John 17:6-19 Parting Words

What would you say to someone if you knew that you were seeing them for the last time? If you were dying, what would be the last words you would say to your family and friends? If you’ve ever thought about the answers to these questions, then you can appreciate what was going through Jesus’ mind in the Gospel reading from John 17:6-19.

This reading is part of Jesus’ farewell speech to his disciples. He is preparing them for his death, resurrection and ascension. He knows that his disciples will be rejected by the world as he was. In this passage he hands over his mission to his disciples and all believers who come after them. The disciples have spent the last three years in training. Now it is time for them to pass the final test and go into the world.

Jesus’ farewell address can also be our farewell address to the world. When we die to self, we die to our old earthly way of life. We are disconnected from the world and connected to God when we live our lives in God’s mercy and kindness. If we have accepted that mercy and in return we show mercy and kindness to everyone we meet, then we are connected and present to God.

Jesus’s request was an expansive one. It was made on behalf of the disciples, but his thoughts travelled throughout history to today. His heart of love is bursting with the same message. Jesus prays that those who follow him will be protected to the end. Since Jesus is the one doing the praying, his request will be granted. He also prays that all believers will be united. That unity should be the norm, but unfortunately today it is the exception. There are still differences within and between denominations. For example, within our own worldwide Anglican Communion, there are divisions that have been caused by issues such as the ordination of women clergy and same-sex marriages. Within our own Anglican Church of Canada, we have seen several parishes leave because of the same issues. The only way Jesus’ prayer for unity can be achieved is through the regenerating and sanctifying work of the Trinity. 

The world Jesus lived in emphasized group identity or unity. People thought in terms of groups. We are to be a united group that does God’s work in our world. We are to be united in our homes, our relationships and our church bodies. We are a group that is set aside for a special use.

In spite of the lack of unity, we as believers are not to withdraw from the world. We are to stay in the world and be a positive influence. We must open our hearts to the real needs of our neighbours. We do this by putting aside our differences and working together to spread the Good News of the Gospel. For example, the different churches in this area have been able to come together in spite of differences in doctrine to create and support the local food bank and conduct ecumenical services.

Jesus’ true followers know his name and keep his words. They are vulnerable in this particular other worldliness, especially since the world hates followers of Jesus. The world is captive to a spirit that is alien to God’s spirit. It is governed by a sense of scarcity instead of abundance, fear instead of courage, and selfishness instead of sacrificial love. It is easy to be obsessed with what is in the world. Jesus encouraged his followers not to embrace the world’s values. We must remember that even though we are in the world, we are not of the world. Christians need only to remember that Jesus has promised to keep them separate from the world. Jesus does not run away in the face of danger. He offers an alternative spirit and reality. We have different desires, goals and a different God than people who live in the world. Our God helps us to be different by continually sanctifying us with the truth.

We are called on to go out into a world which has declared that God is dead and has not risen, because God never was dead. We are to share the good news that there is a God and that he lived among us in the person of Jesus Christ. We must be careful not to water down this message by turning it into a model for social work. We must hold on to the truth that our actions are a sign and witness to God’s love for the world and the future promise for all people. We are to heed the words of the hymn, “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”:

My gracious Master and my God,

assist me to proclaim,

to spread through all the earth abroad,

the honours of your name

We are in the world not to condemn it, but to love it. How do we do this without condemning the world or judging it? The answer can be found in the words of Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche communities. He said, “To love someone is not first of all to do things for them, but to reveal to them their true beauty, to say to them through our attitude, ‘You are beautiful. You are important. I trust you. You can trust yourself.’”  

Even though Jesus has left us physically, he is still with us in spirit-the Holy Spirit. We are not to dwell in feelings of despair or abandonment, because Jesus is always with us and we belong to him. Our belonging to him is an important part of the essential nature and purpose of God and Jesus. Because we belong to Jesus, we are holy and we are kept holy in the truth of God’s word. Because we are one with God, we will be rejected by the world. We don’t need to worry, because Jesus will protect us.

If we have an unfounded fear that causes us to withdraw from the world, we will fail to bring light into the world, and the dark world will remain devoid of the living church. This fear can be overcome by bearing our souls to our Lord and Maker, and being silent so we can hear his response. If we are transformed by God’s Spirit and have a strong spiritual core, we will shine a bright, holy light in the midst of darkness.

We are sanctified so that Christ can send us into the world to share the Gospel. Believers are to be united in the common belief of the truth of God’s Word. This unity in Christ is accomplished through God’s Word. It keeps us from evil. Our presence in the world blesses the world and protects fellow believers from evil. When we receive God’s Word and accept it, we glorify God.

Jesus sanctified himself for believers by presenting himself as a perfect sacrifice. He was the perfect sacrifice for us as well. He has the same concerns for us today that he did for his disciples. He sends us out into the world today in the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal his love and salvation wherever we go. We are to do this in spite of the challenges posed by our modern culture.

The disciples belonged to God the Father, and so do we. The origin of discipleship was in God’s heart. The operation of discipleship is through Jesus. The obligation of discipleship is obedience to the written word of God. The way a person regards the Bible is the way he/she regards Christ, the living Word.

Sanctification means that we must submit to God’s will for our lives. Submission to God is a key part of Jesus’ priestly prayer. It does not mean a loss of freedom. It means freedom from the bondage of sin and our own desires. It involves separating ourselves from evil influences and following the morals Jesus has given us. This sanctification is necessary because although Jesus defeated the devil on the cross, Satan is still loose in the world and conducting his campaign. We can’t be a disciple of Jesus without submitting to him in every area of our lives. Submission to Jesus is a life of liberty like we have never known before. Submission to God does not mean that we lose our identities. It is a sweet surrender to God. It gives us a purpose. When we die to our earthly lives, we live for Christ. Happiness depends on happenings in our lives, but joy depends on Jesus. Submission leads to happiness and joy. It mends our wounded souls.

When we submit to God’s will, he does not expect perfection from us in return. As long as we try our best to determine what God wants us to do in our lives, he will love us. Even though we live in a chaotic world where it’s hard for us to make sense of what’s going on and where there are too many things competing for our attention, we must remember that God’s love and our own call to love have to take priority. As long as we remember these two things, we will be living in the world but we will be part of what God wants for this world.

Bibliography

1.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

2.      Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol.27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)

3.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

4.      Dr. David Jeremiah, “Not of the World.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

5.      Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

6.      Michael Milton, “Four Myths about Submission in the Christian Life.” Retrieved from www.preaching.com

7.      Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 7^th Sunday of Easter (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

8.      Pastor McGee, “Set Apart.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com

9.      Christine Caine, “Not of this World.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com

10.  James Boyce, “Commentary on John 17:6-19.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1292

11.  David Lose, “The Other Lord’s Prayer.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=1492

12.  Peter Lockhart, “Sent Into the World.” Retrieved from http://revplockhart.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/sent-into-world.html

13.  The Rev. Thomas Brackett, “The Prayer That Won’t Let Me Go.” Retrieved from www.day1.org/3821_the_prayer_that_wont_let_me_go.print

14.  Dr. James Howell, “In but Not of the World.” Retrieved from http://www.day1.org/1256-in_but_not_of_the_world.print

15.  Fr. John Boll, O.P., “Volume 2: Ascension May 17, 2015”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

 

Acts 10:44-48 Visions and New Insights

The events we just heard about in Acts 10:44-48 occur as part of Peter’s first sermon to the Gentiles. Peter had received a vision from God. In that vision, a sheet unfolded from heaven. On that sheet were animals of all kinds, including animals that were unclean under Jewish law. God commanded Peter to eat, but Peter refused because of Jewish dietary laws. God replied that he has made these animals clean and what he made clean could be eaten. This vision was a metaphor for God’s command to expand Christianity to include the Gentiles, who were also considered to be unclean by the Jews.

At the same time Peter had his vision, Cornelius had a vision. Cornelius was a Roman centurion in Caesarea. He and his whole household (family members and servants) were God-fearing people. They accepted both the Jewish concept of one God and Jewish ethics. They may even have attended the local synagogue. Because they were Gentiles, they were not people Peter and others in the Jewish community would have thought to be included in God’s plan of salvation.

As a result of that vision, Cornelius sent representatives to see Peter and invite him to come and teach him and his family.  Just as in Peter’s vision, God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. It was during that meeting that the Holy Spirit came and touched Cornelius and his household. God sent several Jewish believers to accompany Peter, so together they could be witnesses when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Cornelius and his household.

Cornelius was a tough Roman soldier, but he was also drawn to the Jewish faith. He worshipped in the synagogue (albeit in a different section that was reserved for Gentile converts). Since the Jews treated the Gentiles with disdain, it’s a wonder that Cornelius put up with that treatment. Well, he did, because he was a seeker. Something told him that there was more to life than his earthly life. Something told him there was a God. His desire to know God was stronger than the rude treatment he received from the Jews. Even though the Jews welcomed Gentile converts, these converts were never completely accepted. Cornelius’ beliefs changed his behaviour and his personality. He gave alms to the poor and supported the synagogue. 

Honest seekers find what they are looking for. Jeremiah 29:13 states that God promises to hear the prayers of those who are looking for him.  God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to these Gentiles as a sign of his plan to accept Gentiles into the church without prior conversion to the Jewish faith. This more than makes up for humiliation and ridicule.

When the Holy Spirit touched Cornelius and his family, Peter immediately saw it as an opportunity to baptize them. Since they had received the substance of what the sign of water baptism points to, and since they had been changed by the Holy Spirit, it was inappropriate to withhold the sign that they were part of the body of believers. Baptism is not about salvation or going to heaven. The thief who died on the cross who believed in Jesus was not baptized before he died. Baptism is about being obedient to God, who commanded believers to be baptized once they became his disciples. The baptism of Cornelius and his household must have been one of the most joyous and moving in history. It, like all baptisms with water, was the outward sign of the inner Spirit baptism which had taken place. History was made, and consequently the Christian church took a whole new direction.  

Acts 10 marks the expansion of Christianity to include the Gentiles. This expansion was approved by both Peter and Paul. Without expansion, Christianity would have remained a sect of Judaism. Acts 10:44-48 marks a major shift in Peter’s ministry. It’s Peter’s conversion of sorts. He is torn between custom and convictions. The Holy Spirit whittled away the hardness of Peter’s heart toward those he had been taught to avoid. The Holy Spirit was the true preacher. It makes God’s Word come alive through-or in spite of-our words. It renegotiates our perceptions of others and what they can or cannot do. It changes our own character and leads us to other people whom God loves.

The Holy Spirit allows us to see things in new ways, just like Peter saw things in a new way because of his vision. The Holy Spirit opened Peter to new insights. It also gives us new insights into who needs to be a part of our church family. These insights force us to open our eyes and hearts to those who the world rejects. There is no room in the church for divisions caused by race, colour, social status or other divisions such as the one caused by your recent decision to tear down your church and build a new one or divisions caused by people who belong to different denominations. For example, my father told me that one time when he was in the local post office picking up mail a lady asked him what church he belonged to. When he said that he belonged to the Anglican Church in Liverpool, the lady replied, “Well, that’s what I was afraid of!” She turned around and walked right out of the post office!

Jesus’ friendship is one of mutual love and respect. Friends like Jesus expand our world, expose us to new and creative possibilities and sustain us when we are in need. The disciples did not have any idea what God was doing, what God was capable of, and who God was able to reach. They were close-minded and thought that the only way to God was the same way they came to God. We are the same. We often think that the way people should come to Christ is the same way that we came to Christ. The problem is that this is not the way God thinks or acts. God sees the entire picture, but we can only see a part of it. God sees a church where everyone is welcome, but we sometimes only see a church where people who look, think or act like us are welcome. Jesus said that the two Great Commandments are to love God and love people. When we emphasize the love of law instead of the law of love, we are going against God’s will. We must suspend the rules we have come to rely on and welcome what God is doing in our churches, our communities and our world. 

During World War I, a Protestant chaplain serving with American troops became friends with a local Catholic priest when they were stationed in Italy. When it was time for his unit to move on, the chaplain joined them, but he was killed shortly thereafter. When the priest learned of the chaplain’s death, he wrote to the chaplain’s commanding officers and offered to bury the body in the cemetery behind the priest’s church. The officers knew that the chaplain and the priest were friends, and so they gave permission. The Catholic Church authorities, on the other hand, were opposed. They told the priest that the body could not be buried in the cemetery because the chaplain was a Protestant.

After the war, one of the men who served with the chaplain visited Italy and met with the old priest. The veteran wanted to pay his respects at the chaplain’s grave, and to his surprise he was taken to a grave inside the fence! The veteran knew of the church’s refusal to allow the body to be buried in the cemetery, so he asked the priest if he had received permission to move the body. The priest shook his head and said, “They told me where I could not bury the body, but they did not tell me that I could not move the fence.”

God did the same thing for the Gentiles. He moved the fence that the Jews built to keep the Gentiles out. He moved the fence to include all of us.  In return, we need to welcome everyone, just like this church welcomed Vietnamese refugees twice in the 1980s. We need to welcome everyone just like this church did when it started the local food bank in the 1980s. Even though the local church may say that it welcomes everyone, there are people in our community who will never really understand that because they are suspicious of our motives or they have their own prejudices or attitudes.  A good example is an incident that happened to me and my mother a couple of weeks ago. I took her to church for the first time since she had her stroke. Unfortunately, because of her stroke her ability to control certain types of bodily functions has been negatively affected. I won’t go into specifics in order not to offend anyone’s sensitivities, but when she had the related “problems” (for lack of a better word), the affects were obvious to the congregation. Certain members took offense. To make matters worse, these members did not approach me directly with their concerns. They talked about them behind my back when they approached my brother in the grocery store. How can we reach people when they feel they can’t reach out to us?

We, like the Spirit-filled Gentiles in the Book of Acts, need to rediscover the depth of our disbelief and disobedience even if that is not the politically correct thing to do. We need to realize that we hunger and thirst for the story of Jesus and his love for everyone. We need to run to the waters of baptism and drown our old sin-filled lives. We need to be raised from spiritual death and filled with a passion for the Gospel, because it will make one helluva difference in our world.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013)

2.      Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 6^th Sunday of Easter (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

3.      Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983)

4.      Witherington, B. III: The Acts of the Apostles: a socio-rhetorical commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.; 1998)

5.      Jacob Myers, “Commentary on Acts 10:44-48.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1294

6.      Rick Morley, “Even Astonished.” Retrieved from http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/1585

7.      Samuel D. Zumwalt, “Easter People Baptize.” Retrieved from http://www.predigten.uni-goettingen.de/archiv-81060-521-8-e.html

8.      Jeremiah, Dr. David: The Revolution that Changed the World (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers. Inc.; 2015, pgs. 179-194)

9.      Exegesis for Acts 10:44-48. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

 

Colossians 2:8-23 Jesus is the Solution for All of Our Problems

Have you ever had a problem that was so bad that you couldn’t solve it yourself? Did you wish that the problem would just go away? Well, the apostle Paul has the answer in Colossians 2:8-23. He argues that the cross is the answer to our deepest needs.

It took the sacrificial love of Jesus as expressed on the cross for people to come back to God. This change will provide us with the strength, wisdom, courage, love and otheresources that we need to deal with our problems. The heart is the root of the problem. God understands this and he goes for the root cause of our problem. He promised to take away our hearts of stone, and he did this by joining us to Christ’s death.

Christ’s death was a sacrifice in the style of the Old Testament sacrifices. These rituals involved sacrificing animals to atone for the sins of the people. The problem was that the priests in the temple were human and they had to atone for their own sins as well as making sacrifices for the sins of the people. The view at that time was that God was an angry god who was only satisfied with sacrifices. Jesus was the perfect, sinless sacrifice for the sins of the people, and his sacrifice on the cross had a much deeper meaning than the Old Testament sacrifices.  

When we have problems the cross meets us at the point of our deepest needs. First, the cross is love at its deepest and purest. It is the kind of love that allows God to forgive us and reconcile us to him. This love allows us to love others and receive the love others have for us.

The second need is for forgiveness. We are sinners, and in times of trouble this reality often hits close to home. Through the cross God forgives us and nails our sins to the cross. Once these sins have been nailed to the cross, God forgives them and forgets them.

The third need is for community. Families can be torn apart by our modern society. In larger towns and cities people often don’t know their neighbours. Our thirst for material happiness has isolated us. We need to be connected to other people. The good news is that we are all united and equal at the foot of the cross. Just like he was lifted up on the cross, Christ draws us to him and to each other.

The fourth need we have is a cause to live and die for. That cause is the cross. When we centre ourselves in Christ, the more sensitive we become to the needs of people around us. We die to self, sin and pride. The love that is motivated by the cross becomes our reason for living. God has taken the initiative through the Cross to unite us to him.  

One of the problems we have to deal with in our spiritual lives is false teachers. They exist only to cheat us out of the life we have in Christ. They claim to know God, but they aren’t necessarily mature in the faith. There are countless people who know the Scriptures but don’t apply them to their lives. Their leadership is based on so-called visions and revelations. These claims are false because Jesus was God’s final and complete revelation to mankind. Jesus is the only person we can trust. He is the only one who warrants our allegiance and trust. The person who knows only one verse of Scripture and applies it is more spiritually mature than the one who knows many verses and applies none of them.

The recent information explosion caused by the Internet and the 500 plus TV channels we can receive has made it more difficult to know whom to trust, especially when it comes to biblical teaching. Many so called “preachers” and “theologians” have gained a platform by teaching things that are the opposite in what is written in the Bible. We must not let charm and charisma determine what teachings we will accept. We must put ourselves under solid, biblical teaching so we can be rock-solid in our faith.

One of the false teachings we have to be aware of is the legalism, or the rules and regulations of Old Testament law or fundamentalist denominations. Christ is the substance by which all things are measured out, not rules or regulations.

Paul rebuffs four deceptions that undermine Christianity-philosophy, deceit, the traditions of man and the basic principles of the world. He does this with a definitive statement regarding the identity of Christ. Believers have everything they need in Jesus. Believers are buried in Christ through the water of baptism and are raised to new life through faith. Sin, death and hell do not have a claim on us anymore. God made a public spectacle of his enemies when Jesus was triumphant over death. We do not have to submit to anything Jesus has conquered. Jesus has solved out biggest problem, and he can help us solve all of our smaller ones as well.

Jesus has united all believers through his death and resurrection. He erased our sin-debt. He has created a relationship with us, and that relationship allows us to live the Christian life. He gives us the resources we need to defend ourselves and to be successful in life.

Bibliography

1.      Dunnam, M.D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

2.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

3.      Lucado, M: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2010)

4.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

5.      Pastor Jack Hibbs, “Be Filled.” Retrieved from wttw@calvarycch.org

6.      Ron Moore, “The Real Thing.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org

7.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

8.      Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Day I died.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

9.      “The Danger of Many Bible ‘Experts’.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

 

John 10:11-18 Jesus, the Good Shepherd

John 10:11-18 is part of a longer discourse in which Jesus tells his disciples and us that he is the way to heaven and eternal life. In this passage he explains this concept by comparing himself to a shepherd. The image of a shepherd was one that was common among members of his audience. Palestine was more of a pastoral region than an agricultural region, so shepherds were very common. Sheep are quite dumb. They will follow anyone who leads them, even if it means that they will be led astray. A good shepherd watches out for his flock and protects them even to the point of sacrificing himself.

We, like sheep, are vulnerable and oblivious to the dangers around us. Like sheep, we live in a wilderness, and that wilderness is called our earthly lives These earthly lives, with their emphases on putting ourselves first, shun the notion of putting off pleasure for the good of others. Our society emphasizes self-indulgence and shuns self-giving. In spite of this, there are people who are willing to give up something in exchange for something far greater. They sacrifice themselves for people they love and things they have faith in.  Sacrifice is a measure of their character and values. It proves the worth of their words and intentions.

There are many people in our world today who want to lead us. The question we have to ask ourselves is, “Who can we trust to lead us and not lead us astray?” We can’t trust politicians because they often make promises and don’t keep them. We can’t always trust ministers because they are human and are subject to human weaknesses unless they lead us in true faith. Ministers are replaceable. Most churches change their ministers every few years, especially if the minister is called to lead another flock. The minister must not be the one who makes us stay or go. Something even bigger must catch us, connect us and make us want to go deeper.

That something is the only one who we can trust to lead us. He is the only person who can back up his claims-Jesus. He accepts us as members of his flock. He gives us boundaries that will protect us. He gives us spiritual nourishment, rest, refreshment and joy. He gives himself away by laying down his life for us. He gives himself away to bring us closer to God. He protects us from Satan’s attempts to distract us while we are on our Christian walk of life. He gives our lives meaning and purpose. He is good all of the time. He will give us a rich life filled with purpose and true happiness. The eternal life he offers is absolutely wonderful and can never be diminished or taken away from us.  

Jesus is our shepherd. He gave up the splendour and glory of heaven so that we could have the type of eternal life I referred to earlier. He protects us and guides us if we let him. He gave up his life on the cross so that we would have eternal life. In contrast, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were nothing more than hired hands. They were poor shepherds. They were selfish, but Jesus was selfless. They abandoned the flock to save themselves, but Jesus laid down his life for the people. The religious leaders obeyed their own lusts, but Jesus completely obeyed his Father. The religious leaders cared only about themselves and their “chosen ones”, but Jesus was for everyone, even people who had not heard the good news-people such as the Samaritans and the Gentiles.

Our lives have a rhythm. We can feel when the rhythm is good. Everything is going well, and everything works together. We can also feel it when our lives are out of rhythm. They are forced. We feel drained. We ask ourselves why life is so hard. Jesus the good shepherd tells us that he came to show us how to live a life that is in sync with God. Like a good shepherd, Jesus came to show us the very best way to live the life God wants us to lead. 

A good shepherd has three outstanding characteristics:

1.      He has love and compassion.

2.      He knows each of his sheep by name.

3.      He places his body between sheep and vicious animals. He will die protecting the sheep.

Jesus has all three of these characteristics in abundance. His love and compassion are outstanding. He knows all of his people by name. He knows the weak and the strong, the stubborn and the submissive, the hurts and needs of every sheep. He sacrificed himself on the cross so that we could have eternal life.  

Every day Jesus surrounds us with opportunities, challenges, difficulties and decisions…and his grace. Even more, he wants us to live that life to the fullest. We are not perfect people, but we can still have that abundant life. Because he gave up his life for us on the cross like a good shepherd, we can have that abundant life. We have forgiveness and eternity. We are not alone, because he is with us, and he will be with us for all eternity.

The image of a Good Shepherd is a comforting one. We can take comfort in the knowledge that Jesus loves us and cares for us. We, like sheep, are vulnerable to attack. A good shepherd will protect us from attack, whereas a hired hand will flee to protect himself. A good shepherd leads his flock to where it needs to go for food, shelter and protection. We, like sheep, know and trust the shepherd. We, like sheep, know every inflection of his voice, the way he leads us to pasture, and his courage in the face of danger.

Jesus will never desert us. He will always be with us. He comforts us. Our sins have been forgiven. We have been adopted into the family of faith. Our prayers will be heard. We will have help for our problems. All we have to do is submit to his word and respond to his message in faith. That involves being thankful for Jesus and all the good shepherds who try to follow him and do his good work.

Jesus leads us to where we need to go. He leads us to the green pastures of our heavenly home. He protects us from the devil’s attacks. He laid down his life for us on the cross. The image of the good shepherd is a sign of Jesus’ divinity. The sacrificial lamb overcame Satan’s power. It turned the earthly view of power upside down. 

Jesus is not an intermediary. He represents God’s love and our positive response. Jesus’ death reveals God’s love to us and our response to that love. We are called on to be shepherds, witnesses of God’s love. That love sustains us and the world. It also protects us and suffers with us. We are called on to show that love. That love encourages us to care for others, especially those who are suffering. It calls on us to move from words to action.

We are to care for others as God has cared for us. We are to work for their safety and security. We are not to refuse to help. We are to support others in using their own best instincts. If we do, we honour the Good Shepherd who leads us and cares for us.

We are called on to continue Jesus’s work. We are called on to be shepherds, witnesses of God’s love. We are to be there for each other. We are to care for and support one another. We must put ourselves in the path of evil when necessary. We are to go out and encourage other non-Christians and non-believers to join the flock, just like Jesus and other Christians encouraged us to join the flock. We are to guide Christ’s sheep, especially if we are in positions of leadership within the church. In other words, we are to be good shepherds ourselves, and with faith in Jesus we will be able to overcome any barriers that would otherwise hinder us in this task.

 Bibliography

1.      Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010)

2.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

3.      George Hermanson, “Saying and Doing.” Retrieved from www.georgehermanson.com/2009/05/saying-and-doing-year-b-easter-4-sermon.html

4.      Preaching Magazine, January/February 2015 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing; p. 64)

5.      Pastor Ken Klaus, “A Very Real Gift.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

6.      Pastor Ken Klaus, “Never Know.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

7.      Mike DeVries, “Rhythm.” Retrieved from www.homeword.com

8.      Dr. Neil Anderson, “Your Journey toward Christ.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

9.      Anne Graham Lotz, “Because He Lives.” Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

10.  Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)

11.  Pastor Ken Klaus, “An Act of Valor.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

12.  George Hermanson, “Saying and Doing.” Retrieved from www.georgehermanson.com/2009/05/saying-and-doing-year-b-easter-4-sermon.html

13.  F. Dean Leuking, “Shepherding.” Retrieved from http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=680

14.  Lucy Lind Hogan, “Commentary on John 10:11-18.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1239

15.  The Rev. Dr. Laura Mendenhall, “Led from Behind.” Retrieved from http://day1.org/682=led_from_behind.print

16.  Exegesis for John 10:11-18. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

John 10:11-18 Jesus Watches Over Us

Good morning boys and girls!

How many of you have pets? I have three of them at my house right now. I have three cats. One is a sixteen year old male named Rusty because he is rust-coloured. My family also calls him Tubby because he is fat. He loves to eat, and he loves begging for food whenever anyone is in the kitchen. He also loves to explore the house and the yard, especially the basement.

We also have his sister, and her name is Mama. She’s usually very quiet and sleeps most of the time-usually outside my bedroom door. The third one is a four year old male name Bo. He loves to stir up trouble, especially with Rusty. Sometimes I have to take a squirt bottle filled with water and let him have it………although one time I had to use a glass that was half-filled with water.

All three of them are a big responsibility, just like all pets are a big responsibility, but everyone in the family loves them. They have to have lots of food and water. They have to be kept cleaned and taken to the veterinarian when they are sick. They need someone to care for them.

People also need someone to take care of them. Who takes care of you?  Jesus also looks after us, and he tells how and why he cares for us in John 10:11-18, and I’ll read that to you right now.  

Jesus referred to himself as the good shepherd so that the people would know what he was talking about. Jesus was preaching in Palestine, and sheep were quite common in that area. Sheep are not very smart though. They were easy prey for animals such as bears, foxes or coyotes. They needed someone to protect them from harm and to lead them to fresh grass to eat.  They needed someone who would be willing to die to protect the sheep. That person is a shepherd. Let me explain what a shepherd does by telling you a story about a boy named Seth.

"Mr. Markley," Seth said after class one morning, "in our lesson, why did Jesus call Himself a good shepherd?"

Seth was new in the class. His home was in Texas, and he didn't usually go to Sunday school. But he was spending a few weeks with his grandparents, and they took him to Sunday school. He liked it very much. Seth grinned at his Sunday school teacher now. "I'd like it better if Jesus said, 'I am the good cowboy!' We have lots of cowboys back home. I'm going to be one someday!"

Mr. Markley laughed. "I know you love your Texas ranch, Seth," he replied, "but Jesus knew what He was saying when He compared Himself to a shepherd rather than a cowboy. Tell me--what does a cowboy do?"

"Aw, that's easy." Seth's eyes lit up. "He drives the cattle where he wants them to go. They used to do it on horseback, but now they use pickup trucks a lot. Sometimes they even use helicopters! That's what I want to do!"

"Well, how about sheep?" asked Mr. Markley, "How do you get sheep to go where you want them to go? Do you drive them, too--with a horse or truck or helicopter?"

Seth grinned. "I don't really know a lot about sheep. I just know they used to always need a shepherd to take care of them. Otherwise, I guess they wandered away and got lost or got into trouble. I think they're kind of dumb. That's why I'd rather have . . ."

Mr. Markley held up a hand. "Wait a minute," he said. "Think about the way people act, and maybe you'll see why Jesus compared Himself to a shepherd. Do you think maybe we're more like sheep than cattle? Most people don't mind following a good leader, but they don't like to be forced to go any particular way."

"I guess that's true," acknowledged Seth.

Mr. Markley nodded. "God doesn't force us to go His way--like a cowboy would drive the cattle. God is like a loving shepherd, ready to help us and lead us. Without Him, we're lost and just wander around."

"I think I get it," said Seth, "and I guess I'll be learning more about that while I'm here, right?"Mr. Markley smiled and nodded.

Let’s bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Dear God, Thank you for being our Good Shepherd. Thank you for loving us and taking care of us. Thank you for laying down your life for us so that we can have eternal life with you in heaven. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Bibliography

 

       1.      “The Good Shepherd.” Retrieved from http://sermons4kids.com/good_shepherd.htm

2.      “Not a Cowboy.” Retrieved from newsletter@cbhministries.org

3.      Real Life Devotional Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz; 2008)