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Bible Tuesday for Good Shepherd Sunday, 2017

Bible Tuesday for Good Shepherd Sunday, 2017

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

It would be so nice if the book of Acts had dates in it so readers would know how long it took for those first apostles to create a church like this. Then again, it was not they who created anything, but the Holy Spirit who breathed through them and the circumstances of life which brought about such a Christian community.

In these first days of the church, no letters of Paul or gospels had yet been written so the communities centered around first personal oral accounts of Jesus by the Apostles and disciples. Men and women who experienced Jesus first hand were the voice boxes of the Holy Spirit. In addition, the book of Acts tells of miracles being done by the Apostles which also drew attention to faith in Jesus. The writer of Acts describes this first church family as a commune, and early kibbutz, whose life centered around acts of worship (breaking of bread, prayer), and building of community (fellowship, prayer, distribution to those in need).

Note that the early church was predominantly Jewish; the apostles and disciples didn’t miss a beat in their worship at the Temple.

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

This psalm is ascribed to King David. In the Hebrew scriptures, the kings of Israel are often referred to as the shepherds of Israel; God is the Lord of the household, lands, flocks, etc., and the king is the shepherd, working for God. Yet, in this psalm, the Shepherd of Israel recognizes that he, too, is a sheep searching for and finding his own shepherd.

The job of the shepherd is to guide and guard the flock, taking them to food sources in safety. Lush pastures are few and far between in ancient Israel. Most of the time the shepherd had to keep his flock moving slowly, snatching nibbles here and there on their way to and from water sources.

Water was found not only at wells but also in wadis. Wadis are frequently dry creek beds which fill up with rushing torrents in the rainy season. It would be easy for sheep to be swept away from a very fast moving wall of water while they tried to drink from what moments ago had been a trickling stream. It was the shepherd’s job to find “still water” sources of fresh water.

“Soul”- the original Hebrew word is “nefesh” which is accurately translated as “whole being”. What makes up your whole being? Certainly body, mind, and spirit, but also aspirations, faults, one’s past, present, and future. Everything that you recognize as “me” is restored by God, the good shepherd.

“His name’s sake” – God has promised Israel that God would do all this for them in the covenants made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all their descendants. God’s name (honor/reputation) is seen to be at stake in the manner in which God keeps the covenant.

“You prepare a table before me in the presences of my enemies” – In ancient middle eastern cultures, one brokered peace deals over a lavish meal. It was a declaration of hostility to not accept an invitation to such a meal. If travelers were passing through one’s land and asked for hospitality, it was an act of aggression to decline the request. (1 Samuel 25) Here in Psalm 23, God spreads a table between the psalmist and his enemies, with the understood purpose of making peace between them.

“You anoint my head with oil” – As in 1 Samuel 16, folks appointed by God to special jobs were set apart by a prophet or priest pouring oil on their heads and laying hands on their heads in blessing. We still do this, during the right of baptism.

1 Peter 2:19-25

For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Luther called this the “Happy Exchange”. Christ takes our sin onto himself and gives us grace in return. Christ takes on suffering and abuse in order to give compassion and forgiveness in return.

John 10:1-10

“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

“I AM” – We first hear these words when God speaks to the patriarchs. “I am the God of your father Abraham.” These words take on HUGE significance when God speaks to Moses at the burning bush. A recalcitrant Moses asks God, “Who shall I say is sending me?!” And God answers, “Tell them ‘I AM’ sent you.” The Hebrew words that are translated “I AM” can be translated in any of the following ways: I am that I am, I will be what I will be, I exist. The Hebrew letters that spell these words are called “the tetragrammaton” and are the symbol for God’s name. Since God is beyond naming, labeling, or knowing completely, the tetragrammaton is as close as humans get to a name for God. They are not to be spoken aloud in Hebrew and are usually translated into English “G_d” so as to not even be pronounced when reading. Jesus is making quite a statement when he says over and over again in the gospel of John, “I AM…” It is clear to every Jew in hearing that Jesus is claiming to be God by using these words to relate to himself.

I AM the gate-This is very much the same as Jesus later in the gospel of John saying “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” What makes this statement different is that Jesus makes clear why God became flesh and dwelt among humanity. “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”