“You put your right arm in, you put your right arm out, you put your right arm in and you shake it all about. You do the Hokey-Pokey and you turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about!”
Nothing will get people out on a wedding reception dance floor like the Hokey-Pokey. It’s a fun little jig but what if the last line of that ditty is true? What if the Hokey-Pokey is really what it is all about? In a way life often feels like one unending Hokey-Pokey dance. “You put yourself in the car, you take yourself out of the car, you put yourself in school or work, and you shake yourself about. You do the Hokey-Pokey and you turn yourself around (to do it all over again the next morning, and the morning after that). Is that what it’s all about?!?” Are you tired of your Hokey-Pokey existence? If so, listen closely to our sermon text because it’s going to tell you how to live life to the full!
There is, of course, no shortage of people who will tell you how to live life to the full. Their voices are only a computer click away. One website I checked suggested going for a daily walk. Another said to learn a new skill. Most said to do whatever you want, whenever you want. These “experts” were certain that you can’t live life to the full if you’re trying to live up to someone else’s expectations. But what does our Savior say? Listen: “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out… 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:1-3, 10).
Jesus compares us to sheep and teaches that the way to a full life is by listening to him, the Good Shepherd. “Well of course Jesus would say that! He wants to keep you penned up with his commands while everyone else is out there having a good time and really enjoying life!” That’s what Satan retorts, doesn’t he? He’s been throwing out that line ever since it worked on Adam and Eve. “What do you mean God doesn’t want you to eat from this tree? This is where the good stuff is, Eve. You take a bite of this fruit and you’ll feel things you’ve never dreamed of. Go on. Take it. God’s been holding out on you. Oh sure. He’s given you this beautiful garden to live in and a husband who adores you but there’s so much more to life than this paradise!” Like the thief Jesus described who is only interested in stealing, killing, and destroying, Satan used his slick words to rob Adam and Eve of their innocence. And he’s always trying to do the same thing to you too.
But that isn’t how you live life to the full. Do you want a lasting relationship with the one you love? Then follow God’s plan for marriage. Husbands, love your wives by serving them. Wives, respect your husbands and encourage them in their work and support their leadership in your family. Want to enjoy your youth? Don’t ruin it by experimenting with drugs or seeing how far you can get on a date. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, not a nightclub you own where anything goes.
Listening to Jesus is what leads to a full life and why wouldn’t it? Look at how much he loves you. He compares himself to a shepherd who calls his sheep by name. How does he do it? I only have four kids but get their names mixed up all the time and sometimes even call them by the cat’s name! Even though billions of sheep are in Jesus’ flock, he knows each one of our names. He also knows our fears. He knows our needs. And like a good shepherd he will provide for those needs. You know he will because this Good Shepherd gave up his life to save you from your rebellious ways.
A few months ago an Edmonton grandmother died when she saved her granddaughter from being run over by a truck. I can’t imagine that woman would have done the same thing for her dog. She certainly wouldn’t have thrown herself in the way of a truck to save some punk who had just snatched her purse…and yet that’s what Jesus did when he died for you and me. He threw himself in the path of God’s speeding wrath to save sinners. Do you want to live life to the full? Then listen to Jesus your Good Shepherd. He’s already proven his love for you.
Listening to Jesus doesn’t just mean hearing what he has to say though does it? The sheep who hears his shepherd’s command to “Come!” but remains standing still isn’t really listening is he? Those who listen, follow. And so if you really want to live life to the full, it’s not good enough to spend an hour here on Sunday morning listening to Jesus. You’ll want to follow him the rest of the week with your actions and attitudes. Jesus put it this way: “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice…I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:3b, 4, 9).
Jesus’ sheep follow him wherever he leads because they trust it will lead to green pastures. So when Jesus speaks to us about how to handle those who hate us, how we are to forgive them and pray for them, we will do this trusting it’s the best thing to do. When Jesus calls us to turn away from the sinful pleasures of this world, we will do so trusting that life won’t become dull because of it.
But following Jesus doesn’t always seem to lead to green pastures, does it? It certainly didn’t seem to work out that way for Stephen whom we heard about in our First Lesson this morning. Stephen had listened to his Shepherd’s voice and boldly proclaimed God’s Word but he received no thanks for it. Instead he was stoned to death. Had Stephen been misled? Not at all! Did you notice what the Good Shepherd was doing moments before rocks thudded into Stephen and his blood soaked the Judean soil? According to Stephen who received a vision of heaven, Jesus was standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56) - standing, not sitting impassively the way an earthly king might when he sees that one of his foot soldiers has taken an arrow to the heart. What’s another soldier? No, Jesus the Good Shepherd was standing out of concern for his sheep. He was standing ready to receive Stephen into the heavenly mansion he had died to build for him. The Good Shepherd is standing on guard for you too even when the doctor delivers the bombshell that you have cancer. Nor is Jesus sprawled out on a couch in heaven mindlessly flipping through magazines as your job search stretches on for months. He’s standing. He’s leading. So follow him and don’t give up when the ground you’re covering is rocky and hard to negotiate. Sometimes that’s the only way to greener pastures.
When your life feels like an endless Hokey-Pokey dance, it’s time to sit down and have a chat with your Good Shepherd. But don’t just talk to him prayer, listen to him speak to you. If you can spend a couple hours a day on Face-Book, you should be able to sneak fifteen minutes on Faith-Book. But “sneak” isn’t the right word is it? Do you want to live life to the full? Then make listening to Jesus a priority. If you need to cut back on the soccer games, the dance classes, and on your TV watching to make this happen, do it! If you don’t, your life will continue to feel like the Hokey-Pokey. That isn’t what Jesus wants for you. Instead he beckons you to follow him and he promises to lead to green pastures where your cup will overflow with blessings even as it overflows now with forgiveness and his love. Amen.
