4th Sunday of Easter 2008
April 13, 2008
the Rev. Ken Kroohs
(Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; I Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10)
VOICES IN MY HEAD
St. Christopher’s,
MAY
THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ... AND THE MEDITATIONS OF ALL OUR HEARTS ... BE ALWAYS
ACCEPTABLE TO YOU --- OUR STRENGTH AND OUR REDEEMER AMEN
When we read a lesson like our gospel we really do not fully
understand the image Jesus is using. We
don’t know a lot about sheep, sheepfolds, or shepherds!
We might do better if Jesus spoke about dogs and kennels! ….. Since the animal has to obey the voice of
its master I cannot use cats as an example.
Even with that change the story is a bit confusing because Jesus
changes places. At first we assume He is
the shepherd … but then He says He is the gate.
What has happened is that we have slid from the easy to understand
story into the difficult to understand Trinitarian theology. When Jesus speaks about the sheep knowing the
voice He apparently is referring to God … either God the father or God the full
trinity. Then Jesus says He is the way …
the gate … which leads to that God. …. OK?
Let’s forget the confusing theology being thrown at us and simply
say God is God! And furthermore, Jesus
is God! That allows us to consider
Jesus’ teaching without being focused on which role is His.
So — does God know your name? ….. does God know you so closely, so
intimately that you are known by name?
My guess is that your answer is “sure - of course”. But have you ever considered the implications
of that?
Have you been in a large gathering or organization where you know
people, maybe even vaguely remember some names …. but don’t really know
the people? And they do not really know
you?
Conversely have you been in a situation where everyone knows,
really knows each other? Know their name
and even more ---- really know each other?
Which situation feels better?
Does God know you by name?
Are you in that close, intimate, personal relationship with God?
I want you to be confident that God does know you that
intimately! God knows you more
personally than any person --- which at times sounds more like a threat than a
comforting promise ! God does know you
that intimately — even if we do not know God that well.
So what is this about “knowing his voice” and “following his voice”
?
I believe the point Jesus is making is how we do, or should know
which of the many “voices” in our lives come from God, and which do not. Paul, in his list of spiritual gifts includes
“discernment of the spirits” and I believe Paul is reaching for the same point
…. The same need.
We all have a variety of influences in our lives. …. I will use the
words “voices” and “influences” interchangeably. I believe that is what Jesus meant ---- that
we “hear” influences …. People, situations, powers which are attempting to
influence us. But Jesus says we know the
true voice of God so we know which of the voices we should follow and which we
should ignore.
Although I believe Jesus is correct ……. Kind of an arrogant
statement, as if I had the right to say Jesus was wrong!! ….. anyway since I
believe Jesus is correct that we know God’s voice it should be easy to pick the
correct path.
Unfortunately we know God’s voice but find it easy to ignore God’s
voice. We find it easy to allow other
sounds to drown out God’s voice to us.
I am going to generalize greatly!
But I believe we all fit into this system, even if we may be on the
edges or avoid it from time to time.
I believe there are two broad, over arching categories of
influences in our lives. More
specifically, in our relationship with God.
Some people, or some of the time, we don’t believe God knows us. Or maybe we believe we are so damaged, so
sinful that God chooses to ignore us.
Some of the time we may believe God cannot
love us because we are unlovable. That
God won’t call us by name.
Please know that is not true!
In fact, God being God everyone is loved the same but if God loved people differently I
suspect God would love just a tad more the people who feel unlovable. I suspect that if it were possible for God to
make distinctions, God would love someone who is hurting that much – just a
tiny bit more.
The other end of the spectrum are those of us ... or those times in
our lives when we feel like we are doing pretty good. For many people this is the most insidious
voice or influence – we are doing pretty good.
At least good enough to get by.
Our relationship with God is “good enough”. When the shepherd calls we are the sheep who
says: “I don’t need to go out and graze.
I will just stay here.”
We miss so much when we listen to that voice! God’s voice says there is much more available
to us and Jesus is the gate through which we can obtain those blessings. When God’s voice calls to us, God is calling
us OUT of a life of “good enough” to a life of “wonderful”.
If
we had a video set-up I would play one of the series of commercials on now
about insurance – it says, “If you could get the better service for the same
price, wouldn’t you take it?”
If we can listen to God’s voice and get the wonderful life for the
same price as the “good enough” or even the “not very good” life — wouldn’t we
do that? ..... Well, we can!
In fact, I would argue we get the wonderful life for LESS than we
pay for the not so good life. Notice
that the gospel says God goes before the sheep.
Notice that God is leading them to good pasture and safe rest.
Don’t mis-understand. I have
never said the life is painless or without challenge. In fact the more we listen to God’s voice the
more challenges we face - BECAUSE we become aware of what we have been doing
and what is really available.
..... The question “What would Jesus do?” became a cliche and lost
a lot of meaning. But it is a very good
question. A better question might be:
“What would Jesus want us to do?” Either
question is asking, in today’s language, which voice to we listen to? Which influence do we follow?
When we are hurting – do we turn inside and avoid contact? Or do we turn to God and actively seek help?
When someone angers us — do we seek victory? Revenge?
Or do we seek to correct the situation peaceably?
When we consider how to invest our resources; money, time, talents
— do we ask first what do we
want? Or do we ask “What would God
want?”
A couple things to notice here.
First, no one is perfect. Don’t
look for perfection in yourself or anyone else on this side of the grave.
Second, most of these things involve other people and they MAY not
cooperate! When someone angers us and we
seek to avoid going after victory or revenge, we seek to be peaceable — MANY
times the other person will not cooperate!! ..... Unfortunately that does not
matter. Its not like I can make one
attempt and then turn to fighting dirty with a clean conscience. I cannot control that other person’s
attitudes and actions, I can only seek to control mine.
Another way to ask the question: “Can we avoid following the
stranger?” Can we avoid following the
voices, the influences which seek to lead us away from God?
There are a few exceptions in rare cases but generally a good test
is whether the voice is telling us to act selfishly or not. Remembering that God plans for us to have a
joyful life – so following God’s voice can seem selfish — Is the voice we are
listening to a voice which focuses on us? If so, it probably is not God’s voice. If it is a voice that tempts us to look
better in the eyes of the world ... to seek our pleasure over the needs of
others ... to seek power and influence over other people — that is probably NOT
the voice of God!
If the voice calls us to serve others ... to subsume our desires to
the needs of others ... to protect others without controlling others — that is probably the voice of God.
The biggest problem may be that the voices tend to be so quiet and
yet so influential. The biggest problem frequently is that we don’t consciously
hear the voices — and especially do not hear the voices call us to serve and
protect others. Since we are not aware
of those voices, then the voices calling us to focus on ourselves have no
contest – no challenge. Why not focus on
ourselves if no alternative is offered?
I offer to you the challenge to listen for the voices of those God
tells us to serve - paraphrasing Matthew:
“When did we see you hungry and
did not feed you? When did we see you
naked and did not clothe you? When did
we see you lonely and did not visit you?”
Those who asked those questions and were sent away were not evil --
only blind and deaf. Listen for the
voices God is calling you to serve in your family, in your neighborhood, in
your work place, and in the world. Only
after we hear them can we respond.
May God grant us eyes that see and ears that hear.
AMEN
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CLICK HERE TO RESPOND: I would enjoy reading your comments about this sermon. Please feel free to discuss content or presentation. (If you wish to use another email system send your comments to: ken@st-christopher.com)