"Being Shepherded" - Parental advice from Psalm 23

(1) Parents are Shepherds

Parents should be very much shepherds of their children. Today we shall see how the psalm writer David sees God as his shepherd, which may give us some very helpful insights into Godly parenting. Then we can draw on a couple of new testament images of shepherding. This material is of course applicable to everyone, as we are all called to take an interest in the needs and aspirations of other people, and thus we all take on various shepherding roles in life. We shall hopefully also see that our shepherding is best undertaken relying on God’s availability to help, while directing those in our care toward the one who the Bible identifies as the “Good Shepherd”.

You might have heard the news item this week concerning the trend of parents employing life coaches for their children (even those as young as five). Whereas all parents need help in their parenting roles (and we have committed ourselves today to help Kurt & Jem wherever we can), this new trend with outside life coaches has the sniff of parents seeking to offload their ultimate responsibility for bringing up their own children (in the right way). A parent is already the natural life coach for their children.

Let’s see how the psalmist David saw God’s shepherding role in his life. David’s worldview was that as God had benevolently created the world and lovingly initiated humanity (God indeed knowing each human in their mother’s womb), then God would also be David’s best source of support, and offer him the best chance of surviving life. Actually as Psalm 23 proceeds you get the idea that, as he speaks the words, David even gains more confidence in God, and sees how one might even enjoy life and make the most of it!

In Israel 3,000 years ago, the context from which this psalm was drawn, the shepherd would live among the sheep, protecting them from all possible adversaries, especially through the darkness and danger of the night. The shepherd would use all his strength and stamina to provide for all of the flock’s needs. The shepherd would know his sheep intimately and individually. (Likely David would also have had personal experience to draw upon here – of the concern and compassion required in a shepherd.)

Without a shepherd, the sheep of the pasture would wander aimlessly and get lost and eventually perish – sense of direction is not a strong point with sheep. Or such sheep, without an effective shepherd, may just become a follower of the most dominant sheep, following them unthinkingly into all sorts of danger. Without the right shepherd figure in our lives, we could find ourselves latching onto inappropriate people and involving ourselves in unhelpful activities. Thus we can see how each child born certainly needs good shepherding.

(2) What Does a Shepherd Do?

The psalm itself gives us some insight into this question. The first verse reflects on everyday need in life. A shepherd seeks to provide everything that a sheep needs to survive, so that they will not lack anything that is important, and act in such a way that no barrier will restrict the best potential outcomes in their life. This is of course idealistic, and many parents will lack the resources so to do, however this is the necessary mindset, and from this level of commitment and responsibility other help can be sought.

Where wise shepherding is present, priority will be given to each child’s spiritual, social, educational and physical needs. Yet the greatest need the child will have (apart from the need to know God) will be that ongoing warm loving relationship with their parents themselves. Their parents will still be their parents if and when they have nothing else. In times when the challenges of life are great, the most important thing a son or daughter will need is not money, or assets, or status, but caring shepherd parents.

God as shepherd allows David his beloved child to “lie down in green pastures” (verse 2) indicating safety. The “shepherds” of ancient Israel would try to plan the movements of their flocks so that the sheep could rest in the best possible locations, eat well, and thereby flourish. Such shepherds would also seek to find the most ideal spot for their sheep to drink, where there was easy access with no discouraging ripples. To be led “beside still waters” suggests a peaceful living environment. How important it is for children to experience a safe and peace-promoting home environment!

Encouragement and positivity around a child “restores the soul”, providing a sense of acceptance, value and belonging. As David needed to be led, good guidance is what every child will look for and benefit from. This will involve parents being great listeners and interpreters and learners and resource discoverers. Sheep can be an easy prey for any adversary, so the shepherd will have to pay close attention; and because the shepherd is faithful, the sheep can overcome their fear (and begin to develop courage). Good shepherds will build confidence up in their children through constant support, and protect them by providing sound boundaries.

Discipline will be well considered, consistent, fair, and focussed on the child’s best interests. We should note that God’s rod and staff are metaphorically the shepherding tools of protection and comfort (not punishment). The implement translated “rod” was a short oaken club used against adversaries in the defence and protection of the sheep. The “staff” was a longer pole used for climbing or leaning on to walk (the forerunner of the modern walking stick), which could also be used for gently restraining or guiding the sheep.

Verse 5 poetically reflects the intimacy and care of the ultimate parent God. Shepherds would use some form of oil to help heal any wounds the sheep suffered along their journeys. Also, anointing with oil was the customary treatment of an honoured guest in an Ancient Eastern home. So this ‘anointing with oil’ is symbolic for God being able to provide for the healing of wounds, and the offering of Divine hospitality to welcome guests. Such activity should result in very pleasing outcomes, as the “cup” of a child’s life overflows gloriously.

As verse 6 indicates, such a person can grow into their youth and adulthood knowing that they are loved for who they are, and that when they stuff up they will experience mercy and forgiveness along with advice and support (“mercy” and “goodness”). They will become people who are happy to admit fault, say sorry, and where necessary change their ways. They will become people who experience and express the serene joy of a soul that has found peace of mind and heart.

(3) The “Good Shepherd”

Whereas this psalm brings a general analogy of God as “shepherd”, many of us know who has fulfilled this role most evidently in human history. The Son of God Jesus, whose coming we celebrate at Christmas, described himself as the “good shepherd”. And so every parent would do well to get to know Jesus themselves, and in turn introduce their children to Jesus. It will be the attitudes to life and the priorities that Jesus displayed and practiced in his earthly life that will give great insight and stimulus to our shepherding and parenting of others. In John’s Gospel chapter 10 verse 16 we read Jesus say,

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”

Jesus loves us and invites us into a relationship with him. When sin became a barrier to such a relationship, Jesus himself brought the possibility of forgiveness through his own death on a cross. Jesus wants to companion us on our journey of life, and help us in all our life challenges and human inter-relationships. We can come to that point where we can say: ‘The Lord Jesus is my Shepherd – there is nothing else I can possibly want that comes anywhere close to this!’

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus tells a story involving a shepherd and some sheep to demonstrate how much God loves people no matter who they are (15:1-7); where even though the shepherd had to leave behind 99 other sheep to do so, when one sheep inadvertently went astray the shepherd spared no effort to locate it. Jesus will carry such a sheep on his shoulders, bringing that sheep within the “house of the Lord” (meaning within the intimacy of God’s constant presence), as a valued family member, and as one who belongs in “God’s house” just as much as Jesus himself does.

As we follow the “Good Shepherd” in this church community, we will be able to work together toward being effective ‘under-shepherds’, parental role-models, and pastoral carers of one another and the community in general.

Sermon for 22nd Nov - "Jesus' Job Description" from Luke 4:14-21

Luke positions this incident in the synagogue right at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry following his baptism in the Jordan River and temptation in the wilderness. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Matthew we have the ‘sermon on the mount’ commencing with the beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) which describe the sort of attitudes (which will subsequently be modelled by Jesus) that will be required in those who become Jesus’ followers. Here in Luke, it is a quotation from the Hebrew Scriptures that sets the scene for what is to follow.

The placement here is highly significant, because Jesus has just undergone baptism and then while praying the Holy Spirit came upon him, and the voice of God is heard saying, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased”. Then Jesus, being full of the Holy Spirit we read, was able to completely conquer the devil and three major attempts at temptation (which would have diverted Jesus from God’s purposes). This indicated that Jesus was fully ready for ministry, and indeed was God’s anointed one to bring the gospel of salvation to humankind.

Thus Jesus was ready to claim God’s anointing and the Holy Spirit’s power over him in the public arena. And Jesus’ way of doing this was to utilise the ancient writing of Isaiah (from seven centuries earlier) to show that God had always been preparing for this day – for this new dawning of salvation history. Jesus went into his hometown synagogue on the Sabbath day, where he would have been well known, and was given the scroll of Isaiah to read. The custom was for well respected members to be given the privilege of reading publicly (there had probably already been a reading from the ‘books of the law’).

What we don’t know is whether this was the set reading for the day (Isaiah chapter 61), or whether this is where Jesus chose to read himself. What we do know is that this was the chosen moment of disclosure. Isaiah wrote these words in the expectation of God’s deliverance in the midst of the nation of Israel’s troubles. Because of internal laxity and strife together with external political and military threat, they were often a people under extreme pressure and difficulty. When this passage was read seven centuries later, the people would have been thinking about the problems they encountered through the Roman domination they were under.

Now Jesus would give this passage a whole new interpretation, totally fulfilling what the prophet had been on about, and show what God has ultimately done in the face of human need. With the Holy Spirit having descended upon Jesus at his baptism, and empowered and sustained him through the pressure of temptation, Jesus was able to claim that he was the one that the “Spirit of the Lord” rested upon – Jesus was the long awaited ‘Anointed One’. Jesus had come to fulfil the messianic dream of the people of Israel; yet we know that he was going to fulfil this role in a very different way than was expected or generally desired.

There are three more things to say about this passage of considerable significance. What might these be?

(1) What was left out of the quotation from Isaiah!
(2) How we might interpret these areas of Jesus’ job description (v.18-19) today; and
(3) The significance of the word “today” in verse 21.

(1) What Luke has provided as being in the mouth of Jesus (without going into many technicalities) is roughly a rendering of the Greek version of the original Hebrew in Isaiah 61:1-2. Yet Jesus stops short; for Isaiah continues after, “…to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” with, “and the day of vengeance of our God”. Some would argue that this was just finding a point to stop quoting and the congregation would have well known what followed. But many, me included, would argue that this was a deliberate place to stop, both to bring emphasis to the last phrase quoted, but also to negate what would have next followed.

The people of Israel, sometimes including their prophets, were fixed on the idea that God would ultimately destroy their enemies. However, Jesus was soon to reveal, that far from destroying non-Israelites, Jesus was actually going to actively seek out Gentiles to enter the Kingdom of God and participate in the gift of salvation. Jesus was to seek positive and hopeful outcomes from his ministry and ultimate sacrifice. The judgment would fall not on people of other nations, but rather on those close to home who got in the way. This should remind us to paint a positive graceful picture of God, rather than the rigid way the church may have modelled God in years past.

The emphasis has clearly been put on the proclamation of the “year of the Lord’s favour”. This is generally understood to have connections with the ‘Year of Jubilee’ spoken of in Leviticus 25. This is where, after a period of 50 years, slaves were freed, debts were cancelled, and ancestral property was returned to the original family (after it had been earlier forfeited through debt); this was the time when, “the inequities accumulated through the [fifty] years are to be crossed off and all God’s people will begin again at the same point” (JH Yoder).

Whether this was widely practiced or not in ancient times (and this is debated), the principles behind it (and the whole grand vision of Jubilee) is what Jesus is wanting to reclaim here. Part of this would be the issue of equality before God and the equal access to the Gospel that all nations will now have.

(2) The ‘Good News’ of Jesus needs to be shared with everyone. Jesus here refers specifically to “the poor” – which could be interpreted, like in Matthew, as the ‘poor in spirit’ i.e. the ones who are humble and understand their need. Yet Luke’s Gospel does have an emphasis on the community’s responsibility to those at the margins of society, and so this probable emphasis of Jesus on the ‘economically poor’ should rightly be kept in mind here. Any such “good news” offered to the “poor” should be integrated with and backed up by practical and political support.

Whereas the “captives” would have originally referred to those under the domination of others, whether in exile or slavery, we could now interpret this more broadly toward anyone under any power that destroys life opportunities. This would include persistent illness (those “captive” to disease including depression), any who have been abused or violated, those under various addictions, and also those who have made bad choices and found themselves imprisoned. Whereas not all of the difficulties and consequences involved could necessarily be removed, although some could, the “release” referred to here involves the realisation of hope, peace, purpose and forgiveness – a tangible experience of salvation.

Yet too, those who have found themselves captive to unjust systems, political repression or entrenched prejudice, may find that Jesus-following communities can make significant contributions to their future well-being. This will be part of the dynamic of letting the oppressed go free. Many would recall the work of the English politician William Wilberforce, highlighted in the recent film “Amazing Grace”, against the tide of opinion and rampant apathy, bringing about the abolition of slavery in Great Britain … oh so ashamedly belated.

Jesus gave physical sight to many as a sign of his presence in the world and God’s power to bring healing and transformation. Others received new knowledge and insight that opened their minds to the truth. Followers of Jesus will bring new light to the issues of life in a variety of ways in a variety of circumstances as they place themselves where people cannot see their way forward and offer some help.

(3) Can you think of other occasions in Luke’s Gospel where statements are made that something would occur “today”? Wherever we read in Luke, “Today, such and such”, this would be worthy of taking great note of.

Earlier in 2:11, the angel of the Lord tells the shepherds (the poor marginalised misfits) that, “Today, in the city of David [Bethlehem], a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord, is born to you”. This is God’s firm notification of what will soon unfold.

Here in Luke 4:21, it refers to a moment at the beginning of his ministry where he formally positions himself as Saviour of his people, Redeemer of the world, and Leader of a new movement that will adopt the same job description as he has. This is a moment of promise and anticipation, and fulfilment is not far away in Jesus’ ministry (especially in regards to the sick and disabled).

The two instances that follow where “Today” is used will especially highlight the release of captives and the freeing of the oppressed. After Zacchaeus has been encountered by Jesus and has reflected a complete change of heart, and committed to well and truly recompense people for their loss because of his past greedy and unjust behaviour as a tax collector (19:1-10), we read Jesus remark, “Today salvation has come to this house …”. Here was a moment that an outcast experienced Jesus in such a way as to bring about repentance, community renewal and a broad-based salvation experience. In so doing Jesus also dealt with this man’s dangerously addictive behaviour concerning money.

Then, towards the end of Luke’s Gospel, when Jesus said to the repentant criminal on the nearby cross, “… today you will be with me in Paradise” (23:43), this very much manifested the earlier ‘job description’, because this was a captive, who, although he will still suffer the physical penalty for his crime, will be spiritually released in eternity.

Sermon for 8th Nov - "Due Consideration" from John 8:2-11

1. Introduction

Jesus came into the world to really show what God was like, and how committed God was to humanity experiencing salvation. This incarnation would entail challenging any embedded injustice and upsetting any institutional resistance to embracing the merciful nature of God.

The religious leaders of this time however, were not prepared to have their control or authority questioned, and desperately wanted to see Jesus trapped and discredited. You could imagine them having clandestine secret meetings together in the middle of the night, trying to come up with possible ways of compromising Jesus’ ministry and getting rid of him. This incident recorded in John’s Gospel is an example of such an attempt.

2. Jesus Being Tested

The “Scribes and Pharisees” of the time were actually prepared to use a woman merely as a pawn in their attempts to trap Jesus, not the slightest bit concerned that this action could result in her humiliation and destruction. Even though the man involved in this alleged act of adultery would have been equally as guilty under the law as the woman was, the accusers chose to use the law selectively, picking on an easy target.

How would this woman be caught in the very act (v.4) of committing adultery anyway? Do you sense a set-up here!? Was the man involved in this act actually employed by this band of hypocrites!?

Here was the test they were putting to Jesus. If Jesus simply let the woman off, it would be said that he was not upholding God’s law and being lax concerning moral standards. On the other hand, if Jesus condoned a stoning, then he would be applying the strictest application of the law, thus contradicting his teaching on mercy (this potentially also bringing Jesus into conflict with Roman authorities who controlled the passing of death sentences). The religious leaders thought they were on a winner here!

So would Jesus be up to such a test? How would Jesus respond? There was an audience waiting with bated breath! Jesus of course knew he was being tested, and knew the corrupt hearts of those seeking to challenge him! Jesus could have quoted Scripture concerning the gravity of sin, endorsing a severe judgment on the woman unless she could come up with a convincing charter of atoning sacrifices or good deeds (as we humans might tend to do). However, this would neither challenge the inappropriateness of the accusers’ attitude, nor positively open the possibility of hope for the woman.

3. What was Jesus writing on the ground?

Possibilities are:

(a) Doodling – pretending to write something while thinking about his response … stalling for time?

(b) In the exercise of his authority, a Roman Judge would write down his sentence before delivering it. Jesus could have been imitating this, but with a twist – not symbolically listing the sins of the woman, but rather the sins of her accusers … those who would so deliberately seek to undermine God and so oppress a human life. This would be in line with Jesus’ teaching recorded in Matthew’s Gospel (7:1-2):

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.”

(c) Another suggestion is that this writing on the ground merely showed Jesus’ contempt for the question being put and his disengagement from this attempted test. This question (v.5), as put, with the venom behind it, didn’t really deserve his attention.

4. How would Jesus respond?

Jesus would give due consideration to providing the most appropriate and helpful response. There were two criteria that Jesus would want to cover in any response:

(i) How to offer this poor woman a way forward toward liberation – to open a path of healing and reconciliation; and,

(ii) How to challenge these arrogant and thoughtless accusers toward a change of attitude. Jesus wanted to straighten out the errors in the attitudes of these accusers, but there was no way that Jesus was going to allow this woman to be left vulnerable in the middle of such a debate. He wanted to offer her the best ministry he could.

So, to achieve both of these outcomes, Jesus says, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”.

Jesus was saying to all those gathered, ‘Who is prepared to set themselves up as perfect enough to judge this woman and bring down a death sentence”. “Who has never made a mistake … who has never fallen for temptation … who has never succumbed to a weak moment … who has never hurt another … who has never found themselves manipulated into activity they regretted’?

Game, set & match! Having heard Jesus’ bold challenge, each one examined themselves. One-by-one they dropped their stones and left! The “elders” (the ones with the most influence) left first, their credibility in tatters. Jesus just had to call them on their hardheartedness, and demonstrate to them how their obsession with orthodoxy and legalism had led them to treat one of God’s children abysmally. These religious leaders had also become obsessed with their own importance, thus becoming much less able to sympathize with the weaknesses or difficult circumstances that others faced.

In effect Jesus was asking the question, “Where is your compassion?”

“Jesus turns an attempt to trap him into a penetrating moral challenge to those who were prepared to play politics with human sin and misery” (Robin E. Nixon).

This woman had made mistakes, and could be condemned, but only by the sinless – therefore only by God, who chooses not to condemn her! Frank Rees describes Jesus’ activity toward the woman here as “stunning, gutsy, liberating grace”.

5. Pastoral Care

Now just left in view, are the perfectly credible figure of Jesus, and a lost & needy woman. An opening for ministry has been created! How would Jesus progress with this? If Jesus had out-rightly condemned her, this woman might have sunk deeper into a self-destructive lifestyle; however Jesus refused to close the door on her. Rather, the Jesus agenda was how he could introduce this woman to the Living God and allow her to experience salvation, growth and freedom.

The question Jesus asks of this woman (in verse 10) is designed to restore this woman’s feeling of equality and sense of value. No other human being is superior to her or more worthy than her. Those who were seeking to accuse and penalize her, because of their own fallibility and callousness, had been forced to drop the charges. She was no worse than them and they no better than her!

Indeed, she was likely to have been a very vulnerable woman, in need of significant caring support! To the accusers she was just a means to an end; however to Jesus she was a real person with complex feelings, and a desire to belong. Jesus opened for her the path to forgiveness, by showing that he believed in her, and valued her. Jesus appreciated this woman for who she could become.

However, it was still true that the path to forgiveness and salvation requires sincere repentance – the decision to travel in a new more Godly Spirit-led direction. Jesus reinforces this principle by saying, “Go, but do not sin again” – meaning do not take the path of sin, negativity or evil, nor give in to temptation … but rather take the path of light and truth and positive change.

6. Affirmative Action

In deciding that the well-being of this woman, and the well-being all other people caught in a similar vulnerable and needy state, was the primary concern here, Jesus took affirmative action to challenge those who would treat human need in such an egotistical and uncaring way. The “scribes and Pharisees” were only thinking of their own position and their personal agenda, whilst ignoring their own faults and fallibility. This was injustice in the extreme. Jesus creatively challenged such unjust behaviour, and as those stones dropped to the ground – injustice did actually bow to Jesus’ authority.

At the same time as such injustice being brought down, the woman herself was lifted up by expressions of compassion, understanding and love. There is only one way forward for such sufferers, and it is not through condemnation, but through love. We know that a lot of suffering is self-originated through poor decision-making, yet also much suffering is imposed by certain environmental, economic and political conditions. In all cases it will be loving and practical concern that will open new possibilities. Followers of Jesus seek to cut through negativity and evil, so that individuals and whole communities might experience hope for a better future.

Ironically, the sort of freedom on offer here was not only for the woman, but also for her accusers, if they could just leave their stones on the ground and never pick them up in violence again. The person who has no desire to lift their own position by pressing another down, because they are happy, peaceful and fulfilled in themselves, is certainly enjoying the freedom that Jesus offers.

As Jesus’ followers, we will follow his example:

(a) in opposing forces of darkness and injustice; and,

(b) in looking to create opportunities to minister, and being deeply committed to introducing people to the Living God.

Do we need to ask ourselves some questions?

(i) Do we turn people away because of our attitudes, or embrace them for the people that with God they could become? We should show people we value them; offer them a place to belong; and recognize their potential.

(ii) Do we refer to people according to labels based on their behaviour or physical appearance, or do we see the person that God loves underneath these things? There’s no situation too difficult for Jesus to resolve or bring hope to.

(iii) Do we hold any stones in our hand that we need to let go of?