Sermon for Easter 4B
Judy
Dear Friends,
This Sunday’s sermon is entitled “To Whom Are You Listening?” or “Do You Qualify?” and deals with Psalm 23 and the Gospel (John 10: [7-10], 11- 18). Here it is:
Does anyone remember to old hymn- “Jesus Calls Us,” by Cecil Alexander? It goes like this:
“Jesus calls us over the tumult of our life’s wild, restless, sea;
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, saying, ‘Christian, follow Me!’”
We just finished reciting all the comforting promises in the 23rd Psalm. We recite it at every funeral. Let’s say the King James Version of that beloved Psalm together: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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.”
There’s only one problem- true enough- these are wonderful promises, but- do you qualify? Let me tell you a story that hopefully will clarify this question. Until the terrible war and violence erupted all over the Middle East, I used to want to go to Israel and walk on the very ground that Jesus trod. This story is about a traveler who actually made it. He truly had a chance to see sheep following their own particular shepherd. “This tourist was traveling in the Middle East. He saw three shepherds whose flocks had intermingled while drinking water from a brook. One of the shepherds turned toward the sheep and called out, ‘Manah. Manah. Manah.’ (Manah means, ‘follow me’ in Arabic.) Immediately his sheep separated themselves from the rest and followed him. Then one of the two remaining shepherds called out, ‘Manah. Manah.’ and his sheep left the common flock to follow him. The traveler then said to the third shepherd, ‘I would like to try that. Let me put on your cloak and turban and see if I can get the rest of the sheep to follow me.’ The shepherd smiled knowingly as the traveler wrapped himself in the cloak, put the turban on his head and called out, ‘Manah. Manah.’ The sheep did not respond to the stranger's voice. Not one of them moved toward him. ‘Will the sheep ever follow someone other than you?’ The traveler asked. ‘Oh yes,’ the shepherd replied, ‘sometimes a sheep gets sick, and then it will follow anyone.’” (John M. Braaten, The Greatest Wonder of All)
The answer to the question: “Do you qualify?” depends on you. Who are you listening to? You know, we live in a sick, polluted culture of violence, greed, selfishness, and misuse of God’s precious gift of sex. American culture’s chief value can be summed up in four words: “It’s all about me!” Have you been brainwashed by American culture’s values, or are you true to Jesus values? Which shepherd do you follow? Look at your actions- don’t bother to listen to your words, as you decide. I’m about to meddle. Do you courageously speak God’s truth to help a victim, or do you remain silent- afraid to be called a snitch. Are you completely honest, or do you take what is not yours if you can get away with it? Do you keep your promises- even if you don’t feel like it, or do you make excuses? Do you help only yourself or those in your family, or do you lend a hand to anyone who needs it? Are you loyal to your boyfriend, girlfriend, significant other, fiancé, wife; or do you have affairs behind their back? Do you come to church every Sunday, or only when it’s not too inconvenient? Do you cheat to win and/or get good grades, or are you a person of honor? Do you act like a devil behind the wheel, but then like a Christian in church, or do you respect others- even when no one knows who you are? Do you follow your peers, or do you think for yourself? How do you act when you’re really angry or frustrated?
I can hear you now- “Oh, Rev. Judy! You don’t understand!” If you’re thinking this, you need to know- I DO understand! I understand following Jesus as your shepherd requires love for God, dedication, and self-sacrifice. The devil’s way starts out as the easy way. There’s an old thought for the week from some years ago that fits here: “How do you want to spend eternity- smoking or non-smoking?” I intend to follow Jesus and not our sick culture; and I intend to attain God’s promises. What about you? Amen.
For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons & Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org .
Blessed preaching,
Judy Boli
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Saginaw, Michigan