So here we are – still in the midst of “the Season of Easter.” We have been considering the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus – and suddenly, “out of the clear blue” – we are asked to consider “Jesus as the Good Shepherd.”
Need, I remind you that it comes from John’s gospel? So you know it is going to offer “something different.”
It is going to “hang out”…a little bit.
It is a “make a left turn NOW” – kind of intrusion.
For more than a thousand years – this Sunday has actually been called “Good Shepherd Sunday.”
So you know – in advance what the psalmody for the day will be.
Heck, you probably even know what the “hymn of the day” is! It is that kind of predictable…
And yet, it is an abrupt departure from where we were – during our season of Easter…so far…
It breaks rank.
It offers a tangent, of sorts.
It goes in its own direction…smack dab in the middle of the “perfect season” of the church year!
There are three weeks before it and three weeks after it… so truly, we are in the middle.
You can count on John 10 being prevalent. And you can usually count on hearing from Isaiah 53, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on his servant – the sins of all.”
Matthew 9. 36 usually has a role to play as well, where we can hear: “I will have pity on them – for these people are harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Of course, we can count on the 23rd Psalm making an appearance.
A sweet little girl around 8 or 9 years of age in Sunday School was reciting the 23rd Psalm to get a gold star on a wall chart. She stopped everyone cold, after only one line.
Very loudly and very proudly she said, “The Lord is MY Shepherd; that is all I want.”
The adults were dumbfounded and speechless. No one quite knew what to say. She may have messed up the actual wording, but her theology was “right on the money.” It was perfect. Enough said. She received her gold star…
So, I asked my 7th grade confirmands this week about the Psalm. About half of the young people had heard of it, to the other half, I might have just well been speaking a foreign language.
The difference was more than churched versus non-churched. Some of the young people actually knew the shepherd and had a relationship with him. The rest had no idea who the shepherd was…it was just some old song from the Hebrew Bible.
So it begs the question…do YOU KNOW the shepherd? Are you in a relationship with him?
Life is fragile. Life is delicate. We are all vulnerable. Life is easily broken and we are easily hurt. Our lives are like beautiful dainty glass sculptures. Life does take its toll on us. Life is easily shattered.
One diagnosis. One major storm. One car accident. One heart attack. One infection. One birth defect…being in the wrong place at the wrong time and things change…and sometimes forever.
Things are not the same. You know and I know – “just how fragile” life can be…
We are far more vulnerable than we want to admit…or to realize.
The need for a shepherd to lead us and guide is immense. We need help. Although we say it is never cool to say that! How silly we are, when we know that asking for help or seeking out help – is actually a sign of great strength. We need the guidance and the direction…sometimes more so than at other times… We need something to grasp on to – and to hold. We need someone to hug.
Shepherds lead, guide, protect…shepherds provide, food, water and a place to stay. Shepherd know their sheep and sheep are supposed to know, love and trust their shepherd. A good shepherd is even willing to lay down his life for his sheep.
All this we are offered in the middle of our celebration of Easter. We have a good shepherd, who cares for us. Do you know him?
Amen.