Hearing the Voice of Jesus
By this point in our worship service this morning I’m sure you have noted the many times we have heard the word “shepherd” spoken – we heard it in the opening prayer, in each of the 3 scripture readings, and in the psalm that we said responsively. In a few minutes we’ll sing a variation of the most familiar psalm about the shepherd in our song of the day. This “shepherd” thing seems to be a theme.
The Fourth Sunday of Easter is typically called “Good Shepherd Sunday”. Why is it called that?, you ask. Because every year the gospel reading for this Sunday always comes from the 10th chapter of John; the chapter where Jesus speaks extensively about being the good shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).
Shepherds and sheep were common sights in the region where Jesus lived and there are many stories about shepherds and sheep throughout the Bible.
Shepherding was done mostly by young women and youth.
Rebekah, wife of Isaac and mother of Jacob, was a shepherd prior to her marriage.
The most well known shepherd in the Old Testament was David, a young boy chosen by God to be king of Israel (and who wrote many of the psalms we still read today).
Shepherds appear early in the New Testament. It is the shepherds who are in the field keeping watch over their flock by night, when the angel of the Lord appears before them and brings them good news of great joy for all people, that a savior, who is the Messiah, has been born (Luke 2).
Imagine, the good news of great joy was first shared with the shepherds, some of the poorest people living in the fields, the outer edges of society.
This is what Jesus calls himself – compares himself to – the shepherd of the sheep; who calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (John 10:2). Jesus does not stand among the rich and the powerful (although he is their shepherd as well); rather, Jesus can always be found at the center of those who are poor and marginalized and living on the outer edges of society.
Shepherding was a hard and lowly job; nothing glamorous about it. It meant staying awake at night; keeping alert; attentive to the dangers in the environment; watching out for predator animals and thieves and bandits; lying down as the gate between the sheep pasture and the wilderness; protecting the sheep; keeping them safe; guarding their lives; living among the sheep and knowing each one by name. The relationship between the shepherd and the sheep was close and intimate.
Shepherding was also an important job. Sheep valuable – as a source of income, a source of food, and they also were used for sacrifices at the temple. Their well-being was important for the survival of the community.
Those of us who have little up close experience with sheep tend to think sheep are not too bright; one might even say they are dumb. Or at least this is the stereotype we have of sheep.
Turns out we are wrong. Scientists at the University of Cambridge have done research that shows that sheep have a high degree of intelligence. They can recognize as many as 50 different faces – of sheep, humans, and other animals – and this memory can stay with them for years. And they are able to experience a wide range of emotions. These are signs of intelligence; sheep may be smarter than we think.
Except when they are afraid. When sheep feel threatened or lost (separated from their flock) or in a precarious situation, their brains shut down and sheep do dumb things. Like run away. Or get stuck on a cliff or entangled in a thicket of shrubs. That’s when they are most vulnerable; most at risk for getting lost or going astray or eaten by a predator. That’s when they most need to hear the familiar voice of their shepherd, calling them by name and leading them out of danger. The sheep follow (their shepherd) because they know his voice (John 10:4).
Sounds almost human, doesn’t it? As human beings, as people created in God’s own image, created with an innate intelligence and reasoning and emotions; we have the capacity to think and ponder deeply and to empathize with other people, with love and compassion and justice and wisdom. We have the ability to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with (our) God (Micah 6:8).
Except when we are afraid. When we feel threatened or lost (separated from our shepherd and our flock) or in a precarious situation, our brains shut down and we do and say dumb things. We run away from God. We get stuck in our own point of view and our own way of doing things (because we’ve always done it this way). We get entangled in the thick lies of this present world – we listen to the loud voices we hear all around us – voices telling us that might makes right; that war is the way to peace; that money is the source of all happiness (and the more money you have, the happier you will be); that some people (that is, white people) are superior to other people and that some people (that is, white wealthy able-bodied males) are better equipped to lead than other people.
Lies – these are all lies. These are the external forces that defy God; the powers of this world that rebel against God; the ways of sin that draw us away from God. This is the sin we reject and the evil we renounce every time we affirm our baptism.
The truth is that it is when we are most afraid that we must listen most closely for the voice of the Good Shepherd, the one who is looking for us and calling us by name. When we hear that voice and recognize that voice, we must follow it, willingly and eagerly, for it is that voice which leads us into the abundant life that God has prepared for us.
And that is our hope – is it not? That the Lord God will search for us, God’s own sheep, and will sort us out (Ezekiel 34:11); that God’s own self will gather us together and set us in the good grazing land and the rich pasture God has prepared for us, where we will be safe and well fed; and we will respond with a joyful noise and thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 100). We will be content; secure; ready to follow the voice of our God and shepherd wherever that voice may lead us. Even when it leads us someplace new.
As people who follow Jesus, we believe that Jesus is the one anointed and sent by God to be our shepherd; to be our leader; our protector; the guardian of (our) souls (1 Peter 2:25), who brings us back to God when we go astray.
As people who follow Jesus, we believe that Jesus is still shepherding us, calling us by name, leading us out into the abundant riches of new life in the kin-dom of God.
In this particular community of faith, known as Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, you have heard the voice of God calling you to follow the example of Jesus, acting boldly to build community with diverse people and to nurture creation.
May you continue to hear that voice – and listen to that voice – as you commit yourselves to this ongoing Season of Discernment and Mission Revitalization and continue through the Call Process.
May you act boldly and without fear in response to what you hear, working to build up God’s kin-dom in and through this holy place for the sake of the whole world that God so dearly loves.
May you follow the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, that leads us all to abundant life.
Alleluia! Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!