Fourth Sunday of Easter - Let him Shepherd Everything

Welcome Statement

Good Morning Church! Last week we reflected again how As Christ is now Resurrected, he’s shown through himself as the body or the temple, the law is and commandments are now imprinted on our hearts, as the word. Commandments are through love, not simply mindless action. This means we find ourselves also defending these acts through conviction, because we are certain of that Shepherd who protects us, guides us, through that path in life even when we get lost. Now last week we witnessed Peter and the apostles heal a lame person. This week we are going to see the outcome of this act. The reading today has them already lined up, arrested by the rulers and elders, high priests, as they don’t want the Romans involved, and are wanting to take care of this “Christian Tomfoolery”.

1st New Testament Reading - Acts 4:5-12

Acts 4:5–12 (RSV)

On the morrow their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, 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. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. 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.”

No Other Name

Again, Peter affirms there is no other man by Christ that is healed. Let us remember, this is Denying Peter, who is now willing to triumphantly stand up to the priests and the worldly KIngdom powers and proclaim there is a power above their own authorities. Yes, I just made up a nickname for Peter like doubting Thomas. Peter denied Jesus 3 times, and now here he is, when Christ isn’t even physically around to defend him and yet he boldly has that fire in him! Pentecost has certainly changed these people with the fire in their hearts by this Chapter in Acts. Simply, I feel like Thomas gets picked on too much, when the other apostles had their faults as well. Doubt or denial, which is worse? Hard to say, I’m not going to make any bold claims on that today, because I’ve definitely doubted, and I’ve definitely denied Christ in my anger when praying, and probably denied him passively through my actions and not following his mission without realizing it. To be clear, accepting Christ and his grace is important, but to act like there aren’t moments of doubt/denial on some of our journeys is dishonest, at least I think, I know that is how it was for me. There are certainly theological debates on whether this means I was truly saved before full acceptance, but I believe Wesleyan’s understanding of Justifying Grace not being a one stop shop understand’s this is a continual process. But I’ll get back on topic.

Let’s back-track, first the people are reminded that apostles get their power not by themselves but through Christ, so they don’t want to be worshipped as idols, they want them to simply be a representation of Christ’s image on earth, a manifestation of God’s glory. His church body. They are dead set on this. They get arrested, and despite pushback from the authorities, they reaffirm their position. I just can’t imagine having to put my life and faith on the line like that. Think about how it is today. Generally we keep our faith as just an aspect of our life, it’s a corner-piece, or a part of it. It’s something we do either culturally, as a part of community, and certainly as a piece of our spiritual health. But it is so much more than that, it is truly our salvation. But it’s not just our salvation, it’s our hope, it’s our life giving source, it should be the entirety of our existence. I’m not saying we need to become zealots, nor be paranoid if we don’t remember God every moment of the day, but there is this idea that Christ should in some sense, be present in our everday secular lives. That is how Christ was for the early church. The early church was unapologetic about this. Jews in Babylon were unapologetic about this as exiles. Sure, they would take on some of the customs of the place they were in, but they still saw themselves as a part of the nation they were in. Peter is declaring here, their power is in Christ first. We first, are citizens in Christ.

How do we do this?

Does this mean we need to be obnoxious about our faith? Well, I’ve seen street preachers try this approach, and unfortunately, it’s not super effective. It generally gets drowned out as noise, but I have seen people engage like Cliffe Answers on college campuses where he’s made it his mission to have thoughtful engagements with people despite the intense disagreements people can have. We can have encouraging discussions and still listen to other people’s troubles while we pick them up out of their pain, and still unapologetically claim Christ is Lord. We don’t have to compromise that truth by simply listening to other’s misunderstandings or struggles. We can profess these truths powerfully and meaningfully and boldly to people, and not worry about if they reject them or not, because it’s God who does the converting. We are the messenger. It’s about living that faith as the church. People are staring at our Churche’s with an eyeglass, looking at us to see what we are doing, not what we are saying. When they see us do things and volunteer, that’s what they remember, they remember that edification of the fruit of the spirit. That becomes of the image of Christ to them. People will still reject, but it means we did our part. Again, it’s not about bean counting, but an honest faith. This is what the apostles did, they revolved their lives around the church, in community, just as we do, having meals in fellowship, having events in fellowship. Inviting people, meeting new people, sharing that light to everyone in our path, even if they won’t reciprocate. Why do we do this? Because we have that Good Shepherd as our leader, we are the flock.

2nd New Testament Reading - John 10:11-18

John 10:11–18 GNT

“I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep. When the hired man, who is not a shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees a wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away; so the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The hired man runs away because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. As the Father knows me and I know the Father, in the same way I know my sheep and they know me. And I am willing to die for them. There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock with one shepherd. “The Father loves me because I am willing to give up my life, in order that I may receive it back again. No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it back. This is what my Father has commanded me to do.”

When a Wolf Comes for the Flock

When a wolf comes at the flock, the church, we see the church in turmoil, and think, things are never going to make it, we worry about intricate details, we can’t see how Christ can possibly win in a situation, due to human actions. We forget his sovereignty, how he is at the right hand of the father. As is said here, “No one takes my life away from me”. He gave it up willingly. He wasn’t thrown onto the cross as a defeated slave of death. He jumped onto that cross putting his hands on there willingly, saying “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”. He is that shepherd, spiritually with us at all times, regardless of what we feel from the news and world around us. The world keeps saying Chaos is near, there is no truth, reality is falling a part. Christ has the right to take his life back, and so do you. You will resurrect just as he did. You will not simply fall apart in vain if you keep faith in him regardless of what worldly things happen. That is the hope we can have.

Wordly Apathy

This does not mean, have worldly apathy. No, we don’t just hunker down and hide in our houses till the end. We are commanded to act out the Great Commission until Kingdom Comes. This is our job. Paul declares we must live for the kingdom today, as he says in 1st Corinthians 4:20

1 Corinthians 4:20 ESV

For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

We don’t just talk about the Kingdom, we realize and manifest in its power today. not an authoritarian power through force but through love. As Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 13:1

1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

So when we profess our faith, let us not be a noisy gong or a clanging symbol, but let us be patient, king, not proud, not boasting, but let us protect, trust, persevere, and always hope in Christ that he will shepherd us till the end of time itself, because we know in our hearts he will. Let us Pray.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank you for the reminder that you are our Shepherd in the kingdom of the almost but not yet. That while we wait patiently for your return, you instill in us that hope of the spirit, that we can proudly proclaim your truths while surrounded in a world that says love is dead and demands we pick sides in a neverending war of hopelessness. We pick you Christ, the third and only option that wins. You are our only possible hope in all of these situations, you are that Good Shepherd who proclaims power and sovereignty over all situations and pain we experience, and we know that through it all you are with us, no matter how we feel. We think you for these truths you have revealed to us through your sacred scriptures today, tomorrow, and forever. I say this in your never-ending name. Amen.

Amen.

Doxology / Benediction / Closing

As you go out this week, reflect how Christ has shepherded you in this life. How he has given you the power to proclaim boldly the truth, how he has given you the power to feel the warmth. If you feel you cannot proclaim it boldly, you don’t even have to voice it with your words, you will show it simply through your actions, even meekly, meek actions are bold in and of themselves, Jesus Christ himself was meek. Let us again boldly proclaim Christ is Lord this week, regardless of what the world throws at us.

May you Have a Blessed Sunday, and rest of your Week! Amen!