Fourth Sunday of Easter

Peter H. Davids

Easter • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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The true Christian leader models themselves on the Good Shepherd, laying down their lives for the sheep, pointing to him, attributing all good to him, and not being afraid of not being noticed

Notes

Transcript

Title

We point to the Good Shepherd

Outline

There are people and ministries that are always calling attention to themselves

God has worked this or that through me

We are the essential ministry to the work of God

The fact is, as John of the Cross says, it is possible for real spiritual goods to trigger a spiritual pride or avarice or even luxury in any of us.

This was not the way of Jesus

Look at Peter in Acts, acting under the power of the Spirit

He admits that a “good deed” was done, but does not mention the agents

Instead he focuses on Jesus Christ, his history, his present status, and especially his saving grace

Look at 1 John

He wants those he addresses to know that they are God’s children, but attributes it, not to our abilities, but to God’s love.

The important thing for the world is to know God, not to recognize who we are

And then he notes that we are imperfect; children, yes, but still in process - he God appears we shall be like him. Again, it is an act of grace.

Well, surely Jesus would talk about his status, would he not?

He does not deny that “the Father knows me and I know the Father” and that he has power to lay down his life and take it up again, but he attributes the latter to authority given him from the Father, not to his intrinsic ability

His focus is on his being a shepherd, a shepherd who in contrast to hired shepherds lays down his life for the sheep. And a shepherd who knows his sheep.

And lest the sheep feel pride in being the shepherd’s flock, he mentions other sheep, not of this flock, whom he must gather - those gentiles outside the church - and they will not be second class sheep, but there will be one flock, one shepherd

I was at a deanery meeting earlier this week, and we talked about our roles

Yes, we need to know that we are anointed to be conformed to Jesus, to act in persona Jesu capitas, to lead.

But more importantly we needed to know that we were shepherds, pastors (whatever our title), who go before the sheep, who lead by example

It is not about us, it is about Him.

It is not whether people think we are great, but whether we are transparent to Christ in us and people think he is great.

And often this means in one small way or another laying down our lives for the flock.

And the same is true of you; it is not about whether people think Dominican Sisters of Mary are great, or you individually are great, but about whether they see your great spouse, whether through your prayer and adoration (perhaps not knowing who is was who prayed) or whether in your leading children of whatever age they see you going before them and think that they are seeing Jesus.

Readings

First Reading

Acts 4:8–12 RSV2CE

8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, 10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Epistle

1 John 3:1–2 RSV2CE

1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Gospel

John 10:11–18 RSV2CE

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it 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 again; this charge I have received from my Father.”