Shepherds and Sheep
Sermon
Preaching the Parables
It appears to be a gross anachronism to deal with shepherds and sheep in the last decade of the twentieth century. Our age is one of science, technology, cities, and industry. We deal with machines and robots, not with animals and their caretakers. It is an age when a person is known by a number rather than by a name. Instead of walking like a shepherd, we speed in autos, sail through the air in jet planes, and visit the moon. In the midst of all this, we have plaintive parables about shepherds, sheep, and sheepfolds! They seem to come from another world.
The figures may be different, but the principles and needs are the same in our technological age as they were in our arian past. It is a matter of shepherds, now called leaders. There are still good and bad political and religious shepherds who either nurture or rob the people, the sheep. People in every generation need leaders.
The people of each generation are like sheep. They not only need a leader, but they tend to go astray and get lost. People, like sheep, need both physical and spiritual pasture. People are still gullible and they are quick to follow any shepherd that comes along. Because of this, people need to be led and cared for.
Though the concepts of shepherd and sheep may seem to be obsolete in our day, the basic need of getting to God is still there. In figurative language Jesus claims to be the door or gate to God, life, and salvation. There is no other way for a person to get right with God. Christ is the door to abundant life in God.
In spite of the outmoded terms of shepherd and sheep, people still love to think of Christ as their shepherd. It is comforting to know that by his resurrection he lives to be our shepherd, one who knows us by name, who leads us to food, and who takes us to the Father. This fact is evident in the most popular of all the Psalms - the 23rd, the shepherd psalm. We may want to think of Jesus as Lord, King, Messiah, or Savior, but, best of all, we like to picture him as a good shepherd who holds in his arms a wayward sheep and who leads the rest to abundant life. Today's parables give a preacher an opportunity to proclaim Christ as a real, true, and good shepherd.
Context
Context of the Church Year
Prior to Vatican II, this Sunday was known as "Misericordia Domini" and was observed each year on the second Sunday after Easter. Since Vatican II, the Sunday has been shifted to the fourth
Sunday of Easter and is known as "Good Shepherd Sunday." In Series A, B, and C the subject of the Good Shepherd is considered as found in John 10:1-30 -
Series A - John 10:1-10
Series B - John 10:11-18
Series C - John 10:22-30
Accordingly a preacher considers some aspect of Jesus as shepherd each year. This constitutes a task and challenge to the preacher to be creative in finding new approaches to the concept of Jesus as shepherd and in gathering fresh illustrative materials.
Context of the Easter Season
What do the parables of the shepherd and sheep have to do with the Easter season? Why was this subject chosen for this Fourth Sunday of Easter each year? On the surface it appears to be misplaced. For seven weeks the church celebrates Easter, the festival of the Resurrection. The Gospel for this Easter 4 deals with the pre-Easter Jesus who is in a controversy with pious and devout religious leaders over the question of who he is. He describes himself as a shepherd and as a door for his sheep.
Upon further reflection we can see the connection of this shepherd pericope and the Easter season of rejoicing over the Resurrection. Jesus' rising from the dead proves to the faithful that he is the Good Shepherd. Because he lives, he is still our shepherd and through him we have access to God. If he had not risen, Jesus would not be our leader, nor our entrance into the Kingdom of God. The fact that for centuries the church has been observing the Good Shepherd passage every year indicates that the concept of Jesus as shepherd is an important one.
Context of John 9 and 10
Today's gospel lesson (10:1-10) is a continuation of a controversy between Jesus and the Pharisees over the healing of a blind man. (chapter 9) Jesus accused the Pharisees of being spiritually blind. Then in chapter 10 Jesus explains to the Pharisees who he is as a good shepherd and the door of the sheep. Various reactions resulted from his explanation as to who he was. Some said he was possessed of a demon. Others called him crazy. Finally Jesus admits, "I and the Father are one." (v. 30) In response to this claim, the Jews pick up stones to stone him to death because "you, being a man, make yourself God." (v. 33) Today's gospel lesson, therefore, is a section of the controversy over the identity of Jesus. Is he the Messiah or not?
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Acts 2:42-47) The post-Easter church of 3000. Jesus has risen and ascended and the Holy Spirit descended. The Gospel was proclaimed and converts were made. This first church was a worshiping, caring, and growing community of believers in the risen Christ.
The Second Lesson. (1 Peter 2:19-25) Straying sheep have returned to the Shepherd. Though Christians are in the world, they are not of the world. They live in a sinful world which subjects Christians to persecution and suffering. When Christians suffer innocently, they have God's approval. Jesus also suffered from the sin of the world and teaches us how to suffer. He used suffering to redeem us. Consequently, like wandering sheep, Christians have returned to their Shepherd.
Gospel. (John 10:1-10) Jesus is our true shepherd and the door to abundant life. In this passage Jesus reveals who he is and what he can do for his sheep.
Psalm. (Psalm 23) "The Lord is my shepherd"
Prayer of the Day. Jesus is referred to as "the great shepherd of the sheep." We pray that God would send us "shepherds to rescue the lost, heal the injured, and feed us with knowledge and understanding."
Hymn of the Day. "The King of Love My Shepherd Is," a hymn based on Psalm 23.
Putting it all together
The Lessons and Propers revolve around the center: Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Because of the Resurrection, Jesus is the ever-living shepherd of the church, God's people. The sheep constitute the Easter people. In Lesson 1 we see the gathered sheep worshiping, caring, and sharing with each other out of Christian love. Because of a sinful world, God's sheep are subject to suffering, but they have a model in the suffering Messiah by whose suffering they are brought back to the Shepherd. The risen Christ (Gospel) is a shepherd who serves as a door for today's sheep to enter the Kingdom. Comfort and confidence come to us by hearing the 23rd Psalm. We pray to the Good Shepherd to send us good shepherds for today's living. The hymn reminds us that this Shepherd is the King of love.
Context of Related Scriptures
Psalm 80:1 - Yahweh is the shepherd of Israel.
Psalm 95:6-7; 100:3 - "We are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand."
Isaiah 53:6 - "All we like sheep have gone astray."
Jeremiah 23:1-4 - "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture."
Ezekiel 34 - "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep."
Matthew 9:36 - "Like sheep without a shepherd."
John 21:16 - "Tend my sheep."
1 Peter 5:2-3 - Pastors are to tend the sheep and be examples to the flock.
Content
Content of the Pericope
Similar to the previous twin parable in Series A, salt and light, today in the gospel lesson we have two complementary parables dealing with shepherds and sheep. The parables are metaphors: shepherd and door. Allegorically interpreted, Jesus is the shepherd and the door of the sheep. However, in this passage Jesus does not call himself a shepherd. Rather a true shepherd is contrasted with thieves and robbers. (v. 1) A seventeenth-century author used allegory to claim that the flock was the church, the owner of the flock was the Father, and the gatekeeper was the Holy Spirit. It was this type of allegorization that aroused Julicher to eliminate allegory as a method of interpretation. The primary focus of the parables is the shepherd, and the secondary focus is on the sheep. Because the hearers did not understand the first parable (v. 6), Jesus continued with another parable to make clear what he had said about a true shepherd.
1. The first parable. (vv. 1-6) - Jesus' description of a true shepherd.
v. 2 - He enters the sheepfold by the gate.
v. 3 - He calls his sheep by name and leads them.
v. 4 - The sheep know and follow his voice.
v. 6 - The audience fails to understand.
2. The second parable. (vv. 7-10) - Jesus is the door of the sheep.
v. 7 - "I am the door."
v. 9 - Through the door of the shepherd, the sheep get salvation and security.
v. 10 - Jesus came to give abundant life.
Precis of the Parables
"I tell you the truth. One who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs over the wall is a thief. But the one who goes through the gate is the true shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd. His sheep recognize his voice when he calls them by name. Then he leads them out. He goes ahead of them and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger because they do not know his voice." Jesus told this parable to the people, but they did not understand what he was teaching.
To clarify matters, again Jesus said, "I am telling the truth. I am the door of the sheep. All other shepherds before me were thieves but the people did not listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. He will come and go for pasture. The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that you might have abundant life."
Thesis:
Jesus, the true shepherd, is the gate of the sheep.
Theme:
Abundant life is in and through Christ.
Key Words in the Parable
1. "Sheepfold." (v. 1) A sheepfold was an enclosure to keep the sheep from wandering away or being stolen. It might be known as a sheep-pen similar to a chicken-pen. The sheepfold was a walled enclosure built of stone or a thorny hedge with a narrow door or gate as an entrance. The gate was in the charge of a watchman who allowed only authorized shepherds to enter. A number of shepherds brought their sheep to the sheep-pen. A particular shepherd's voice called his sheep from the other flocks.
2. "Door." (v. 1) Perhaps a better word is "gate." A door is usually identified with a building. A sheepfold as described above was an open-air enclosure. On farms today, there are cattle gates to keep animals restricted to certain areas. A gate or door is a means of passage, either in or out. If a door permits one only to enter, it becomes a prison. If the door is shut to those who would enter, it means exclusion and rejection. In the parables Jesus says he is the door that allows sheep to come and go. In the two parables, there seems to be a contradiction. Can the shepherd be also the door? In the first parable, the gatekeeper opens the door for the shepherd. (v. 3) In the second parable, Jesus claims to be the gate. (v. 7)
3. "Thief and robber." (v. 1) Are these two not the same? A shepherd, who does not enter the sheep-pen legitimately through the door, comes to steal or destroy the sheep. A better word may be "bandit" or "revolutionary" or "terrorist." In our day we would call these leaders "sheep stealers" or "independents" who establish their own religions and label them "churches." As such they are false shepherds who do violence to the sheep, the people of God.
4. "Shepherd." (v. 2) "Shepherd" is a popular name and description of divine leadership. Yahweh is known as Israel's shepherd. Isaiah (40:10-11) portrays the promised Messiah as a shepherd-King. David is called Yahweh's shepherd. Jesus claims to be the Good Shepherd. A shepherd knows his sheep, cares for his sheep, leads his sheep, and even dies for his sheep. No wonder through the centuries the concept of Christ as shepherd has had enormous appeal!
5. "Voice." (v. 3) The sheep respond to the voice of their shepherd and to no other's voice. A voice reveals the identity of a person. It is not so much what is said but how it is said - the tone of voice used. John the Baptizer called himself a voice in the wilderness. At the denial, Peter was known as a disciple through his Galilean accent. Throughout the Bible we hear repeatedly of the Word of God. A Word is spoken: "This saith the Lord."
6. Figure." (v. 6) John calls Jesus' description of a true shepherd a "figure." The Good News Bible translates the word as "parable." The Greek word, paroimia is a synonym for "parable," a translation of the Hebrew masal which is a term that includes almost all types of figurative speech. A parable may be a simile, metaphor, or narrative. Not many people think of the shepherd analogy as a parable.
7. "All." (v. 8) Jesus says that "all" who preceded him were thieves and robbers. Who are the "all"? Surely Jesus did not have in mind great leaders as Abraham and David, nor prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Probably he was referring to his contemporaries: Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes whom he described as false prophets and hypocrites.
8. "Saved." (v. 9) A person who enters the door of Christ is "saved." What does it mean to be saved? If a person enters the sheepfold through Christ, one comes into the security of the flock, God's people. In the corral, the sheep have safety and security. The sheep are saved from storms and enemies that come to kill. To be in Christ, to be in the sheepfold of the church, is to be saved by being in a harmonious relationship with God through Christ.
9. "Pasture." (v. 9) Within the enclosure, there is insufficient food for the sheep. Through the door of Christ, his sheep go in and out to get pasture. Food is indispensable to life. This is equally true with spiritual food. The soul needs to be fed also. As in the days of Amos, we are experiencing a famine "of hearing the words of the Lord." (8:11) Ezekiel urges us to to eat the Word. Christ calls himself the bread of life. A church is a pasture where people-sheep can be spiritually fed - but are they?
10. "Life." (v. 10) Jesus said that he came to give us "life." What is life? The Greeks had two words for "life" - bios and zoe. Bios refers to physical life. Zoe is spiritual life. In this verse the word Zoe is used. Jesus came to give us life of the heart, mind, and soul - psychological, emotional, and spiritual life. As parents gave us physical life, Christ gives us spiritual life when we are born anew of the Spirit.
Contemplation
Insights
1. The identity of a genuine shepherd. The world has numerous shepherds-leaders who want to lead. Prior to a presidential election, at least a half dozen people from each major party campaign to be the Republican or Democratic nominee. Shepherds can be of two kinds: good or bad, wise or foolish, moral or immoral. In today's gospel lesson, Jesus refers to the two kinds. In the parables he describes a shepherd who deserves our loyalty and support. To what degree do our prospective political and ecclesiastical leaders measure up?
2. The one shepherd. According to Jesus, there is really only one true and good shepherd for all of humanity. Jesus claims to be the door to God, life, and salvation. This claim strikes at the heart of contemporary pluralism which dares to say that all religions are paths to God and that one is as good as another. In recent years several denominations have adopted statements saying that Christians should not approach Jews with Jesus, for they are a covenant people of God. The testimony of the New Testament and the church through the centuries is that salvation is only in and through Jesus Christ. Because of this truth, the church has supported evangelism and missions in the hope that some day every tongue would confess Jesus as Lord.
3. Called by name. The true shepherd calls his sheep by name. (v. 3) Jesus has a personal and intimate knowledge of each in his fold. This is good news at a time when the world makes a person only a number or a statistic. The world is cold and uncaring. One person does not count and is expendable. This is not the case with shepherd-Jesus. He even knows the number of hairs on our heads. A sparrow does not fall without his knowing it. Knowing the name of each person indicates that each is a somebody. There is no nonperson with Jesus. Each person is of limitless value. How valuable? Enough for Jesus to die for each one.
4. Lead on, O Shepherd. In the parables we learn that Jesus calls his sheep by name and then he leads them to pasture. A shepherd is a leader and a leader is out front. Without a shepherd the sheep scatter and go astray into trouble. Jesus walks ahead of us to show us the way. He is our guide and pioneer in faith. He leads us to God, for we do not know the way. Note that he does not walk beside us as though we were equals. We need not ask, "Are you running with me, Jesus?" Nor does Jesus walk behind us as some leaders do. They learn what people want or where they want to go, and then they support them in their desires. One cannot lead from the rear!
5. Shepherds need sheep. What is a shepherd without sheep? What if the sheep ignore the shepherd? In today's parables the focus of attention is on the shepherd, but the sheep have a responsibility, too. The sheep are expected to recognize the voice of the shepherd. They are to hear the voice, to stay awake and listen. Moreover, the sheep have a responsibility to follow the shepherd. They obey his commands. They follow where he leads them.
6. Robbers of religion. Jesus does not mince words when it comes to describing and condemning false shepherds who prey upon the sheep. They are hypocrites, whited sepulchres, and in this lesson he refers to them as "thieves and robbers." They steal sheep; they rob churches of its members for their own "churches." They beg and plead for money so that they can live in mansions, receive million-dollar salaries, and indulge in luxuries and immorality. There are false shepherds and false prophets who camouflage themselves as legitimate and bona fide leaders. They hide their true nature with the word, "church."
7. Life. We are born with an instinct for life. There is the urge of self-preservation and self-defense. Our present craze is to extend life by jogging, walking, exercising, and dieting. Every day in America a number of people celebrate their 100th birthdays. We don't want to die, but to live forever. Life, not death, is our universal craving. In the parables Jesus says he came to give life in its fullness. What kind of life does he offer? It is a life that is more than eating, drinking, working, and sleeping. It is a quality of life consisting of love, faith, and goodness. Life without this kind of life is not worth living. This is the life that is known as eternal life.
Homily Hints
1. Search for a Safe Shepherd. (10:9) America is having trouble with her political shepherds. Americans are disappointed and disillusioned with past presidents: Richard Nixon was forced to resign; Lyndon Johnson was persuaded not to run again; Jimmy Carter was defeated for a second term by a landslide vote; Ronald Reagan in the Iran-Contra scandal was accused of lying to the American people and subverting the law to gain funds for the Contras in Nicaragua. Can we find a safe shepherd who will not lead us astray? Christians find their leader is Jesus, a true shepherd -
A. He gives salvation - vv. 9-10.
B. He liberates - "go in and out" - v. 9.
C. He satisfies - "find pasture" - v. 9.
2. Is Christ Necessary for Salvation? (10:7, 9) We live in an age of pluralism. Various ideologies, religions, and beliefs abound. We are no longer a Christian nation. No longer are we a predominantly Protestant country. Various non-Christian religions and anti-Christian sects abound in America. Does it matter whether or not we are Christians? Will all eventually go to heaven regardless of their religion? Are all religions leading to God? According to Jesus' word in our text, Jesus makes the claim that he alone is the entrance to God and salvation. So, we ask -
A. Is Christ necessary for the non-religious?
B. Is Christ necessary for other religions?
C. Is Christ necessary for the Jews?
D. Is Christ necessary for us? If he is not necessary for any one, is he necessary for anyone?
3. Robbers of Religion. (10:1, 8) In the parables Jesus refers to false shepherds or prophets. They are still with us. Consequently, our church people need to be warned and put on the alert lest they succumb to them. They may be television evangelists, independent lone-wolf preachers, faith healers, or leaders of extreme sects. The false shepherds are characterized by -
A. Illegitimate leaders - v. 1.
B. Steal sheep - proselytism - vv. 1, 8.
C. Steal from sheep - pleas for money for personal luxuries - vv. 1, 8.
4. Life with a Capital L. (10:1-10) In verse 10 Jesus says that he came to the world to give life that is abundant. Almost everyone is interested in life, in extending physical life as far as possible. This is indicated by our emphasis on good health, physical exercise, and proper diet. We spend billions each year on health care. But life without Life may not be worth living. Christ is not offering nor promising a life as long as Methuselah's 969 years. Christ can give us quality of Life - "abundant." The following add up to Life -
A. Christ knows you personally - v. 3.
B. Christ feeds you with the truth - v. 9.
C. Christ saves you with love - v. 9.
D. Christ leads you to life - v. 10.
5. The Kingdom of One Door. (10:1-10) There is usually more than one door to a building, at least a front and a back door. In the Kingdom of God edifice, there is only one door. If anyone enters in any other way, the person is a "thief and robber." (v. 1) That one door of the Kingdom is Christ. In this sermon we focus upon this one door.
A. The door is necessary to come to God - vv. 1, 2.
B. The door is the only door - "the door" - v. 9.
C. The door is red - "save." (cf. Hebrews 9:22; 10:19-20)
D. The door revolves - "in and out" - v. 9.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. Pluralism. In today's parables, Jesus says twice, "I am the door." He is not "a" but "the" door. He is the door to God, "for no one comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) If he is the door to God, at the same time he is the door to salvation, peace, and life. On this basis the church claims that salvation is through Christ alone and therefore evangelizes the non-Christian and sends missionaries throughout the world to make disciples.
Today we are living in a pluralistic society. In America we have various religions. No longer is America the Protestant, monolithic society it once was. Not only is Judaism prominent, but so are other world religions brought by immigrants. For example, "Buddhist Churches of America," consisting of 150,000 members, sixty-six clergy, and sixty-three temples, recently gained permission to have chaplains in the American armed forces.
The question arises whether Christianity is the one and only true religion. Is Christ the door, the only door to God, the only Savior of mankind? In a poll of 4371 church members, forty-two percent considered the following statement to be true: "Of many religions in the world, most lead to God." At the 1987 convention of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) a lengthy and emotional debate was held on a resolution stating that "Jesus Christ is the only Savior." Unable to reach a decision, the resolution was referred to a commission on theology.
This brings up the question of the salvation of Jews. Do they need to believe in Christ to be saved? In 1987 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) adopted a resolution stating (1) that since the church has been grafted into the covenant with Abraham, Christians have not replaced Jews as the people of God; (2) that both the church and Jews were elected by God, and therefore the relationship of the church to Jews is based on that gracious and irrevocable election of both; and (3) that the church should repent for its anti-Jewish attitudes and actions through its "teaching of contempt" for Jews.
The parables' claim that Jesus alone is the door of the sheep cannot be avoided in preaching on this pericope. The question is, "Does 'sheep' refer to Jews only or to all people?" The witness of the New Testament is that Christ is for all nations and peoples. He is the universal Savior because he died for the sins of the whole world.
2. Leadership Crisis. The parables' contrast of a true shepherd with other shepherds who are labeled "thieves and robbers" (vv. 1, 8) deals with a leadership crisis. America is experiencing a leadership crisis in terms of presidents who were forced to resign or not get re-elected. The 1987 stock market decline reflected the political leadership crisis.
The Bible refers to a religious leadership crisis, too. There are false prophets. Jesus called them "thieves and robbers." Throughout church history there have been leaders who espoused heresies such as Arianism and Pelagianism. In today's world we have false prophets in the form of television evangelists who have been implicated in immoral behavior and financial discrepancies.
Today's parables make contact with today's leadership crisis in both church and state. It is a matter of following a true shepherd.
3. Christ the Shepherd. Although the concept of shepherd and sheep is foreign to a commercial and industrialized society, the metaphor of shepherd and sheep continues to be a favorite concept
for Jesus and his followers. Churches are named after the Shepherd: "Shepherd of the Hills" or "Church of the Good Shepherd." A favorite subject for stained glass windows is a picture of Jesus leading a flock of sheep while holding a lost sheep in his arms. One of the earliest symbols of the church found carved on tombs in the catacombs was the figure of Jesus carrying a sheep on his shoulders. Today's parables deal with shepherds and sheep to the joy and satisfaction of modern church people.
Points to Ponder
1. Problem Number One. One problem a preacher faces when confronted with this Sunday's parables of shepherds and sheep is the problem of making these concepts meaningful and relevant to people who probably have never met a shepherd nor seen, except in pictures, a flock of sheep. How can people in an urban and industrialized society make any sense of an agricultural experience which is foreign to them? What does a shepherd do? What is the behavior of sheep? A preacher ponders: "How can I make these farm concepts meaningful to people in the city?"
2. Problem Number Two. Another problem for preachers is the annual presentation on the Fourth Sunday of Easter of the shepherd and the sheep. Each year the lectionary presents a selection from John 10 dealing with Jesus as shepherd. Year after year a preacher is called upon to preach on the parable of the shepherd and sheep. Thus, a preacher ponders: "What can I find new or different in order to avoid repetition? Is there a fresh angle or approach? What can I say that I have not said before? Where can I get original illustrations on this subject?"
3. The Easter Shepherd. Have you ever asked, "Why this parable on the shepherd for the Fourth Sunday of Easter?" What does it have to do with Easter? The pericope would be appropriate for an ordinary Sunday of the year. For seven weeks the church celebrates the miracle of miracles, the Resurrection. It is a season of Joy, celebration, and victory.
Perhaps the shepherd parable was placed in the Easter season to focus upon the nature of the risen Christ. The Good Shepherd continues to live as the good shepherd for us today. He lives to lead his sheep, to bring sinners to God, to nurture their souls, and to grant life eternal.
4. Understanding the Parables. In verse 6 John reports that the people did not understand the parable of the shepherd. To explain Jesus continues with a second parable of the door of the sheep. If people living in a day when sheep and shepherds were commonplace did not understand how likely is it that our listeners will understand today's parables? For a preacher to understand, the Holy Spirit is needed to give insight into the truth. For the people to understand, a preacher needs to be clear and simple in explaining the concepts of shepherds and sheep in terms of today's living.
Illustrative Materials
1. Over the Fence. In the parable Jesus said that a person who climbs into the sheepfold by another way than the gate is a thief and robber. In November 1987 a twenty-six-year-old man jumped the wrought iron fence on the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House. The young man jumped over the eight-foot-high fence and was twenty feet away from President Reagan's oval office when the Secret Service arrested him.
2. Red Doors. Traditionally church doors are painted red to represent the blood of Christ. It is through his blood that we have access to the Father. When we built our new church, Redeemer, in Atlanta, the church doors were painted red. A youth asked why the doors were red. I explained that the color represented the blood of Christ who is the door to God. "Oh," the youth replied, "I thought the doors were red because of the church debt!"
3. A Unique Possession. A Christian missionary was asked by a Hindu in India, "Do you think that most Christians know what they've got?" She replied, "What do you have in mind?" He explained, "Every religion has a god, every religion has an altar, every religion has worshipers, every religion has sacrifices, but only Christians have a Savior."
4. Pluralism. A few years ago a five-million-dollar chapel was built on the campus of the Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. The Dean explained to the press, "The chapel does not signify that a single religion is advocated by the administration." On the chancel wall are brackets for a cross and menorah. When Jewish services are held, the cross is removed and the menorah replaces it. When a secular program is offered, both cross and menorah are removed.
5. Quantity of Life. Great Aunt Sadie Jones never married and never fooled around. She was a great baseball fan and went to all the games. When she died, on her tombstone they engraved:
"Here lies the bones of Sadie Jones.
For her life held no terrors;
Born a virgin,
Died a virgin,
No hits, no runs, no errors."
6. A False Shepherd. In the Los Angeles airport, a man wearing a black suit and clerical collar stands daily at an escalator extending a cigar box and asking donations. On a good day he gets $150. He is not a priest, but wears a small badge saying he is a minister of the Universal Life Church, a mail-order organization in Modesto, California that issues ordinations in exchange for a dollar or two. For $5 you can get sainthood conferred upon yourself. This is one example of many similar false prophets in various American airports. For the past ten years this has been a problem that has frustrated airport officials.
7. Is This Life? In the movie, Annie Hall, Woody Allen says, "Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable."
"Life is a jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing."
"Life is but a jest: a dream, a doom, a gleam, a gloom - and then good rest."
"Life is but a play; a throb, a tear; a sob, a sneer; and then - good day."
8. Symptoms of life without Life. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 13.1 million Americans suffer from anxiety, 9.4 million from depression, and 10 million from alcohol and drug abuse. The American Public Health Association claims that fifty percent of us are chronically unhappy.
The figures may be different, but the principles and needs are the same in our technological age as they were in our arian past. It is a matter of shepherds, now called leaders. There are still good and bad political and religious shepherds who either nurture or rob the people, the sheep. People in every generation need leaders.
The people of each generation are like sheep. They not only need a leader, but they tend to go astray and get lost. People, like sheep, need both physical and spiritual pasture. People are still gullible and they are quick to follow any shepherd that comes along. Because of this, people need to be led and cared for.
Though the concepts of shepherd and sheep may seem to be obsolete in our day, the basic need of getting to God is still there. In figurative language Jesus claims to be the door or gate to God, life, and salvation. There is no other way for a person to get right with God. Christ is the door to abundant life in God.
In spite of the outmoded terms of shepherd and sheep, people still love to think of Christ as their shepherd. It is comforting to know that by his resurrection he lives to be our shepherd, one who knows us by name, who leads us to food, and who takes us to the Father. This fact is evident in the most popular of all the Psalms - the 23rd, the shepherd psalm. We may want to think of Jesus as Lord, King, Messiah, or Savior, but, best of all, we like to picture him as a good shepherd who holds in his arms a wayward sheep and who leads the rest to abundant life. Today's parables give a preacher an opportunity to proclaim Christ as a real, true, and good shepherd.
Context
Context of the Church Year
Prior to Vatican II, this Sunday was known as "Misericordia Domini" and was observed each year on the second Sunday after Easter. Since Vatican II, the Sunday has been shifted to the fourth
Sunday of Easter and is known as "Good Shepherd Sunday." In Series A, B, and C the subject of the Good Shepherd is considered as found in John 10:1-30 -
Series A - John 10:1-10
Series B - John 10:11-18
Series C - John 10:22-30
Accordingly a preacher considers some aspect of Jesus as shepherd each year. This constitutes a task and challenge to the preacher to be creative in finding new approaches to the concept of Jesus as shepherd and in gathering fresh illustrative materials.
Context of the Easter Season
What do the parables of the shepherd and sheep have to do with the Easter season? Why was this subject chosen for this Fourth Sunday of Easter each year? On the surface it appears to be misplaced. For seven weeks the church celebrates Easter, the festival of the Resurrection. The Gospel for this Easter 4 deals with the pre-Easter Jesus who is in a controversy with pious and devout religious leaders over the question of who he is. He describes himself as a shepherd and as a door for his sheep.
Upon further reflection we can see the connection of this shepherd pericope and the Easter season of rejoicing over the Resurrection. Jesus' rising from the dead proves to the faithful that he is the Good Shepherd. Because he lives, he is still our shepherd and through him we have access to God. If he had not risen, Jesus would not be our leader, nor our entrance into the Kingdom of God. The fact that for centuries the church has been observing the Good Shepherd passage every year indicates that the concept of Jesus as shepherd is an important one.
Context of John 9 and 10
Today's gospel lesson (10:1-10) is a continuation of a controversy between Jesus and the Pharisees over the healing of a blind man. (chapter 9) Jesus accused the Pharisees of being spiritually blind. Then in chapter 10 Jesus explains to the Pharisees who he is as a good shepherd and the door of the sheep. Various reactions resulted from his explanation as to who he was. Some said he was possessed of a demon. Others called him crazy. Finally Jesus admits, "I and the Father are one." (v. 30) In response to this claim, the Jews pick up stones to stone him to death because "you, being a man, make yourself God." (v. 33) Today's gospel lesson, therefore, is a section of the controversy over the identity of Jesus. Is he the Messiah or not?
Context of the Lectionary
The First Lesson. (Acts 2:42-47) The post-Easter church of 3000. Jesus has risen and ascended and the Holy Spirit descended. The Gospel was proclaimed and converts were made. This first church was a worshiping, caring, and growing community of believers in the risen Christ.
The Second Lesson. (1 Peter 2:19-25) Straying sheep have returned to the Shepherd. Though Christians are in the world, they are not of the world. They live in a sinful world which subjects Christians to persecution and suffering. When Christians suffer innocently, they have God's approval. Jesus also suffered from the sin of the world and teaches us how to suffer. He used suffering to redeem us. Consequently, like wandering sheep, Christians have returned to their Shepherd.
Gospel. (John 10:1-10) Jesus is our true shepherd and the door to abundant life. In this passage Jesus reveals who he is and what he can do for his sheep.
Psalm. (Psalm 23) "The Lord is my shepherd"
Prayer of the Day. Jesus is referred to as "the great shepherd of the sheep." We pray that God would send us "shepherds to rescue the lost, heal the injured, and feed us with knowledge and understanding."
Hymn of the Day. "The King of Love My Shepherd Is," a hymn based on Psalm 23.
Putting it all together
The Lessons and Propers revolve around the center: Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Because of the Resurrection, Jesus is the ever-living shepherd of the church, God's people. The sheep constitute the Easter people. In Lesson 1 we see the gathered sheep worshiping, caring, and sharing with each other out of Christian love. Because of a sinful world, God's sheep are subject to suffering, but they have a model in the suffering Messiah by whose suffering they are brought back to the Shepherd. The risen Christ (Gospel) is a shepherd who serves as a door for today's sheep to enter the Kingdom. Comfort and confidence come to us by hearing the 23rd Psalm. We pray to the Good Shepherd to send us good shepherds for today's living. The hymn reminds us that this Shepherd is the King of love.
Context of Related Scriptures
Psalm 80:1 - Yahweh is the shepherd of Israel.
Psalm 95:6-7; 100:3 - "We are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand."
Isaiah 53:6 - "All we like sheep have gone astray."
Jeremiah 23:1-4 - "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture."
Ezekiel 34 - "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep."
Matthew 9:36 - "Like sheep without a shepherd."
John 21:16 - "Tend my sheep."
1 Peter 5:2-3 - Pastors are to tend the sheep and be examples to the flock.
Content
Content of the Pericope
Similar to the previous twin parable in Series A, salt and light, today in the gospel lesson we have two complementary parables dealing with shepherds and sheep. The parables are metaphors: shepherd and door. Allegorically interpreted, Jesus is the shepherd and the door of the sheep. However, in this passage Jesus does not call himself a shepherd. Rather a true shepherd is contrasted with thieves and robbers. (v. 1) A seventeenth-century author used allegory to claim that the flock was the church, the owner of the flock was the Father, and the gatekeeper was the Holy Spirit. It was this type of allegorization that aroused Julicher to eliminate allegory as a method of interpretation. The primary focus of the parables is the shepherd, and the secondary focus is on the sheep. Because the hearers did not understand the first parable (v. 6), Jesus continued with another parable to make clear what he had said about a true shepherd.
1. The first parable. (vv. 1-6) - Jesus' description of a true shepherd.
v. 2 - He enters the sheepfold by the gate.
v. 3 - He calls his sheep by name and leads them.
v. 4 - The sheep know and follow his voice.
v. 6 - The audience fails to understand.
2. The second parable. (vv. 7-10) - Jesus is the door of the sheep.
v. 7 - "I am the door."
v. 9 - Through the door of the shepherd, the sheep get salvation and security.
v. 10 - Jesus came to give abundant life.
Precis of the Parables
"I tell you the truth. One who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs over the wall is a thief. But the one who goes through the gate is the true shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd. His sheep recognize his voice when he calls them by name. Then he leads them out. He goes ahead of them and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger because they do not know his voice." Jesus told this parable to the people, but they did not understand what he was teaching.
To clarify matters, again Jesus said, "I am telling the truth. I am the door of the sheep. All other shepherds before me were thieves but the people did not listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. He will come and go for pasture. The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that you might have abundant life."
Thesis:
Jesus, the true shepherd, is the gate of the sheep.
Theme:
Abundant life is in and through Christ.
Key Words in the Parable
1. "Sheepfold." (v. 1) A sheepfold was an enclosure to keep the sheep from wandering away or being stolen. It might be known as a sheep-pen similar to a chicken-pen. The sheepfold was a walled enclosure built of stone or a thorny hedge with a narrow door or gate as an entrance. The gate was in the charge of a watchman who allowed only authorized shepherds to enter. A number of shepherds brought their sheep to the sheep-pen. A particular shepherd's voice called his sheep from the other flocks.
2. "Door." (v. 1) Perhaps a better word is "gate." A door is usually identified with a building. A sheepfold as described above was an open-air enclosure. On farms today, there are cattle gates to keep animals restricted to certain areas. A gate or door is a means of passage, either in or out. If a door permits one only to enter, it becomes a prison. If the door is shut to those who would enter, it means exclusion and rejection. In the parables Jesus says he is the door that allows sheep to come and go. In the two parables, there seems to be a contradiction. Can the shepherd be also the door? In the first parable, the gatekeeper opens the door for the shepherd. (v. 3) In the second parable, Jesus claims to be the gate. (v. 7)
3. "Thief and robber." (v. 1) Are these two not the same? A shepherd, who does not enter the sheep-pen legitimately through the door, comes to steal or destroy the sheep. A better word may be "bandit" or "revolutionary" or "terrorist." In our day we would call these leaders "sheep stealers" or "independents" who establish their own religions and label them "churches." As such they are false shepherds who do violence to the sheep, the people of God.
4. "Shepherd." (v. 2) "Shepherd" is a popular name and description of divine leadership. Yahweh is known as Israel's shepherd. Isaiah (40:10-11) portrays the promised Messiah as a shepherd-King. David is called Yahweh's shepherd. Jesus claims to be the Good Shepherd. A shepherd knows his sheep, cares for his sheep, leads his sheep, and even dies for his sheep. No wonder through the centuries the concept of Christ as shepherd has had enormous appeal!
5. "Voice." (v. 3) The sheep respond to the voice of their shepherd and to no other's voice. A voice reveals the identity of a person. It is not so much what is said but how it is said - the tone of voice used. John the Baptizer called himself a voice in the wilderness. At the denial, Peter was known as a disciple through his Galilean accent. Throughout the Bible we hear repeatedly of the Word of God. A Word is spoken: "This saith the Lord."
6. Figure." (v. 6) John calls Jesus' description of a true shepherd a "figure." The Good News Bible translates the word as "parable." The Greek word, paroimia is a synonym for "parable," a translation of the Hebrew masal which is a term that includes almost all types of figurative speech. A parable may be a simile, metaphor, or narrative. Not many people think of the shepherd analogy as a parable.
7. "All." (v. 8) Jesus says that "all" who preceded him were thieves and robbers. Who are the "all"? Surely Jesus did not have in mind great leaders as Abraham and David, nor prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Probably he was referring to his contemporaries: Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes whom he described as false prophets and hypocrites.
8. "Saved." (v. 9) A person who enters the door of Christ is "saved." What does it mean to be saved? If a person enters the sheepfold through Christ, one comes into the security of the flock, God's people. In the corral, the sheep have safety and security. The sheep are saved from storms and enemies that come to kill. To be in Christ, to be in the sheepfold of the church, is to be saved by being in a harmonious relationship with God through Christ.
9. "Pasture." (v. 9) Within the enclosure, there is insufficient food for the sheep. Through the door of Christ, his sheep go in and out to get pasture. Food is indispensable to life. This is equally true with spiritual food. The soul needs to be fed also. As in the days of Amos, we are experiencing a famine "of hearing the words of the Lord." (8:11) Ezekiel urges us to to eat the Word. Christ calls himself the bread of life. A church is a pasture where people-sheep can be spiritually fed - but are they?
10. "Life." (v. 10) Jesus said that he came to give us "life." What is life? The Greeks had two words for "life" - bios and zoe. Bios refers to physical life. Zoe is spiritual life. In this verse the word Zoe is used. Jesus came to give us life of the heart, mind, and soul - psychological, emotional, and spiritual life. As parents gave us physical life, Christ gives us spiritual life when we are born anew of the Spirit.
Contemplation
Insights
1. The identity of a genuine shepherd. The world has numerous shepherds-leaders who want to lead. Prior to a presidential election, at least a half dozen people from each major party campaign to be the Republican or Democratic nominee. Shepherds can be of two kinds: good or bad, wise or foolish, moral or immoral. In today's gospel lesson, Jesus refers to the two kinds. In the parables he describes a shepherd who deserves our loyalty and support. To what degree do our prospective political and ecclesiastical leaders measure up?
2. The one shepherd. According to Jesus, there is really only one true and good shepherd for all of humanity. Jesus claims to be the door to God, life, and salvation. This claim strikes at the heart of contemporary pluralism which dares to say that all religions are paths to God and that one is as good as another. In recent years several denominations have adopted statements saying that Christians should not approach Jews with Jesus, for they are a covenant people of God. The testimony of the New Testament and the church through the centuries is that salvation is only in and through Jesus Christ. Because of this truth, the church has supported evangelism and missions in the hope that some day every tongue would confess Jesus as Lord.
3. Called by name. The true shepherd calls his sheep by name. (v. 3) Jesus has a personal and intimate knowledge of each in his fold. This is good news at a time when the world makes a person only a number or a statistic. The world is cold and uncaring. One person does not count and is expendable. This is not the case with shepherd-Jesus. He even knows the number of hairs on our heads. A sparrow does not fall without his knowing it. Knowing the name of each person indicates that each is a somebody. There is no nonperson with Jesus. Each person is of limitless value. How valuable? Enough for Jesus to die for each one.
4. Lead on, O Shepherd. In the parables we learn that Jesus calls his sheep by name and then he leads them to pasture. A shepherd is a leader and a leader is out front. Without a shepherd the sheep scatter and go astray into trouble. Jesus walks ahead of us to show us the way. He is our guide and pioneer in faith. He leads us to God, for we do not know the way. Note that he does not walk beside us as though we were equals. We need not ask, "Are you running with me, Jesus?" Nor does Jesus walk behind us as some leaders do. They learn what people want or where they want to go, and then they support them in their desires. One cannot lead from the rear!
5. Shepherds need sheep. What is a shepherd without sheep? What if the sheep ignore the shepherd? In today's parables the focus of attention is on the shepherd, but the sheep have a responsibility, too. The sheep are expected to recognize the voice of the shepherd. They are to hear the voice, to stay awake and listen. Moreover, the sheep have a responsibility to follow the shepherd. They obey his commands. They follow where he leads them.
6. Robbers of religion. Jesus does not mince words when it comes to describing and condemning false shepherds who prey upon the sheep. They are hypocrites, whited sepulchres, and in this lesson he refers to them as "thieves and robbers." They steal sheep; they rob churches of its members for their own "churches." They beg and plead for money so that they can live in mansions, receive million-dollar salaries, and indulge in luxuries and immorality. There are false shepherds and false prophets who camouflage themselves as legitimate and bona fide leaders. They hide their true nature with the word, "church."
7. Life. We are born with an instinct for life. There is the urge of self-preservation and self-defense. Our present craze is to extend life by jogging, walking, exercising, and dieting. Every day in America a number of people celebrate their 100th birthdays. We don't want to die, but to live forever. Life, not death, is our universal craving. In the parables Jesus says he came to give life in its fullness. What kind of life does he offer? It is a life that is more than eating, drinking, working, and sleeping. It is a quality of life consisting of love, faith, and goodness. Life without this kind of life is not worth living. This is the life that is known as eternal life.
Homily Hints
1. Search for a Safe Shepherd. (10:9) America is having trouble with her political shepherds. Americans are disappointed and disillusioned with past presidents: Richard Nixon was forced to resign; Lyndon Johnson was persuaded not to run again; Jimmy Carter was defeated for a second term by a landslide vote; Ronald Reagan in the Iran-Contra scandal was accused of lying to the American people and subverting the law to gain funds for the Contras in Nicaragua. Can we find a safe shepherd who will not lead us astray? Christians find their leader is Jesus, a true shepherd -
A. He gives salvation - vv. 9-10.
B. He liberates - "go in and out" - v. 9.
C. He satisfies - "find pasture" - v. 9.
2. Is Christ Necessary for Salvation? (10:7, 9) We live in an age of pluralism. Various ideologies, religions, and beliefs abound. We are no longer a Christian nation. No longer are we a predominantly Protestant country. Various non-Christian religions and anti-Christian sects abound in America. Does it matter whether or not we are Christians? Will all eventually go to heaven regardless of their religion? Are all religions leading to God? According to Jesus' word in our text, Jesus makes the claim that he alone is the entrance to God and salvation. So, we ask -
A. Is Christ necessary for the non-religious?
B. Is Christ necessary for other religions?
C. Is Christ necessary for the Jews?
D. Is Christ necessary for us? If he is not necessary for any one, is he necessary for anyone?
3. Robbers of Religion. (10:1, 8) In the parables Jesus refers to false shepherds or prophets. They are still with us. Consequently, our church people need to be warned and put on the alert lest they succumb to them. They may be television evangelists, independent lone-wolf preachers, faith healers, or leaders of extreme sects. The false shepherds are characterized by -
A. Illegitimate leaders - v. 1.
B. Steal sheep - proselytism - vv. 1, 8.
C. Steal from sheep - pleas for money for personal luxuries - vv. 1, 8.
4. Life with a Capital L. (10:1-10) In verse 10 Jesus says that he came to the world to give life that is abundant. Almost everyone is interested in life, in extending physical life as far as possible. This is indicated by our emphasis on good health, physical exercise, and proper diet. We spend billions each year on health care. But life without Life may not be worth living. Christ is not offering nor promising a life as long as Methuselah's 969 years. Christ can give us quality of Life - "abundant." The following add up to Life -
A. Christ knows you personally - v. 3.
B. Christ feeds you with the truth - v. 9.
C. Christ saves you with love - v. 9.
D. Christ leads you to life - v. 10.
5. The Kingdom of One Door. (10:1-10) There is usually more than one door to a building, at least a front and a back door. In the Kingdom of God edifice, there is only one door. If anyone enters in any other way, the person is a "thief and robber." (v. 1) That one door of the Kingdom is Christ. In this sermon we focus upon this one door.
A. The door is necessary to come to God - vv. 1, 2.
B. The door is the only door - "the door" - v. 9.
C. The door is red - "save." (cf. Hebrews 9:22; 10:19-20)
D. The door revolves - "in and out" - v. 9.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. Pluralism. In today's parables, Jesus says twice, "I am the door." He is not "a" but "the" door. He is the door to God, "for no one comes to the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) If he is the door to God, at the same time he is the door to salvation, peace, and life. On this basis the church claims that salvation is through Christ alone and therefore evangelizes the non-Christian and sends missionaries throughout the world to make disciples.
Today we are living in a pluralistic society. In America we have various religions. No longer is America the Protestant, monolithic society it once was. Not only is Judaism prominent, but so are other world religions brought by immigrants. For example, "Buddhist Churches of America," consisting of 150,000 members, sixty-six clergy, and sixty-three temples, recently gained permission to have chaplains in the American armed forces.
The question arises whether Christianity is the one and only true religion. Is Christ the door, the only door to God, the only Savior of mankind? In a poll of 4371 church members, forty-two percent considered the following statement to be true: "Of many religions in the world, most lead to God." At the 1987 convention of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) a lengthy and emotional debate was held on a resolution stating that "Jesus Christ is the only Savior." Unable to reach a decision, the resolution was referred to a commission on theology.
This brings up the question of the salvation of Jews. Do they need to believe in Christ to be saved? In 1987 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) adopted a resolution stating (1) that since the church has been grafted into the covenant with Abraham, Christians have not replaced Jews as the people of God; (2) that both the church and Jews were elected by God, and therefore the relationship of the church to Jews is based on that gracious and irrevocable election of both; and (3) that the church should repent for its anti-Jewish attitudes and actions through its "teaching of contempt" for Jews.
The parables' claim that Jesus alone is the door of the sheep cannot be avoided in preaching on this pericope. The question is, "Does 'sheep' refer to Jews only or to all people?" The witness of the New Testament is that Christ is for all nations and peoples. He is the universal Savior because he died for the sins of the whole world.
2. Leadership Crisis. The parables' contrast of a true shepherd with other shepherds who are labeled "thieves and robbers" (vv. 1, 8) deals with a leadership crisis. America is experiencing a leadership crisis in terms of presidents who were forced to resign or not get re-elected. The 1987 stock market decline reflected the political leadership crisis.
The Bible refers to a religious leadership crisis, too. There are false prophets. Jesus called them "thieves and robbers." Throughout church history there have been leaders who espoused heresies such as Arianism and Pelagianism. In today's world we have false prophets in the form of television evangelists who have been implicated in immoral behavior and financial discrepancies.
Today's parables make contact with today's leadership crisis in both church and state. It is a matter of following a true shepherd.
3. Christ the Shepherd. Although the concept of shepherd and sheep is foreign to a commercial and industrialized society, the metaphor of shepherd and sheep continues to be a favorite concept
for Jesus and his followers. Churches are named after the Shepherd: "Shepherd of the Hills" or "Church of the Good Shepherd." A favorite subject for stained glass windows is a picture of Jesus leading a flock of sheep while holding a lost sheep in his arms. One of the earliest symbols of the church found carved on tombs in the catacombs was the figure of Jesus carrying a sheep on his shoulders. Today's parables deal with shepherds and sheep to the joy and satisfaction of modern church people.
Points to Ponder
1. Problem Number One. One problem a preacher faces when confronted with this Sunday's parables of shepherds and sheep is the problem of making these concepts meaningful and relevant to people who probably have never met a shepherd nor seen, except in pictures, a flock of sheep. How can people in an urban and industrialized society make any sense of an agricultural experience which is foreign to them? What does a shepherd do? What is the behavior of sheep? A preacher ponders: "How can I make these farm concepts meaningful to people in the city?"
2. Problem Number Two. Another problem for preachers is the annual presentation on the Fourth Sunday of Easter of the shepherd and the sheep. Each year the lectionary presents a selection from John 10 dealing with Jesus as shepherd. Year after year a preacher is called upon to preach on the parable of the shepherd and sheep. Thus, a preacher ponders: "What can I find new or different in order to avoid repetition? Is there a fresh angle or approach? What can I say that I have not said before? Where can I get original illustrations on this subject?"
3. The Easter Shepherd. Have you ever asked, "Why this parable on the shepherd for the Fourth Sunday of Easter?" What does it have to do with Easter? The pericope would be appropriate for an ordinary Sunday of the year. For seven weeks the church celebrates the miracle of miracles, the Resurrection. It is a season of Joy, celebration, and victory.
Perhaps the shepherd parable was placed in the Easter season to focus upon the nature of the risen Christ. The Good Shepherd continues to live as the good shepherd for us today. He lives to lead his sheep, to bring sinners to God, to nurture their souls, and to grant life eternal.
4. Understanding the Parables. In verse 6 John reports that the people did not understand the parable of the shepherd. To explain Jesus continues with a second parable of the door of the sheep. If people living in a day when sheep and shepherds were commonplace did not understand how likely is it that our listeners will understand today's parables? For a preacher to understand, the Holy Spirit is needed to give insight into the truth. For the people to understand, a preacher needs to be clear and simple in explaining the concepts of shepherds and sheep in terms of today's living.
Illustrative Materials
1. Over the Fence. In the parable Jesus said that a person who climbs into the sheepfold by another way than the gate is a thief and robber. In November 1987 a twenty-six-year-old man jumped the wrought iron fence on the sidewalk of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House. The young man jumped over the eight-foot-high fence and was twenty feet away from President Reagan's oval office when the Secret Service arrested him.
2. Red Doors. Traditionally church doors are painted red to represent the blood of Christ. It is through his blood that we have access to the Father. When we built our new church, Redeemer, in Atlanta, the church doors were painted red. A youth asked why the doors were red. I explained that the color represented the blood of Christ who is the door to God. "Oh," the youth replied, "I thought the doors were red because of the church debt!"
3. A Unique Possession. A Christian missionary was asked by a Hindu in India, "Do you think that most Christians know what they've got?" She replied, "What do you have in mind?" He explained, "Every religion has a god, every religion has an altar, every religion has worshipers, every religion has sacrifices, but only Christians have a Savior."
4. Pluralism. A few years ago a five-million-dollar chapel was built on the campus of the Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. The Dean explained to the press, "The chapel does not signify that a single religion is advocated by the administration." On the chancel wall are brackets for a cross and menorah. When Jewish services are held, the cross is removed and the menorah replaces it. When a secular program is offered, both cross and menorah are removed.
5. Quantity of Life. Great Aunt Sadie Jones never married and never fooled around. She was a great baseball fan and went to all the games. When she died, on her tombstone they engraved:
"Here lies the bones of Sadie Jones.
For her life held no terrors;
Born a virgin,
Died a virgin,
No hits, no runs, no errors."
6. A False Shepherd. In the Los Angeles airport, a man wearing a black suit and clerical collar stands daily at an escalator extending a cigar box and asking donations. On a good day he gets $150. He is not a priest, but wears a small badge saying he is a minister of the Universal Life Church, a mail-order organization in Modesto, California that issues ordinations in exchange for a dollar or two. For $5 you can get sainthood conferred upon yourself. This is one example of many similar false prophets in various American airports. For the past ten years this has been a problem that has frustrated airport officials.
7. Is This Life? In the movie, Annie Hall, Woody Allen says, "Life is divided into the horrible and the miserable."
"Life is a jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing."
"Life is but a jest: a dream, a doom, a gleam, a gloom - and then good rest."
"Life is but a play; a throb, a tear; a sob, a sneer; and then - good day."
8. Symptoms of life without Life. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 13.1 million Americans suffer from anxiety, 9.4 million from depression, and 10 million from alcohol and drug abuse. The American Public Health Association claims that fifty percent of us are chronically unhappy.
