4 Easter B - Good Shepherd Sunday

4 Easter B - 5/7/06

The Rev. Valerie A. Hart, Ph.D.

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, Brentwood

Yesterday, as you may have seen on the news, the Diocese of California elected its new bishop. You can find information about him at the diocesan website. If you want more information about the process you can speak to one of your delegates.

In the Gospel reading for today Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd.  The diocese has elected a new shepherd, and in the prayer of that day we asked that God “send us as shepherds to rescue the lost, to heal the injured, and to feed one another with knowledge and understanding.” I like that prayer a great deal because it speaks to me of how we are all called to continue the ministry that Jesus began.

Let’s take a moment to think about the roles of a shepherd.

1.   The shepherd comforts the sheep. In the 23^rd psalm is a psalm of incredible comfort. It says, “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” In the midst of struggle and pain the greatest comfort is to know that you do not walk alone. Jesus is a companion with us, he is the shepherd who walks beside us, even when we are going through deep and dark valleys. The shepherd comforts just by his presence.

2.   The shepherd also leads. The shepherd knows the way to green pastures and still waters. Sheep are not too smart. They would get lost, and perhaps starve, if they did not have someone to show them the way to good food and water. The shepherd walks ahead and the sheep follow behind.

3.   Although sheep have a tendency to follow, they also have a tendency to be very stubborn. Sometimes the shepherd leads, but the sheep don’t move. At times, instead of leading the shepherd has to get behind and nudge the sheep along. Sometimes it’s a gentle encouragement, sometimes the staff that is such a comfort can also be a motivator.

4.   But of course if the sheep are moving they do not always follow the direction the shepherd has been leading them. Sheep are led easily, but they are also easily led astray. The slightest distraction, and they have forgotten all about following the shepherd. An attractive bit of grass, a pretty flower, another sheep wandering, and the sheep is headed in the wrong direction. So the shepherd sometimes needs to use his shepherds crook to reach out and pull the sheep back on the right path. Sometimes that comforting staff needs to be used for discipline.

5.   Sometimes the flock gets separated. Then the shepherd has to bring the flock back together again. He has to go searching and seeking the sheep that are lost, even if that means leaving the others for a while. It’s not that the shepherd cares more for one sheep than another, it is just that there are times when one needs more attention.

The shepherd has a lot of duties. The owner cannot be in the lead and also making sure that the slow ones in the back keep up. He can’t be comforting the sheep that are afraid and also be searching for the ones who have strayed. If the flock is large, the owner of the flock will get help. Sometimes sheep dogs can help keep the flock together. But they are not able to decide where the flock is to go. They don’t know where the fresh water or green pastures are, but they do know the shepherd. A well trained sheep dog is constantly looking to the shepherd to know which way to steer the sheep. The dog runs around the flock, barking at one who is starting to stray, nipping at the ones moving too slowly, keeping an eye out that none get too far away, but always he is encouraging the flock to follow the shepherd.

The shepherd may also hire other people to help shepherd the flock. These hired hands also need to look to the shepherd, the owner, for direction. A good hired hand can be trusted by the owner to take the flock where he is told. If the owner says to take the flock up the mountain side, that is what the hired hand should do. Along the way he encourages the sheep and does his best to keep the sheep from straying. Of course the hired hands sometimes make mistakes. They are not has competent as the owner, they may get lost themselves, or not be able to find a lost sheep. And, as Jesus makes clear, the hired hand does not give his life for the sheep.

We are all called to help the shepherd. We are not the owners of the flock. There is only one owner, and that is the one who created the flock, the one who knows his sheep better than they know themselves. There is only one shepherd, and that is Christ. He is the one who values the sheep even more than his own life. It is Christ who died and rose again to demonstrate to the sheep that they are truly loved. Christ is our shepherd and through his death he showed us how deeply we are loved.

We are called to help the Shepherd. We work for him. We are to always look to him to know where to guide the sheep. We call the bishops the shepherds of their dioceses because they are given authority to lead the flock. They don’t lead the flock where they want to go, but where they understand the owner, the Good Shepherd, wants the flock to go. Bishops are the hired hands who are trusted by the shepherd enough lead the flock. Clergy on the other hand often refer to themselves as sheep dogs. We’re the ones running around barking all the time.

But we are all called to do the work of the Good Shepherd, not just those of us who are ordained.

     We are doing the work of the Good Shepherd when we walk with someone. Just by our presence with them on their journey, they are strengthened and comforted. We express the love of a shepherd when we listen to a person who is grieving, when we visit someone in the hospital, when we silently hold the hand of someone who is lonely.

When we live a life of love and integrity we become an example for others to follow. As the letter from John sates let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. We lead by our actions, we inspire others through our truth. In this way we show a shepherd’s love by our example.

Has there ever been a time when you saw one of your church friends avoiding following a call? You know, they have a sense of what Christ wants them to do, but they keep finding reasons not to move forward. Sometimes we show a shepherd’s love by getting behind and giving someone a nudge, or a loving kick in the….well you know.

We sometimes find it particularly difficult to tell someone when they are getting off the path, when they are going in the wrong direction. We don’t want to hurt their feelings; we don’t want to rock the boat; we don’t want to butt in. But, as said above, we are to live in truth and action. Love involves telling the truth, even when it is difficult or painful. People grow by learning how they have effected others. People get back on track only when someone cares enough to let them know they are going astray.

Finally, there are a lot of stray sheep out there. People wandering around with no idea which direction to go. People who have been led astray and have no idea how to get back to the flock. People who are living lives of isolation without realizing that there is a flock and there is a shepherd. We, as the shepherds hired hands, have a responsibility to seek out the lost sheep and guide them home. It is not enough for us to enjoy the great gift that we have received as followers of Christ, we are also called to share that gift with others.

Some of these may be more comfortable to you than others, I certainly have my comfort zones and my areas of discomfort, but we belong to the Good Shepherd. Christ did not call us to be comfortable. He is there to comfort us, but not so that we could stay comfortable. We are called to do Christ’s work in the world. We are all called to be shepherds for others.

I read about a church that has a group of people who are designated as shepherds. When a new person comes to their church they take on the responsibility of helping that person in their journey with Christ. This begins with making sure they feel welcome. For example they may helped to find their way in the prayer book, or to the bathroom. But it is a caring for the other that doesn’t end after that first visit. There is an intentional effort to keep in contact, to make sure that they meet others, to answer questions about the church, to encourage getting involved in programs, to walk with them through difficult times, to support them on their journey with Christ. These people take to heart the call to be  shepherds, and it is a powerful ministry. Great friendships can come from this, and a great sense of accomplishment.

I’d like to explore starting that kind of program here. Pray about it, see how you are being called to be a shepherd. We are all called. We may have different gifts and different ways of expressing those gifts. Some may be called to the ministry of presence by visiting people in a nursing home. some may seek out the lost and have a gift for telling others about Christ. Others may have a gift of discernment and feel called to help others hear where God is calling them. We are all different, but we are all called, we are all called to serve the Good Shepherd. How will you respond to that call?