Dearest e-votees-
One of the most familiar images of Jesus is that of the good shepherd. This Sunday's appointed text is the source of that image. Also appointed for this Sunday is the familiar 23rd Psalm.
There is little talk about the quality or the worthiness of the sheep. The emphasis is rather on the love and the care demonstrated by the shepherd. Sometimes we get sidetracked worrying about how faithful and how lovable we are. We would do better to focus on how faithful and loving God is to us.
Peace,
Karl
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11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own 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 do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
John 10:11-18, NRSV
Jesus loves us. We may know this because the Bible tells us so but in these verses we see the extent of that love. The good shepherd, Jesus, lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus tells us in John 15:13 that there is no greater love than one who lays down life for friends. Jesus has called us and all who would come to be his friends. He shows us the extent of his love by laying down his life for us. Jesus loves us. The love is not the flowery, romantic, "what's in it for me?" sort of love the world sometimes foists on us. It is a love that enters into the dirty, broken parts of existence and pulls us out. There are wolves roaming about and Jesus puts himself in harm's way that we might be saved. Jesus loves us.
Jesus knows us. We are fully known before God. There is no reason nor sense for pretense. We are laid bare before God. The good news is that God loves us fully even as we are fully known. The intimacy of God's knowledge of us is tied to God's intimate love of us. Jesus' prayer in John 17 is that all of his followers would be one as he and the Father are one. Jesus loves the sheep of this fold and others are coming too. We should be open and ready to accept other sheep as God has so graciously accepted us. We are part of a flock that transcends national boundaries, generations and all manner of separations we who were forged in God's image tend to erect. Jesus knows us.
Jesus gives all for us. Because of Jesus love for us and because of the fullness of Jesus' knowledge of us Jesus gives all for us. In Philippians 2:5-11 Jesus puts aside his place as God and takes on being a slave. He enters into the world and endures all that we choose to inflict upon him. He is rejected, judged, beaten, whipped, crucified, died and buried. We did all we could to beat away God's persistent love and knowledge. That is the bad news of Good Friday. But Jesus knew that Easter was part of the plan. Jesus returns. The good news of Easter trumps the darkness of Good Friday. He speaks peace and forgiveness. He restores Peter--a proxy for all of us and all of our betrayals and denials. He breathes the Holy Spirit into us--his followers. He blesses us. He continues to demonstrate his knowledge of us and his love for us. Jesus gives all for us.
God, thank you for the love, knowledge and sacrifice that Jesus offers us. Help us humbly accept our place in the flock and eagerly welcome all who come to the fold. Amen.
One of the most familiar images of Jesus is that of the good shepherd. This Sunday's appointed text is the source of that image. Also appointed for this Sunday is the familiar 23rd Psalm.
There is little talk about the quality or the worthiness of the sheep. The emphasis is rather on the love and the care demonstrated by the shepherd. Sometimes we get sidetracked worrying about how faithful and how lovable we are. We would do better to focus on how faithful and loving God is to us.
Peace,
Karl
------------
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own 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 do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
Jesus loves us. We may know this because the Bible tells us so but in these verses we see the extent of that love. The good shepherd, Jesus, lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus tells us in John 15:13 that there is no greater love than one who lays down life for friends. Jesus has called us and all who would come to be his friends. He shows us the extent of his love by laying down his life for us. Jesus loves us. The love is not the flowery, romantic, "what's in it for me?" sort of love the world sometimes foists on us. It is a love that enters into the dirty, broken parts of existence and pulls us out. There are wolves roaming about and Jesus puts himself in harm's way that we might be saved. Jesus loves us.
Jesus knows us. We are fully known before God. There is no reason nor sense for pretense. We are laid bare before God. The good news is that God loves us fully even as we are fully known. The intimacy of God's knowledge of us is tied to God's intimate love of us. Jesus' prayer in John 17 is that all of his followers would be one as he and the Father are one. Jesus loves the sheep of this fold and others are coming too. We should be open and ready to accept other sheep as God has so graciously accepted us. We are part of a flock that transcends national boundaries, generations and all manner of separations we who were forged in God's image tend to erect. Jesus knows us.
Jesus gives all for us. Because of Jesus love for us and because of the fullness of Jesus' knowledge of us Jesus gives all for us. In Philippians 2:5-11 Jesus puts aside his place as God and takes on being a slave. He enters into the world and endures all that we choose to inflict upon him. He is rejected, judged, beaten, whipped, crucified, died and buried. We did all we could to beat away God's persistent love and knowledge. That is the bad news of Good Friday. But Jesus knew that Easter was part of the plan. Jesus returns. The good news of Easter trumps the darkness of Good Friday. He speaks peace and forgiveness. He restores Peter--a proxy for all of us and all of our betrayals and denials. He breathes the Holy Spirit into us--his followers. He blesses us. He continues to demonstrate his knowledge of us and his love for us. Jesus gives all for us.
God, thank you for the love, knowledge and sacrifice that Jesus offers us. Help us humbly accept our place in the flock and eagerly welcome all who come to the fold. Amen.
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