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May 7, 2006
Pastor David Swenson
John 10:11-18
Jesus used the image of shepherd quite frequently in his brief three year ministry. He told a story about a shepherd who left the 99 sheep to fend for themselves and went looking for the one that was lost.
He saw the crowds following him and felt they were like sheep without a shepherd.
He told another story about sheep being separated from the goats by a shepherd.
All of those images culminate with the lesson today in which Jesus says I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
Jesus was a very effective communicator who understood his culture and used everyday examples to express eternal truths about God-
Shepherds were part of Jesus heritage. Abraham, the father of Israel, kept great flocks of sheep. Moses tended the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, when God called him for his mission.
David learned the art of war against predators while tending sheep for his family.
Ezekiel and Isaiah used the shepherd image frequently in their messages.
(Poimen is a Greek word for shepherd) but it was much more than that a keeper of sheep. Its meaning was connected to the image of king. In Greek culture it also was used as a metaphor for king.
That is all well and good but it just doesn’t do much for me, it just doesn’t connect.
Rolf Jacobson in an excellent presentation entitled ‘how we study the Bible’ talks about this very thing. Some of us saw this and read the article a few weeks ago.
In reading the Bible we recognize it comes from another time and another culture.
So it talks of God as a Shepherd. Prof Jacobson continues “I have never met a shepherd, I don’t plan on meeting any shepherd soon, we don’t have shepherds in the biblical context in the United States.”
Shepherd doesn’t work for me and I doubt it works for you either. But in scripture shepherd is a fundamental metaphor for king. The fundamental picture in Jesus day and culture of what a good king was like was a good shepherd.
So we borrow very slightly from the image of shepherd but picture Jesus in the image of a good king- much more using words from our culture and time - Jesus as a good leader, a good mentor, and a good guide in making our way through the obstacles of life.
I. I believe we have another yin and yang here. Remember that? I used that image last year sometime.
From ancient Chinese philosophy it explains a cosmic truth. Two opposing forces operating in the world-
Yin-passive, dark, downward seeking
Yang-light, active, upward focused
Jesus as leader, mentor, guide-relationally we are both drawn to that image and repelled by it-yin/yang.
We are created with an innate need for guidance, leadership, some would call it ‘shepherding’. That voice that calls out ‘I just wish someone would tell me what to do’. We even connect that to a need for God. I wish God would be a little more clear on what He wants me to do here. We want counselors to guide us, trainers to get us in shape, mentors to give us the wisdom to succeed.
People consult their horoscopes, count the number of psychics who have store front shops on 4th street. We yearn for answers, guidance, help.
But yet at the same time there is the voice within that cries out-don’t try and tell me what to do, I will decide for myself, I can do it on my own, our children say ‘my parents are always telling me what to do’-I just wish they would get off my case. In our culture we admire decisiveness. We financially reward the loner who never needs help.
Yin and yang-that is who we are.
We cry for answers but yet are repelled by people who want to provide them.
Jesus comes saying- “I am the good leader, I am your mentor, I am your guide.”
We are ambivalent, drawn to and away from that image at the same time.
How do we overcome our ambivalence of being drawn to and repelled by the same voice that calls to us?
The image Jesus shares of Good Shepherd has three timeless qualities to help us overcome the yin/yang we feel.
II. As the good shepherd or king or leader or guide or mentor Jesus says “I know my own and my own know me”.
I believe too often the emphasis is put on the insight that Jesus is not a hired hand or an employee, he is the owner. And as owner he takes better care of what he owns than one of his employees. Any small business owner will tell you the same thing. An employee who has the same passion as the owner is a rare commodity.
But let’s turn it the other way-it also means we are owned by God. That is another way of saying ‘we are created as a part of God’s family’.
The implication being that we are created to belong. Therefore we yearn for direction, for answers, for guidance! Why? Because that is the way we are created.
Augustine’s prayer “our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You” expresses the insight that we are created to be connected to our owner.
How well do you know the Owner? How well do you know Jesus?
We can intellectually know all about Jesus.
We can relationally be connected to Jesus.
We can spiritually be in tune with Jesus.
But our hearts remain restless until we realize our dependence on Him for guidance, mentoring, and leadership. Why because we are owned by Him.
III. Jesus said “the hired hand runs away because he does not care for the sheep”.
The Good Shepherd cares for each of his sheep. One of my favorite stories of Jesus is a shepherd story. Remember the parable of the lost sheep? I mentioned it earlier.
What man of you, Jesus begins the story, who has 100 sheep, if he has lost one does not leave the 99 and goes after the one that is lost?
The audience chuckles because it makes absolutely no sense to leave 99 perfectly good sheep and go off looking for the one that got lost.
But in the story Jesus tells that is exactly what the shepherd does. He leaves 99 dumb, helpless sheep and goes looking for the one that is even more helpless and dumber than the rest. It is the exact opposite of ‘tough love’. Remember when that parenting style was introduced? A child is held accountable for their actions and parents do not enable the child to be irresponsible.
It almost sounds like the shepherd is enabling the sheep to continue to get lost, doesn’t it?
But God’s seeking love transcends our wandering ways.
That is how deeply our mentor, leader, cares about each one of us.
To feel that deep abiding caring relationship helps us overcome our ambivalence and be drawn to Jesus for guidance and mentoring.
Just as a child who feels deeply cared for and loved, seeks out guidance and advice from a parent.
III. Which animal are you and I most like?
Have you ever seen a dog and its owner who look alike? I am not talking about that kind of likeness!
In the Bible do you know what we are most compared to? Sheep!
Ps 100:3-we are God’s people, the sheep of his pasture
Ps 77- We are His flock
Isaiah 40- God tends His flock as a shepherd
Jesus had compassion for people because they were like sheep without a shepherd
Isaiah 53 - all we like sheep have gone astray
Sheep are not very smart, therefore they need protection!
The good shepherd who owns the flock protects them, the hired hand does not protect them because there is no ownership-caring link.
What kind of protection from robbers and wolves do we need today?
What do we need protection from?
Anything that robs us of being in the presence of God. What is it that takes us away from being in relationship with the owner?
Ø Bitterness at God because you feel God let you down.
Ø Busyness in life. (Center for Ethical Orientation connects busyness with evil-“evil begins to infiltrate systems and businesses when people are too distracted by seemingly more pressing priorities”.)
Ø An ego that unconsciously believes life ought to revolve around self.
Ø Envy and greed.
Ø A mind that rationalizes and justifies God, Jesus, worship into a box of being irrelevant in our culture.
The wolves and robbers around us are real and powerful. They seek to separate us from our leader, mentor, guide, and Savior.
We may be dumb like sheep but we are not as dumb as we look! Because we know we have an inborn need for a Shepherd, guide, mentor.
And we know that our hearts remain restless until they find their rest in You, o God.
Amen.
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