pI PETER 5 TRINITY 3 SHEPHERD SUNDAY
Introduction
Use of symbols - by Jesus in communication. Among the most powerful are those comparing Jesus to the life of a Shepherd. This is an old thought -- God was referred to as "The Shepherd of Israel." This imagery is used to communicate who God is. He certainly is not the God of the dictionary .
god NOUN:
1. God a. A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and
ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic
religions. b. The force, effect, or a manifestation or aspect of this being.
2. A being of supernatural powers or attributes, believed in and worshiped by a
people, especially a male deity thought to control some part of nature or reality.
3. An image of a supernatural being; an idol.
4. One that is worshiped, idealized, or followed: Money was their god.
5. A very handsome man. 6. A powerful ruler or despot.
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Do those definitions sound like anything that Jesus, the Author of our Faith says?
Jesus was not talking about some far off creator that started things going then remained aloof, unconcerned, uncaring about the world. That is the God of the
Greeks, the God of Prometheus. In that myth, Prometheus, who gave mankind the gift of fire is eternally bound to a rock and exposed to the birds that forever eat at his heart. There may be a truth in there about the sorrows our race imposes upon itself
through scientific discovery, but it really doesn’t tell us anything about God.
The God that Jesus knew intimately He called Father. Jesus said to His disciples, if
you want anything, ask for it. The Father hears us.
He said prayer is like knocking on a neighbors door and asking for bread to help entertain late night visitors. The neighbor may be a bit slow to respond, but if you repeat the request, you will get an answer.
Jesus does not tell us to pray thus: O omnisicient, allknowing, omnipresent, all powerful creator of the universe give ear to our petitions. No! He says pray thusly
"Our Father. . . ."
He says "Your heavenly Father knows how to give good gifts to His Children. " Peter, in starting this letter says that He is writing to the Elect, the Chosen by the Father, those sanctified by the Holy Spirit and those obedient to Jesus Christ. He
doesn’t use the theological word we throw around -- trinity -- He talks of a Father, a person Jesus also described as our Elder Brother, He talks of a Spirit that helps us to live a Holy Life.
God is present everywhere by this spirit, but it is no impersonal ghostly thing, it is the Spirit of Christ.
The presence of God everywhere is an assurance that He is able to help, to deliver us from evil, and to lead us in safe paths.
God is all knowing, but it is a knowing as a Father knows his wandering Son and yearns for His return. It is a knowing as a mother hen knows her chicks and wants to protect them. It is a knowing as a Shepherd in search of that lost sheep.
Jesus used the familiar imagery of the Old Testament. On His last visit to Jerusalem, as Jesus viewed the city from a distance He said, "Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who stoned, who killed the rophets. . .how often I would have gathered you under my wings as a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you wouldn’t have it!" He wept over the City.
Our God is like that. In saying these things, He was giving a powerful image of what was to occur that week. A mother hen gathering he r chicks. In the case of a barnyard fire, the mother hen would open her wings to protect the chicks as the fire raged. After the fire was over, the chicks would emerged unscathed from under the wings of the Mother hen that had died to protect them.
When He had insight into how Passion Weeek would end, Jesus likened Himself to that mother hen. He gathers us under the arms of the Cross and reminds us that as His Disciples we are also to find our cross and extend our arms for the sake of others.
Peter says, I was there. I saw what happened, I witness the sufferings, and share the Glory. Then He said, "You presbyters (elders) feed the flock of God." Jesus
said, I am the Good Shepherd. We sing, "Saviour like a Shepherd lead us. . . ."
Jesus says to those selected for ministry, You be Good Shepherds as well. . . .Don’t
Lord it over the flock, Lead by example.
No doubt the words of Jesus still rang in Peter’s ears for Jesus had said "Peter, feed my sheep (John 21:16). Ezekiel 34:12-23 This tells us what Paul meant when He said that the Church is Christ’s body. John 10:14 - Christ is the Good Shepherd, Luke 15:3-6 and 19:10. -- Christ’s followers
are the little flock (Luke 12:32, Matt 10:16) As His followers, we are the Christ in this world and
it is your job to continue his priesthood (I Peter 2:5), his shepherding in this world.
Peter gives simple instructions, which you already have heard a thousand thousand times and know.
He says to the Priests -- don’t lord it over the flock, be an example. To all of us he says, be subject to one another -- look out for the good of your
brothers and sisters.
He tells us that God resists the Proud and that we can only serve if it is with the
"apron" of humility. Peter remembered when Jesus washed his feet on Holy Thursday,
and that Jesus came as one who serves.
He warns us to be vigilant and watch out for that old Devil, that old hungry lion that wants to eat us up.
Peter would remember vividly the night that he felt the lions breath.
The powers of the ruling cabal, the Sadducees and Rome were after Jesus.
They feared one who could lead the crowds as all Jerusalem turned out to greet Jesus,the Deliverer. They envisioned loosing their grip on that society so they were
hungry for any and everyone that opposed them.
When the serving girl saw Peter, she asked "Weren’t you one of them?"
Peter was warming his hands at the devil’s campfire that night. He had no stomach for revolutionary activity. He wasn’t looking for a fight. He just wanted to warm 4444444444444444444444444444444444his cold bones. "No, I don’t know the man." said Peter.
Sometimes the righteousness of God that we are attempting to establish on this earth
does run counter to governments, social convention, and being politically correct. Do we stand up and go the way of the cross in those moments, or do we huddle at the devil’s campfire? It is more comfortable if we go along, isn’t it?
Right now there are challenges to the church, it’s very life. What challenges? Corruption at the very top -- and I am not throwing rocks at the RC
Church. Quite the contrary. Out of 46,000 clergy, only 440 have been singled out as pedophiles or sexual predators or carrying on improperly with minors. That is less than 1%. The media is making tons of money selling advertising by airing this witch
hunt.
At the same time, major denominations as recently as this week, have had meetings in which they have approved of openly homosexual arrangements between ministerial leaders.
Has there been any articles in your paper or any announcement on TV about those facts?
That old devil is saying it is politically incorrect to deny equal opportunity in any work place to homosexuals. Hypocritically he also says Lets get the RCC because they mand chastity. They stand for old fashioned morality and that is not right.
If we go along with the media on this one, and think evil of our brothers in Christ, we are warming our hands at the devil’s campfire. If we ignore the suffering of our brothers, we are saying "Lord,I don’t know you."
Beware, brothers and sisters, keep you eye on the Cross and your attitude in imitation of Jesus. The old Slanderer is still at work in the World, but you need not fear the power of any adversary because the Spirit of Christ is your protector.
