Fifth Sunday of Easter: Good Shepherd Sunday

Sermon 4/16/16

Thanks Russ for the great bulletin design!

It’s “Good Shepherd Sunday” again. Why? Because this is the essence of the Risen Christ? Jesus answer to Peter last week:  the proof of love? Feed my sheep. (Cue: Jorma Kaukonen and the Jefferson Airplane’s "O Good Shepherd, feed my sheep…”)

"Good Shepherd"

If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the blood-stained bandit
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep
One for Paul
One for Silas
One for to make my heart rejoice
Can't you hear my lambs acallin
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep

If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the long-tongue liar
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep

If you want to get to heaven
Over on the other shore
Stay out of the way of the gun shot devil
Oh good shepherd
Feed my sheep

In Jesus' days, shepherds were suspect. They were the only ones who slept outside the gates. They were subject to stop and frisk when they came to town.  The connection back to David was  already nostalgiac at best.

It gives us warm feelings…few of us have any real connection to real sheep. Maybe street fair petting zoos. Wool usually holding sawdust and other detritus…what images serve us?

When we first moved to the city, our apartment building had a lot of school age children. Our porter Kenny would watch the children  on their way to and way back from school…until they were safe.

Jesus is into a q & a with the Pharisees again. Let’s consider that  maybe they’re actually  serious…Are YOU the one? They ask. And his response: I have. I do. I am. Once you are in his hands, you can never be snatched away.

Perhaps the best known passage in the Bible is the 23^rd psalm. We used to have a walk around Bible.  Verses we had memorized. Many of us clergy have had the nursing home experience . A room full of resident with Dementia.  Completeley out of it. And then the 23^rd Psalm is recited and everyone is joining.in.

We use it for funerals. Memorials. And baptisms.

Why does it comfort us so? Once you’re in his hands? 

What are your memories? Which image comforts you the best?

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

I want to close with Bobby McFerrin’s Psalm 23. Written for his mother..

The Lord is my Shepard, I have all I need,
She makes me lie down in green meadows,
Beside the still waters, She will lead.

She restores my soul, She rights my wrongs,
She leads me in a path of good things,
And fills my heart with songs.

Even though I walk, through a dark & dreary land,
There is nothing that can shake me,
She has said She won't forsake me,
I'm in her hand.

She sets a table before me, in the presence of my foes,

She anoints my head with oil,
And my cup overflows.

Surely, surely goodness & kindness will follow me,
All the days of my life,
And I will live in her house,
Forever, forever & ever.

Glory be to our Mother, & Daughter,
And to the Holy of Holies,
As it was in the beginning, is now & ever shall be,
World, without end. Amen

PSALM 23:1-6

¹The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

²He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

³he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

for his name's sake.

⁴Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff-

they comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

my whole life long.

Benediction REVELATION 7:9-17

⁹After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰They cried out in a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" ¹¹And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹²singing, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

¹³Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" ¹⁴I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. ¹⁶They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; ¹⁷for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

GOSPEL JOHN 10:22-30

²²At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. ²⁴So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." ²⁵Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; ²⁶but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. ²⁷My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. ³⁰The Father and I are one."

The Third Sunday in Advent: .....Don't worry....

12/13

A holiday pot luck

^{It’s a warm, too sunny, too warm, strange spring in December day.I haven’t seen Marty in awhile. He’s sitting in front of Dunkin' Donuts, hand out looking for tips.  When he recognizes me, he nods, salutes.}

^{Pastor, did Albert Einstein have anything to say about the weather?}

^{Not that I’m aware of Marty.}

^{72 pages of equations. he said it all comes down to e=mc2. And that only 3 people in the world understand it.}

^{And I’m not one of them, Marty.}

^{And he laughs. You have a good day, Marty.}

^{He nods. Salutes  again.}

^{Our scriptures for the day are  Zephaniah 3: 14-20, Isaiah12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7  and Luke 3: 7-18. As part of our musical reflection, Jed and I do Don’t Worry be happy by Bobby Mc Ferrin. And then our reflection….}

^{Yesterday when I got on the subway to come to the church to rehearse with Jed, the train was filled with Santa Con revelers.  And then I noticed….the air conditioning was on!! Much as I enjoy December spring, there’s something basically just not right about that.}

^{What I’m thinking about today is worry.  Is thee anyone here today who is free from worry?  I worry about the church. My kids… My future…I could go  on…Perhaps the best expression of  this is the Bobby McFerrin song.  I wanted to sing it today because I used to find it completely annoying. One time, I was at a church leaders retreat back in Pittsburgh. Our leader was from the intentional community Church of the Savior in Washington, DC. He was kind of like a monk and was wearing  sandals in winter. Every break he would play this song. After 2-3 times, it  was driving me crazy. I said to my friend John, if he does that one more time, I’m outta here. Which is exactly what happened. One more Don't worry, be happy…and we were off to the bar.}

^{It seemed insipid.  Is anyone here old enough to remember Alfred E. Newman?  Mad Magazine? The What, me worry? guy? And of course, our advice from Donna Schaper last week on living mercy,  promise never to offer illusory hope…which usually begins  with don’t worry…}

^{I told Andre about this one time. He kind of of scowled a little. Told me that he’d studied with Bobby Mc Ferrin’s father. You ought to think about this, he said. He really means it.}

^{It’s been said that worry is its own reward…as when you are worrying about something,  you emotionally feel as if you’re engaged, as if you don’t need to do anything about  it…because you are worrying…}

^{So Bobby Mc Ferrin say, Don’t worry, be happy. Paul says :}

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayer….with all the shootings, think about that a moment, you always see the Facebook post sending with thoughts and prayers…it’s almost meaningless..it doesn't change anything. Prayer must be accompanied by doing…

Paul’s prayers are not easy…. by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God….that thanks-giving we’ve been talking about the last two weeks…the idea being if you put your whole self into it, all your heart, clearly tell God what you are  asking, be profoundly sincere in your asking, you will turn it over to God…you will feel peace as you let it go…..your hearts and minds will be guarded…you will do what you need to do, what you can do.. and after that, it’s out of your hands…

It was CS Lewis who said, I don’t pray to change God’s mind, I pray to change  my own…

I will also say that when two people pray together, there is real intimacy that is formed. Spiritual  intimacy. We meet each other in a deeper place, a place where the holy spirit dwells.  The Place where God is.

When I was I Seminary, I was part of an urban core group of about 12 people my  senior year. We each worked 20 hours a week in an urban church. We met for four hours every Monday. We began with a theological reflection paper.  Then a case study from our experience. Then group process. Then finished with worship. Eucharist. There we people in that group that I just plain did not like, but as we met each week and prayed for each other, near the end of the semester I discovered that while I still didn’t like some of the people, I had come to love them…We are a small enough community.. what if we each prayed for all of us each week? Consciously and deliberately? What might change? Pope Francis always asks of people pray for me. Are we able to ask that of each other? Pat asked me to pray for her mother-in –law  last week…What if I asked you to you pray for me? By name? In your home, in your heart? What might change?

I cannot say that any change in external circumstances are ever guaranteed. What can change is your heart and mind.

Our three passages share a model of  Fear, presence and joy…

We name ,claim our fear….

We experience the presence of the Holy Spirit

And then experience joy….. we sing praise….we feel….happy…?

I can’t leave without touching on John the Baptist again this morning. He stormed in here last week,  like  he always does, every year. With his wild hair, rough clothes and strange diet. Knowing hast he was raised in the Temple, it’s like he’s gone form Trinity Episcopal Wall Street to the sawdust tent revival trail of hot August nights. And he comes on strong today…You brood of vipers…this not seem to be a good way to build a  church. Who wants to hear Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

But I’m struck by his advice…..He starts with sharing serious crowd sharing….

¹⁰And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" ¹¹In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise."

And then check this out…

Tax collectors? Those despised collaborators with the empire? Making their living by cheating their  own people?

, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." ¹

 And Soldiers? Not Roman soldiers, but those who worked for the Jewish establishment, kind of  like the Palestinian authority" Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

He’s saying do your job…and do it appropriately…he doesn’t say, Walk off your job…join me in the wilderness..become revolutionaries a las montanas …her says DO your job where you are….

He doesn’t say, NYPD officers, occupying enforcers of the empire, Leave the force, join the people…he says, serve the people, do what you are  supposed to do, are pledged to do…protect, serve, defend….

The revolution will never get anywhere without defectors, without those who are converted into a new way of living where they are.

We traditionally hear the wheat and chaff part as separating the bad guys…the good from the bad, our enemies from ourselves…but here is the point…we all have both wheat and chaff inside of us…we are all BOTH…the call is to allow the holy spirit to burn chaff away from  inside of us all that keeps us from being who we are supposed to be. Internal from a

That’s what this season of preparation  is all  about…

In this meeting ahead…

Don't worry

Feel the Presence

Be open to Joy

Joy…this  gaudate Sunday….it’s hard to think about as we  go from  holiday party to party, but in the past, this was a time of reflection, penitence…. This was to be a Sunday to break the  darkness, to be a break from penitence ….so let us go  into our time together with that spirit….

Amen

Following the service, we go to the chapel for a very important congregational meeting. We have a serious discussion of our financial situation, always perilous. We discuss the plan for our new 501c3 (not for profit ) finally putting legs under the Center at West Park. Possible changes in pastoral coverage.  Hard stuff. But there is support. And enthusiasm. We’re still in it. Willing to take a risk. The next step.

After our meeting, we share in a holiday pot luck. Everyone has brought something to share. The spirit is good. It is a time of anticipation. Of hope.

Pastor Stephen and Russ

^{Zephaniah 3 :14-20}

¹⁴Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter Jerusalem!

¹⁵The LORD has taken away the judgments against you,

he has turned away your enemies.

The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall fear disaster no more.

¹⁶On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

Do not fear, O Zion;

do not let your hands grow weak.

¹⁷The LORD, your God, is in your midst,

a warrior who gives victory;

he will rejoice over you with gladness,

he will renew you in his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing

¹⁸as on a day of festival.

I will remove disaster from you,

so that you will not bear reproach for it.

¹⁹I will deal with all your oppressors at that time.

And I will save the lame

and gather the outcast,

and I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth.

²⁰At that time I will bring you home,

at the time when I gather you;

for I will make you renowned and praised

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunes

before your eyes, says the LORD.

CANTICLE ISAIAH 12:2-6

²Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust, and will not be afraid,

for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might;

he has become my salvation.

³With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴And you will say in that day:

Give thanks to the LORD,

call on his name;

make known his deeds among the nations;

proclaim that his name is exalted.

⁵Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;

let this be known in all the earth.

⁶Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,

for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

SECOND READING PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL LUKE 3:7-18

⁷John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

¹⁰And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" ¹¹In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." ¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" ¹³He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." ¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

¹⁵As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

¹⁸So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.