A homily for the people of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Mercer Island Washington.
The text for the sermon is John 10:11-18
“I have other sheep which are not of this fold, and it is necessary for me to bring them also. They will hear my voice and will become one flock with one shepherd.”
Have you heard the voice of the Good Shepherd?
Do you hear the voice of the Good Shepherd?
It can be hard to hear the voice at times.
We live in a world today that has a cacophony of voices vying for our hearts and minds and spirits.
Driving to work; checking the news; walking through the city; reading a book; browsing the internet; talking to friends or strangers.
Everywhere we turn we are surrounded by a cacophony of demands for our attention.
“Now Playing, Big Ripped Guy Saves Frail Woman from Nasty Evil Villain, the Motion Picture”
“Your body isn’t quite right, maybe you should go to the gym”
“Save your Soul, visit my church”
“God is dead and Church is a lie”
“Work harder, earn more money”
“Buy the new car, you’ve earned it”
“I’m so hungry, feed me”
“God loves you no matter what”
So many demands on our attention. So many demands on our heart.
In the midst of this cacophony surrounding us all of the time, what do we hear?
Do we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, calling us into one flock?
Do we hear the voice of Grace and Love, love without end or condition?
Do we hear the voice of Jesus Christ?
We who are in this room today are here today because we heard something. Whether we are new to church or are lifelong church goers; whether we are strong in faith or seeking for something; whether we know it or not, we heard something calling us.
How did you hear the voice?
What did you hear?
Some of us heard the voice in a church. Maybe we grew up going to church and somewhere along the way we heard the voice of the Good Shepherd calling to us. Maybe we heard it in the preaching. Maybe in the hymns. Maybe in Baptism. Maybe in Holy Communion.
Some of us heard the voice out in the world. We felt the love of God and experienced God’s grace in our life. Maybe in a time of joy or a time of sadness… Or maybe both.
Some of us heard the voice as we encounter the beauty and majesty of the earth all around us.
Each and every one of us is here today, in this place and at this hour, because at some point we heard the voice of Jesus in some way.
We heard the voice of the Good Shepherd calling to us and we came.
In many ways the Mediterranean of the first century, the time and place of Jesus and the early church, was a lot like our world today. Under the control of the Romans, the Mediterranean of the first century was a marketplace of religions, all competing for the attention of the people.
There was a cacophony of voices all trying to pull people in, just as today.
We are here today, having heard the voice of the Good Shepherd, because somehow the people of the first century heard the voice of the Good Shepherd.
We are here today because the voice continued to be heard through the many voices of the Body of Christ throughout time.
And because we are here today, having heard the voice of the Good Shepherd and followed that voice, we are to go out and to help others hear the voice of the Good Shepherd as well.
As members of the Body of Christ, it is necessary for us to go out of this place and find the sheep that are not of the fold and help them to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. We are to bring all people into the fold so that there is one flock, with one shepherd.
Just as we all hear the voice of the Good Shepherd in different ways, so too do we all have different gifts and ways of helping people hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.
Some of us may have gifts of hospitality and be able to show hospitality to our neighbor.
They will hear my voice and will become one flock, with one shepherd.
Some of us may have gifts of conversation and be able bring community to those without community.
They will hear my voice and will become one flock, with one shepherd.
Some of us may be able to reach the old, some may be able to reach the young.
They will hear my voice and will become one flock, with one shepherd.
Some of us may have gifts for action and be able to work for justice and peace in our country and in our world.
They will hear my voice and will become one flock, with one shepherd.
Some of us may have gifts of financial resources and be able to contribute to aid and relief around the world, such as the ELCA Malaria Campaign and Lutheran Disaster Response, which is aiding the victims of yesterday’s earthquake in Nepal.
They will hear my voice and will become one flock, with one shepherd.
Just as we all heard the voice of the Good Shepherd in different ways, our many gifts allow the voice of the Good Shepherd to be heard in the world.
If we have the courage to use our gifts to the glory of God, then perhaps we can help the world hear the voice of Jesus Christ, the voice of the Good Shepherd, the voice of Grace and Love which is beyond all possible understanding, to cut through the cacophony of our world today and tomorrow and always.
Amen.