4th Sunday of Easter -
Year B
John
10:11-18
Being
the “Good Shepherd”
One of the difficulties of
reading scripture in this culture is our tendency to think of everything in the
first person. “What does this mean in
‘my’ life?” or “What do these verses
have to say to ‘me’?”
I am NOT on that bandwagon which
insists this is an inappropriately narcissistic generation – I think the
research on that emerges from a set of false hypothesis. If go out there looking for abominable
snowmen – you will find them, or at least find reasons to ask for more money
and time to find them.
One of the difficulties in
reading scripture in this culture is our tendency to read things in the first
person. It was an e-devotion from
Richard Rohr about two weeks ago that got me thinking on this. The biblical reference in that offering comes
later in John. He was reflecting on the
same verse Adam Nichols quoted in Friday’s e-devotion. It is the place where Jesus says, “My peace
be upon you.” Jesus’ words are not
spoken to the individuals hiding in that dark upper room; Jesus’ words are said to the whole of the
Church – most likely with an undertone of insisting that this is to be
contained in the message that was to spread from Jerusalem to Judea and into
the whole world. It is a gift which
comes to the individuals; because it has been given to the whole group.
But, when this scripture is read
in this culture, we are too inclined to think it is a promise to “me,” and you,
and maybe to “you,” and probably “you,” and maybe “you,” (if you get your life
in a bit better order.)
But that is not the way it comes;
Jesus does not speak to us individually so much as he speaks to us as a
community. His promises come to “all of US”;
which surely means they come to “us”; but possibly only when they come by way
of “all of US.”
Lest you think I got confused on
the appointed Gospel for today – have no fear.
I am going to talk about the Shepherd, about the “Good Shepherd.” What I intend to suggest is that the widely
popular and greatly comforting image of the Good Shepherd also needs a cultural
check. It is a powerful promise that
Jesus will be our shepherd; and of all the images this one is the most essential
to see as a gift which comes to us as a community rather than to us as lone
individuals.
Let’s start with the
obvious: our culture values the rugged
individual and the self-made person – but such an existence comes with a dark
side. Being all alone and out front is a
lonely place to be. Being on the top rung of the ladder has its advantages, but
too often getting there involves stepping on the fingers of fellow climbers.
The image of a shepherd,
particularly of a “good shepherd,” allows us to step away from insistence that
being number one is all that matters. Accepting
a shepherd who will watch over us removes the responsibility of being in charge
and in control of all things. Our culture may value being the lead dog, but
something deep in our souls knows how blessed it is to be cared for and watched
over – as a good shepherd cares for his sheep.
The thought that a kind and
caring shepherd is watching over us makes the perils we face less frightening.
There are wonderful stories and
images of the Good Shepherd going out to look for the one lost sheep. How reassuring these stories are to us. But even those of you who have never set foot
on a farm know what the shepherd does once the lost sheep is found –
right? What does the shepherd do?..... This
is more of a bible knowledge question than knowledge of herding….. What does the shepherd do, when he finds the
lost sheep?..... The shepherd brings the sheep back to the herd. The lost sheep is returned to the cozy and
comforting and protective sheep herd.
The other sheep snuggle up close to the one who was lost but now is
found. The sheepfold provides protection
from the ravenous wolves. The shepherd’s
goal is to keep the individual sheep in the herd with the other sheep.
One of the difficulties in
reading scripture in this culture is our tendency to hear things as if they are
only addressed to us as individuals.
This causes us to lose much of what is most comforting about the images
and stories of the “Good Shepherd.” The
Good Shepherd has a herd of well-loved and well-cared for sheep. The Good Shepherd has a fold where an
individual sheep can be at ease and be assured of protection.
Today is the day that we bid
farewell and Godspeed to graduating and/or departing students. It is an emotional day – for all of us. Emotional in that those whom we have come to
know and to love and to appreciate are about to do precisely what we hoped they
would do when we met them four or five or six years ago. They have accomplished what they came here to
do and are …. well, graduating. I don’t want to put words in the mouths of
these particular individuals, but our LCM-C students and graduates have been
part of at least two research projects trying to understand what attracts and
retains young adults to Church. Number one
answer: Being part of a group.
They come because others are
here. They stay because others also
stayed.
Put this in biblical or
theological terms and you get – they love being part of a flock. They appreciate being a sheep among other
sheep.
I would further add that many of
the Clemson alums speak of the importance of a sheep herd which includes sheep
with a bit more experience of being under the care of a watchful good
shepherd. They like being in a congregation
rather than simply in a student only group.
Of course they would say that – this is the ministry we offer – but it
is significant that they lift this up and realize how much this has affected
their experience.
Sheep were never intended to be
alone. A lone sheep is a lost
sheep. A lone sheep is vulnerable to
injury and starvation and attack. Something
deep within us knows this. This is why
we respond so emotionally to images of a good shepherd who will watch over us.
There is a tendency in our
culture to think of how this applies to “me.”
We have been schooled to ask how this affects us as individuals. Maybe that is one of the reasons Church
involvement is becoming less popular. In
the Church which bears the names and the marks of Jesus, we are encouraged to
think of ourselves as one among others. Here,
we are being schooled to lose ourselves for the sake of the whole.
It may cut against the grain of
so much of what is being taught in other places, but it what a comfort it is to
know that there is a good shepherd, searching for us when we are lost,
reclaiming us when we are found, and placing us among others who will walk with
us to the place with still waters and green pastures.
Amen.
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