"Seize the Day"

8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some men for us and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.12 But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.

Exodus 17: 8-13

We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor. 3 For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15: 1-7

One of my favorite movies which has carried over from my childhood is Disney's "The Newsies", recently adapted into a Broadway musical.  This story tells of young orphaned boys who are struggling to make a living at the turn of the century, ultimately leading to the historical New York City newsboy strike of 1899.  When the boys are exploited beyond reason and can no longer make any kind of a living, they have to figure out how to look out for one another and overcome this challenge. The story outlines their struggles and their triumphs, complete with an energizing and motivating song for almost all major aspects... just like any good musical.

I imagine that the feelings felt by the newsies are not terribly unlike those felt by the Israelites in this morning's text.  The Israelites have been travelling for some time and have definitely had their share of doubts and complaints along the way.  Prior to this battle with the Amelekites which we have just read about, Moses and the Israelites fled bondage in Egypt. This was when they encountered the plagues, the pass over, consecration of their first born, and began to follow the pillar of clouds by day and pillar of fire by night. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea, wandered in the wilderness, cried and complained to Moses, and ate quail and manna from the Lord.  They were exhausted! Despite the death of the Pharoah and their struggles in their escape, they have found themselves in a battle with the Amelakites who seem to always have a grudge against the Israelites.  It is as if the carpet has been taken right out from under them once again.

How would you feel in this situation? I hate to tell ya, but as Christians we are very much in a similar battle today.  Granted, we aren't necessarily fighting a hike in distribution costs like the newsies, even though as individuals it does seem like it when we go to the grocery store. We aren't in physical battle with a group who seems to have it in their genetics to hate us.  We are, however, in our own form of battle.  The 21st century has not been kind to Christianity... or religion in general.  Schedules are so slam packed that few make the effort or are able to find time to come to worship on Sunday morning.  Social Media is providing an illusion of the community that was once provided by local churches. Celebrities such as Bill O'Reilly, author of "Killing Jesus", and comedian Bill Mahar who was recently quoted as saying that God is a "psycotic mass murderer",  are speaking out and writing against not just Christianity, but most (if not all) forms of religious practice. As many people watch the nightly reports of religious based wars and rumors of war, such as the current ISIS attacks, and hear of the millions of refugees all over the world who have been forced out of their home country because of their religious affiliations, they begin to question the validity of most religions. The 21st century has made it far more easier to claim no religion than the formerly popular "spiritual but not religious", and the Church is feeling the effects like a blow to the head.

What stands out most to me from this morning's reading, however, is not that the Israelites are in battle.  The image that has stuck with me since the first time I came across this text is the image of Moses standing on the hill with his arms outstretched and holding the staff of God in his hand.  This image of outstretched arms is one that is commonly associated with praise and prayer today and seems to bring a form of confidence and peace with it. This is the pose commonly used when trying to make yourself seem larger as you make a point or to build confidence, just like in this memorable image from The Newsies.  This position completely opens the body to the world thus bringing with it a sense of vulnerability as well.  In this image of Moses, the leader, with his arms outstretched and visible to all around, Moses also becomes just as vulnerable as those fighting the battle. After hours of holding his arms out and opening himself for the Lord to work through, Moses struggles to keep his arms raised as he has grown weary. As his arms begin to fall, the Amalekites begin to prevail.  When he is able to raise his arms once again, the Israelites prevail. It wasn't that Moses was working any kind of magic- rather he was serving as the visual reminder of the hand of God, continually encouraging the Israelites who looked to him.

When Aaron and Hur saw that Moses was struggling, they stood on either side and helped him to keep his arms raised until the sun set. One song from The Newsies that has always inspired me, and actually served as the inspiration for this morning's sermon, speaks of this unity in struggle shown by Moses, Aaron, and Hur-

            Now is the time to seize the day 
            Stare down the odds and seize the day 
            Minute by minute that's how you win it 
            We will find a way But let us seize the day 
            Courage cannot erase our fear 
            Courage is when we face our fear 
            Tell those with power safe in their tower 
            We will not obey! 
            Behold the brave battalion that stands side by side 
            Too few in number and too proud to hide 
            Then say to the others who did not follow through 
            You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you 

In Paul's letter to the Romans, he also speaks to the call to stand side by side which the newsies sing of, recognizing that some of us are stronger or weaker than others.  We don't stand by our neighbor for our own benefit, even if that element is present.  Instead, we stand by our neighbors in order for their benefit and most importantly to praise the Lord.  When the Newsies came together, not just from New York City but from all over the east coast, it wasn't for their own benefit- it was for the benefit of the whole.  When Aaron and Hur stood on either side of Moses to hold his arms up, it wasn't of any benefit to them... they could have left if they wanted to.  Their presence on either side of Moses strengthened that visual reminder and encouragement until the battle was over.

In a time when it seems that everyone is against us as Christians, it can be all to tempting to hide in a corner until it seems to be over. Or we can hand it over to that other church or trust that the people up high will do something about it. Or we can look around us and realize that we are not alone in this, or in any other aspect of our lives.  As a student at Union I was constantly faced with a challenge- whether that was a Hebrew exam or trying to find students to help lead worship during mid-terms.  I remember agonizing over these and many other hurdles during my three years, but more importantly I remember those who sat by my side studying or checked in with me every week before worship to find out how they could help me. Even in my loneliest moments, I was never alone. When I was given a job description for the Church Relations position, I saw very quickly that this position is one step in a journey as the seminary takes its place beside our congregations in both praise and struggle. I knew that I had to return to the community that served as my own Aaron and Hur and step into this role for our own neighboring congregations.

The trick, however, is this- as a whole, we are only as strong as our weakest member. My question to each person here today, including myself, is how are you supporting one another- both within this congregation and the neighbors encountered each and every day? This can be as simple or difficult a task as you wish. Sometimes we can support one another by simply smiling and say "Hi" as we walk past someone on the street.  Other times we might actually be holding our neighbors hand through a struggle. However, I don't think that this congregation is a stranger to supporting one another- I can see the love and support each one of you shows for the congregation from here. I think what many people, including myself, struggle with is ACCEPTING support.

I would have been very interested to find out how Moses reacted when Aaron and Hur showed up by his side.  Did he try to convince them that he was ok, telling them that he could make it? Did he tell them that they should go back into the battle and help the others? How long did it take for Aaron and Hur to convince him to let them help? One of the things that I remember most from my time spent as a hospital chaplain was the constant reminder that I gave my patients, "it is ok to ask for help". This is a reminder that I believe I was telling them as much as I was telling myself. I remember crying when one of the other chaplains looked me in the eye and told me, "Jordan, you can talk to me. I will listen." I had spent all summer trying so hard to be strong that I forgot that I too could be weak.

Brace yourselves- here comes my cheap plug for the seminary. We are not only for those looking to be Christian Educators, whether that be as a Pastor, Chaplain, Social Worker, or Sunday School teacher.  The seminary is open to all who have a desire to delve deeper and increase their knowledge and strengthen their faith and relationship with God.  We offer public lectures and book talks both in person and live-streamed on our website.  We offer workshops for a range of aspects of worship and ministry.  We have studies on DVD and can even bring a faculty member to your church to lead a discussion or give a lecture. And we want to do more. We want to hear from you what your needs and desires are so that just as Paul charges us to do, and Aaron and Hur show us how to do, we can support you just as you support us through prayer, involvement in our student's lives, and by sharing your own resources. In fact, that is what this weekend has been about as we led workshops yesterday and communed around the dinner table last night before sending our students, faculty, and staff throughout the Presbytery to lead, teach, and preach this morning.  This weekend has been a very mutual act of support and I would like to personally thank you for your involvement in it, and urge you to reach out and let us know how we can continue to support you as you support us.

As individuals we all have our strong and weak times.  As a congregation there are both strong and weak times. As a community, denomination, religion, we DO have strong and weak times. As much as I love the rest of the song from the Newsies, the line that captures the spirit of support as all of the newsies come together to sing "once we've begun, if we stand as one, someday becomes somehow and our prayer becomes our vow".  When we sit passively as day to day life sends struggles of every kind our way, and as the 21st century presents its own struggles for religious institutions of all shapes and sizes (including  everything from small congregations to large seminaries), little to nothing will happen to move forward.  However, when we both give and ACCEPT support from our neighbors just as we read about in the account of Moses, Aaron and Hur and in Paul's letter to the Romans, our word filled prayers become action filled prayers and vows.

Yesterday, the seminary's president, Brian Blount, spoke of building community through the Eucharist. Even if I had the time to say everything he did, I couldn't do it justice, so I will just leave you with this thought-  The Lord's Supper is about finding wholeness in the brokeness. I interpret this as when we come together as broken and hurting individuals, yet individuals who are helping to hold up the arms of our neighbors while allowing them to do the same for us, we become a whole. Our arms are intertwined creating braces that make us stronger, and running through each brace is the power and grace of God. Our wholeness brings strength to face whatever challenge comes our way.

And so I ask you- what are YOU praying for today in your own life? What are you praying for in the life of this congregation? What are you praying for in the surrounding communities and out into the world? There are definitely a few options to pick from. Now, how are you standing with your neighbors in both your prayers and theirs? How are you adding action rather than just words? How are you accepting those actions of others into your own life?

            Behold the brave battalion that stands side by side

            Too few in number and too proud to hide
            Then say to the others who did not follow through
            You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
            Once we've begun, if we stand as one
            Someday becomes some how
            Our prayer becomes our vow

As our first step to seize the day and stand side by side in our celebrations and our

struggles, let us stand and hold our neighbors hand like Aaron an Hur or hold our arms out

to the Lord just as Moses did, knowing that just as God acted through Moses' tired arms,

God acts through us today and all days. Now, together as a whole in word and action filled

prayer, let us confess what it is that we believe using the Apostle's Creed...

LIVE LOVE!

This sermon was written for my final Sunday at my parish internship and is the final sermon of my seminary career.

¹⁷ You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. ¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19: 17-18

³⁶ “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ³⁷ He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹ And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Matthew 22: 36-40

I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,³ making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Ephesians 4: 1-3

“Call”.  It is such a big word.  I have heard it used in numerous contexts over the last few years, and Rebekah did a sermon series a few months ago that I was very honored to assist with as we thought about different ways we can be called- as a servant with our willingness and obedience; as a steward, being profitable and fruitful for Christ’s kingdom; as either a shepherd leading the flock or a sheep acting within the flock; and finally as a seer as we see through Christ’s eyes to handle challenges and have courage in the midst of change.

This past year specifically has been one of great discernment as I tried to figure out just where and what I am called to do.  I wasn’t sure how I would have time to sit down and really figure it out when things began- I was working on developing a curriculum for our youth group here at Bethlehem, following the theme of “Gather Together” that many of you heard about a few weeks ago when the youth led worship.  I was busy reading and writing about congregational leadership and how to bring people of different backgrounds together for a successful session meeting.  I was having meetings with Union students to discuss how we can embrace the diversity on our campus so that it enriches our community rather than dividing the community.  Then I found myself writing ordination exams about how to reach out to the greater community through both our faith AND works.  Finally, I travelled to Haiti on a mission trip that had as its focus, building relationships.  As I sit back and look at all of that, I can’t help but have a strong idea of what I am called to do- to simply be in relationship with others and to show love for them.  And that is what we are ALL called to do in the long run.

Our three scriptures this morning have played a significant role in my own discernment of how to be in relationship this past year as they all have one focus- showing love to one another.  Our Old Testament text is one that most of us can probably recite in our sleep.  The original “Golden Rule” scripture is one that is so widely known and recited, I remember when my middle school used it as a monthly theme in their character trait challenge.  This text is even the basis for much of Jesus’ teaching about our obligation to others.  However, there is great debate over what this verse is actually saying when it reminds us to “love your neighbor as yourself”.  According to commentator Rodney Sadler, this charge is initially and at its most basic, a charge to members of the community of YHWH to acknowledge an obligation toward other members of the community of YHWH.  It goes deeper though- to understand this charge we have to understand a few other things first… the very first of which is something so easy, yet so hard to answer- what is love?

The Greek language tends to allow us to get a grasp on what type of love scripture is talking about- eros, being a more romantic and erotic love; philo, being a brotherly love; and agape, being the love that is most commonly used in relation with God.  However, it is not that easy to decipher in the Old Testament.  Ahab (Ah-hav) is a love suggesting a strong, affectionate relationship and this is the love that we are charged with in Leviticus.  The charge is made stronger with the use of a preposition, truly making this not just a suggestion, but an order… “LOVE your neighbor”.  In this text, Sadler tells us that love is in fact an obligation to perform tangible acts on behalf of another who is in need- and that need is never defined, leaving the door wide open.

When we love our neighbor, it is easy to think that we are simply loving someone who, just like us, is created in the image of God… if only it was that easy though!  Sadler continues in his commentary suggesting that when we truly LOVE our neighbor, we are offering beneficial acts that sustain one’s existence- both our own and our neighbors  But IT IS HARD!!

This heart wrenching, other-focused love is not easy… which is probably why our Leviticus text went as far as including that preposition, emphasizing the importance that rests on this act.  In a world where the word “love” is thrown around without thought, men and women try to find love with one of 25 people while on TV, weddings are more about reputation than the couple, and the divorce rate is increasing almost to a point that surpasses the average cost of those weddings… how can we embrace this deeper, more affectionate love for our neighbor that is commanded in this text that is thrown around just as easily? I had a hard time grasping that until I thought back on my experience in Haiti this past March.

My trip to Haiti pushed me beyond any comfort zone I thought I had.  I have travelled to developing countries before, but I had never experienced anything like what I experienced in that one very long, yet very short week.  On our second day in Haiti we visited Mother Teresa’s Baby Hospital where young children were treated for any number of illnesses- some able to run around their small playground and laugh while causing all kinds of trouble, and others unable to do anything beyond simply being held as they struggled to breathe.  Upon our arrival we were taken into a nursery for children somewhere in the middle.  As the Sister explained in broken English what was going on, one little girl reached out for me.  The Sister assured me that I could pick her up, and that was the last time she left my arms for a few hours.  I didn’t know her name.  I didn’t know what was wrong.  I eventually learned that she was two years old- yet the weight of a one year old.  That morning we wandered the playground, watching the other kids play, as she held tightly to a diaper as if it were her teddy bear.  She took brief naps in my arms and tried to steal my sunglasses.  She opened me up to a love that I never thought possible and still don’t completely understand.  When her mother arrived a few hours later and I handed her over, the experience did not come to an end.  I thought about that little girl for the rest of the day- the feeling of her sleeping in my arms and the immediate, intense love that she showed me from the moment she reached out for me to pick her up.

The following day we visited the Brother’s of Mother Teresa Home for the Destitute and Dying.  This clinic provided health care for patients with HIV among other illnesses.  Those who were contagious where in a separate unit where we could not have contact, however those who were in less serious condition and able to be around us were in large, open rooms.  Beds lined the walls and almost every bed was filled.  Just in case I thought I was going to see my comfort zone again in this trip, God went on and erased that idea when we were told that we were going to massage these patients… patients that we very likely would not be allowed to see if we were in the US.  I took a deep breath, tried to remember my very little bit of French, and began massaging a young girl who couldn’t be older than 17.  I joked in broken French with her mother and sister as I massaged lotion into her very dry, cracked skin while she winced from the pain of my light touch.  She, and the other women in the room, very rarely got out of bed so these massages were desperately needed to keep their muscles working.  I had no way of knowing what was physically wrong with them, but I could tell immediately that what they needed most was the LOVE that is received through this human contact.

Whether it is holding a young child and sheltering her from the heat of the sun, or massaging the weak muscles of a bed-ridden young woman… these are acts that sustain existence.  These boundary breaking acts are what this morning’s text was trying to get to.  However, I think this love takes on a whole new meaning when it is simply WHO YOU ARE- every aspect of your life and being is because of and for this love.  That is what I saw in my time at St. Joseph’s Home for Boys and Wings of Hope.

St. Joseph’s Home for Boys was started 25 years ago by Brother Michael- a man who heard his call and left the Monastery to answer it, despite all of the hurdles thrown in his way.  After witnessing the number of children living on the streets and in slavery in Haiti, Michael found a way to begin taking them off of the street.  He started with one, then five, and has had as many as twenty young men under the care of St. Joseph’s since the start.  While there, these young men receive education in all forms as they help to work in the kitchen, clean, welcome guests, and even attend school.  Those young men embody the love that they have learned from Michael’s teachings and examples of his own Biblical understanding, truly embodying the charge to love one’s neighbor.  Whether Michael and the boys of St. Joseph’s are welcoming guests at the gate with cold, purified water before carrying their luggage up seven flights of stairs or leading worship in the open air chapel no one can deny that they aren’t just showing love, they are LIVING love.

Wings of Hope is an off-shoot of St. Joseph’s and provides a home and care for children with a range of disabilities.  Whether they have cerebral palsy, autism, or schizophrenia these children have found not just a home but a family at Wings of Hope.  Caring for these children is nothing less than a challenge- every morning at 8am, guests and teachers parade up incredibly steep wheel chair ramps built on top of staircases and take time to sit with each child, one on one, to at the very least help them eat if not feed them.  Following morning worship, these same guests and teachers travel with the children through physical therapy, math class, alphabet class, and recreation... or they find themselves washing dishes, preparing lunch, and hand washing yesterday’s clothes and hanging them to dry for the next day.  It is nothing less than exhausting.  When the exhaustion hits, all one has to do is to look into the eyes of one of the twenty-four children to see the complete, infallible love of God that they embody.  And if their eyes are closed because they are humming a song for you, or they are moving to fast, just wait until the Friday dance party when they won’t let anyone sit or stand still out of their own joy and desire to share their love with you!

I really could go on for hours about all that I learned about real love from those who I met while in Haiti.  However, what is important this morning is not what I have experienced, but rather how each one of us is going to experience and share this love in our own lives, living it out when we walk out of those doors today.  Our New Testament texts this morning serve as a reminder of the importance of the charge to love our neighbor.  How many ways can we be told how important love is? Well, in just these two texts we venture away from the charge of Leviticus into not just any commandment to love, but the GREATEST commandment is to love, and finally we are CALLED to love.  We have no excuse to think anything other than that LOVE is the answer! LOVE is the call!

Haiti wasn’t the first time that I experienced this incredible love though.  I experienced it back in September when I first joined you here at Bethlehem.  The way that you opened your doors, arms, and hearts to me was incredible.  The support that I have received from this congregation over the last nine months is nothing less than the love that we have thought about all morning.  We have all experienced this love and celebrate it today as we remember those who lost their lives fighting for us.  However, my question for you this morning is if opening up to a new intern is enough?  How can all of us here at Bethlehem live out the commandment and call to love in our daily lives, away from the church?

We are called to different roles and places in life- teacher, accountant, farmer, politician, minister, musician… and I think that is where so many of us get hung up, especially myself.  The WHERE and the WHAT of the call.  When I have been asked about my call, I always went immediately to explaining the form of ministry- associate or solo pastor… but that isn’t the point of the call.  This morning, Paul reminded us in his letter to the Ephesians that no matter where we are called, the HOW of our call is LOVE.  Christ reminds us that the greatest commandment is to LOVE.  The law reminds us to actually ACT in LOVE.

Last week Rebekah preached about how we respond to the resurrection through our belief- isn’t responding with LOVE for one another one of the greatest ways through which we can share our belief and respond?  If belief comes from hearing and experiencing, why don’t we take Rebekah’s challenge to read through the Bible the summer one step further- read the Bible, and then share the LOVE that you find in those pages with the world, loving one another as children of God just as we are not just commanded, but called to do.  Our love can be expressed in a number of ways- whether it is words between neighbors, cold water to welcome, dancing for joy, or washing buckets of dirty laundry.  No matter HOW you love, make it all that you do.  LIVE your call, LIVE the commandment, LIVE so that others receive the same charge.  LIVE LOVE.

(Photo credit: D'Angelo Dia)

Shooting Stars

I recently found this on my iPad as I was cleaning off meeting notes that I no longer need.  I originally wrote this on the way to Louisville, KY for my first Company of New Pastors meeting, only a few months into my final year in seminary... It still applies today.  Enjoy....

There is something powerful about shooting stars. I saw my first one in high school- I was at the lake with my friends and we were laying on the back porch looking up a the sky and talking about life (ok... boys lol) and I saw that streak of light go across the sky.  I was so excited and quickly made a wish.

As I write this I am sitting on quite possibly the smallest plane I have ever been on and it is way too early in the morning to really be thinking at all- especially since I only got two hours of sleep last night at best.  It is still early enough that I can look out my window and see the stars- it hurts my neck a bit but it is worth it.  Up here with the stars- I can't help but feel close to God.  The stars make me dream. They make me wonder. Then comes that beautiful shooting star- you know, the one that disappears just as quickly as it shows up but it lights up two more times as it falls. It is almost as if God is telling me that my prayers are being heard and I am not alone.  An then comes another, and yet another.  Three shooting stars in a matter of five minutes- I might have seen that many in my whole life.

No matter what I portray during the day, I am still a little girl at heart.  My teddy bear is tied up somewhere in my sheets back home, I call my parents when I feel like I need a hug, and I make wishes.  I wish when the clock says 11:11 and I wish on shooting stars.  Only now my wishes are more like prayers and the little things like time or stars just remind me to pray.

How often do we forget that? We are quick to pray when things are going wrong or we need help, but how often do we just take 10 seconds to thank God for this life? 

I rarely get to look at the stars now, and never get to look at them this close.  As we fly up here and I look out my window at the stars and then out the window across the aisle and see the sun rising in the distance, I think of the passage in Genesis- God created the stars in the heavens.  They were some of the first things that were created and here I am, closer to them than ever before. And then I look down and see the lights on the ground and see all else that was created.  I used to think that shooting stars landed on earth... That they made that connection between the heavens and the earth. Is that really such a crazy idea? That God would give us something so beautiful and mysterious that draws that connection between us on earth and those in the heavens?

I look out my window as the stars begin to disappear, I find comfort that they are really always there and that I might see them again.  I see the new opportunities of the day as the city lights up below me and the sun rises beside me.  It is a new day full of things to be thankful for as well as those moments to go to God for help.

Our Calling: Shepherd or Sheep?

The word of the Lord came to me: ² Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them—to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? ³ You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. ⁴ You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. ⁵ So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. ⁶ My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.

Ezekiel 34: 1-6

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³ The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes^[a] it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

                                                                    John 10: 11-18  

Abel, Abraham, Rachel, Jacob, Moses… Jesus- what did they have in common? All were shepherds- a role that, at one point, was considered a chief occupation.  It wasn’t until agriculture took off to new levels that the role of the shepherd was reserved for the youngest son or a hired hand- and then Shepherds were looked down upon and even hated at times.  Over time, “shepherd” became a designation for kings, Israel’s leaders, and God- just as seen in the all time favorite Psalm 23 that was used for this morning’s call to worship.  A shepherd’s job was to lead the sheep to food and water and to keep them safe from the wild animals- much like these leaders were charged to do for their people.

The term “shepherd” is mentioned over 200 times throughout the Bible so one can’t help but think that it might be important.  Of the 200 times that shepherds are mentioned- only 16 of those are in the New Testament when we find the shepherds in the field on the night when Jesus was born, and the remaining occurrences all refer to the relationship that Jesus has with his followers or between the church leaders and members- a role that when translated in it’s Latin form actually means “pastor”.

This morning’s Old Testament reading reflects the concern of the dwindling respect and care of the shepherd’s role- those who are supposed to be caring for the people (the metaphorical sheep).  Here, we find a warning for those leaders who chose to care for and tend to themselves rather than their people.  Our Gospel text goes beyond how the leaders care for their people and focuses on how Christ cares for his sheep, the people- or does it? 

This text is not terribly uncommon for those entering into ministry within the church as in many cases, following Paul’s lead, the minister is referred to as a shepherd and the congregation, the flock. However, my question this morning is if that is where this text stops? During my first week in my chaplaincy internship, a patient asked me a very bold question that I will never forget- “In this crazy, messed up world will you be a sheep or a shepherd?”

The Good Shepherd provides us with a narrative of what it means to be a true leader.  Christ highlights the importance of caring for one’s flock- laying down one’s life for those in your care, knowing each sheep by name and caring for those not necessarily in your charge.  Here, Christ paves the way for us as a leader- demonstrating to us the ultimate and absolute love that is required of a role such as this.

The good shepherd lays down their life for the sheep when a hired hand might flee when danger comes.  I am reminded of a scene in one of my favorite childhood movies that I watched during one of the recent snow days- in the story of “Babe” the pig who just doesn’t fit in, the young pig finds a pack of dogs attacking the sheep in the field- the ones that are in the care of the farmer who took him in- and immediately the pig charges into the field throwing himself at the dogs and chasing them away in order to save the flock.  Now, Jesus wasn’t a young pig but I imagine this scene is a lot like he might have been picturing when he explained the importance of being present so as to protect the flock from the wild animals- something that this morning’s Old Testament passage tells us was not actually happening in many cases.

“I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and they know me.”  Have you ever seen a flock of sheep? Maybe for some of you it might be a bit different, but for me they just look like one big wooly mess! How in the world can someone tell each sheep apart from the next? Maybe there is a spot on the face or leg, but I don’t want to have to get that close just to tell them apart.  Anyone who has ever worked with a large group of people probably knows the feeling of not knowing anyone from the next person- even if you figure it out one day, it is not likely that they will be wearing that same green shirt that helped you tell them apart from the blue shirt next week.  However, Jesus tells us that he knows every sheep in the flock- every child of God- and this isn’t the first time that we have been told this! Remember the story of the lost sheep when we are told not just that he knows every sheep, but that he knows every sheep BY NAME? Think about the amount of love and genuine care that would be needed for this.  This would not likely come from someone who is just hired off the street to watch the sheep.

“I have other sheep that don’t belong to this pen… I must lead them too.”  The care and love of a good shepherd is not limited to this single flock, but instead it is shared with ALL sheep- Just as a doctor is not only present for their patients but is also charged with the care of those in need throughout their daily lives when someone asks if there is a doctor in the room.  Here we find just another example of Christ’s incredible, unending love for ALL of us.

As if the description of the role of the good shepherd weren’t enough, Jesus continues and explains that this isn’t anything that he is forced to do but instead he CHOOSES to do this.  Yes, he was instructed by God to do this, but it was his personal choice that led him to follow through.  How easy would it be to ignore those instructions and continue to lead an easy, stress free life only worrying about ones self? After all, that is what we found in Ezekiel- however just as in Ezekiel, we find the importance and need for this outward focus and care.  If no one steps up and cares for the flock, the people, the wild animals and external evils will come in and at the very least scatter the flock.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, we have the sheep.  It can be all to easy to take the attitude of many of the animals in that movie “Babe” and say that sheep are dumb and that is just how it is.  However, my question today is what role do the sheep play?  Because there can’t be a shepherd, much less a GOOD shepherd, if there are no sheep- and it isn’t just that Jesus knows each one of them, but that THEY know HIM.  There is a relationship that has been fostered with shared love, concern, and respect.  So I think that it is important that we look at both sides of this coin.  In fact, sheep were so important that they are mentioned over 500 times throughout the Bible.

In biblical times, sheep represented wealth- they provided food, drink, clothing and shelter and also served as sacrificial offerings.  They weren’t just “any other animal”.  There was a great need to keep the sheep safe so that the people could survive and this is still the case in many places around the world where sheep and goats are the main source of nutrition for many.  Then there are the additional benefits like keeping the grass trimmed and the crops fertilized. 

Quite contrary to popular belief, sheep aren’t stupid.  In fact, I would venture to say that they have the “strength in numbers” strategy figured out quite nicely as one rarely sees a single sheep as they usually travel in flocks.  In my research about sheep I found stories from Great Britain where witnesses talked about seeing flocks of sheep roll over 8 feet of hoof-proof metal cattle grids in order to get to gardens for food.  Sheep are known to develop friendships with one another, and with humans, due to their ability to remember faces.  Many tests have been done that demonstrate the high intelligence level of sheep, sometimes believed to be equal to that of humans.

Knowing all of this, I can’t help but wonder why so many people look down on sheep today.  They serve incredible purposes, and I would argue that we could learn a lot from them- at least that flock that learned how to get to the gardens!

And so I am brought back to that question from my patient- “In this crazy, messed up world- will you be a sheep or a shepherd?”  Well, I think that both are equally important.

In this crazy, messed up world as my patient put it, we are all called to different roles and if all of these roles are not filled than the world might be a bit crazier and more messed up.  It might be easier to ask and answer the question of where we would be if we didn’t have leaders like the good shepherd- scattered, lost, alone, confused…. We could go on for a while.  But what if we didn’t have flocks like those that the good shepherd tends to? Hungry, cold, alone…

As I briefly mentioned earlier, Paul is the one who clearly drew the correlation between the shepherd and flock relationship with the pastor and church relationship.  The pastor, like the shepherd, is called to lead the congregation to find nourishment from the Word of God and to stay with them through the struggles of life.  The congregation is called to join together to provide needed relationships and support for another and the community, joining together to listen to and follow the leadership of the pastor.  BOTH the shepherd and the sheep, the pastor and the congregation, the leader and the follower are needed.

When my patient asked if I would be a sheep or a shepherd, right away I wanted to respond “Shepherd- of course!” However, is that always the answer that we need to give?

The description of the good shepherd that we read today is the ideal for what any leader should strive to be- but it is exhausting! If we are always striving to be that good shepherd in all that we do, will we ever actually make it there? What if we paid more attention that relationship with the sheep that is mentioned and strove to be the sheep in various parts of life?  8 months after the original question was asked, I have the answer that I wish I could have given to my patient that day- “Well, there are parts of my life when I really strive to be a representation of the good shepherd that Jesus taught, but there are also aspects of my life when I realize that I am a much better sheep and that is ok.”  Does it make us any less a person to give an answer like that? I don’t think so.

So, today I want to ask you the same question- in this crazy, messed up world are you a sheep or a shepherd… or are you both? 

In the closing scenes of “Babe”, we find a young pig who has been raised by sheep dogs standing in the middle of a huge field in the middle of the sheep dog championship, faced with a small flock of sheep.  As the clock ticks down, the crowd is wondering why the farmer is wasting their time with this little pig- after all, pigs are NOT supposed to herd sheep.  And then we see the sheep begin to move, without any mistakes along the way, and as the flock enters the gate with the pig by their side the crowd erupts and with a perfect score from the judges, Babe the pig is now a “sheep pig”.

Our calling to be a shepherd or sheep might come in the strangest of places just as this pig herded the sheep and the sheep listened to the pig- neither an expected action.  We just have to listen and pay attention.  No matter where you are called or what you are called to be- there is something that is present throughout the description of the good shepherd that we can all hold onto.  The incredible amount of love and care that is needed to be a shepherd is also needed to be a sheep- neither role only looks to themselves, but rather they look out for the good of the flock- they form a relationship with one another.

Where in the life of this congregation are you called to be a shepherd? Where are you called to be a sheep?

Where in your own life are you called to be a shepherd? Where are you called to be a sheep?

No matter where you are called, no matter how perfect or odd that it might seem- let the focus of your service be those relationships that are formed.  At the heart of the text of the good shepherd we find a phrase that is commonly overlooked-

“I know my sheep and they know me.”

At the center of Christ’s teachings we find this same focus on relationships- never letting any single role outshine another as long as ALL are focused on serving God.

So, whether you are a sheep or a shepherd, how will your service to God both within our congregation and your personal life, enhance and strengthen your relationships with one another, the community, and with God?

Because every sheep needs a shepherd… and every shepherd needs a sheep- and we are all dependent on the one true Good Shepherd.