I am really struggling with where the Spirit would have me go with the lessons for this week. I have all sorts of ideas; from politics to gate construction. In my research one paragraph has really struck and stuck with me.
As Scott Black Johnston points out in his article on John 10 in “The Lectionary Commentary,” there is some irony in John 10 considering that Jesus makes a big point to say that the sheep know and follow the recognized voice of the shepherd. They don’t listen to a stranger’s voice but they do so to the familiar voice of the shepherd. And yet given all that, how ironic to note that in John 10:6, right after Jesus says all this, we are told that the disciples and others listening to Jesus that day “did not understand what he was telling them.” Apparently even when we recognize the Good Shepherd’s voice, we don’t necessarily always understand what he is saying to us! (footnote)
I think the reason I'm having such a hard time with it is that Jesus seems to be so utterly wrong. All the sheep seem to do is listen to strangers. We have been sold a bill of goods by everyone from the President of Coors to the President of the United States. We have listened to the voices of so many who tell us to consume, to think for ourselves, to live this way, to do this thing, to go to this college, to worship this way, to do this program, and on and on and on. Seems all we do is listen to the strangers, but Jesus seems sure that his sheep don't. It certainly makes me wonder about the surety of my salvation. Maybe that's why it is so hard. It is tough to preach on how to do this Kingdom thing, when it is now so very clear that I haven't a clue as to how to do it.
So I rely on the irony card. Though it assumes an audience I'm not sure I agree with. I guess I just hope the disciples missed it too. I mean I know the Pharisees (the audience I read) didn't understand; I'm just hoping the disciples were standing close by and didn't get it either.
I hope your sermon prep and discernment is going better than mine.
3 comments:
Amen. I haven't a clue where to go with this and I've got a funeral sermon to get done also, so I need to get going! The theme that keeps running through my head is how stupid sheep are. And that follows with what you and Johnston have to say about the fact that we don't follow Jesus voice - even when we know what that is and want to follow him. It seems that we've become so blind that we most often don't realize that it is a cultural norm that we follow and not some God-given, ingrained part of our being that makes us so independent, so self-reliant, so addicted to acquiring stuff. And I've got a congregation who are essentially good people who are really trying.
Maybe what I'll preach is about Jesus giving us life, and living it abundantly. How much of our actions are based on the thought that life is ruled by scarcity and if we don't get ours first then there might not be any left.
I think the scarcity thing is so very true and easily preached. Go for it! ;-)
I hope your sermons go well, you are in my prayers on another busy week.
Many thanks. While in bed last night I found myself thinking about the image of sheep and the shepherd. Like many of us, I have this lovely scene in my mind of Jesus with a lamb around his shoulders and all these mild-mannered and well-behaved sheep following behind. The other picture of sheep that I have is (mostly from TV and movies) sheep with their dogs racing around, yapping at their heels and trying to keep these wayward sheep all going in the same direction. THIS, I believe, is the flock that I mostly belong to - the one that needs the frantic and yapping dog to keep them in line rather than the gentle shepherd that is willingly followed.
Don't know where this might lead, but thought I'd share it.
Post a Comment