Sermon, Easter 7 (B)

John 17

Good morning!

This morning, on the last Sunday in the season of Easter, we are hearing a Gospel message of prayer. Jesus is conveying much to us – in his words, his attitude, and even the structure of his monologue. The passage we’ve just heard is the end of a longer discourse that Jesus is having with his disciples, called the Farewell Discourse, from the night before his arrest.

            So: quick summary of the Farewell Discourse – that we’ve been living in for the past few weeks. 

It’s 4 chapters with 4 main components 

Chapter 14: Jesus reminds his friends that he will be leaving them, he gives them peace and joy, he assures them that the Spirit, the comforter, will be sent.

Chapter 15: It’s all about community: I am the vine, you are the branches – we’re in this together.

Chapter 16: Again Jesus speaks of his imminent departure and the coming of the Comforter, and he contrasts the love of God with the un-love of the world. 

And today, chapter 17 - It’s a prayer. The entire chapter is a prayer. And it’s very important for us to hear it in its entirety, as we notice those nuances that are nuggets of spiritual wisdom and guidance.

            

The context of prayer is of utmost significance for Jesus – and we are invited into that reality too. This chapter shifts the Farewell Discourse from a chat with his friends, in the first 3 sections, with some very earthly advice. And here in chapter 17, his speech moves to a more heavenly focus – “After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to Heaven”. He’s intentional that his prayer to the Father be in front of his disciples, though, as he wanted them to receive the depth and nuance of his teaching as a prayer. Because the prayer serves not only to summarise the focus of his ministry, but also to remind the disciples of Jesus's whole reliance on God the Father, subtly instructing them to do the same in their ministry.

 

            So let’s look at how the is structured: there are 5 distinct petitions of this prayer.

First Jesus prays for glorification: he articulates that as his work is complete, it has been completed to the glory of God. What a great model for us all, that all we do in this life could be done to the glory of God. This is what we pray for when we embrace loving God in heart, mind, soul, and strength. All we are, all we have, all we offer – is to the Glory of God. 

The glorification of God the Father remains a primary focus throughout the prayer, reflecting the importance of that relationship in ministry. Other key themes for the disciples to take note of are the emphasis on eternal life, the petitions for unity through love, and for continued engagement in ministry. This is important for all who seek to live the Christian lifestyle, as we too are disciples of Christ.

 

Secondly, Jesus then prays for his disciples – the friends that are sitting right there, and the followers that are to come. He celebrates them as a gift! And that they have been uniquely chosen for their ministry! And… this is the great thing for us… they’re IMPERFECT! The disciples, like anyone, were gifted in certain areas and lacking in others, and as a result, they were imperfect in how they exercised their ministries. But even knowing this, in this imperfection (and often through it), God chose those first disciples as his followers, and built the church upon them. This is good news for us, friends, as we can trust that we too have been called and chosen for ministry, in relation to God and one another.

 

The third section of Jesus’ prayer continues with intercessions for the protection and sanctification of “his own” in the world – these are the disciples as they continue their varied ministries and missional work on earth. These are calls for protection, sanctification, and unity. These are statements that encourage folks to keep together as communities, even when (especially when) they are threatened by external forces. And whatever those forces may be – challenged budgets, secularization, shifting demographics, global pandemic – whatever! the support that Jesus mentions refers to relationship with God and faithful discernment of ministry.  

It is in this section that we note the shift from Jesus inviting the disciples to pray "in my name," to a broader prayer to the Father "in your name." This shift identifies the reciprocal and undeniable nature of the relationship between Jesus the Son and God the Father. It’s a powerful piece of the prayer. 

 

The fourth section of the prayer is a call for unity that extends to everyone, in every place and every time, who will engage in the work of God. He takes this one step further, and prays for unity for everyone – everywhere and every time, who will be on the receiving end of these ministries. Jesus is praying for the future church: for us. For our children – for our children’s children. He’s praying for the church of today that struggles with disagreement and discord and divisions. The prayer serves as a melding or a fusion of the times of Jesus and the times of the evangelist (who was writing this down several decades later), and the times of today. It’s focusing not just on the disciples’ dinner with their rabbi – not knowing it was their last – but also on the truth of the resurrection that they didn’t yet realise, and inviting anyone who hears the prayer to embrace the message of hope and promise for the whole church of God. 

 

The fifth and final part of this prayer continues the theme of unity, emphasising love for God and love for each other. This love is made known through relationship and will continue despite earthly challenges. The importance of making Jesus' name known is a significant component of our prayers today, as the "Lord's Prayer" (a regular component in private and corporate prayers) declares that "Hallowed be thy name" is not as a task for someone overhearing the prayer, but a call for mission by the person (and community) praying.

 

In sharing this prayer, Jesus is offering to all of us a timeless piece of leadership, an example of prayer in, with, and for the community. This is unique in the scriptures, in the depth and breadth of what it meant to the disciples, and what it means for the ongoing and everlasting church. It is God’s Messiah sharing the joy of prayer as the basis of ministry; it is demonstrating prayer as an expression of love through service, humility, and unity. This prayer is an expression of God’s call to mission. 

Which, if we reflect on the whole season of Easter as we have been celebrating, is what we are called to. It is what Jesus invites our focus to be on. It is what the Spirit stirs up within our hearts. It is the reason that we are gathered together. For to BE the church is to be part of the gift of prayer in the world; it is to be part of the ministry of God. It is to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world of today, conveyors of love, carriers of grace, extensions of the divine. It is to embrace all that is good and Godly in this world, to live out the vows of our baptism, to embrace fully the truth of God’s promises – and to intend that glorious reality for everyone.

In short, it is to BE a community of Easter people, gathered in prayer and in praise, in service and in love. 

It is to BE the people that we have been called to be.

It is to BE the people that we are. 

It is to BE the church.

AMEN.

Sermon, Easter 6 (B)

 The readings this morning convey a very consistent message: love.

The Apostles act in love when the Gentiles wish to be baptised.

The psalmist invites a rousing love song to God for the multitude of good things.

John’s letter reinforces that love of God is love of Jesus – and all things ought be done in love.

And the Gospel today – Jesus reminds folks over and over to love, as they have been loved. 

And it’s helpful for us to recognise the nuance, subtlety, and subtext. 

 

The Gospel passage itself is a part of a much longer, pre-Easter section, often referred to as the Farewell Discourse. The theme is clear: love. Love one another, act in love, live in love. Love.

 

And Jesus emphasizes the source of all love: it comes from God. Love does not exist without God. And it has been made manifestly known to us, through the demonstration of Jesus. 

It’s no wonder then that we all hear the invitation to abide in that love. 

This sounds a bit like there’s a giant pool of love and we’re welcome to dive right in and stay there. Abide… it’s rather passive, describing not so much an action as a state of being. Existing. Living. Abide. 

And this is not the way that folks in Jesus’ time used the word. 

 

Jesus’ call to receive love, to share love, to abide in love – was anything BUT passive. It’s a call to action – a call to engagement – a call to DO something. 

Being a child of God, a follower of Christ, is not a spectator sport. It’s not a bystander’s place. 

It’s active.

 

And as Jesus’ next statement so aptly clarifies, it calls for us to act in accordance with the commandments. And, just as this is a family affair for Jesus and His Father – so too it is a shared responsibility for us as members of the family of God. 

 

When we keep the commandments of Jesus, we will abide in God’s love. So keeping the commandments means we will both passively abide – dwell, live, and BE – in the pool of God’s love, but also that we are agreeing to actively abide – to act in accordance – within that great pool. 

Whew! Dive in – because God’s love is amazing!

 

So we get a quick reminder: God’s commandments were many – there are 613 in the Mosaic books. And the Summary of the Law puts those into a nice neat list of Ten Commandments. And Jesus makes it even easier for us to remember, with the Great commission: Love God – and love your neighbour. 

 

So this amplifies the notion of love for us then… Keep my commandments and you will abide in the love of God. 

So… love, and you will dwell and participate in love. 

What an ideal opportunity for us all!

AND – the icing on the cake as it were – Jesus has said these things that our joy may be complete!

No partial joy here; live in love, and everything’s fantastic.

 

So let’s think about that love... 

We have one word in English that covers four distinct types of love in the biblical Greek, 

This can challenge us, because we get all these loves kinda jumbled together, and unless we’re careful, we can miss out on some of the importance of what was really being said. 

(Add to that our casual and too-frequent use of the word, for things – like cheese and sunshine – and we water down the message of love even more.)

 

But very important – those biblical Greek LOVEs are all expressions of relationship. 

 

There’s Eros: an intimate, physical love. Erotic – eros. You get it. 

There’s Philia: a friendly love. Best buds, people we choose to spend time with because they enhance our lives.

There’s storgé – this is an empathetic connection, a natural affiliation – bonded by chance like family.

And then there’s agape love – this is an unconditional and unchanging love, a love that will not dissolve or disperse regardless of what may be happening. This is Godly love.

 

Given that love is the theme of our scriptures today, it’s important for us to know which one we’re at.

And: you’ve guessed it: agape. 

That selfless, virtuous, aspirational love that God has for us. 

And the invitation to abide IN that love. 

 

Imagine what it might be like to dwell there: in the perfect, all-encompassing, love of God. 

To accept the perfect love of Jesus, exactly as you are: to hold that dearly and firmly in your heart.

 

How ideal to dwell in that type of love where pain, fear, anger – anything negative that we carry with us – would all be washed away. There is no place for grudges or crankiness or any of that when we are abiding in the love of God. 

 

And to know that in that space, in that love, our actions reflect love - we would behave according to the astonishing grace that was being so freely given to us. No long burdened with the earthly and negative weights that we all carry, we’d carry on that perfect love of God – to live fully, abiding in the presence of the Christ in our midst. 

 

And that’s the active invitation of abide that we get from Jesus.  

To receive agape love, and to extend agape love.

 

And… that’s where it gets hard. Because life isn’t always the circumstances that elicit an agape-love kind of response from us. There’s conflict, there’s confusion, there’s consternation. We get tired, we get frustrated, we get anxious… and that’s when we aren’t feeling the joy. We aren’t feeling Jesus. We aren’t feeling the love. 

 

And yet: the joy of the Lord returns to us when we recognise that the love has never stopped flowing towards us. 

It’s just that we have, for a moment, stopped acting from that space. 

From that space of God’s grace, compassion, and kindness.

 

Because: we’re human. 

And we all have bad days.

And we all have stress.

And we all react to those external, earthly realities.

We’re human. 

 

And Godly love is challenging. 

But Agape love – the love of God – is putting our own self second, to benefit the loved one standing in front of us. It’s putting aside our awkwardness, or our discomfort, or our preferences – agape love can be hard work. 

It’s standing in solidarity with the oppressed. 

It’s advocating for those whose voices are not being heard. 

It’s honouring justice for those denied equality.

It’s striving for peace for God’s children who are in pain.

It’s giving of our selves – for the welfare of someone else – even if (especially if?) we don’t agree with them.

Agape love is hard work. 

Because we’re more familiar with storge – or familial – love. 

And we’re more comfortable with philia – or friendly – love.

Especially when we’re called into agape action. 

 

And perhaps this is exactly why Jesus brings up those types of connections.

He calls his disciples brothers - siblings – shared heirs. People who would understand the storge love. 

And he calls his disciples friends – companions – trusted - collegial. People who would understand the philia love. 

And he calls his disciples chosen - selected – wanted. People who would understand the depth of the invitation into the agape. 

 

And – in the proclamation of this Gospel, Jesus reminds us – today’s disciples - that we are chosen. 

We are chosen: to be loved. Because we are worthy of that gift of God.

We are chosen: to love. Because we are commissioned by Christ himself.

We are chosen: to act in love. Because we have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.

 

We are chosen: to love one another. Because we are chosen.

 

So this week, let us live in love. When we are at home; when we have to venture out; when we interact; when we pray. 

Let us love: love God – and love each other. Proactively, reactively – Actively. Let us live and LOVE fully in the abiding love of God. 

Sermon, Easter 5 (B)

 Our Gospel this morning is a perfect fit for a renewed lockdown, as we all sit, at home, safely away from one another’s proximity. 

I am the vine, says Jesus, and you are the branches. 

Even our bulletin art this morning conveys an important message for us all. This beautiful piece of art is a middle-ages icon of the eastern Orthodox tradition, with Jesus and the Bible naturally at the center of the piece, as the abiding word of God is always at the centre.

And then we see each of the apostles out on their own branch.

They’re sitting, apart, yet brought together by what sustains and nourishes them - 

We, too, are sitting apart physically, yet are brought together by what nourishes us:

Jesus. 

The artwork really conveys a LOT of the message of the parable this morning, and we can also see our own lives and ministries reflected in this. 

 

Because rather than focus on the apart-ness of the people – both then and now – I want for us to celebrate the together-ness of this.

The apostles in the artwork are not alone. They are not unsupported. They are not ‘lone wolves’ out doing their own thing. 

Rather, they are entirely interconnected. They are rooted and grounded in the vine that is supporting them. The vine that is nourishing them, sustaining them, invigorating them! 

 

I am the vine, says Jesus.

You are the branches.

This should excite us! For it means that we are grafted into the life-source of God. We are embraced in our baptism into the family of God – not unlike the eunuch that Philip baptises. We are nourished by the source of all life, and invited to be the ones who produce fruit so others too may be nourished – to share the love of God in meaningful and authentic ways – like what John is writing about in his letter. 

Jesus is the vine: the deeply rooted, solid base from which we grow.

We are the branches. What privilege! What opportunity! What grace and gift!

 

And we, like any vine’s branches, like the apostles, like all Jesus followers in all time, we are not going it alone. We are supported by one another, and we are supporting TO one another. 

We are interconnected. We are influenced by the others. We share the benefits of the whole. 

 

And yet: not all branches are producers. 

So we need to acknowledge the pruning. 

It’s a process that happens with most plants – germination and cultivation is a quite involved science, there is artistry to it. Branches that are not healthy and health-ful can drain life-sustaining resources from branches that are doing their best to produce fruit. 

So, any horticulturist or gardener can tell you that pruning off what is not healthy can in fact strengthen and improve what is healthy.

 

Sounds great – until we remember that WE are the branches.

And for some folks, they hear this as a very judgemental, harsh manner. It can make folks almost be competitive in their Christianity, rather than collaborative – because we all want to be the best producers we can be, and avoid being pruned off. 

And when we get competitive, we’ve lost the plot. 

So here’s a new way to think about pruning, especially in this context.

 

Jesus does NOT say in this passage that he will send people to hell. 

He says he’ll prune out the branches that need to be pruned. 

So… what if he’s not talking about individuals, but actions or thoughts within us that can be pruned out? What if God, the divine vinegrower, is going to prune out our anger, our mistrust, our greed? What if we are going to see our fear removed, or our indifference, or our divisiveness? Imagine if only our best, most loving, most Christ-like qualities were to remain?

Imagine! 

Actually, let’s do that. Imagine. Imagine what fruit you could bear, as an individual, if all of the negative realities were pruned out of you. Imagine what we as a community could do if we were not being hindered by earthly-focused limitations. Imagine what we could do – collectively as the church of God – if all things undivine were carefully removed and then cast aside so they couldn’t even try to get back into us. 

 

Pruning. It doesn’t have to be scary:

Just as pruning a vine will encourage growth, and health, and well-being, so can the pruning that we can do in our lives. 

So here’s a question for your reflection: what spiritual pruning might enhance your life this week, that you can bear much fruit for Jesus’ kin-dom? And how receptive might you be to God doing that pruning?

 

But let’s talk about that fruitfulness. 

Because I think there is a lot of meaning in what Jesus says – and doesn’t say – that we can learn from. 

Fruit, we know, takes time to grow. It can happen, at times, so slowly that we may not even see the outcome. 

But Jesus doesn’t put a timeline on the growth of the fruit. God knows where and when there will be growth, and allows that growth to happen – when we are healthy on the vine.

 

Jesus also doesn’t talk about numbers. He’s not going to compare bushel count; when he refers to much fruit he is referencing not quantity but quality. God wants the fruit we bear to be good fruit, because that will do the most good in the world. Sometimes, in our earthly lives, we can forget that: we try so hard to count things and compare; we want to balance our numbers and judge ourselves and others by numerical means. 

 

But that’s our way; not Jesus’ way. Jesus wants us to bear fruit. The fruits of patience, kindness, charity, love, grace, faith, joy, peace, and goodness. Jesus isn’t going to be coming around waiting for a tally; he’s wanting us to do the best we can. 

THAT is the fruit that we are called to bear. 

 

And here’s another reflection question for you:

What are you doing with your fruit this week?

Is it ripe enough to be picked, or is it just barely blossoming? Does it need some fertiliser, or is it healthy and abundant? 

Are you sharing it? Are you saving it? Is it being used for nourishment and benefit for anyone who needs?

Or are you hoarding it, ignoring it, leaving it to wither and eventually drop down into compost? (Not that there’s anything wrong with compost – it’s full of nutrients for the soil - but we know how it’s made). 

So, What are you doing with your fruit this week?

And: whatever you are doing with your fruit: is that what you want to be doing?

 

And now let’s recognise that bearing that fruit means being part of the heavenly vineyard – growing alongside other branches that are tapped into the vine. For Jesus, you note, does not say that we are branches that will be judged individually – no, he invites us to see the belonging we have to the whole, and to each other. You – all of you – are the branches. We are the branches in the vineyard of the Lord, bearing fruit, being nourished by the interconnectedness of roots and vines and branches. 

 

And here’s my third and final reflection question for you this week: 

How will our vines and branches and fruit be as we journey through these COVID-challenged times? How will they be when we start to come out of the COVID reality, when we finally acknowledge that we’re not going back to what was, but living in a new normal of what IS.

How will we present to the world as the branches of God’s family? 

How do we want to be present?

And what do we need to do to make THAT happen?

 

Much to think about, to be sure. And from Jesus’ parable, I’ve teased out for us some substantive questions to ponder and pray on. 

 

So I’ll leave you with those questions, and with a few final words of encouragement: 

 

When we are branching out – remember our roots.

When we are experiencing growth - remember the source of our life.

When we are dormant – remember to celebrate the gift of sabbath.

When we are feeling alone – remember that we are all interconnected.

And when we are journeying wherever our spiritual path is taking us – remember that we abide in Christ: who sustains us, who guides our growth, who embraces our involvement in the Body of God.

Amen. 

Original Prayers April 2021

 04 APRIL – EASTER prayers
 
God who sees: Open our eyes to the new life you provide for all your church.
We ask your blessing on Bishop Sandra, Archdeacon Tom, and Regional Dean Simon; on all who serve the church in acts of ministry; on all who call upon your name.
God who sees: hear our prayer. 
 
God who hears: Open our ears to your call to service in this and every community.
We ask your blessing on our homes, our neighbourhoods, our loved ones near and far. Bless those who are working today, and those who are resting; and bless us as we pray and praise.
God who hears: hear our prayer. 
 
God who speaks: Open our mouths to proclaim your Good News to all who will receive you!
We ask your blessing on those who govern and lead, that their decisions will reflect your care for all of humanity and creation, in this generation and in ages to come.
God who speaks: hear our prayer. 
 
God who loves: Open our hearts to minister to those experiencing any need.
We ask your healing presence on the sick and suffering; your comfort for those who are distressed; your strength on those who strive to make this world a better place. 
God who loves: hear our prayer. 
 
God who lives: Open our lives to proclaim the truth and joy of your resurrection.
We ask you to bless all who are on a spiritual journey, as they come to know you better. Infuse our hearts with the enormity of your grace, and inspire us to share your love as Easter people.
God who lives: hear our prayer. 
Amen.
 
18 april
Let us quiet our minds, and open our hearts, as we bring to God our prayers; saying "Lord, hear our prayer."        
Loving God, we pray for the church, your Spirit draws us together in praise. Today we uphold our Primate Linda, our Bishop Sandra, our Archdeacon Tom, and all who offer their service of leadership. May your Holy Spirit guide and direct us in ways that support your mission in the world. We lift up our hearts: 
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the Queen and her family, especially in their time of sorrow. We hold up before you the governments and authorities of this world, remembering these people as your beloved children regardless of our own politics and perceptions. May their work honour you and your people through careful decisions and a genuine desire for justice and peace. We lift up our hearts:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for the world, and its interdependent relationships. We focus on the mysteries of creation, the connections between peoples and nations, and the need to work for leaving a sustainable planet for our children's children. May we be empowered to embrace the web of life in which we are a part. We lift up our hearts:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves here in Lunenburg: for those who live in joy and those who struggle; for those who enjoy abundance and those living in scarcity; for those working on the land and on the sea; for the shops and restaurants uncertain of the coming summer season. May we greet one another in the peace that you give us. We lift up our hearts:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We pray for those in any need of mind, body, or spirit: those whose names we carry in our hearts, and those whose names are known to you alone. We ask your mercies on those who travel, those who are caregivers, those who feel desperation, and those who are apathetic to the needs of others. We ask your peace to comfort those who grieve and mourn. May we share your love as we encounter your people with compassion. We lift up our hearts:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We remember today all those who are impacted by violence: we remember the lives lost in Portapique one year ago today. We ask God’s continued healing and blessing on families and communities devastated by this and other tragedies.
And we commit ourselves to extend solace to those who are brokenhearted, to support all who are devastated by life’s difficulties, to walk with all who are lonely. We lift up our hearts:
Lord, hear our prayer.
We bring you these prayers, O God, knowing that you hear the words of our lips and the whispers of our hearts. We ask you to answer these prayers, as may be best for us, that we may glorify your name at all times. We lift up our hearts:
Lord, hear our prayer. Amen.
 
 
25 April
Shepherd us, Lord Jesus; remind us that we, your church, are your flock – of your followers, your disciples. Gather us together as one, in unity and peace, as we love and serve you and each other. Bless our leaders; Primate Linda and Bishop Sandra, Archdeacon Tom and Regional Dean Simon. Bless our ministries; that they may provide for all who are searching. Bless us, as we follow you. Faithful shepherd, hear our prayer.
 
Lead us, Jesus, to the still waters of our souls: beyond earthly anxiety and worries to the peace that you so freely share. Accompany us through the darkness of our days. Bring comfort those who suffer any sickness of mind, body, or spirit. Refresh the souls of the carers, the workers, the providers; and help us to recognise the opportunities before us to offer assistance. Faithful shepherd, hear our prayer.
 
Jesus, you seek out the lost, the least, the left-behind. Help those who are in need of any kind. Help us to become a society that embraces all of your children, upholding them with grace and dignity. Protect us with your Holy rod and staff, from acts of violence, greed, hatred, and anger. As you shield us from evil, embolden us to serve others in acts of justice and peace, liberation and solidarity. Help us to free the oppressed, strengthen the weak, accompany the abused, befriend the lonely. Shepherd us into community that lifts us up the victims of our society. Faithful shepherd, hear our prayer.
 
Feed us, Holy One, with the spiritual nourishment of abundance. Pour your mercy upon everyone who would come to your table; in this community and every community: the young and old, the rich and poor, the unemployed and underemployed, the happy and the sad. Help us to welcome enemies to your table, and in doing so to see them as new friends. Faithful shepherd, hear our prayer.
 
Anoint your world, loving God, that all may see the goodness you provide. Fill our ecosystems, societies, governments, and all interwoven relationships with your mercy. Inspire us to follow your example of working for the common good. Shower us with mercy, and empower us to do the same; that this world will be celebrated as Your House, in which we might dwell forevermore. Faithful shepherd, hear our prayer.
 
Strengthen us, Good shepherd, with the overflowing cup of your grace. We offer these prayers in the name of the One who leads us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
 

Sermon, Easter 4 (B)

 This Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Easter, is sometimes called Good Shepherd Sunday.  

This should not surprise anyone, after hearing our sheepish readings today. The 23^rd Psalm, for example, takes us right into that pastoral scene: God is our Shepherd, and all of our needs are met. The fields God takes us to are safe enough to provide food and rest, the waters are calm enough to drink from. We’re led where we need to go, and the rod and staff remind us doubly of the protection that God offers to us. Nourishment is so abundant we have the chance to make our enemies our friends, we are offered healing and anointing, and a permanent eternal home, with everyone we have loved, forever more. 
 
It’s no wonder the 23^rd psalm is so popular, and so often quoted, and prayed, and really used at time when we’re seeking solace and comfort. 
And it all starts off with such simplistic beauty: The Lord is my shepherd.
 
It’s a great segue then to the Gospel today, where Jesus is anything but subtle. “I am the Good Shepherd” he starts. So the focus moves away from the sheep, and towards the shepherd. The carer. The provider. The one who is in unbreakable relationship with the sheep, to the point of self-sacrifice. The one who gathers us all together, who loves us all, who reminds us that we don’t have to worry about who’s in and who’s out; because He’s got that covered for us. (Spoiler: no one’s out. No one is beyond the love and grace of God.) And, this passage finishes with Jesus reminding us all of the power of God, over all earthly powers – even life. How comforting to hear Jesus use these words, to invite us to consider ourselves as part of the flock, to be the best little lambs we can be as the Good Shepherd looks after us. 
 
Good Shepherd Sunday, indeed.
But if we stop there – and we could! There’s already abundant good news!
But if we stop there, we miss the other good news being offered to us.
And that Good news is shown in the other readings… which are basically a reminder of what it means to be a sheep in a post-Resurrection world. 
 
Because, when we’re honest, life doesn’t always feel like that green pasture and still waters.
Sometimes we can feel the divisions. The tensions. The very humanness of being – well, human. 
That’s the reality of the community that’s receiving the Letter from John. It’s written more as an open letter than a personal one; and it is clear that it is written to a community in conflict. These sheep are scattered.
 
They’re inwardly focused. They’re caring more about themselves than about the rest of the flock.
Gosh, sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
 
It’s the folks who refuse to quarantine, who share a meal and some COVID before heading home.
It’s the Friday night partiers who gleefully boasted on social media about their fines. 
It’s the driver who throws garbage out their car window.
It’s the dirtbag who left their dog’s dirt on the sidewalk.
 
It’s the… I’ll stop there. Because I don’t need to continue – I suspect each of us could, in our imaginations, pull up an example of one of THOSE people. And we distance ourselves from them, and we dehumanize them, and we arbitrarily judge them... compared to our own perfect selves, of course.
 
And when we realise that we’ve started to do that, we need to go back to John’s letter. 
Because John has written to us: to every Christ follower throughout every age.
And he has written us a very simple reminder – which is summed up in verse 11 (just before today’s passage): 
For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 
Hmm. Yes, we should. 
And we want to, and we say we will, and we may even try to… but then there are times when we *don’t* want to love one another. Because we feel justified in *not* loving one another. 
 
Yet, John is clear, as he writes to the church about what it means to be the people of God. In this letter, John offers a classic 3-point sermon. First, reminding the community that God is light. Then, reminding the community that God is just. Then, reminding them that God is love. 
 
And, that as the community of Christians, they are called to live in that love. Not just on days when they gathered in worship, but everyday. At all times. 
John suggests that the community perceives the written law as something different from the message of love that their faith commands them to. 
And that love, in fact, requires more of them than the law. 
It reminds them that they are part of a covenant, and that covenant calls them to be a new community. A new flock. A new group of people that will reach out to one another in love and in faith. 
 
And I think it’s important for us to recognise the power of a covenant… and be reminded why that word should not be used lightly. 
Because covenants – in the faith sphere – are more powerful than any earthly agreement. A covenant is not just a legal contract, or a mandate of behaviours. A covenant is holy: it is a formal and solemn pledge, rooted in the biblical concept of covenant. In the Bible, all covenants are started by God, and are shared with all of humanity. 
They’re not restricted or restrictive: but call to full life and full expression of ministry. 
Expression of faithfulness, of relationship, of permanence.
Covenant: Co, together. Venire, To Go. 
Covenir is to go together. Covenant is a shared journey. To the glory of God, in love. 
And it is recognised as a promise made by action. It’s an invitation to act in faith. It’s a reminder, in fact, that actions are how we respond to our relationship with God and with one another.
 
So by covenanting themselves to one another, the community of the faithful is agreeing to look after one another. To make sure that their actions reflect their words. To be consistent in their interactions. To be authentic in their relationships. 
 
The covenant is reminding them of the power of their commitment:
To God, who shepherds them, and to each other, as members of the flock.
 
To act in love: fully, completely, illogically. Verse 18: “Not in word and speech, but in truth and action.”
Loving, after all, is a verb. It’s an action word. It’s not a noun (just a thing) – it requires faithful and intentional action. Because the LOVE that John’s letter uses is the same LOVE that Jesus uses (there are 4 Greek words that translate as ‘love’ in English). But this one – agape love – that’s the perfect, unconditional love of Jesus.
This is the love we’re called to live into. To live out of. To share, to extend, to receive. God’s perfect, unfailing, eternal love.
 
The love that is shared with all the flock.
The love that a shepherd has for their sheep.
The love that God has for us.
The love that John reminds us to have for each other. 
 
So this week, as we journey forward, let us aim to journey together. Let us do all we can to journey with God. Let us aim to match what we do with what we say, so that by our love, the world may know the promises of Christ. Let us be the best sheep we can be, for we are entirely in the care of the best shepherd the world has ever known.