Sermon: Greeting-card Christ
Text: John 10:11-16
Occasion: Easter II
Who: Mark Woolsey
Where: Arbor House
When: Sunday, Apr 30, 2006
Audio link: http://providencerec.com/Sound%20Files/Srmn060430WoolseyJohn10;11-16EasterIIGreetingCardChrist.mp3
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I. Intro
How many of you have seen a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie on TV? It is usually a heartwarming, feelgood flick that the whole family can enjoy. I especially want you to remember the commercials during these movies. A father is feeling unappreciated, or maybe a wife is lamenting over a spat with her husband. Then, just at the right time, a card is placed in his or her hand. There’s that little flip of the wrist to check the Hallmark crown logo, the card is opened up and read, and smiles and tears of joy are spread all around. You feel ooey-gooey all over. Life is good. That is the image that many people have of Jesus, especially when they read a passage like our Gospel today. Jesus is our Good Shepherd, leading us to verdant valleys where we graze under a benevolent sun, then lie down and sleep in complete peace and safety. Are you in trouble? Come to Jesus and He will turn your scars into stars, your pain into gain, and your sadness into gladness. Sure, we may have trouble in this life, but Jesus’ function is to raise our valleys and smooth out those hills so that, as He said in the verse preceeding St John’s text today, "[we] may have life, and ... have it more abundantly". I call this image of our Lord the "greeting-card Christ", or the "Hallmark Hey-soos (Hey-soos is the Spanish pronounciation of Jesus). It is rampant in our churches. Unfortunately, those who promote such a vision of Christ often have more in common with the hierling Jesus warns us about rather than the good shepherd He describes. They mistake the image for the reality; the picture for the person.
II. Images
In the text for today there are several vivid contrasts that our Lord uses to illustrate His ideas. These include Good Shepherd vs hierling and sheep vs wolf. Since the role of sheep and shepherd is largely absent from our culture today, I have incorporated part of Phillip Keller’s book, "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23" into this sermon. A modern-day shepherd and writer, I wish to acknowledge my thanks to him for opening up this part of Scripture.
II. Sheep
Our Lord could have paid us a higher complement than comparing us to sheep. When we go to petting zoos we see these nice, healthy, gentle animals without realizing the significant amount of work it takes to raise a large flock. In commenting on Ps 23:2, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures", Mr. Keller states this:
"Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear. Because of the social behavior within a flock sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind. If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax. Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food. They must be free from hunger." (p23)
Later on he says,
"A commonly held, but serious misconception about sheep is that they can just ’get along anywhere.’ The truth is quite the reverse. No other class of livestock requires more careful handling, more detailed direction, than do sheep." (p62)
I have heard others put it this way: "Sheep are dumb".
Phillip Keller continues:
"The first sheep farm I purchased as a young man was a piece of derelict land that had been ’sheeped to death.’ An ansentee owner had rented the place to a tenant. The latter simply loaded the ranch with sheep, then left them pretty much to their own ways. The result was utter desolation. Fields become so overgrazed and impoverished they would grow little but poverty grass. Little sheep trails had deteriorated into great gullies. Erosion on the slopes was rampant and the whole place was ravaged almost beyond repair. All of this happened simply because the sheep, instead of being managed and handled with intelligent care, had been left to struggle for themselves - left to go their own way, left to the whimes of their own detructive habits. ... Because of the behaviour of sheep and their preference of certain favored spots, these well-word areas become quickly infeted with parasites of all kinds. In a short time a whole flock can thus become infected with worms, nematodes and scab. The final upshot is that both land and owner are ruined while the sheep become thin, wasted and sickly." (pp62-3)
You may be thinking at this point, "Well, how does this apply to me? No one has to shoo the flies off my face. I get up early, work hard, provide for my family, and save for the future. Well, ok. Maybe I don’t save enough. But three out of four ain’t bad." Or you might be thinking, "Yeah, that description of barren land and sickly sheep describes my life pretty well. Seems like Jesus hasn’t been much of a ’Good Shepherd’ to me". Maybe we need to understand what our Lord was talking about when He mentioned wolves.
III. Wolves
Certain things immediately come to mind when we mention wolves in this context. Sheep are helpless against them. In the book I have referenced, it says,
"Two dogs have been known to kill as many as 292 sheep in a single night of unbridled slaughter" (p25)
In our more sober moments I think we can all admit that none of us are too far from destruction. As who used to be around me at work know, one little pink slip can change your life. Your company no longer needs your services, and suddenly you are without income. As bad as that is, there are even worse "wolves", those animals that kill your very soul. This is the problem that many churches miss today. We hear much about how to live a better life, how to repair broken friendships, etc, but we often fail to hear of our desparate position before almighty God. We are told over and over again that God loves us and wants the best for us. But even a sideways glance at Scripture should be enough to disabuse us of this notion. Listen to God’s denunciation:
"A day of trouble is near,
And not of rejoicing in the mountains.
Now upon you I will soon pour out My fury,
And spend My anger upon you;
I will judge you according to your ways,
And I will repay you for all your abominations."
(Ez 7:7-8)
In this passage God is furious with those who have turned from true worship to false. Yes, wolves can be those things that destroy our livelyhood, but according to God, even worse are the hierlings that turn our affections away from Him.
IV Hierlings
A hierling is someone who is paid to watch some sheep, but who does not own them. I alluded to such a man in a previous quote from Phillip Keller’s book. Jesus says of the hierling that in the face of the wolf,
"He ... sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them." (John 10:12)
Hierlings come in all flavors and sizes. Wealth can be one. We think that this will protect us from all ills. In fact, it can protect us mightily. Yet, at the last day, when we stand in judgement before God, He cannot be bribed. The judge will judge us with strict justice. The same Person who describes the Good Shepherd also says:
"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mat 16:26)
In the end all of us, rich and poor, happy and sad, black and white, need the Good Shepherd who will watch over our souls.
V. Good Shepherd
As we tend to misunderstand other parts of Scripture, I’m afraid that we misunderstand the Good Shepherd. For example, what the is purpose of a shepherd? Well, duh, it’s to raise sheep. Yes, but why? A flock may consist of 1000 sheep or more. What happens to all of them when they are well taken care of? Some of them may become the cute pets that we see from time to time. Some may be kept for their wool. But what happens to most? Aren’t they slaughtered and then eaten? And isn’t this a good shepherd who raises them thus? Yes, it is. You see, our Shepherd is not only good, He is sovereign. That means, in the end, He alone reigns; He alone decides our fate. We think that we make independent choices and decide our destiny, but in reality it is God who rules. Just as a shepherd who decides where the flock eats, how much, where it drinks, when and how to disinfect it from disease and vermin, when to move and when to lie down, so our Lord moves each one of us. Sometimes it is His will that we give up our lives. This is why the picture of the “Hallmark Jesus” is so faulty. Yet what makes this different than simple sheep, what breaks down in this analogy, is that death is not the end for us. Unlike sheep who are simply animals, we are both body and soul. Even when God calls us to lay down our lives, we know that for all who believe in Him, there will be a resurrection where our souls and bodies will be reunited. We will be made one again. As a matter of fact, the Good Shepherd has already laid down His life. Unlike the hierling who fled before the danger, Christ our Lord took our place, the place we deserved, and died for us. When God’s anger burned hot against us, Christ stepped inbetween, being both God and man, and paid what we owe.
VI. The Meal
This is why we can eat. Just as a good shepherd provides food for his flock, so does the greatest Good Shephed provide the ultimate meal for His sheep. That meal is His flesh and His blood. As you taste Him today in faith, know that the Good Shepherd has watched over your soul, and brought you to pleasant pastures:
"The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads 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 you are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever." (Ps 23)
This is the word of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Soli Deo Gloria!
