Sometimes, in American popular religion, I think we put too much emphasis on what we think, or what we do, or what we believe, rather than on what God in Christ does. Psalm 23, which we read yesterday, clearly asserts that the sheep are in relationship with the shepherd on the basis of what the shepherd does and not on the basis of what sheep do. Here is great reassurance for us. We are loved unconditionally. The Good Shepherd wants us, warts and all! We are good enough for him. You and I are in the flock because we know his voice and follow him. He knows us, speaks to us, and that’s what it takes.
The bottom line is this—the resurrection of Jesus has a way of penetrating down deep into our everyday lives. It is the means whereby we are enabled to see the world, not as a place of death/decay/defeat, but as the place awaiting the final victory of God. The text of John 10, in conjunction with Psalm 23, deals with the reality of how Easter gets to us and where we live. Jesus keeps coming back to us. He leads us. Easter is the first and last great promise that Jesus will not let us go. Isn’t it nice to be sheep?!!
Baa-ingly yours,
Pastor Gary