Tuesday, November 22, 2016

A Kingdom of Shepherds

Christ the King Sunday
November 20, 2016
Jeremiah 23:1-6

(Or watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy0OyZHge7Q )

At the beginning of the book of Revelation, John talks about how Christ made us a kingdom of priests to serve God. [1]This verse is where Martin Luther got the idea of the priesthood of all believers, that we don’t need a priest to intercede for us; we can go directly to God ourselves. In a sense, we are all priests, we are all servants, and we all minister to those in need. Ministering and caring for those in need is what Jeremiah’s talking about in the passage we read from him this morning. God passes judgment on those shepherds who didn’t act as shepherds, “the rulers who were supposed to take care of his people,” but instead scattered the flock and drove them away.[2] We all know leaders who aren’t good leaders. We all know examples of a person who should have cared, who was supposed to care, and didn’t. It happens, unfortunately. And here, God says those shepherds are no longer going to be shepherds. God’s going to bring back the sheep that have been scattered, and “place over them shepherds who care for them.” Basically, shepherds who are going to do the job shepherds are supposed to do, which is to take care of their flock. Shepherds who care. We have all been given people to love. God has given all of us people to love and take care of. In a sense, we are all shepherds. We all have a flock, of some shape and size, whose care is our responsibility. In a sense, we’re not only a kingdom of priests, we’re also a kingdom of shepherds.
As shepherds, we have the perfect role model of how to be a shepherd who cares, how to be a good shepherd, in the person of the Good Shepherd, Jesus. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” and does not run away when trouble comes. “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.”[3] A good shepherd, a shepherd who cares, knows his sheep, and the sheep know him. The shepherd’s not a stranger and the shepherd doesn’t leave when the going gets tough. In the Old Testament, the prophet Ezekiel describes the actions of a good shepherd as one who will gather the flock and feed them with good pasture and bind up the wounds of any who are injured.[4] This is what the Good Shepherd does. The shepherd knows his sheep so that he can always find them wherever they’ve scattered. He gives them good food to eat. And he takes care of their injuries. He washes the wound and adds neosporin and a bandage so that it can heal. He takes care of them. 

This is all what’s described in the last hymn we sang, which is based on the 23rd psalm. “The King of Love, my shepherd is, whose goodness failed never.”[5] Or, “the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul.”[6] The Good Shepherd restores your soul. That’s what good shepherds do. And they do that without losing their own soul in the process. One of the last times I was at the Wal-mart by Piney Grove, I overheard a lady in a wheelchair say to another shopper, “I lost myself while taking care of others.” If you’re not careful, it happens. Jesus, though, takes the time to take care of himself, too. He spends time in prayer, he rests. He makes sure he gets enough to eat, too. He is our model for how to be a shepherd and take care of others.
            Now, the so that, or why, of why God will provide shepherds who care for the sheep is “so that the sheep will no longer be afraid or dread harm.”[7] We need shepherds who care for us so that we don’t have to be afraid. When you have a good ruler in charge, then you’re not worried about what might happen. You know they’ve got your back. When I went to the District Committee on Ordained Ministry last week for a mock interview, that was one of the things the chair told me afterwards. He’s also on the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and he said that when I come before them, there’ll be 30 other people who don’t know me. He’s got my back and does believe that I am ready to be commissioned this year. I’ve just got to also let those other 30 people know that I am, too. It was really encouraging to hear him tell me that he would completely back me. How often do we get told that these days? How often do we get our fears reassured? When a shepherd cares for the sheep, then the sheep don’t worry about what might happen. They know their shepherd will provide for them and will not lead them astray.
Now, sometimes we’re the sheep, and sometimes we’re the shepherd. Whose back do you have? Who can you help worry less and be less afraid? What words, what actions, help let others know that they don’t need to be afraid or dread harm? How have others helped you? And how can you help others? It is true, unfortunately, that sometimes others will not accept your help. There’s an older gentleman I often see walking around Red Lion Road and nearby, and one day when it was raining, I pulled over and offered him a ride. He didn’t even look at me, just held up his hand and kept walking, in the rain. You can’t help someone who doesn’t want help. You can’t share the Gospel with someone who doesn’t want to receive it. So, you move on, and find someone who is willing to receive your help, someone who does have the ears to hear that you do not have to be afraid. You do not have to dread harm.
The other reason that Jeremiah gives as to why God will provide shepherds who care for the flock is so that none of them will be missing.[8] A good shepherd knows how many sheep are under his care, and goes out and looks for the ones who are missing. Jesus even tells the parable about the shepherd who has 100 sheep, and one night as they return to their pen, he only counts 99.[9] The shepherd doesn’t decide oh well, good enough. No, the shepherd leaves the 99 and goes back out and searches for the missing sheep, and doesn’t stop searching until he finds him. Some of you know that we have to turn in statistical reports every year, in North Carolina, it was even once a quarter. There is, of course, grumbling among pastors about this because numbers do not tell the whole story of a church. Not all ministry is quantifiable by numbers. You may be able to tell how many people came to an outreach ministry, but it’s a lot harder to verify how many were impacted by it and just how hearts were changed. Still, numbers are one measure of church vitality, because, I have heard it pointed out, counting is how the shepherd knew that one sheep was missing. If he hadn’t counted to know how many sheep were present, he wouldn’t have known that one was missing and needed finding. As you look around and see who’s here and you know who’s not here, give them a call or a visit, or even mail them a card this week. Let them know you’re thinking of them and that you care for them.
Sometimes we’re the sheep, sometimes we’re the shepherd. When it’s your turn to take care of others, this is the goal, so that none go missing or live in fear or dread of the future. And sometimes that's what we need others to tell us and check in with us. You remember the story back in Genesis when Cain is so jealous of his brother, Abel, that he kills his brother? Then God asks Cain, where’s your brother? Cain answers the question with another question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”[10] Have y’all ever thought about that question? Or its answer? Because the answer is yes, we are our brother’s keeper. We are responsible for our brothers and sisters, just as they are responsible for us. My husband reminded me that the new Marvel series on Netflix, “Luke Cage,” ends with a reference to this verse. Luke Cage is the good guy in the show and the bad guy is his half-brother. The series ends with Luke saying, “I am my brother’s keeper.” 

We are responsible for our brothers and sisters, and they are responsible for us. We are our brothers’ keepers, and they are ours. Sometimes we’re the sheep, sometimes we’re the shepherd. We are to take care of each other.





[1] Revelation 1:6
[2] Jeremiah 23:2
[3] John 10:11-14
[4] Ezekiel 34:11-16
[5] UMH 138
[6] Psalm 23:1-3a, KJV
[7] Jeremiah 23:4
[8] Jeremiah 23:4
[9] Matthew 18:12-13
[10] Genesis 4:9

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