Decisions, decisions. Life is full of decisions. In fact, a number of philosophers and psychologists tell us that the decisions we make (or our behavior) largely make us who we are. Life is nothing but decisions. How do we make them in a Christian manner? We Christians believe that by his resurrection on Easter, Christ has given us new life (1 Peter 1:3). You have been given a new life! Now that we have that new life, how does it affect the way in which we make decisions? At least two of our Bible lessons and our psalm this Sunday of the Good Shepherd give us some idea of an answer to these questions.
In observing how I and other people make decisions, I have noticed a pattern in the way we proceed. When the going gets tough, when a Christian decision has to be made, we tend to fall back into our old comfortable ways of doing things. We start relying on our instincts. How about it, friends? Is that not how you and I usually make our decisions?
Some of us have the instincts of a businessman (or woman). When it comes time to make a decision, the first thing we think about is growth and profit. How can we earn or save money? How can we keep our "nest egg?" Yes, that is what we need to do.
Others of us have the instincts of a reformer. The status quo must be challenged. The system is not working. Whatever promotes freedom and liberation from oppresive existing structures is good, and we must get behind such movements. Live for today; let the future take care of itself. The great enemy is continuity and the boredom it produces.
Still others of us have the instincts of a conservative: We have always done it that way here at church and here in our community. So why change the system? A few proponents of that attitude can be found in this parish; what do you think?
Finally, we have the pragmatists or politicians. We should do whatever it takes to keep everybody happy. We do not want to rock the boat. (I do not want to decide anything that will hurt my good name, and what I do decide must be in the interest of my retaining control.) Hm, such attitudes are not unfamiliar to any of us.
Have you found a little of yourself in one or more of these attitudes? If you are honest with yourself, you probably did; I know that there is something of me in these types of decision-making. All of the types have something to do with me (and you), because all of those ways of making decisions have something in common. Behind them all is the "gut-feeling" upon which all of us rely when we make a decision. (This "gut-feeling" is a symptom of our sin.) It is the "Do your own thing" gut-feeling. I am doing what I do, I am deciding this way, because that is the way I like it. I do not like it that other way.
Have you ever caught yourself saying or thinking such things? I know that I have to plead guilty. It would hardly be surprising, since a number of social analysts have observed how American, if not all Western society in the waning decades of our century, has been characterized by the emergence of particular value-systems authorized by nothing more than our mad quest for individual self-fulfillment. Our participation in such a cultural ethos raises hard questions for us: To the degree that our decisions are made with reference to our personal preference, are any of us really making Christian decisions in the way we are living our lives? Are we just throwing our faith aside most of the time, even if we are here Sunday mornings? Have we lost our way? Have we been throwing away the "abundant life" that Jesus promises us in our gospel lesson (John 1O:1Ob)? How can we get it back?
Take heart, friends! Our sin and our selfishness have not lost us the new life that Jesus gave us in his resurrection and in our baptisms. "The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29)." Even when we are enemies of God, he loves us and wants to save us (Romans 5:10). However, we have not been making use of the gift that God has given us. Perhaps the gift of the abundant life has not been informing us in the way we are living - in the way in which we make our decisions.
It is at this point that this morning's gospel lesson really hits home. Jesus calls himself the gate or entrance for the sheep, the Good Shepherd (John 10:7, 9, 11; cf. 1 Peter 2:25; Psalms 23:1). He is the man who wants to lead you and me - to point us to the abundant life (John 10:1Ob). Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is putting his claim on you and me to be his sheep.
Of course, like you, I have heard the story of Jesus claiming to be the Good Shepherd hundreds of times in my life. However, I must confess that I never really heard it, never truly understood it, until I came to recognize that, "Hey, if Jesus is the Good Shepherd, I must be one of his sheep." Once I came to this realization, I began to realize that we, his followers, really are a lot like the sheep that Jesus was talking about. Think about his point! Do you remember what Jesus said about the matter?
First, recall, Jesus said that he was the only one whom the sheep would follow, because we sheep know his voice (John 10:3-5).
Sometimes I wonder, however, whether this was not wishful thinking on Jesus' part. I call it wishful thinking, because those of you with roots on the farm know that sheep are not those warm, cuddly little animals that city people (like me) think they are. No, sheep are stubborn and willful. Martin Luther, one time when he was doing a sermon on the topicof the Good Shepherd, said that sheep "are most foolish and stupid animals."
This was Jesus' point when he said that the sheep would not follow anyone else whom they did not know or trust (John 10:6). No, if a stranger comes, sheep will not follow that person; they will flee. You might say that they will "do their own thing." Sheep are pretty foolish, stubborn, selfish and willful creatures.
What do you folks think? I do not know about you folks, but I can see a little of myself in the sheep and their behavior. Really, do you not see a little of all of us in the way that those sheep act? I can see the similarities in the way that this community and American society in general often makes its decisions. Even we in this church often operate with the same decision-making criteria. We do things the way that we like it - the way it has always been done, or the new way, the business-like way, or whatever keeps people happy. Yes, those are the real criteria for our decision making. It is like how Peter put it in our second lesson. We have all been "straying like sheep (1 Peter 2:25)."
Doing it the way that we like it, just like sheep. We really are a lot like sheep. We have that stubborn, selfish streak in us. But are we living as Jesus' sheep? Are you letting him be your Good Shepherd? Is he guiding you, pointing you, giving you direction?
Friends, the story of the Good Shepherd is both making an invitation and stating some facts. People, it is saying, you really are sheep. You are stubborn, like sheep. You want what you like - even when what you like is not very good for you.
Is it not the truth? When you turn loose a herd of sheep, let them run wherever they desire, they are liable to run off a cliff - get themselves in all kinds of trouble. It is sort of like what can happen to us when we are making our decisions only on the basis of what we want to do. Some American social analysts have suggested that this is precisely the dynamic in American society today and helps explain some of the current malfunctionings of our system.
People, like any herd of sheep, we need a shepherd - somebody to point us in the right directions, somebody to help us with our decisions. We already have somebody like that. But are we letting him guide us? Jesus Christ is applying for the job. In fact, on account of our baptisms, he already owns us! He can direct us to the good life, to life, to life abundant, to happiness (John 1O:lOb). Have we been listening?
We need to listen. We need to listen carefully to our Lord's Word, because, recall, sheep get scared of a stranger's voice. They will not pay any attention to the stranger's voice; they just do their own thing. Perhaps this has been one of your problems in this parish, and with mainline American Christianity in general. Jesus' voice, his words, his story, are not familiar enough to us! We only hear them Sunday mornings. We have not been asking enough what it is that Jesus and God want us to do.
It is true, is it not? In all of our parish meetings and activities, do we spend sufficient time and attention on asking what it is that Jesus and God want? Have we really let him be our Shepherd? No, too often here, as in virtually every congregation, Jesus' voice has been an unfamiliar one (for both the lay people and their pastor). We have been too inclined to do what we thought best, what we liked.
An active congregation like this one is wonderful. The involvement of such a large segment of our congregation in our decision-making can be a blessing. But it is only a blessing if we accept the invitation of the Good Shepherd, if we really let him lead, if we really rely on him in our decisions, if we are always asking what it is that God wants now.
Perhaps it is time in our parish council meetings, committee meetings, women's group and youth meetings, that we forgot about what we want - put aside a bit the questions of how we have always done it, what is good business, and the like. Perhaps it is time to put aside those concerns and, when there is a decision to be made, instead to ask what it is that God wants us to do. Perhaps we can find some directions concerning how we spend the church's money, how it gets raised, and the like, even in the Bible (of all places)! Perhaps we can find some aflswers or guidance to these particular questions by learning more about the teachings of the Christian faith.
In a way, I am putting in a call for a self-conscious commitment to improving our biblical literacy. However, I am also inviting us to consider a new attitude in our life together. (In part this attitude is a reflection of the new life given us in this Easter season by the resurrection.) In all our decisions in this community, from now on let us first ask the question of what Jesus wants, not what we want. In all our gatherings, perhaps it is time that we truly started letting Jesus be our Good Shepherd!
I am not just talking about the decisions that we make together as a community of Christ. I am also thinking about what goes on out there from Monday to Saturday in your life. Oh, not that the next time you have a big business deal coming up, or a hard day with the repairman and the kids, or a big test in school, all you need to do is to get a Bible out and start reading. No, that is not my proposal. It is not that simple. But in these situations it is perhaps time to ask Jesus to lead you. And as soon as you do that, as soon as you start asking what course of action might best please God, then forget yourself. Forget yourself, and let Jesus lead the way.
It is not a bad way to proceed; what do you think? The next time that you have a decision to make, maybe you ought to stop, just stop for a second, and ask yourself what God wants - really let Jesus lead. The promise of today's gospel lesson is that, to the degree that you let Jesus lead, life will be good and sweet, a little happier (John 10:1Ob). We have already been given that abundant new life with Jesus' resurrection. It is ours when we embrace Jesus in faith (Romans 6:2; 1 Peter 1:3). Being led by him is simply a matter of using, of living the life we already have been given.
The next time that you have a decision to make, give it some thought. Think about it; give Jesus a chance to lead you. How does he want to lead you? If we asked Jesus that question, I believe he would answer in something like the words that Martin Luther once put in his mouth (in another sermon about Jesus as the Good Shepherd): "Therefore [Jesus says], joyfully abide with me and let none other rule in your consciences. Listen only to me, who speak and by deeds prove this comforting word, that I will not drive, trouble or burden you like Moses and the others, but will most lovingly lead and guide, protect and help you."
"I will not drive, trouble or burden you [Jesus said], but will most lovingly lead and guide, protect and help you." He lovingly guides us. Who would not want a shepherd like Jesus?