the compassionate
Shepherd, who will lay down his life for the sheep.
Still pondering early in the week,
Jude in Wash.
I appreciate the upbraiding Jim received when speaking of "dumb
sheep." I received a similar (but good-natured) response at
Christmastime when I spoke of how the *shepherds* were dirty,
superstitious, non-observant religiously, etc....all bad Scripture
scholarship, incidentally, and also not very good for the egos of
the shepherds in the congregation.
Seems to me that if we can say anything about the sheep, it's how
*important* they are - to the shepherd. As in the parable of leaving
the ninety-nine to find the one, where the "foolishness" of the
shepherd indicates to us how much he cares about each one, the fact
that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep is a
comparison to Christ's self-sacrificing love for all.
Two illustrations: Barclay mentions several OT references showing
how the shepherd was expected, obligated, to put his life on the
line for the sheep. One that he mentions is that a shepherd couldn't
simply claim that a sheep was attacked by a lion; he must salvage a
leg or a piece of an ear "from the lion's mouth" as proof....or he
would have to pay the price for the lost sheep. (Barclay, Gospel of
John, Vol. 2, Westminster Press, 1977, pp. 60-61.) Also, Bill
Bausch, in More Telling Stories, Compelling Stories (Twenty-Third
Publications, Mystic, CT, 1994, pp. 152-153) mentions how the sheep
were kept within a stone fence, to which there was an opening, but
no gate. At night, the shepherd placed his body across the opening
and slept there. Any wolf or thief would have to deal with the
shepherd first; the shepherd literally "laid down his life" for the
sheep.
All of which points to how important the sheep were for the
community - for obvious reasons, the people needed the sheep to
survive. We are that important to God; not that God needs us to
survive, but that God - in Christ - loves us that much.
I think that I'm going to start with Mother's Day and talk about the
self-sacrifice of mothers, then move to the self-sacrificing
shepherd image. I'm interested in any stories anyone might have of
maternal self-sacrifice that aren't silly or sappy, and that are
believable, if not actually verifiable (!)
Thanks for any responses. (Hope that "silly, sappy" remark isn't
offensive; it's not meant to be...I just think we can sentimentalize
Mother's Day (or the Good Shepherd, for that matter!) if we're not
careful!)
Metz in Indiana
I have a couple of women have buried their mothers over the past few
months and two families have lost a son and a daughter. I know the
"mother's" would have gladly laid down their own lives for their
child, but could not. Suggestions how I can lift up Mother's Day,
this Scripture and preach healing? There are many within my
congregation whose children are "lost" needing a good shepherd.
Suggestions to get me going? Rev WWM
I really appreaciate this Website. It has really helped my
preaching. But I had an experience on Sunday afternoon I wanted to
mention. I was recalling my sermon. I had SO MANY good ideas from
the commentaries and this website that I think I gave what I might
call a "laundry list" sermon. A laundry list sermon is when you list
a number of good points without going terribly in depth with anyone
of them. I thought on Sunday afternoon that had I had less material
to work with, I might have been more creative with it. I don't know
if anyone else has experienced this, but I thought I would mention
it.
Alex in Clyde.
I am thinking about Mother's Day and the Lectionary:
Rudolf Bultman writes about this passage: "Just as all the waters of
the earth point to the one living water, and as all bread on the
earth points to the one bread of life, and as all day-light points
to the true light of the world, just as every earthly vine is
contrasted with the "true" vine, so too every shepherd is contrasted
with the "good" shepherd. Shepherding in the world is only an image
and pointer to the true, proper shepherding which is shown in the
rule of the Revealer [Christ]. It is in this sense that Jesus is the
GOOD shepherd." --Gospel of John
I am wondering if you could write a sermon where you say that all
good mothering points to a divine source? All mothering points to
the divine presence that nurtures, cares, humors, and is with us
night and day..........
Alex in Clyde.
I have a couple of women who have buried their mothers over the past
few months. I have also two families who have buried a son and
daughter. How do you lift up mother's day, this scripture and preach
healing? Suggestions?
For many, Mother's day is a painful reminder that their Mothers are
no longer with them. For some it is painful because they can not
have children of their own. For others it is a reminder that their
children are alienated from them. Holidays are not warm fuzzies for
everyone. I would love your input!!
Peace. Rev WWM
Yes, Alex, I believe such a sermon exists. I am using Old Testament
scriptures like Isaiah 42:14; 46:3-4; 66:12-13, 49:15; Hosea 11:1,
3, and 4; 13:8, and then New Testament Luke 13:34 (or Matthew 213:
37. All describe acts of God that are clothed in mothering imagery.
Obviously, there must be something in the "Mother Heart of God" that
can best be described in mothering as we know it. Human mothering
will always fall short of the divine impulses, but it is a standard
toward which to shoot.
Jude in Wash.
To WWM and others: I am myself a mother, and was before I became a
pastor, but even though my children are the greatest blessing of my
life and the greatest challenge, I do not "celebrate" Mother's Day
in my sermons, (or Father's Day.) I preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ! Anyway, I make it a point that day's prayer not only to
thank God for and pray for mothers -- and *all* who provide motherly
care -- but also to pray for those for whom the day is painful or
difficult, including those you mentioned. Even though I myself don't
share this pain --I think it is extremely important that the Church
not add to the pain by over-sentimentalizing or idealizing the day!
The Sunday School children will make and give out little tokens to
*all* women in worship, as is their tradition from way back, and I
will comment on how we are thankful for the Christian nurture so
many adults give to our children... Other ideas, anyone? Thanks, WWM,
for your sensitivity and insight! Your sister in Christ, MAL in NY
Just as an reference, Philip Keller's book, a Shepherd Looks at the
23rd Psalm is a wonderful
book for background on exactly what it is a person does who tend a
flock a woolly sheep.
micki
As someone who is called "pastor" (which is the latin version of
shepherd)and aware that I am not the Good Shepherd, does that make
me one of the hired hands? If I am indeed one of the sheep then who
are the hired hands? Idols? People, or things we turn to in place of
the Good Shepherd?
I also like the strong evangelism note evident in Jesus' explanation
about his going to gather other sheep. Perhaps we need to be a bit
more tolerant and more diligent about finding these "other" (not
necessarily lost)sheep.
How do I tie this in with Mother's Day? I need to think about that a
bit more
Jonesy
I had an interesting conversation with a parishioner a few weeks
ago. She told me that she had been thinking about whether God was
male or female, and decided that God couldn't be a woman because no
mother could send her Son to die on the cross. I asked her what this
said about her understanding of fathers... Anyway, this seems to tie
in with the mother's day discussion here. Not sure about shepherds
laying down their lives, whether my parishioner would see this as a
masculine or feminine trait...
Heather
What a klutz, here I think I have something to contribute, but can't
even hit the right key on this keyboard. Anyway, I was appalled that
someone picked on the sheep dog imagery "nipping at the heels of the
sheep" as unloving. True love is discipline and not always fun. I
believe that this concept of love of always being pleasant, sweet,
kind, etc. comes straight from the pits of hell. God certainly does
not give me that impression when I read the word. " My son, do not
reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, For whom
the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in
whom he delights." Proverbs 3:11-12 I believe that a good mother
also loves her children enough to discipline them and reprove them.
Dale in Ks
Several notes on several subjects-
For more info on the new mini-series about Jesus, this weeks T V
Guide has a cover story on it . Nothing deep, mostly on the actors
and such, but of some interest.
In the U.M.C. 'tis the season for moving preachers, a subject which
often leads to emotional stressing both for clergy and laity. Where
there is to be change, this would be a good scripture to use to talk
about who the shepherd really is. We are hired hands who come and go
.Jesus is the True Shepherd who provides stability and continuity
and always knows His own, even if the new hired hand takes time to
learn the names and faces (and don't all sheep look alike 'til you
get to know them, usually by the tone of their bleating,<no harm
meant>)
On sappy Mother's Day sentiments- Remember you preach to a mixed bag
of folks. Not all have had Hallmark Card families. The last M.D.
that I spent in the pew, just weeks before I would be standing in
the pulpit, this hit home in a big way. Just down the pew from me
sat a friend and fellow Sunday School classmate. As the preacher
intoned his message of the blessing of motherhood, she sat quietly
crying, silent tears trailing down her cheeks. I asked privately
afterwards and she told me that she and her husband could not have
children and he was opposed to even talking about adoption. Please
tread carefully, for the sake of tender little lambs.
Peace to you lead sheep and scape goats, tom in TN(USA)
Thanks CLW in Co for understanding what I was musing about.
For folks using this text,a simple mention of the Jewish
understanding of being a Jew is passed from the maternal line may
do. The challenges of the "church" of John's time are reflected in
the text - "the other sheep" are most probably not of Jewish birth.
Jesus died for all, not just a select few. The Good Shepherd is our
model of God and God's love.
Elizabeth
