9 Acts 1:21
11 Ezekiel 34:11-16
15 Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22
16 Ezekiel 34:23
1-10 James P. Martin, “Expository Article,” Interpretation (April 1978), p. 171-175
“Expository Article”
The God of love my shepherd is,
And he that doth me feed:
While he is mine, and I am his,
What can I want or need?
He leads me to the tender grass,
Where I both feed and rest;
Then to the streams that gently pass:
In both I have the best.
Or if I stray, he doth convert
And bring my mind in frame:
And all this not for my desert
But for his holy name.
Yea, in death’s sha dy black abode
Well may I walk, not fear:
For thou art with me; and thy rod
To guide, thy staff to bear.
Nay, thou dost make me sit and dine,
Ev’n in mine enemies’sight:
My head with oil, my cup with wine
Runs over day and night.
Surely thy sweet and wondrous love
Shall measure all my days;
And as it never shall remove,
So neither shall my praise.
7-10 Makoto Fujimura, Culture Care, l. 1041-1134
Culture Care
The sheep in this image are made safe explicitly for the purpose of going out and coming in—to cross borders, we might say—so they can thrive. (l. 1048)
Opening the gate will mean accepting a loss of control. (l. 1056)
A healthy community is one that is secure, anchored in tradition and faith, but also allowing for a dynamic movement outward, sending forth artists and missionaries, caregivers and entrepreneurs. It is centered and confident in its identity as a flock because it knows the purpose for which the Good Shepherd has gathered it: to serve and bless and transform the wider world. (l. 1124)
7-10 Seamus Heaney, “Markings,” 100 Powms, l. 1872
7-10 William Stafford, “A Journey,” The Way It Is, p. 205 f.
"A Journey"
Through many doors it’s been—through
that first into light, afraid, crying
for fear, for air, no going back.
Then other doors: the one where shadows
waited like night, the one nobody
opened when I knocked, and the one where somebody
did. (It was over a cliff and I fell.)
One time there wasn’t any door; I turned to look
where I had been—only that? Only
those meaningless windows leading down one
by one to the faint small beginning?
Past the middle of life and nothing
done—but a voice came on: “I am
the door,” someone said. I closed my eyes;
whatever I touched led on.
9-16 Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 101
Through the Gospel
9 Lauren F. Winner, “Good Shabbess,” The Best Christian Writing 2000, p. 288 f.
“Good Shabbess”
This week’s sermon was on [Joshua] chapter 7. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, steals some silver and gold and a beautiful robe; Joshua takes Achan to a valley, where he is stoned to death. Ever after, the Book of Joshua tells us, that valley is known as the Valley of Achor, which means trouble.
The [messianic] rabbi proceeded to read this chapter just like the rabbis in the Talmud would. “Where else is the Valley of Achor mentioned in the Bible?” he asked. …
Achor shows up in Hosea 2:15, where God promises to turn the Valley of Achor into a door of hope. And what does God mean, the rabbi asked? He tells us in John 10:9, when Jesus declares, “I am the door: whoever enters through me will be saved.” The door promised in Hosea, a promise that in turn looked back to Joshua, was Jesus, the only door that could undo the trouble of Achor.
10 Wendell Berry, “The Burden of the Gospels,” The Way of Ignorance, p. 134, 136
“The Burden of the Gospels”
We don’t need much imagination to imagine that to be free of hatred, of enmity, of the endless and hopeless effort to oppose violence with violence, would be to have life more abundantly. (p. 134)
When Jesus speaks of having life more abundantly … he is talking about a finite world that is infinitely holy, a world of time that is filled with life that is eternal. (p. 136)
10 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Hymn of the Universe, p. 36
Hymn of the Universe
11-18 Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 74 & 141
1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, 15 as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.”
19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon, and he is mad; why listen to him?” 21 Others said, “These are not the sayings of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
10:1 αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ο μη εισερχομενος δια της θυρας εις την αυλην των προβατων αλλα αναβαινων αλλαχοθεν εκεινος κλεπτης εστιν και ληστης 10:2 ο δε εισερχομενος δια της θυρας ποιμην εστιν των προβατων 10:3 τουτω ο θυρωρος ανοιγει και τα προβατα της φωνης αυτου ακουει και τα ιδια προβατα καλει κατ ονομα και εξαγει αυτα 10:4 και οταν τα ιδια προβατα εκβαλη εμπροσθεν αυτων πορευεται και τα προβατα αυτω ακολουθει οτι οιδασιν την φωνην αυτου 10:5 αλλοτριω δε ου μη ακολουθησωσιν αλλα φευξονται απ αυτου οτι ουκ οιδασιν των αλλοτριων την φωνην 10:6 ταυτην την παροιμιαν ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους εκεινοι δε ουκ εγνωσαν τινα ην α ελαλει αυτοις
10:7 ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων 10:8 παντες οσοι ηλθον κλεπται εισιν και λησται αλλ ουκ ηκουσαν αυτων τα προβατα 10:9 εγω ειμι η θυρα δι εμου εαν τις εισελθη σωθησεται και εισελευσεται και εξελευσεται και νομην ευρησει 10:10 ο κλεπτης ουκ ερχεται ει μη ινα κλεψη και θυση και απολεση εγω ηλθον ινα ζωην εχωσιν και περισσον εχωσιν
10:11 εγω ειμι ο ποιμην ο καλος ο ποιμην ο καλος την ψυχην αυτου τιθησιν υπερ των προβατων 10:12 ο μισθωτος δε και ουκ ων ποιμην ου ουκ εισιν τα προβατα ιδια θεωρει τον λυκον ερχομενον και αφιησιν τα προβατα και φευγει και ο λυκος αρπαζει αυτα και σκορπιζει τα προβατα 10:13 ο δε μισθωτος φευγει οτι μισθωτος εστιν και ου μελει αυτω περι των προβατων 10:14 εγω ειμι ο ποιμην ο καλος και γινωσκω τα εμα και γινωσκομαι υπο των εμων 10:15 καθως γινωσκει με ο πατηρ καγω γινωσκω τον πατερα και την ψυχην μου τιθημι υπερ των προβατων 10:16 και αλλα προβατα εχω α ουκ εστιν εκ της αυλης ταυτης κακεινα με δει αγαγειν και της φωνης μου ακουσουσιν και γενησεται μια ποιμνη εις ποιμην 10:17 δια τουτο ο πατηρ με αγαπα οτι εγω τιθημι την ψυχην μου ινα παλιν λαβω αυτην 10:18 ουδεις αιρει αυτην απ εμου αλλ εγω τιθημι αυτην απ εμαυτου εξουσιαν εχω θειναι αυτην και εξουσιαν εχω παλιν λαβειν αυτην ταυτην την εντολην ελαβον παρα του πατρος μου
10:19 σχισμα ουν παλιν εγενετο εν τοις ιουδαιοις δια τους λογους τουτους 10:20 ελεγον δε πολλοι εξ αυτων δαιμονιον εχει και μαινεται τι αυτου ακουετε 10:21 αλλοι ελεγον ταυτα τα ρηματα ουκ εστιν δαιμονιζομενου μη δαιμονιον δυναται τυφλων οφθαλμους ανοιγειν
33 Leviticus 24:16
34 Psalm 82:6
40 John 1:28
27-30 Andrew Greeley, “A Friend No Matter What,” When Life Hurts, p. 117-120
27-30 Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 98
27-28 Aleane Mason, “Christmas Letter”
“Christmas Letter”
Have you ever seen quail play “follow the leader”? That could have been what they were doing when we saw one run along a fallen tree trunk, then run up one of its large branches and, spreading its wings, glide off the end of that branch onto a clear space below. One after the other, six more quail did exactly the same thing, each waiting to start until the one before it had flown off the branch. Quite naturally our thoughts went from quail to four-legged animals and to two-legged animals, but stayed on the subject of following—following the Leader. (“My sheep recognize my voice and I know who they are. They follow me and I give them eternal life.”)
22 It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered round him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John at first baptized, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him; and they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
10:22 εγενετο δε τα εγκαινια εν ιεροσολυμοις και χειμων ην 10:23 και περιεπατει ο ιησους εν τω ιερω εν τη στοα σολομωνος 10:24 εκυκλωσαν ουν αυτον οι ιουδαιοι και ελεγον αυτω εως ποτε την ψυχην ημων αιρεις ει συ ει ο χριστος ειπε ημιν παρρησια 10:25 απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους ειπον υμιν και ου πιστευετε τα εργα α εγω ποιω εν τω ονοματι του πατρος μου ταυτα μαρτυρει περι εμου 10:26 αλλ υμεις ου πιστευετε ου γαρ εστε εκ των προβατων των εμων καθως ειπον υμιν 10:27 τα προβατα τα εμα της φωνης μου ακουει καγω γινωσκω αυτα και ακολουθουσιν μοι 10:28 καγω ζωην αιωνιον διδωμι αυτοις και ου μη απολωνται εις τον αιωνα και ουχ αρπασει τις αυτα εκ της χειρος μου 10:29 ο πατηρ μου ος δεδωκεν μοι μειζων παντων εστιν και ουδεις δυναται αρπαζειν εκ της χειρος του πατρος μου 10:30 εγω και ο πατηρ εν εσμεν
10:31 εβαστασαν ουν παλιν λιθους οι ιουδαιοι ινα λιθασωσιν αυτον 10:32 απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους πολλα καλα εργα εδειξα υμιν εκ του πατρος μου δια ποιον αυτων εργον λιθαζετε με 10:33 απεκριθησαν αυτω οι ιουδαιοι λεγοντες περι καλου εργου ου λιθαζομεν σε αλλα περι βλασφημιας και οτι συ ανθρωπος ων ποιεις σεαυτον θεον 10:34 απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενον εν τω νομω υμων εγω ειπα θεοι εστε 10:35 ει εκεινους ειπεν θεους προς ους ο λογος του θεου εγενετο και ου δυναται λυθηναι η γραφη 10:36 ον ο πατηρ ηγιασεν και απεστειλεν εις τον κοσμον υμεις λεγετε οτι βλασφημεις οτι ειπον υιος του θεου ειμι 10:37 ει ου ποιω τα εργα του πατρος μου μη πιστευετε μοι 10:38 ει δε ποιω καν εμοι μη πιστευητε τοις εργοις πιστευσατε ινα γνωτε και πιστευσητε οτι εν εμοι ο πατηρ καγω εν αυτω 10:39 εζητουν ουν παλιν αυτον πιασαι και εξηλθεν εκ της χειρος αυτων
10:40 και απηλθεν παλιν περαν του ιορδανου εις τον τοπον οπου ην ιωαννης το πρωτον βαπτιζων και εμεινεν εκει 10:41 και πολλοι ηλθον προς αυτον και ελεγον οτι ιωαννης μεν σημειον εποιησεν ουδεν παντα δε οσα ειπεν ιωαννης περι τουτου αληθη ην 10:42 και επιστευσαν πολλοι εκει εις αυτον