Introduction:

Some years ago I preached from this same text. But before your eyes glaze over, thinking you will hear warmed over hash, let me explain. This is not the same sermon, nor have I changed my mind about the previous message. Many texts of Scripture are like a fine cut diamond. A good diamond smith can turn a diamond and give you a new and fresh perspective of the same diamond. Just so with this text. When I preached from this text before, I concentrated on the sheep and the strangers who entered the sheepfold. Today let us concentrate on the Shepherd -- the Good Shepherd -- whom we all know as Jesus. The text is telling us important things about Jesus.

1. The shepherd comes through the door. Not sneaking in a side door or over the wall -- obliquely coming to our blind side. In a word the good shepherd shoots straight with us. The good shepherd can be trusted. That is not always an easy message. For Jesus, if anything, comes straight to the point. Remember the woman at the well? Jesus asked her: Woman, go call your husband. And she replied: Why, I have no husband. And he said: you speak the truth -- you have five husbands and the man you are now living with is not your husband. Uncomfortable with talking about herself, she tried to change the subject. "Let 's not talk about me; let's talk theology. Should we worship in Jerusalem or on this mountain?" In his great patience Jesus followed her diversion, but still made his point with her. Jesus shoots straight and gently makes his point in spite of our efforts to "talk theology" rather than about ourselves. The good shepherd comes straight through the door. If you want a God who beats around the bush and never comes straight to the point, then look someplace else. For our God is not like that, for he, who is the good shepherd, enters by the front door.

2. The good shepherd is also personal! Jesus knows us by name. He knows who we are. If we are looking for a God we can hide from, who neither knows nor cares who we are and what we do, look elsewhere. The sheep recognize his voice. His words of love and comfort, and yes, judgment comes in a personal, familiar voice. We can know and love the Good Shepherd because Jesus is personal and cares for each of us, as he has no one else to love.

Karl Barth, a great twentieth century theologian, is accused by many of expounding an impersonal God. This is so because he had trouble with Christians treating the God and creator of the universe in a too buddy-buddy fashion. He spoke of God as "the wholly other," unlike sinful humanity. True, God is not our pal, but the creator and sustainer of the universe, and we should stand in awe of such power and authority. God is not one to overlook our petty jealousies; our prejudices of other races, or our cruelty to other people especially the poor and the power less. But not impersonal! Even Barth himself in his later writings wrote a book, 'The Humanity of God" to correct any misconceptions that God is far removed from our human condition. "The word became flesh, and dwelt among us -- (yet) full of grace and truth!" (John 1:14)

3. The good shepherd is a leader. We are not like sheep without a shepherd. "When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." We need to understand several things about this truth. Yes, the good shepherd is our protector. He is concerned to watch over his own sheep, the sheep in his sheepfold, and he is concerned to keep the sheep together. He is concerned that they are not carried off by thieves and robbers. He is determined that his sheep will not be stolen. He leads his sheep out! We must not stay wrapped up in our religious ghettos or our compounds, simply to enjoy the company of the good shepherd and his good sheep. He leads out! We have a mission to the world -- together other sheep -- not in the fold. And they are not "in the fold" -- they are out among the thieves and robbers. The robbers are not here identified, but we can count on it; they are surely out there!

That should not make us worry and be afraid for he goes out before us -- as companion, protector and leader. My friend in ministry, Al Carmines, was raised in a strict Christian family with the notion that God was looking over his shoulder and would swat him if he got out of line. That, he confessed, made him afraid of God. Then one day he read the story of the disciples seeking Jesus after the crucifixion and resurrection. And the angel said to them: "He is not here; he is risen and has gone before you in to Galilee." Gone before you; not standing over your shoulder to swat you when you are bad. And so that perceptive preacher, playwright and hymn writer wrote the inspirational hymn, which he titled: "Gone before you into Galilee."

The good shepherd commissions the sheep to go out for sure, but he goes before us! And we can follow where he leads -- to minister to the poor and needy, the lonely and the lost, those dying without God and without God's grace, mercy and love. He even leads us to thieves and robbers who would try to steal us away from the fold. But not to worry, because the Good Shepherd is already there to lead, to guide, and to show the way.

At GPC we have had a shepherding program in the past and it has worked well – some remnants of that program still exists -- at least people are still being cared for by a few caring people and the PW are attentive to the sick and bereaved. Can the pastors and a few folks do it alone? No, we cannot! Some years ago a Presbyterian pastor - concerned about the pastoral care of his mid-sized congregation did a study and wrote a book entitled: "Can the Pastor Do It Alone?" And his answer was a resounding: NO! Then he proceeded to develop a shepherding program for his people to care adequately for the flock, developing a program for the church to reach in and reach out to others. This, of course, does not let the pastors of the church lay back and do no pastoral care. My experience has shown that it enables me to focus on the most needed families and situations of the church, thereby bringing pastoral care for the whole church. I want to challenge us to systematize this program again in Georgetown.

Conclusion:

We are called by the Good Shepherd to be his sheep. And this Good Shepherd admonishes us not to judge the eternal destiny of the people of this world. God is sufficient judge and will deal with them and us in love and mercy. But this God also advises us to "test the spirits to see if they be of God."

My prayer for you today is that you will commit yourselves fully to the Good Shepherd -- the great shepherd of the sheep, that you will find in him all the certainty you needs to live in love and service to the Good, Good Shepherd.

A sermon preached by Dr. E. Thomas Miller at Georgetown Presbyterian Church, April 17, 2005, on the Fourth Sunday of Easter.