Sermon - 2015-07-19

Today, within our Gospel message, we hear of Jesus being a shepherd.  Jesus viewed the people as sheep, in need of a shepherd, and he would be that shepherd.  Throughout Scripture, Jesus is often thought of or referred to as a Shepherd of the people.  But not just any shepherd, a good shepherd.   So what does a good shepherd look like?  If they were hungry, he would provide for them.  If they were sick, he would heal them.  The people had experienced a bad shepherd, and we even have a lot of them within our own modern society.  A bad shepherd uses a powerful tool.  It is something grips our hearts and minds so that our whole life is consumed by this...fear.  Fear is the tool of a bad shepherd.  The bad shepherd uses fear to lead the people to serve his or her own agenda.  They are striving for their own sake so that they are built up and nothing would stop them.  This can also be other pastors or spiritual leaders.  If sheep are already in the pasture, a bad shepherd would scatter those sheep and send them into the wilderness and those that remained, that shepherd would put them within their flock.  However, they would also be the first that would be slaughtered.

We hear of a great crowd of people.  Traveling from all over and gather together   These are people gathering together to be in the presence of Jesus.  Searching for Jesus to provide everything for them.  They were willing to follow Jesus to wherever Jesus would go.  If he was going to travel to a deserted place, then they would follow.  If he was going into town, they were going to town.  If he was going into the country, they would follow.  This crowd did something else, they shared with others what Jesus had done for them. They also encouraged them to follow, bringing those loved ones who were sick.

Think about that for a moment.  The people went to where Jesus was.  They followed him.  Jesus did not stay in one place.  He did not stay when people loved him because Jesus knew that He needed to go to where the people truly needed him.  The people were willing to do anything so that they could be near Jesus, hearing his lessons, bringing forth the loved ones whom no one else could heal, and even leaving from their homes to be with him.  Think of that devotion and love that the people experienced.

When Jesus comes to the sseashorethe second time at the end of the gospel today, Jesus pays attention to the sick.  He focuses his time and energy on those who are the weakest and in greatest need within the community.  He does not go to those who have wealth or power.  He does not even care how many there are, and he is tired.  Jesus begins to show the people what the Kingdom of God is truly like.  They are able to experience first hand and know that Jesus is the Son of God.

This experience is precisely the kind that church is suppose to feel like.  We gather just as the disciples did and help others in their experience with Jesus.  So let us as a church never forget that Jesus is calling us to places where he is, and not where we want to be.  Jesus is calling us to care for those who are in need,  and not to serve ourselves.  May we always be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Lord, and our Good Shepherd.  Amen.