Text: John 10:1-4,10-11; 21:1-14
In these weeks after Easter, I’ve been spending a lot of my time reading and thinking about the resurrection appearances of Jesus.
They seem like a natural way to spend our time… as we find ourselves looking for signs of resurrection and hope in the midst of our own time of difficulty.
What surprised me as I turned to the lectionary, however, is that this year, our readings take us not on a journey with the disciples AFTER Easter, but take us back to Jesus debating with the Pharisees and teaching the disciples about what it means to be a shepherd.
This week in our bible study, we talked about the hopes of people in the time of Jesus for the coming Messiah. One of the primary metaphors the prophets used was that of a shepherd.
Moses prayed that God would anoint someone who would lead the people so they wouldn’t be like sheep without a shepherd. (Numbers 27:15-17)
Ezekiel shared God’s promise that his people would not be scattered forever, but that a single shepherd from the line of David would be sent to feed them. (34:5,23)
As the Pharisees start to test Jesus and push on the edges of who he said he was, Jesus responded that he was the Good Shepherd.
The shepherd who would call the sheep by name and bring them in and lead them out.
The shepherd who would bring abundant life.
The shepherd who would lay down his life for the sheep if necessary.
You know… not many of us have grown up around sheep.
And even if we have, the way we might shepherd today in the west is very different from how they would have done it in Jesus’ day.
So how about a little ancient shepherding 101?
First, where we might herd our sheep, pushing them towards their destination with dogs or other animals to aid us, the shepherd’s of Jesus day would have led their flocks.
He would have stood near the front, in their midst, and where he walked, they would have walked.
Wherever he went, they would go.
The sheep would have known his voice, the voice of the one who protected them… and would also have known the voice of a stranger who might harm them.
When their names were called by their gentle shepherd, they would go.
As I read more about sheep this week, I learned that they are smarter than we give them credit for.
Sheep have excellent long-term memories. In fact, in a study, a group of animals was shown pictures of the faces of other sheep. When presented with some, they were given treats, but with others nothing.
Time and time again, when presented with a choice between a face that produced a treat and a face that produced nothing, they knew the difference.
They recognized the faces of other sheep.
Sheep carefully discern who they can trust…
Who will seek the best for them…
And once they recognize that person, they will follow them anywhere.
Fast-forward through Jesus ministry with me for a bit.
Past Palm Sunday and the trial and crucifixion…
Past the days of fear and trembling for the disciples where they were huddled up in their homes… or had scattered to the winds…
Past the rumors of resurrection…
Past even those first two appearances to the uncertain disciples.
John’s gospel tells us that a few weeks out from the resurrection, the disciples are tired of hiding.
They are tired of being scared.
They don’t know yet how this whole resurrection thing has really changed their lives.
They want to return to a normal life… but they aren’t sure what that means.
Do we go back to the life of ministry when we were following Jesus? Or do we go back to whatever time there was before?
Peter suddenly stands up one day and proclaims, “I’m going fishing.”
It’s what he knows how to do.
And it’s something to do.
So five other disciples decide to go with him and spend the whole night on the boat.
They catch absolutely nothing.
But to be honest, it was probably nice to just be out.
To breathe in the fresh air.
To look up at the stars.
To reflect and ponder and wonder what was going to come next.
You see, they were feeling a little lost.
Jesus was alive, but he wasn’t there.
Some of them had scattered.
They didn’t know where to go next or what to do.
They were like sheep without a shepherd.
But as dawn began to break, they looked to the shore and saw someone standing there.
A voice carried over the water: “Have you caught anything?”
No, they hadn’t.
Their nets were empty.
“Cast your net on the right side and you’ll find some.” The voice called back.
Whether or not they could fully recognize the voice, they could recognize the command.
You see, they had been on boats before.
They had been asked to trust, and have faith, and cast their nets one more time before.
They had witnessed the miracles of abundance when they could barely pull them in because they were so packed with the catch.
Can you imagine how their hearts must have started beating?
Can you feel the adrenaline?
They tossed their nets and they literally couldn’t bring the net back up it was so full.
They knew his voice.
They knew their shepherd.
They knew this was Jesus.
And Peter simply can’t contain himself but dives in the water and heads straight for the shore.
The rest of the disciples follow, dragging both the boat and the net with them.
Before they have even stepped on dry land, there is a fire and fish cooking for breakfast.
You see, the Good shepherd provides for his flock.
Provides safety and comfort.
Food and warmth.
I love this line from John 21:12 “None of the disciples could bring themselves to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.”
The sheep know the sound of their shepherd’s voice.
They recognize his face.
They know who he is by the provision he offers… both the abundance in their nets and the meal set before him.
You know, I think we, like the disciples, are eager for a little bit of normalcy.
Unsure of what comes next, we might want to rush back into exactly what had been.
We want to get back to places and people that brought us joy. Like this video that you sent in of a beautiful afternoon on a lake…
[video, then back to camera]For you, it might not be fishing, but it might be going into work…
Sitting in your classroom…
Hanging out with friends…
Joining together in ministry…
Gathering with your family…
Heck, even commuting is starting to look good these days!
The disciples were scattered and lost and unsure and so they turned first to what they knew.
They got in a boat and cast out a net.
But you know what, Jesus had called them from that life once before.
He gave them a glimpse of something different.
Something better.
He gave them a purpose that was beyond what they had known.
Beyond the familiar.
Beyond the comfortable old routines.
He gave them authority and power.
He took their gifts and transformed them.
To simply go back is not what our shepherd has in mind.
No, Jesus doesn’t want that old life… Jesus wants us to experience abundant life.
He wants everything that was to be transformed by what he is offering.
And as soon as they see their shepherd, they know it.
They know that there are things they have learned along the way that have changed them.
They know they are different than when they started.
They know that they are being led in a new direction.
They can see the abundance that awaits if only they have the courage to follow.
I’ve been thinking a lot about these times.
Will we head right back to what is familiar when this is all over?
Or will we patiently wait for the voice of Christ to lead us?
You see, our Good Shepherd is watching over us.
Right now, he is leading us through this valley of the shadow of death by keeping us safely within the fold… in our homes and with our family.
Through the kindness of our neighbors and strangers, we have been able to find still waters and green pastures.
Even in the face of our enemies of illness and isolation and even death, our shepherd is setting a table of abundance.
Abundant kindness.
Abundant time with the people who are closest to us.
Abundant creativity.
The cup is overflowing it is so full.
Will we allow ourselves to be filled up in this time of shelter and safety?
And when the gate opens, will we not just rush out, heading our own way, going back to what is familiar, but will we let the shepherd lead us?
Stand in the midst of us.
Guide us.
Will we listen to his voice?
May it be so.
Amen.
