Thoughts going in, Sunday April 29th

John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep 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 are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

            On the 3-year lectionary the 4th Sunday of Easter, every year, is designated "Good Shepherd Sunday." The particulars of the readings vary, but the theme remains the same. This year (Year B) the Gospel selection begins as the Good Shepherd discourse is already underway.

            As many commentators point out, it's a bit difficult for us in the hustle/bustle of 21st century suburban life to fully grasp all of the nuances of this discourse and the examples of 1st century agrarian living. Shepherds...sheep... wolves... we can sorta get it, but these are not things that we encounter on a daily basis. If Jesus were speaking to us today in the western burbs of Chicago, one wonders if he'd use precisely the same lingo. Maybe he'd say something a little different, like... "I am the Good life-coach,".... or "I am the good family counselor" ... or something of that nature.

            Regardless, it wouldn't be too long before we'd begin to understand that the statement as uttered by Jesus reflects TRUE NEED on our part. One inescapable fact about being a sheep is that a SHEPHERD IS NEEDED. People do not seek out "life coaches" or counselors unless there is a pressing NEED. In other words, there's not much point in even beginning to examine the Good Shepherd discourse if we don't begin with the idea that Jesus is there, and precisely embraces the identity he does, out of loving recognition of OUR IMMENSE NEED. How does that make you feel?

            But wait, there's more. I recently read an account of the horrific scandal-ridden administration of President Warren G. Harding. It's almost laughable how today's sound-bite political pundits throw around accusations of scandal--whether of President Obama, or his predecessor, President Bush. You want to hear about scandal? You want to hear about unbridled greed and corruption in high office? Study the Harding administration. Not that President Harding was directly responsible per se. Many think that he was a hapless dupe who surrounded himself with "loyal friends" who, like foxes, proceeded to ravage the henhouse. Regardless, the point is that at some level we can all relate to being taken advantage of; we can all relate to being at the point of NEED, and, instead of being helped, we were ravaged.

            In this and so many other ways, Jesus proves to be the exception. Jesus isn't the fake shepherd, nor is he the hired hand. He is the "good" shepherd... and by "good," much more is meant than simply competent at the job. Good means the IDEAL; the shepherd of all shepherds; the shepherd par excellence! Why? Because he lays his life down for the sheep (us). It's easy to imagine the crucified Christ at this juncture--as after all, he literally died for the sheep. But a dead shepherd is no more use to the sheep than fake shepherd, a hired hand, or no shepherd at all. And so this line must be seen as encompassing MORE than simply a willingness to die. It is more to be understood as an identity embraced. He is the good shepherd precisely because he willingly and lovingly WANTS TO BE! (Think in terms of Philippians 2 Who, being in very nature God, Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, etc.)

            Lastly, his role as the good shepherd isn't something that's consigned to the pages of history past. Just how "ideal" could the ideally good shepherd be .... for us.... if he's not around anymore? What makes this passage such a great EASTER PASSAGE is the present tense of it all. Jesus could, in all truthfulness, say: I am the Good Shepherd two thousand years ago. Today, NO PASTOR, least of all me, would say that Jesus **was the Good Shepherd. He himself, our RISEN SAVIOR, still utters those words in present tense:  I **am** the Good Shepherd.

Cheers

TM