One of the first questions that comes up in this reading is the concept of the sheep fold. What is it for us? We can come in and go out of it, led by the Shepherd, so it really can’t be a reference to heaven. We don’t go in and out of heaven freely. The final statement of the passage may give us a clue when Jesus says, “I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” The sheep fold is a place of peace, comfort, and safety for us. And we have that when we recognize Jesus’ voice and follow Him. This is eternal life, the abundant life.
One of the more difficult concepts is in hearing His voice. How do we do that? Sometimes we hear it through the Scriptures, sometimes through other people, sometimes through revelations in our thoughts, and yet, how can we be sure it is the voice of the good shepherd and not thieves, robbers, or Satan? After all, Satan used Scripture to try to deceive Jesus in the wilderness.
Martin Luther indicates that the sheep have the power to judge what is being fed them. This is a strange concept for us. Does that mean the people in the pews don’t have to buy what the preacher, or higher church, is feeding them? If it is not commanded in the Scriptures, then no. And even then, the bottom line for Luther is the conscience of each sheep. This is good and this is bad. Good because there is great freedom given to us as sheep to discern if what we are receiving is from Christ. Bad because sheep are really stupid, and they will follow just about anyone or anything. The foundation of the conscience must be Christ alone. Not the law, not the church, but if it matches what Jesus said and did, take it to heart.
The robbers and thieves are those who try to get into peace, comfort, and safety by any means other than the gate, who is Christ. If someone thinks following the commandments will earn them the abundant life, they won’t find it that way. If they think money, fame, or power will bring peace and security, they are wrong. If preachers and religious leaders tell others that they have to do anything other than enter by Jesus Christ, they rob and steal and harm those who are in their care because they deceive the sheep who follow them.
The watchmen in the story who open the gate are the people who point to Jesus Christ as the shepherd. They may use the Law to help others to recognize their need for a shepherd, but it’s the shepherd who leads the sheep to safety and comfort, not the Law.
Luther points out that Galatians 3:23-24, the Law was given as our tutor to bring us to Christ. This is the function of the Law. Once we have faith/trust in Jesus Christ, we no longer need a tutor. Trust in Christ opens the gate to freedom that recognizes the wisdom of the Law and we realize we would be stupid not to follow it. Yet we don’t fear our destruction if we fail to keep it.
I want to return to a previous point that seems to apply to the current discussions of the ELCA concerning the controversial topic of human sexuality. This regards the law versus the conscience of the sheep. In a previous sermon, Luther had said that the law was given as the servant of love, not the reverse. If a law serves love, by all means, follow it. If it does not serve love, then it can be set aside.
In this sermon (sermon #1, #19) Luther said Christ interpreted his own words by saying he is the door to the sheep and whoever enters by him will be saved to go in and out and find pasture. Then Luther said, “Here Christ speaks of the Christian liberty, which means that Christians are now free from the curse and the tyranny of the Law, and may keep the Law or not, according as they see [conscience] that the love and need of their neighbor requires. This is what Paul did. When he was among the Jews, he kept the Law with the Jews; when among the Gentiles, he kept it as they kept it, which he himself says in 1 Cor. 9:19-23: ‘For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, [I lived] as under the law, not being myself under the law; to them that are without law, [I lived] as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law...' "
He set this statement up by saying we are not to force the law on anyone. No one can be forced to believe. Sheep don’t come willingly to a harsh voice of law. They come to a gentle, loving voice of a good shepherd who they recognize cares for them and their needs. Christ wants willing followers, not driven sheep. Sheep will never find peace under the sword of the law. He says the sword of law “cannot force the heart and bring it to faith. In view of its inability, it [the law] must be silent in matters of faith (#18).”
Some Lutherans will agree with Brother Martin on this, and some won’t. Let their conscience be their guide.
Blessings, PWM
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Robbers and thieves of the Kingdom - John 10:1-10
One of the first questions that comes up in this reading is the concept of the sheep fold. What is it for us? We can come in and go out of it, led by the Shepherd, so it really can’t be a reference to heaven. We don’t go in and out of heaven freely. The final statement of the passage may give us a clue when Jesus says, “I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” The sheep fold is a place of peace, comfort, and safety for us. And we have that when we recognize Jesus’ voice and follow Him. This is eternal life, the abundant life.
One of the more difficult concepts is in hearing His voice. How do we do that? Sometimes we hear it through the Scriptures, sometimes through other people, sometimes through revelations in our thoughts, and yet, how can we be sure it is the voice of the good shepherd and not thieves, robbers, or Satan? After all, Satan used Scripture to try to deceive Jesus in the wilderness.
Martin Luther indicates that the sheep have the power to judge what is being fed them. This is a strange concept for us. Does that mean the people in the pews don’t have to buy what the preacher, or higher church, is feeding them? If it is not commanded in the Scriptures, then no. And even then, the bottom line for Luther is the conscience of each sheep. This is good and this is bad. Good because there is great freedom given to us as sheep to discern if what we are receiving is from Christ. Bad because sheep are really stupid, and they will follow just about anyone or anything. The foundation of the conscience must be Christ alone. Not the law, not the church, but if it matches what Jesus said and did, take it to heart.
The robbers and thieves are those who try to get into peace, comfort, and safety by any means other than the gate, who is Christ. If someone thinks following the commandments will earn them the abundant life, they won’t find it that way. If they think money, fame, or power will bring peace and security, they are wrong. If preachers and religious leaders tell others that they have to do anything other than enter by Jesus Christ, they rob and steal and harm those who are in their care because they deceive the sheep who follow them.
The watchmen in the story who open the gate are the people who point to Jesus Christ as the shepherd. They may use the Law to help others to recognize their need for a shepherd, but it’s the shepherd who leads the sheep to safety and comfort, not the Law.
Luther points out that Galatians 3:23-24, the Law was given as our tutor to bring us to Christ. This is the function of the Law. Once we have faith/trust in Jesus Christ, we no longer need a tutor. Trust in Christ opens the gate to freedom that recognizes the wisdom of the Law and we realize we would be stupid not to follow it. Yet we don’t fear our destruction if we fail to keep it.
I want to return to a previous point that seems to apply to the current discussions of the ELCA concerning the controversial topic of human sexuality. This regards the law versus the conscience of the sheep. In a previous sermon, Luther had said that the law was given as the servant of love, not the reverse. If a law serves love, by all means, follow it. If it does not serve love, then it can be set aside.
In this sermon (sermon #1, #19) Luther said Christ interpreted his own words by saying he is the door to the sheep and whoever enters by him will be saved to go in and out and find pasture. Then Luther said, “Here Christ speaks of the Christian liberty, which means that Christians are now free from the curse and the tyranny of the Law, and may keep the Law or not, according as they see [conscience] that the love and need of their neighbor requires. This is what Paul did. When he was among the Jews, he kept the Law with the Jews; when among the Gentiles, he kept it as they kept it, which he himself says in 1 Cor. 9:19-23: ‘For though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, [I lived] as under the law, not being myself under the law; to them that are without law, [I lived] as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law...' "
He set this statement up by saying we are not to force the law on anyone. No one can be forced to believe. Sheep don’t come willingly to a harsh voice of law. They come to a gentle, loving voice of a good shepherd who they recognize cares for them and their needs. Christ wants willing followers, not driven sheep. Sheep will never find peace under the sword of the law. He says the sword of law “cannot force the heart and bring it to faith. In view of its inability, it [the law] must be silent in matters of faith (#18).”
Some Lutherans will agree with Brother Martin on this, and some won’t. Let their conscience be their guide.
Blessings, PWM
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