5/2/04

The Shepherd and the Lamb

Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30

This Sunday is traditionally called Shepherd Sunday - thus the many parts the service relating to this theme. As I began my Easter sermon with a rabbit story, I want to begin today's with a modern-day shepherd story. A shepherd is herding his flock of sheep in a remote pasture, when suddenly a well-dressed man in a new BMW roars up out of nowhere, leans out his window and asks the shepherd, "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have in your flock, will you give me one?" "Sure," the shepherd replies. The man gets out of his car, pulls out his notebook computer, connects it to a cell phone, surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, calls up a GPS satellite navigation system, scans the area, and after a few more maneuvers, says triumphantly, "You have exactly 1,586 sheep." "You're right," says the shepherd, "take one of them."

The man selects one of the animals and puts it into his car. Then the shepherd asks, "If I tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me my sheep back?" "Okay, why not," answers the young man. "Clearly, you are a consultant," says the shepherd. The man cannot believe his ears. "You're right, but how did you guess that?" "No guessing required," says the shepherd. "You turned up here, though nobody called you; you want to get paid for the answer to a question I already knew; and you don't know anything about my business. Now give me back my dog!" (i)

Switching gears, I want to seriously take a look at the well-known 23rd Psalm, which divides neatly into two major sections. The first part depicts God as a tender shepherd in a tranquil, peaceful, pastoral scene; the second, shows God as a gracious host at a festive banquet. In both scenes blessings abound, and yet, just inside the edges of each scene is a menacing reality that threatens to disrupt the peace. (ii)

Imagine the first scene: jade green pastures with lush, tender grass, and softly running through them, a beautiful still, quiet, clear, pure stream of refreshing water. Contentedly lying down on the soft grass beside the still water, is a small herd of sheep, nothing close to 1500, but enough to portray a perfect picture of peacefulness. The sheep are resting because they are free from fear, tension, hunger, and thirst - all their needs are provided by their Shepherd.

But just beyond this lovely scene, lurking in the background, is a dark valley. The valley is always there, somber and ominous, very real, always present. Yet, the sheep are peacefully content. Why? They fear no evil because their shepherd is with them. The shepherd's rod and staff symbolically represent his comforting guidance and protection.

Imagine the second scene: a festive, glittering dinner party and there in the center of the hall is a luxurious banquet table, filled with an unbelievable variety of food and drink, including all our favorites. The gracious host shows extravagant hospitality, treating all the guests with honor by anointing each one with expensive perfumed oil, and making sure that each person's cup is not just full, but literally overflowing with the finest wine or fruit drink. What a wonderful scene of happiness and joy.

But right in the midst of this lovely scene are enemies - we recognize them by their dour demeanor. There they stand, glaring at the host, resentful of all the blessings the host is bestowing upon the guests, including themselves. The enemies don't dominate the scene, but they are there, making their presence felt. And yet, and yet, the party continues uninterrupted. Why? Because the guests know that their good and merciful Lord, the one who hosts the banquet, will always protect them from their enemies. They know that they will be safe and secure forever in the house of their Lord.

In the 10th chapter of John's Gospel, a portion of which we heard today, Jesus refers to his followers as sheep and to himself as a shepherd. Earlier in the chapter he calls himself the Good Shepherd. The Jewish leaders confront him in the temple, asking a very logical question - "How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you really are the Messiah, spit it out, tell us plainly." But Jesus has told them (in his teachings) and has shown them (in his good works and miracles), but these folks just don't get it.

His believers, his flock, have three characteristics. First, they are a summoned group - Jesus calls them (they hear his voice and he knows them) and they enter into a new relationship with him by following wherever he leads, as sheep follow a shepherd. Second, they are a gifted group - receiving the promise of eternal life, even while still living in the present world and experiencing a renewed and enriched life now. And third, they are a secured group - because they belong to Jesus, are a special possession of the Lord's, so no one can snatch them out of Jesus' hand, and even though they die, ultimately they will not perish. (iii) You can't have much more security than that. All of us are also summoned, gifted, and secured because of our relationship with the Good Shepherd.

We come, finally, to a theological concept unique to Christianity. It is most comforting to know that the Shepherd is with us, in the midst of our dark valleys, in the presence of our enemies, no matter what life dishes out. But what is surprising is that in addition to being with us, he is also one of us. The shepherd becomes the lamb. The Hebrew Bible is filled with references to sacrificial lambs, animals sacrificed to atone for the sins of the people. The prophet Isaiah tells about the suffering servant, originally believed to represent the people of Israel, terribly beaten, and then led like a lamb to the slaughter. These images are picked up in the passion story of Christ, who is also horribly treated, scourged, beaten, and led to crucifixion and death, like a lamb to the slaughter.

The good news of the Gospel is not just that Jesus is the good shepherd who is with us in the shadow of death, not just that he keeps us secure from our enemies, but that Jesus is also the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, and who walked in his own lonesome valley, became vulnerable to his own enemies, and emerged victorious. What we joyfully emphasize in this Eastertide season is that death did not have the final say. The horror and agony of Good Friday gave way to the joy of Easter. The darkness of death was overwhelmed by the light of life. The defeat of the cross was overcome by the victory of the empty tomb. (iv)

Earlier in Revelation, prior to the passage we heard today, there are many references to the Lamb, referring to Jesus Christ, who has survived death, and still lives triumphantly. In today's lesson multitudes from every nation, believers from around the world, are gathered symbolically before the throne of God, before the Lamb, worshipping God and praising God's name. Because of the blood sacrifice of the Lamb, their robes are washed pure white and they will no longer suffer the indignities of life - hunger, thirst, the heat of the sun, even the pain of loss, for as our text says, "the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Did you hear that? The Shepherd who has become the Lamb has again become the Shepherd! The Shepherd and the Lamb are one, just as Jesus indicated at the end of our Gospel lesson when he said, "The Father and I are one." This is not hocus pocus or magic, but rather, it is the heart of our faith, the crux of the incarnation, God becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

All around us in the scenes within which we dwell, there are dark valleys and enemies lurking. Dark shadows threaten to hide the light of day; they obscure our vision of green pastures and quiet waters. One or more of these realities sooner or later come into all of our lives. We can hardly avoid or deny them - death, divorce, depression, sickness, unemployment, failure, fear, grief. Likewise there are other enemies who threaten to defeat or destabilize us. Some of these are found within our own homes: an abusive spouse, a disapproving parent, an unforgiving sibling, a busy-body neighbor. Or at work: an unreasonably demanding boss, a jealous co-worker, a disloyal subordinate, an unethical competitor. Sometimes even at church: a self-righteous Bible-thumper, a twister of the truth for personal gain, a manipulator of people and programs, a group who try to silence or discredit those with whom they disagree. Jesus knew about some of these enemies; some of them eventually put him to death. (v)

Jesus himself walked through the valley of deep darkness, the valley of death, the ultimate enemy, but it did not defeat him. Sorrow and sadness have a way of coming into every home, but we have the promise of one who knows our pains, and turns them into joys. Only those who are empty can be filled to overflowing. Only those who shed tears can have God wipe them away. Sometimes, even enemies can be transformed into friends. Sometimes, even dark valleys can become venues of heavenly sunlight. Sometimes, but not always. In these other times it is important for us to know that we have a Good Shepherd who is also the Lamb of God.

Our responsibility is to listen to his words, and follow them, even when they call us into the valleys of death, or self-denial, or self-sacrifice, or unconditional love. Our responsibility is to constantly and compassionately translate and transmit the voice of the Good Shepherd (vi) to all who are hurting, lost, or alone, to welcome the stranger into the fold, to feed the hungry, to give drink to the thirsty, to visit the sick and imprisoned, to clothe the naked, to pray for peace, and a whole lot more. It's a big job, but we're not alone. God is with us. The Lord is our Shepherd. We shall not want. Amen.

The Pilgrim Church of Duxbury
Rev. Kenneth C. Landall

i Homiletics, Vol. 16, No. 3, 5/2/04.
ii Stephen Clyborne, Preaching Word & Witness, 5/2/04, for all my treatment of Ps. 23.
iii Bruce Milne, quoted in LectionAid, Vol. 12, No. 2, 5/2/04.
iv Clyborne, op. cit.
v Ibid.
vi Homiletics, op. cit.