“Fearless Shepherd,” John 10:12

John 10:11-18

Pastor Tom Johnson, April 26, 2015

What a sight for sore eyes and growling stomach! The hungry wolf looks at the sheep and salivates. He sees a field full of tasty lamb. As the scout, the wolf will survey his prey. He will quickly find out which sheep are weak and easy targets. He will also count the cost of an attack. Is there another who has claimed these sheep? Is it one or more of those hairless, bipedal humans? And if there is one who has claimed them, do they look like a formidable threat? Look at how the shepherd moves around. Does he have a commanding presence? Is there a weapon in his hand? Is he a major obstacle? Or is he just another creature who will scatter when howling and galloping into the hunt begins? Wolves are masters at observing strength and weakness in their prey and those with whom they may fight for their prey. It’s why many dogs, descendants of the grey wolf, can smell a phony, threat, and danger outside the front door.

 

Today is the wolf’s lucky day. The shepherd is a hireling—someone hired out—a subcontractor—maybe even an apprentice—perhaps a new hire the first day on the job—or someone from the shepherd temp agency. The hireling does not own the sheep. His body language, attitude, and lack of confidence is plain for even the wolves see.

When the hired hand sees the wolf, he may only see the silhouette of a wolf on the horizon, a furry face behind a bush, or two night-vision eyes in the black shadows. Generations of domestication has given the sheep poor eyesight. The shepherd is hired to be the eyes and watchman to look over the sheep day and night. But the confidence he sees in the wolves hungry and menacing eyes is no match for this shepherd who does not own the sheep. He quickly counts the cost. He does not own the sheep, so he has nothing to lose. The value of his own life outweighs the risk of losing the sheep. Self-preservation is his greatest concern. So he runs. The sheep left behind serve to slow down even a pack of wolves so that the hireling can make his escape. This is failure to do his duties, abandonment of his post, loss of all that was entrusted to his care, and cowardice.

The hirelings are those entrusted with the care of God’s people, the sheep. These are those in authority who cared more about maintaining their own power and their own lives than they did the security and needs of those whom they served.

King Herod is a hireling who fails to protect his subjects—especially this Jesus of Nazareth—who comes into his throne room but whose support is scattered to the wind when he sees the mob of wolves who want to have Jesus for breakfast. Pontius Pilate is a hireling of the Roman emperor. He knows it’s wrong to condemn Jesus. But when his wife has a dream and tells him to have nothing to do with Jesus, his better judgment is also scattered to the wind. He hears the mobs howl out “Crucify, crucify!” He washes his hands and runs away from the fight. The history of the kings of Israel and Judah is filled with of kings who do what is evil in God’s sight. They do what is right in their own eyes. Most do not rise to the occasion of serving God and his people humbly and selflessly. Sadly, and for the most part, that is the history of all nations that rise and fall. Few will go once more into the fray for their sisters and brothers. Few will be challenged and threatened with death and say, “Here I stand; I can do no other.”

The really disturbing thing about our text is that we are both sheep and wolves simultaneously. We are sinners and saints. We are lambs as well as roaring lions. Sure, the devil may be the first to scout out his prey, but the powers and principalities of this world and our sinful nature follow his blood lust and hunger for power. We are also part of the mob that cried “Crucify!” just as Peter reminds his audience in our first reading. We have put Jesus to death by our violence, our sin, our negligence, and our failure to love God and our neighbor as God calls us to do.

“I am the Good Shepherd,” Jesus says. “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” The Good Shepherd does not lose courage. The Good Shepherd does not back down. The Good Shepherd does not cower or run but stands his ground. The Good Shepherd holds the field in battle. The Good Shepherd confronts evil directly, courageously, valiantly, and selflessly. The Good Shepherd lays his life down as a warrior king in the confidence of his power and purpose. The lamb who appears to be dying passively in the jaws of the wolves is the Good Shepherd who confronts the devil, this fallen world, and our sin. “I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again.” These are not the words of a hireling and a failure. These are the words of the Good Shepherd and Savior. This is the Good Shepherd to lays his life down and takes it up again to bring us forgiveness, life, and salvation. Instead of running, he stands fast. Instead of preserving his own life, he gives it for the life of the world. Instead of the sheep being scattered, they are gathered. Instead of his mission being limited to his own fold, he cares about those outside. Unlike the wolf who wants us to have us for supper, the Good Shepherd has us for supper—he spreads a table before in the presence of our enemies. He anoints our heads with oil. Our cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. And we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

"Sustainable Resurrection Joy"

Luke 24:36-48

Pastor Tom Johnson, April 19, 2015

The resurrection of Jesus had passed. The disciples are a little on edge—jittery—anxious. Jesus interrupts their lockdown, bypasses their locked door, and suddenly appears in the same room saying, “Shalom!” “Peace be with you!” This startles them and terrifies them all the more. They think they see a ghost. Just a reminder: the Bible does not talk about ghosts. The Scriptures do not promote the idea of disembodied dead people haunting the living. The idea makes a great story—entertaining movies. But it is pure superstition. Jesus confronts their unbelief. He deconstructs their superstition. He does so winsomely, humorously, and quite effectively. Jesus wants to free them from the prison of fear and the paralysis of false belief.

“What has you scared stiff? Why are you resorting back to childhood myths and ghost stories? Why should you so alarmed—why are you so surprised by the ongoing reality of the resurrection?How can you drift away so quickly from the initial joy of Easter that Sunday morning to such gloom, fear, and superstition?”

Are we that different from the disciples? How do we also live our lives in fear? Do we still hold on to old superstitions and myths? We would never do that—knock on wood! Karma may seem like a good explanation for what we observe; but the Scriptures teach grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. Resurrection Sunday was just two weeks ago. Are we that different from the disciples who have been so quickly and easily overcome by fear and disbelief? Last time I was standing here, we were packed to the gills—chairs in the aisles—non-choir members in the choir loft! And I am very thankful for the celebration that Sunday—the volunteers in the kitchen for food and fellowship after the service, those who participated in the service, our choir, our guest musicians, our Cantor and Associate Cantor. And I hope we can do it again next year! But Easter is not a yearly event. The resurrection is a perennial reality. It is a truth—it is a presence that impacts our lives every week, every day, every hour, and every minute of our eternity. Easter joy is not supposed to wear off over time. The relevance of the resurrection is not supposed to erode as we live our daily lives. Such apathy, complacency, and neglect on our part makes us a perfect target for Jesus’ disruptive grace.

Poof! There is he is—Jesus! “Shalom! Peace!” he says. “Why have you let fear and complacency get the best of you? Look at my hands and feet! You can see the same nail marks from my crucifixion—proof that I have overcome death and the grave!” What was meant to kill and erase the Lord of life from time, space, and memory now has become eternal body art. The piercings of Jesus forever cry out his victory over the powers and principalities of this fallen world! “Touch me and see!” “Feel the water pour over your head! Hear the splash of forgiveness wash away all your sins! Take, eat this is my Body. Drink of it all of you; this cup is the New Testament in my blood for the forgiveness of sins.”


“Have you anything here to eat?” I love how Luke describes Jesus timing of that question: “While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering…” Mixed as we all are with both faith and doubt—belief and unbelief—the disciples are speechless. That’s when Jesus says, “Do you have anything to eat?” Once again, he embodies the truth of the resurrection—that Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. He eats broiled fish. He illustrates the continued Easter drama. He lives out the truth that, just as his physical body can still receive sustenance from food, so must we also daily be sustained by Easter joy body and soul. Once again, they enjoy table fellowship. They come to the table to hear Jesus explain the good news beginning with the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and Psalms. The Word of God becomes the daily bread and fuel they need. Scripture energizes, encourages, and empowers their resurrection joy! Sounds like Jesus is emphasizing the importance of Word and Sacrament to me! Table fellowship makes a difference. Our relationship with Jesus and one another is always relevant.

Jesus disrupts our sinful status quo. He causes us to laugh at ourselves. He keeps our Christian walk dynamic with his gifts to us, the Body of Christ. He raises our joy to new life and sustains us for the journey ahead. Growth in understanding of the Bible and the Gospel transforms. The water, the bread, the wine, the handshake, the hug, the coffee, the muffin, the conversation, the relationship, the community of believers all make a difference. "Look at my hands and my feet!" Matter matters. Smell...touch...hear...taste...and see that the Lord is good!

"Who will roll away the stone for us?"

Mark 16:1-8

Pastor Tom Johnson, April 5, 2015

Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James, and Salome are courageous. They are brave disciples walking straight toward a tomb hewn out of solid rock. They are going straight to the place where they expect to find the dead body of Jesus. It took a handful of very strong people to put the large boulder there in the first place. It is no small obstacle for them to overcome. And so they wonder how they ever will be able to take their spices to serve their master, express their grief, and honor him in life and in death. “Who will roll away the stone for us?” they ask. 

It is especially courageous when you think about what the grave means for these Jewish believers. The Hebrew Bible many times describes the grave or Sheol as power of death over all the living. The stone tomb is death’s hungry, gaping mouth which wants to have the living for breakfast. The stone door is the same thing as what Jesus calls “the gates of Hades.” That idea of death as a prison comes from the Hebrew Bible. The stone rolled over the opening of Jesus’ tomb means that death will not give up its captive. It’s what we mean when we confess that Jesus descended into hell. And so they ask, “Who will roll away the stone for us?” Scripture says that “our adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet 5:8). And so these women courageously walk into the mouth of death asking, “Who will open those jaws which are the gates of hell? Who will pry open those fangs which are the bars of Sheol?

What are the stones rolled over our hopelessness? What are the gates shutting us in to our despair? What are the bars locking us in the prison of anxiety and fear? What is preventing us from gaining access to our Savior? How have we overestimated the power of sin, death, the devil, and the gates of hell to keep us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord? Like the women in our text, we live courageously but with lingering doubt and questions about the obstacles ahead. “Who will roll away the stone for us?” How will the fractured relationships in my life be restored? How will I move forward by faith with my health concerns? How can I grow as a person in my vocation, serve God, and serve my neighbor in the face of joblessness or what feels like a dead-end career? How can I break free of the world’s many anxieties, the guilt of my sin, and the very real and inevitable prospect of death for all of us. “Who will roll away these stones for us?”

I think we should look again at these courageous disciples. They keep walking. They walk by faith and not by sight. They question but they keep moving forward. Their courage is mixed with fear—fear of the unknown but they still press on ahead.  When they arrive at Jesus’ tomb, they are alarmed to see that the stone already rolled away. When they enter the tomb, they are alarmed to find an angel inside the tomb instead of the body of Jesus. It’s a great bait and switch! They encounter more questions. They face more fear. But they keep walking. They remain open, curious, and teachable despite their fear. That is true courage—to continue their journey to Jesus with so many unknowns and surprises. They discover a world where stones rolled over rock hewn tombs are trivial. They are challenged by good news far beyond what they asked or imagined. They realize that while they were wondering how they would gain access to Jesus’ dead body, God was working on how the risen Christ would gain access to them.

This is far greater than a great stone being rolled away for a few disciples. This is the world turned upside down by the resurrection! It is the realization that our worries and obstacles—as real and formidable as they certainly are—often fall short of God’s vision and mission to bring hope, peace, and joy into our lives. Through Jesus death and resurrection, God has rolled back a mighty stone! Just as Jesus said “The gates of hell will not prevail.” The prison doors and bars have been blown off their hinges. Jesus is not there. He has risen! God has rolled back a mighty stone! “Death itself cannot hold him.” And we… “If we have been united in a death like his, we shall certainly be united in a resurrection like his.” “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” God has rolled back a mighty stone! Guilt, shame, and despair are not greater than God’s forgiveness, grace, and love. God has overcome our sin and brokenness through the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ who lived, died, and lives again. God has rolled back a mighty stone! No stone—nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus! God has rolled back a mighty stone! The day is fast approaching when God will also roll back the sky like a scroll. His glory will be fully revealed. We will all see that he is Lord of lords and King of kings. And we will laugh at ourselves for wondering and worrying about how he would roll away our little stones.

This is a sight that gladdens—What peace it doth impart!
Now nothing ever saddens The joy within my heart.
No gloom shall ever shake, No foe shall ever take
The hope which God’s own Son In love for me has won.

Now hell, its prince, the devil, Of all their pow’r are shorn;
Now I am safe from evil, And sin I laugh to scorn,
Grim death with all its might Cannot my soul affright;
It is a pow’rless form, Howe’er it rave and storm.

Now I will cling forever To Christ, my Savior true;
My Lord will leave me never, Whate’er He passes through.
He rends death’s iron chain; He breaks through sin and pain;
He shatters hell’s grim thrall; I follow Him through all.
(vv. 3,4,6 of “Awake, My Heart, with Gladness” LSB 467)