St. David's will once again be hosting a Vacation Bible School (VBS) beginning on Monday, June 9th.
For further information, check out the VBS website at here or type in the following address: https://www.groupvbs.com/webtoybox/myvbs/stdavids08.
Please join us!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Moving Through the Gate
for Fourth Sunday of Easter
Text: John 10:1-10
The readings for this Sunday all have to do with the Good Shepherd. We like to think of Jesus that way, leading the flock of sheep. This is an important image for us. We imagine him in the parable of the lost sheep, in which it is suggested that going after the one lost sheep is more important than protecting the other 99. A stained glass window from my childhood illustrates Jesus carrying a lamb around the back of his neck. This image is always with us. It comforts us because we often feel lost and confused as those sheep.
But our gospel from John tips this on its side. Jesus isn't the shepherd, but something else. He tells them "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep." and that "Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture." Jesus reveals that he is not a shepherd, but the instrument of containing and freeing. God is the shepherd. God leads his flock from danger into the safety of the fenced in area. God also releases that flock into the freedom of the field.
I was recently reminded of the difference between sheep herding in the West (Europe and North America) versus the East (Middle East and on) is this: in the West, we drive our sheep from behind (like cattle) with dogs. We direct through vocal and physical commands. In the East, the shepherd leads the flock from the front, giving the sheep a visual cue of where to go.
Sometimes we see our faith like that sheepdog, driving us into a fenced-in area that is barren--we've already eaten most of the grass and it is so confining! We long for that guidance--that visual sign that we are doing things right! But what does this really look like? What if we aren't really the sheep in the story? What if we don't have to be the stupid follower, but have the opportunity to do something much greater? Would you take the challenge of being greater?
Text: John 10:1-10
The readings for this Sunday all have to do with the Good Shepherd. We like to think of Jesus that way, leading the flock of sheep. This is an important image for us. We imagine him in the parable of the lost sheep, in which it is suggested that going after the one lost sheep is more important than protecting the other 99. A stained glass window from my childhood illustrates Jesus carrying a lamb around the back of his neck. This image is always with us. It comforts us because we often feel lost and confused as those sheep.
But our gospel from John tips this on its side. Jesus isn't the shepherd, but something else. He tells them "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep." and that "Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture." Jesus reveals that he is not a shepherd, but the instrument of containing and freeing. God is the shepherd. God leads his flock from danger into the safety of the fenced in area. God also releases that flock into the freedom of the field.
I was recently reminded of the difference between sheep herding in the West (Europe and North America) versus the East (Middle East and on) is this: in the West, we drive our sheep from behind (like cattle) with dogs. We direct through vocal and physical commands. In the East, the shepherd leads the flock from the front, giving the sheep a visual cue of where to go.
Sometimes we see our faith like that sheepdog, driving us into a fenced-in area that is barren--we've already eaten most of the grass and it is so confining! We long for that guidance--that visual sign that we are doing things right! But what does this really look like? What if we aren't really the sheep in the story? What if we don't have to be the stupid follower, but have the opportunity to do something much greater? Would you take the challenge of being greater?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
