Voice of the Shepherd, Easter 4, May 7, 2017

Fourth Week of Easter (Year A)

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Abundant life is not something to earn or achieve, buy or barter for. Rather, it is a gift, the sheer gift of a God who loves us enough to lay down his life for us. There are so many thieves and bandits in this world who would rob us of life, who would cheat us of abundance. And so Jesus comes as the gatekeeper and good shepherd, the one who knows his sheep -- intimately and truly -- and who calls us by name so that we, hearing the difficult truth about ourselves, may believe and receive the second and wonderful truth about God's great and victorious love for us.

– David Lose

Theme: Voice of the Shepherd

Reflection:  If you were to ask me to name the best teacher I’ve ever known, Mrs. Vick would get my vote, hands down.

Gwen Vick wasn’t my kindergarten teacher. She wasn’t my son’s kindergarten teacher either. But reporting on education in a small community for eight years, I spent a lot of time in her classroom.

•               Mrs. Vick loved teaching.

•               Mrs. Vick loved teaching kindergarten.

•               Mrs. Vick loved mentoring kindergarten teachers.

•               Mrs. Vick loved her students.

•               And her students loved her.

Every school day, she was absorbed in preparing these early learners with the fundamentals of every subject they would take in the future – math, language, science, social studies, art, physical education and more. She modeled kindness and manners. She taught these impulsive 5- and 6-year-olds patience. She delighted in creativity.

And teaching kindergarten was her life. She planned lessons in the evenings, designed bulletin boards over the weekends, dreamed up new ideas to inspire her children over the summer. She talked her husband into building her a workroom at their rural Arizona home so she had the space to create and store all the materials she used. I’ve never met someone so devoted to her vocation.

By mid-year, students would freeze in mid-sentence when she asked for their attention. They recognized her voice in the gym, in the cafeteria, on the playground. She knew her students and their families, making sure a little one ate breakfast if she didn’t have enough at home, or went to the nurse’s office for clean clothing or a nap if he needed them. These children were fortunate enough to have everything they needed to learn, and as a result, they were filled with wonder and joy in abundance.

An hour of watching her work with and care for her students would recharge my soul for days to come.

Good Shepherd Sunday isn’t my favorite week of the church year. Most people’s knowledge of sheep is limited to “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Baa, Baa Black Sheep.” That is, sheep are raised for wool and meat, and their skills are limited to following and going astray. Today's Bible readers don’t have the deep knowledge of sheep and shepherds that our ancestors did.

I’ve often thought that Good Shepherd Sunday needs a new image to which today’s disciples could relate. Sheep, shepherds, pastures and gates are irrelevant to most people.

If Jesus had come to earth in our lifetime, perhaps we would be celebrating Good Kindergarten Teacher Sunday, and the children that hear the teacher’s voice and follow her, because she cares for them and provides for their every need.

I know I’m outnumbered. Psalm 23 is by far Christians’ favorite Psalm and most often the only one they can recite by heart. I’d venture to guess that more art exists of Jesus as the Good Shepherd than any other image of Jesus, except possibly Jesus on the cross.

But when I think of people devoted to the lives in their care, I picture this wonderful teacher, surrounded by her beaming students, a contemporary flock with their dedicated shepherd.

(You always are welcome to respond with your thoughts and reflections in the comments section at the bottom of the blog post.) 

Faith App:  Is there someone you can reach this week with a small gift of abundant life? It doesn’t have to be costly, in fact it may cost nothing at all. Consider inviting someone to lunch, visiting a shut-in or someone who lives in a nursing home, taking a child fishing or on a hike, or teaching a senior to use Facetime or Skype with their grandchildren.

HYMN/SONG SUGGESTIONS

The King of Love My Shepherd Is, ELW 502

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say, ELW 332/611

The Lord’s My Shepherd, ELW 778

Jesus Calls Us; o’er the Tumult, ELW 696

Lead Me, Guide Me, ELW 768

My Shepherd, You Supply My Need, ELW 782

Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us, ELW 789

God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending, ELW 678

Have No Fear, Little Flock, ELW 764

Amazing Grace, ELW 779

We Are Called, ELW 720

You Never Let Go, Matt Redman

Shoulders, For King and Country

He Will Carry Me, Mark Schultz

Sound of Your Voice, Steven Curtis Chapman

Good to Be Alive, Jason Gray

Forever Reign, One Sonic Society/Hillsong

Blink, Revive

LESSONS

Acts 2:42-47 All who believed were together and had all things in common.

Psalm 23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

1 Peter 2:19-25 Now you have returned to the shepherd and the guardian of your souls.

John 10:1-10 He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

Summary of the Lessons:  It is not only Jesus who is the Shepherd and the Gate, but once we recognize the Shepherd and follow his voice, we are called to start living into this abundant life as a community, securing this goodness for all the people of God. How can we live with glad and generous hearts and not assure the same for our neighbors?

OPENING LITANY based on Psalm 23

L:  Christ is Risen!

C:  He is Risen Indeed!

L:  Gentle Good Shepherd, you provide everything I need,

C:  Lush, verdant pastures with time to rest and recharge,

L:  Scenic, still waters to restore my overwrought soul,

C:  Well-worn paths to walk, so I can learn to rely on you.

L:  Even when the way leads into death’s dark valley,

C:  I’m not afraid, because I see you walking beside me,

L:  I know you can protect me from every danger,

C:  I follow, and my trust increases with every step.

L:  You serve me a feast, even as threats surround me,

C:  Sweet oil bathes my brow, gifts overwhelm me.

L:  You pursue me with love throughout my life;

C:  Invite me to stay in your home forevermore.

CONFESSION

L:  Lord, allowing you to lead should come naturally,

C:  To follow the voice of the Shepherd who loves us,

L:  To ignore the lure of possessions and false idols,

C:  But how easily our desires can lead us astray.

L:  Gratitude also should flow from our lips, Lord,

C:  When we consider how much we’ve been given,

L:  When we realize everything comes to us as gift,

C:  But we forget to praise you, God, for our success.

L:  Finally, Lord, we struggle to be the body of Christ,

C:  When we ignore the needs of others around us,

L:  When we focus on our individual heavenly reward,

C:  Rather than building your kingdom, day by day.

(Silent reflection)

L:  In our confession, we pray together,

C:  Most Merciful God ... we fall far short of the vision you have for us, in hearing your voice, responding in gratitude to your gracious providing, and sharing our abundance with others. It's a tall order to maintain life in community. Guide us, we pray, to be generous to those who have need, patient with those with different opinions, and kind to those who are hurting.

Hear this Good News:  This promise is certain – No matter how far astray we wander, or how often we fail to heed our Shepherd’s voice, goodness and mercy pursues us every day, not because of anything we’ve done, but by the overflowing grace of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Your sin is forgiven, and you are restored to the fellowship of God’s fold.

In the name of…

Amen.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

L:  We pray together, 

C:  Shepherd King … we pray that we always will recognize your voice, calling us away from distractions that rob us of peace, onto the path that leads to life – abundant and joyful life in you. Help us to be thankful for every gift you’ve given us, and with glad and generous hearts, share what we have with all your beloved people, assuring they, too, have everything they need to live well.  Amen.

COMMUNION BLESSING

L:  We pray together,

C:  We give you thanks, most gracious God, for this table you’ve provided for us – lavish bread and overflowing cup, small signs of the abundant life you promise. Because of your gentle tending, we’ve learned to trust you and recognize your voice. Lead us out, ready to share what you’ve given us, so that through our lives, others also may know your love. Amen. 

SENDING

L:  Through the teaching and the worship

C:  In our gatherings and breaking bread,

L:  As we pray and serve people in need,

C:  Abundant life is given and received.

L:  Go now, beloved flock, to love and to serve the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God!

First Reading Acts 2:42-47 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: Following the Holy Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost, the apostles and new disciples lived in an idyllic community. This kind of communal and spiritual perfection is hard to maintain.

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

⁴³ Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous^[c] hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Second Reading 1 Peter 2:19-25 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: The writer of 1 Peter is addressing persecuted exiles who are following the Way, dispersed from their homeland and having no rights or ownership in their land. Take heart, the text says. Your Lord and Savior Jesus also suffered unjustly.

¹⁹ For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. ²¹ For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.

²² “He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

²³ When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. ²⁴ He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵ For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Gospel John 10:1-10 (NRSV)

Setting the Scene: John continues his many “I am” references to try to capture the essence of who Jesus is. Today, Jesus uses two metaphors first century people would have understood to describe his care for his beloved people.

10 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁷ So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.