Goodness and Love

October 26, 2014

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

Sermon Series: The I Am Statements of Jesus

Sermon 5 of Series:

“I Am the Good Shepherd”

John 10:11-16 The Message Bible

“Goodness and Love”

Let us pray…Pray for the Spirit’s leading and that God’s word would be heard…

When I met and married my husband Ray, my whole world changed. God had given me someone who would take care of the girls and I and it was awesome. Before having him in our lives, I spent my life taking care of the girls and making sure they had everything they needed and some of their wants, but to me there seemed to be something missing. When God brought us together I was able to name what it was that was missing. I was missing someone in my life that would take care of me…someone who I felt safe and secure with…someone who would be my “champion” when I just couldn’t do it myself.

Now if any of you truly know Ray, you would know what he is like. He is pretty easy going but when something or someone comes against or threatens his family…well let me just say, “watch out”. There is nothing he wouldn’t do to make sure his family is safe and taken care of. God has given me…and the girls… a vision…an example…of what it looks like when we are cared for by another person who will protect us through thick or thin…even to the point of death.

We, as the body of Christ, have entered into the Season that we begin to journey towards a manger…the Season that we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. You see…Jesus is the Savior of the world but He is so much more than that. As prepare for the pilgrimage we are looking at the seven “I Am” statements that Jesus made while He walked among us. My prayer is that as we do, we will realize what really happened that day, how that one day changed the tide of sin and death. It’s all about the name and what goes along with that very same name…not just who a person is but also what that name implies.

We have talked about the name I Am and that Jesus, the Great I Am, is always with us even when we don’t feel His presence with us in those times when we feel we are walking in a dark tunnel and not seeing the light at the end. OK, so we have talked about how Jesus is The Bread of Life and about how Jesus fills us spiritually and that we never will hunger again for those Spiritual things that we need for our faith walk. And we have even talked about how Jesus gives light for our journey…He is “The Light of the World”. Jesus hems us in…He is “”The Gate” that keeps us safe in the pasture of His love and grace. Jesus…being the perfect gate…truly is “The Good Shepherd” who shepherds us with His love and peace.

Now we have talked about shepherds many times before. But sheep teach us so much about the love and care that Jesus gives us. You see, shepherds in the ancient world and probably even today with some of them had a close relationship with their sheep. They were raised like members of the family and even given names. They were showered with love and affection, just as their children were. Because of this, the sheep would follow the shepherd when they called them. They knew that they were loved, protected and fed by the shepherd. They felt secure and satisfied when they kept close to the shepherd.

Jesus is the ultimate shepherd. He calls to His sheep…He calls to you and to me wanting us to follow Him…wanting us to come to Him for protection and love. Jesus wants to feed us not as the world would feed us on things that don’t last but on things that are eternal. As we keep close to the Good Shepherd we begin to recognize His voice above all the noise, confusion and chaos of the world. We are showered with love and affection because we are dearly loved children of the Most High God. How truly awesome and good is the Good Shepherd…He loved us and proved it by a very tangible way…

In the scripture I read this morning, there are several places verses 11, 15 as well as verses 17-18, in which Jesus states that the Good shepherd Lays down his life for the sheep of His sheepfold… He laid down His life…He lays down His life daily for His sheep. It’s all about Jesus’ sacrificial laying down of His life for all of humanity. How does that make you feel about Jesus? Could He be that perfect person to trust you life with? Could Jesus be your Shepherd leading you into the good pasture as He guards the entrance with His own body and blood? No one made Him. Jesus didn’t have to do this…Jesus chose to do this for you and for me.

There are many who respond in different ways to Jesus’ invitation…to His shepherding. Some just ignore it. Some think it is “to good to be true”. Some think there must be some kind of loop hole…some kind of “bait and switch” going on. But there are others that embrace Jesus’ invitation to come through the narrow gate and live life abundantly. Maybe…just maybe…if we trust and believe we can truly enter that “land flowing with milk and honey” that God promises those who believe. Perhaps if we just stop thinking like the world and walk by faith we will truly live the life we so desperately want. But it begins with surrendering and trusting our lives to the Shepherd of our souls.

Now…just like sheep…we too can wander away at times. Life kind of gets us all turned around and we have trouble finding the path that we were on. The world is full of the siren song…come this way and you will be happy…go that way and have life abundant…follow me and your will find true happiness. But when we decide to go back…when we finally come to our senses…when we are “clothed again and in our right minds”…Jesus is there to welcome us back. Just as the shepherd who found the lost sheep and threw a party because it was found…heaven too has a party and there is great rejoicing when we find our way back into the pasture of peace and joy. But we must enter through the Gate Keeper…the Good Shepherd found in our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who is the ultimate provider of all we need. Jesus is the One Shepherd who Will and has lain down His life for the sheep of His flock.

So…what’s it going to be? What are you going to choose? Who shall be your shepherd? As a matter of fact if we are already part of the flock what are we going to do with the knowledge of the last part of the scripture I read this morning? “You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd.” Have you wandered away from the Shepherd of your life? Do you know someone who needs to find a Shepherd to lead them to a life full of abundance and love?  Are you willing to offer others what you have been so freely given so they too can live a life of joy?

Listen…can you hear the Shepherd calling you back home? Can you hear His voice in the distance? Is He asking you to go out and find His lost ones so that they too can find peace for their own journey of life? Is He asking you to share His Light for the journey? Is He asking you to bring others to the Gate of protection? Is He looking for your help to bring others to the banquet to feast on the Bread of Life? Share the light, bread, protection and peace that are found in our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. You will never be sorry you did…

Pray about The Good Shepherd, shepherding us through life…

Amen!