+The Parable of the Good Shepherd, is a very familiar story, and because of that familiarity, it’s hard for the more challenging parts of the story to come through.
Yes, Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are his Sheep-- no matter how lost, how tangled up in the bramble we get, He’ll always look for us, and bring us home. It’s a nice image and Jesus does do all of that, BUT, there’s more to this story than cute little lambs and a gentle, loving and committed shepherd.
All that imagery comes in the middle of the parable and we don’t get the middle this year, we only get the beginning.
And in the beginning we hear a lot about the gate. It sounds, at first listen, that Jesus is saying there’s only one gate, that there’s only one way into the arms of God, that anyone who doesn’t follow Christ’s way, is out of luck.
Now, while I agree that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life and that my salvation is gained through my belief and trust in Him, I don’t believe that the way we know Jesus, the way we access God, is the only way God is reached nor do I believe that it’s the only way God reaches out to us.
I believe that God reaches out to humanity in a variety of ways that all lead to the same place: the one sheepfold of God, the one kingdom of God. As Jesus says elsewhere in John’s Gospel, “My father’s house has many dwelling places.” Many dwelling places that are all under one “roof.”
Am I saying that you can get into heaven even if you don’t believe as we believe?
You bet. And I think Jesus says that too.
Now, before we go on, there are a couple of things you need to know about this story.
When Jesus talks about the gate of the sheepfold he’s talking about the Shepherd. As shepherds pasture their flocks they cover lots of territory …they must keep moving along the countryside to avoid overgrazing …so… when it’s time to stop for the night they have to create a sheepfold along the way. Back in Jesus’ day that was usually a cave. The shepherd would gather all the sheep and then stretch out over the opening to keep the sheep in and the thieves, bandits and wolves out. So, quite literally, the Shepherd is the Gate.
Jesus, by saying “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,” is telling us that the only right way to get into the sheepfold is through the gate. He’s saying that he’s the gate, so the message is clear, right: You get into the sheepfold of God only when you enter the sheepfold through Him, through Jesus?
Well I don’t think so…
Here’s another thing you need to know about shepherds in the time of Jesus. They were despised by most everyone. Their work was dirty and being transient, they had few friends and family… they had no real home village to speak of…. They had their sheep, and other shepherds…that was their community. Therefore, because they only had each other, it wasn’t uncommon for several flocks to gather in one cave for the night. Several flocks led by several different Shepherds meant the shepherds would take turns being the gate throughout the long, cold night.
So is the only way to God through the gate of Jesus, as we know Him?
No.
I believe that the sheepfold of God is immense and that the gatekeepers of the sheepfold are as wide and varied, as unique and as numerous as the stars in the sky.
And I think it’s why Jesus mentions the sheep knowing their own shepherd’s voice-- it suggests that more than one flock was in each sheep-fold-
It’s right there in verses 3,4 and 5:
The gatekeeper---the shepherd—opens the gate, calls His or her sheep and they Hear their shepherd’s voice. They recognize their shepherd and respond to their shepherd.
It’s the same message we’ve heard throughout Easter. Mary Magdalene hears Jesus’ voice and realizes that it isn’t the gardener at all, it is her Shepherd. Thomas denies that Jesus is raised until such time as he hears Jesus’ voice, looks into his eyes and realizes that Jesus, is indeed his Lord, his God, his shepherd. It’s what we heard last week in the Emmaus story---the disciples’ hearts burned as the stranger spoke to them and then, in the breaking of the bread they realize, they recognize that this is no stranger at all, but their friend, their teacher, shepherd, their Lord, their God!
Jesus, as experienced through our sacred scripture, worship, and traditions is our shepherd, we hear his voice and we recognize him!
But this doesn’t mean that other sheep don’t hear another voice that they recognize and follow.
They do. Jesus tells us they do. He says: They will not follow a stranger, because they don’t know the voice of the stranger. Right here, smack dab in the middle of the cozy little story about sheep and their shepherd, Jesus tells us that there are many ways to know God, to worship God, to love God. The issue isn’t how we do it, the issue is that we do it.
The issue isn’t the name of our shepherd, the issue is that everyone, everywhere, always, has a Shepherd whose voice they recognize.
Today we welcome Wesley into the household of God through the sacrament of baptism. We’re thrilled that they have Jesus as their Good Shepherd and thankful that they will know that wherever life takes them, no matter what kind of bramble they may find themselves in, no matter how dark their valleys, their Shepherd, our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, will call their names and lead them home! And for that we say Amen and Alleluia!!
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