God calls us to be Under Shepherds

Summary

This is Good Shepherd Sunday.  The Fourth Sunday after Easter.  The church year is in 3-year cycles for the Scripture liturgically, yet we read a part of this chapter in John’s Gospel every year.  It is seen to be that important in our Christian lives.  Our sermon hymn today begins, The Lord is my Shepherd.

The Gospel begins with those most familiar and comforting words:  “I am the Good Shepherd.”(beautiful in holiness, or honored in Greek)   It conjures up for us peace, rest, safety, security.  Perhaps we envision a bucolic green pasture – where we enjoy the sunshine and smell of the outdoors, comforted, calm, assured in looking up and seeing the Lord tenderly caring for us, his flock.  This gift, this promise of Jesus that he is our Good Shepherd — we must treasure indeed.  We appeal to the Good Shepherd when times are tough, when we are in crisis.  Sometimes when we simply want to be enfolded in the arms of a loving parent who will keep us safe from all harm. And this Good Shepherd Sunday, we worship in thankfulness for God’s gift of Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

 Today, let’s ask a couple of questions.  Why did Jesus describe himself as “I am the Good Shepherd”?  Earlier in John’s Gospel, Jesus says, I am the bread of life, I am the Light of the World.  Most theologians agree to seven of these “I am sayings” ) (7 I ams – ego emi in Greek) – each of the seven are in the book of John. I am the Bread of Life (6:35-40), I am the Light of the World (8:12-13) I am the vine, (15:1-11 Jesus constantly and patiently finds ways to teach people who He is.  To communicate God’s role for Him.

 This “I am” statement, I am the Good Shepherd, is strong and intentional in meaning.  In the previous 2 chapters of John, religious leaders interrogate/question who Jesus says he is.  In Chapter 8, the religious leaders – the Pharisees — accuse Jesus of having a demon (8:48).  In Chapter 9, Jesus is approached after healing a blind man (9:34). “We are disciples of Moses – not you, we don’t even know where you come from.”  In other words, they boast — we are the religious leaders here, the proper shepherds of the flock. And who are you anyway? 

 Jesus’ response, “I am the Good Shepherd” must have hit them like a punch to the stomach.  These interrogators, proud of their Biblical scholarly learnings, would immediately realize that Jesus was using the words of the prophet Ezekial.   Ezekial, similarly seeing the corruption amongst religious leaders of his days, calls out, “You shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves!! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them.”

Ezekial ends with …….For thus says the Lord God—- I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. (vv. 1-5,11).

 By using this “I am, “I am the Good Shepherd,” Jesus is letting the religious establishment know that He came in fulfillment of Ezekial’s words of God – I have been sent by God as God’s Shepherd.  THE Good, the Beautiful in Holiness Shepherd,  I am the Shepherd who God, the Lord God, the Creator, has sent directly to seek out God’s sheep.    A true shepherd does not FEED OFF the flock, but feeds their flocks.  While you declare to be shepherds, it is I who has been sent by God – I serve my Father and strengthen the weak, heal the sick, seek the lost.   I will not use power for my own sake –Jesus says, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” [And you, self-pronounced religious leaders?]

Another question — “Why doesn’t Jesus simply stop there?”  I am the Good Shepherd.  I lay down my life for you.  We have received the promise of eternal salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection – Hallelujah — what more can there be?

 Well, Jesus tells us.  He warns us that there are people out there pretending to be shepherds. In the previous verses, he warns of thieves, and bandits – today’s text uses hirelings.  The thieves and bandits being the religious leaders and scholars pretending to be the true shepherds of the Jewish people.  People in power, taking advantage of others.  Hirelings, as John uses today, refers to people who step in when the shepherd is gone, but without any commitment to the flock. It’s a short-time assignment, some extra money.  But no interest caring for the flock, listening for the voices, the calls, or risking oneself for a lost sheep.  For these three groups, it is about self-serving interests, certainly none of whom would lay down their lives.  Those who pretend to be shepherds while feeding only themselves!  We can’t just follow anyone – we are to use our minds, our hearts to follow only THE GOOD, the beautifully holy Shepherd!

 “Shepherds who are feeding themselves”, religious leaders, politicians, the sports and entertainment world, and the list goes on and on.  An endless array of ways in which the role of shepherd becomes shifted from feeding, caring, righting injustices, easing suffering to self-interests, personal egos, and all the attractions of power. 

 Thieves, bandits, hirelings, selfishly pursuing their own status and interests over those they purport to protect. Sometimes it seems that such false leadership has become so prevalent that it seems to be taken as almost “normal,” par for the course.  Is there any morality test – or is self- justification enough?  Lying is okay as long as you don’t get caught or have a good lawyer.

 Theologian and pastor, Scott Gustafson (Biblical Amnesia, 2004)  , in his book Biblical Amnesia, writes about what he calls a “dominator system,”  in which, and to quote, “The Pharisees could not even understand they were acting unjustly because they had devised a religious system that masked their injustice even from themselves…..it eliminated obligations of justice and morality and replaced these with legal and technical questions to accommodate the wishes of those in power.  Theologian William Temple similarly writes of this text that “…the sheep could be neglected because all obligations to justice had been met through technicalities” (the Temple) – (p. 65).

 To be frank, my meditations were becoming a bit depressing at these thoughts……..all over the world the powerful take advantage, the rich get richer…Those with power, dominate.

 Then Arnaud Beltrame came into the news.  Do you recognize this name?  Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame was the French police officer who was killed a few weeks ago in the line of duty.  Colonel Beltrame, along with his police  unit was called to the scene of a hostage situation in a local supermarket in a small town in southern France.  As called for in his leadership role with the unit, Beltrame began negotiations with the attacker, drawing the attacker’s attention away from his fellow officers who evacuated people from the supermarket.  There was one remaining hostage. In an amazing act of sacrifice, Beltrame offered himself in exchange for this young woman. You let the woman go, and I will take her place. The attacker agreed.  Minutes must have seemed like hours as his colleagues watched Beltrame “put down his weapon to join the attacker.” 

The exchange was made – the young woman was set free. Her life was saved.  Lieutenant Beltrame was now in the hands of the attacker.

 Beltrame had intentionally left his smartphone on so that his fellow Gendarmes could follow his actions. After shots rang out, the soldiers decided to storm the building, killing the attacker.  Beltrame had been shot and suffered mortal knife wounds to his throat.  Literally, Beltrame had laid down his life for another.  As a good shepherd lays down their life. 

 At the funeral, French President Macron said very poignant words.  I quote, With all his experience … he surely knew he had a rendezvous with death,”and “accepted to die so the innocent can live …..” Mr Macron said. “Others, even many who are brave, would have wavered or hesitated.”

 And Beltrame certainly had plenty of reasons.  Beltrame, 44 years old, was to be married in a few weeks.He was highly esteemed and decorated for his bravery during operations in Iraq, honored with a job protecting the Elysee Palace in Paris.  Heloved his job, and his family, seemingly with a whole life ahead of him.

 And those who knew him, said that is just the kind of person he was. This was not about bravery, ego, or domination. His mother said, when I heard the situation on the news, I knew it was my son.  The national chaplain, Father Arz,  of the Gendarmerie, spoke about the fact that Beltrame, who had become Christian a few years earlier, constantly radiated his faith with a selflessness in giving.   

 Father Arz continued, “To believe is not only to adhere to a doctrine. It is first to love God and your neighbor [AND] and to testify of your faith concretely in everyday life, in the happy or unhappy circumstances – whatever our lives bring us.” 

 So today’s text is two-fold.  Yes, we are, indeed, to love the Good Shepherd, the Beautiful in Holiness, with our whole hearts.  Know we are in his arms, in the green pastures, protected by the Good Shepherd. And, yes, we have a promise of salvation, not due to your works, but that the Good Shepherd protects us, feed us, cares for us – and lays down his life for us. 

 Yet, Jesus has called us not to be content in the comfort of green pastures. This is where our service to God begins, not ends! 

Later in John 21, Jesus asks Simon Peter if he loves Jesus.  Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.  Jesus replies, “Feed my lambs.” (v. 15)  Jesus repeats the question, with the same answer by Simon Peter, Jesus replies, “Tend my sheep.” (v 16). A third time, and Jesus replies, “Feed my sheep.” (v. 17)

 Malaysian theologian and preacher, Chua Wee Huin says that “Christ calls us to be his undershepherds.”  Be undershepherds.  In otherwords, Feed my sheep.  Get Involved. 

 Last week the world lost Winne Mandela. While controversial in many ways, she certainly was an undershepherd.  With all her bumps and bruises, she could have been content in the pasture – but was not.  The world is a better place because of undershepherds like Arnaud Beltrame, like Winne Mandela.

 Thankfully, few, if any, of us will find ourselves in such a dramatic and dangerous situations asLieutenant Beltrame and Winne Mandela as God’s undershepherds.  For the Lieutenant, to lay down our lives for another. 

Yet, we too, are each called in our own lives to be undershepherds.  To feed my sheep. To get involved. 

 So how do we respond to God’s call to be undershepherds of God.  Certainly the thieves, bandits, and hirelings were involved.  But, as Jesus states, it was not as undershepherds, and it was not God-centered. It was about personal agendas, domination – not about truly desiring to be God’s undershepherds.  To feed God’s sheep, not ourselves.   Get Involved in God’s plan, not ours.

Getting involved.  Big ways and little ways alike.   It sounds easy, but how often is it even easier to think things like, “I am new. Someone else knows more than me.” “I am here only temporarily, so no need to get “too” involved.” “I am too busy with things right now — school, work, kids, juggling too many things.” 

 But getting involved is essential to who we are as God’s sheep.  Jesus has challenged us – in fact, commanded us – to be His undershepherds.  To feed his sheep, to seek the lost to heal the sick. 

To, as the chaplain said, “constantly radiate our faith with a selflessness in giving.”  To testify of your faith concretely in everyday life, in the happy or unhappy circumstances – whatever our lives bring us.” 

 So, this Good Shepherd Sunday let us be comforted in knowing Jesus is the Good Shepherd. AND be inspired to seek ways to be undershepherds of THE Good Shepherd.  To feed God’s sheep.  To get involved.

Amen.

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