October 10, 2010 - Red Letters We Wish Were Gray: They Follow Me

**The following is a draft version of the message given 10/10/2010


Continuing with the theme: Red Letters We Wish Were Gray. Some versions of the bible highlight the words spoken by Jesus in red. But sometimes, we wish there was some gray to them, giving us the option of picking and choosing what we want to listen to and what we don't.


John 10.22-27
22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."



Feast of Dedication commemorates the Maccabean Revolt (165 BC) where Judas Maccabeus reclaimed the Temple and cleansed it had been defiled by the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes, who sacrificed a pig to his gods on the altar.

This also marks the first day of Hanukkah

- Aka Festival of Lights - menorah
- Only enough oil for one day
- Miraculously lasted eight – same time it took to press, prepare, and consecrate new olive oil
- Time of celebration


We find Jesus here – following in the footsteps of his forefathers who celebrated the reenactment (or living into) the wondrous works of God.

And here it is where the Jewish leaders, who were out to oust Jesus found him as well, in a place where there was little chance for escape.


V24 - 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

V24 – literal translations, “How much longer will you waste our lives?”

Asking for the wrong reason. Would have been delighted if he had been the “Messiah” they were looking for. But he wasn’t.


V25 -25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.

Why did Jesus use this strange metaphor – sheep?

If we read back just a few verses prior to our passage today, we find a section that may sound familiar to us:

"I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me," - John 10:14
Who are Christ’s sheep?

Let me introduce you to another member of our family which you haven’t met -



Asbury
- We've had Asbury for over 12 years
- Good dog, not a sheep
- Trained, but only when he wants to respond
- As with most dogs, he is a free thinker

Why did I say he is not a sheep? Watch this video about…sheep


What is Jesus known as? – the Good Dog Breeder? No - the Good Shepherd

What does Jesus call those who follow him? Dogs or Sheep?
I wonder, when we get right down to it, which do we consider ourselves to be? Dogs or sheep?

Dogs are loyal and smart
Sheep…kind of slow and unintelligent

Today we brand cattle to mark which cattle is ours

Puritans practiced the doctrine of the marks of Christ’s sheep. Cut a notch in sheep’s ear. Shepherd knew the shape of the mark.

Puirtans used to say Christ sheep would have two marks – mark on the ear and the mark on the foot.

The mark of the ear was this “My sheep hear my voice.” The mark on the foot is “They follow me.”

A dog may hear, but may or may not follow
A sheep hears and follows.

Am I a follower? You may ask. Just the consternation of the question opens us up for the Holy Spirit to work.

Wesley, Witness of the Spirit, answers it this way:

How does it appear to you that you are alive, and that you are now in ease, and not in pain? Are you not immediately conscious of it? By the same immediate consciousness, you will know if your soul is alive to God; if you are saved from the pain of proud wrath, and have the ease of a meek and quiet spirit. By the same means you cannot but perceive if you love, rejoice, and delight in God. By the same you must be directly assured, if you love your neighbour as yourself; if you are kindly affectioned to all mankind, and full of gentleness and longsuffering. And with regard to the outward mark of the children of God, which is, according to St. John, the keeping his commandments, you undoubtedly know in your own breast, if, by the grace of God, it belongs to you.

I kind of like this idea of marking us twice – once on our head in baptism – marking us as one of God’s own or in Bishop Scott Jones way of putting it: baptism is our first installment in the inheritance of God.

But then, maybe we ought to in some sense consecrate our feet, to mark us as “followers of Christ.”

How different would our lives be if we walked where we hear Jesus tell us to go?

As the Good Shepherd, Jesus says he knows his sheep and calls them by name

(Blessing of the Shoes)