April 21, 2013
Easter 4
Acts 9:36-43
John 10:22-30
(prayer)
There may be a real shepherd or two in the room today, but for most of us, the image of the good shepherd is one we have to imagine. It’s not really that hard – even for the most urban among us, we can picture the role of the one entrusted with the well being of the flock. The one who does hands-on work to tend to the flock’s needs – finding good pasture land, access to drinking water, protection from the threats of the wilderness.
And we can imagine how bad it would be for the sheep, if the shepherd was negligent.
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When the psalmist says that Yahweh [God] is our shepherd and describes the good ways this shepherd serves the flocks’ needs [our needs], we are expected to feel that we are cared for; that our well being is in good hands; that we do not need to worry.
Now, the metaphor only can take us so far. We have more complex lives than a flock of sheep – we might argue that our lives have greater opportunity. We are called to willingly follow: not blindly, but with longing, promise and hope.
I think the basic promise in Psalm 23 and the passage from John 10 is that we are of concern to God – that the Holiness at the Heart of the Universe desires our well being, our safety – that our lives have meaning and purpose.
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In the gospel of John, Jesus is described as the good shepherd. This old image for God is heaped on Jesus. It is one of the many (not so subtle) hints in the fourth gospel that Jesus and God are one!
The sheep of Jesus' flock trust his voice - his actions have proven him to be a good shepherd.
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Simply put... if you're gonna be a sheep, having a good shepherd will make this life better.
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// change of theme
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Most children have one. For me it was a blanket, which I could not do without (or so I am told). I believe that official story is that it got so thin after thousands and thousands of wash cycles that it one day vanished into nothingness.
What was it for you? Did you have the experience of it getting lost, or broken?
Not a happy memory, eh?
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Some adults have them too. But we call them heirlooms or keepsakes or collectibles.
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We grow attached to these items, not necessarily because of the item itself, but because of the experiences and memories it represents.
The verb ‘treasured’ makes sense because, these items are treasure to us – regardless of what price they might command at auction.
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It is a reality of being the only United Church minister in town – I am asked to officiate at quite a number of funerals: some for families I know (including church families, some in this room) and others for people from the wider community.
I have noticed a universal truth: ‘it is hard to part with the people we have treasured in our lives.’
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The setting of today’s reading from book of Acts was Joppa. Ancient Joppa (aka Jaffa, Yafo) is part of modern Tel Aviv, Israel (a coastal village of first century Judea). There was a woman in Joppa who became ill and died.
She was truly treasured by people in her community. She was devoted to good works and charity. She was a seamstress, who made tunics and other clothing. We know little else about her. But we read about the impact of her life.
Meanwhile, Simon Peter was in Lydda, a town about 15km to the southeast. In Acts 9:32, it says that “Peter went here and there among all the believers”. In Peter’s visit to Lydda, he is said to have healed a paralysed man: ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!’
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There must have been a group of believers of Jesus’ Way in Joppa as well, because after Tabitha died and they learned that Peter was in Lydda, they sent for him.
There is no indication in the text that the Christians in Joppa were expecting Peter to perform a post-mortem healing. It may simply be they wanted Peter to pay his respects to this honoured woman.
When Peter arrived, her friends took him up to the room where Tabitha’s body was laid. They proudly showed him some of the clothing she had made – no doubt they spoke glowingly about what a good person she was and the good she brought to the community. I would not be surprised if the sentiment was something like, “we don’t know what we’re going do without her.”
When Peter asked for a private moment, they respectfully left the room.
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A few minutes later, they were invited back in and... beyond all belief, Tabitha was sitting up on the edge of the bed, alive!
[The author of Acts let us peek in the room when Peter was alone with the body – we read that (first) he prayed, then he went to the bedside and (in similar language he had used in Lydda) he called Tabitha by name and told her to ‘get up’.]
As part of the wider story of the early church in the book of Acts, these healing stories serve to build up Peter’s resumé as having continuity of Jesus’ actions.
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But Tabitha’s healing is markedly different that Aeneas’. The man in Lydda was given the opportunity to increase the level of his involvement in the church – prior to Peter’s visit he was bedridden. But with the woman in Joppa, it was the church that was restored – given the opportunity to experience of Tabitha’s ministry for a while longer.
Treasured faith and service renewed and faith expanded and new service made possible.
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The Easter Season is a call for the modern church and its people to ‘get up and live' in the power of the Risen Christ. In this way we can take a lead in being vessels of loving, compassionate service in the communities in which we live.
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If “compassion” is part of our reason d’être, our reason for being, we are naturally community-minded – we will think and hold as valuable things beyond our own small life.
I know that there is not one person in this room who did not hold the City and people of Boston in their hearts and prayers this past week.
We don’t have to know anyone there personally; we don’t have to have ever lived there or even visited there – we had compassion for these people like they were our members of our own family.
That is a hallmark of being an Easter people, followers of Jesus’ Way – the world is all kin to us.
Last week I preached about the power of unconditional love. We have witnessed that in the last six days – on our TV sets, the internet and in our hearts and minds and souls.
Compassion for neighbour and stranger alike was shown by marathoners, spectators, first responders, police... by so many people.
However, one of the most remarkable examples of unconditional love I saw came from an odd place. When the media scoured the world for insiders to interview, we heard from immediate family members of the Tsarneav brothers. The aunt in Toronto, the mom and dad in Degestan – their love for their sons, could not allow them to admit that they were anything but innocent. The love was so deep that it couldn’t be stopped by even the most evil and sinful of activities.
Imagine that. That’s the depth of God’s love – not just for the righteous, but for all.
Can we have compassion deep enough for all of God’s world?
Jesus’ call to his followers was not a surface-level easy compassion, but one that challenges at the deepest levels of our souls.
Let us be an Easter people who honour the life of everything in creation. Loving neighbour, stranger and enemy alike.
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We follow the Way of Jesus, the good shepherd. A way highlighted with acts of welcoming, protection, hope, compassion and justice.
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We are inspired by the people whose faith we treasure.
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We are an Easter people!
Let us pray;
Good God, guide us, honour us, restore our souls.
Amen.
#161MV "I Have Called You By Your Name"
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