Dear St. John's Community,
It's a strange feeling for me to record a sermon on Thursday that will be "preached" on Sunday. Here are some further thoughts I wanted to the sermon that is prepared for you to experience in a few days.
The Gospel this weekend is from the tenth chapter of John, and in it Jesus speaks about the voice of the shepherd, which the sheep recognize. There is trust in the midst of that relationship. The shepherd faithfully leads the sheep, and the sheep follow his voice.
We hear the voice of our shepherd, but the truth is that for some mysterious reason we don't always follow. Strange as it may sound, to follow takes freedom.
Some speak of the word
freedom as if it just means is being able to do whatever you want.
I actually think there is a higher understanding of what freedom means for us, especially as Christians. I am talking about the freedom to do what's right.
It's not easy most of the time to do what's right, especially when doing so requires sacrifice. To follow the voice of our shepherd, we have to be free from all that holds us back. That can mean being free from things like selfishness, from ego, or from fear. Freedom is when we triumph over these things, because those are the things that actually keep us enslaved.
Rules, regulations, social norms, mutual commitment to the safety of our fellow citizens—these are not really what keep us from being free. They are just life in society. Real freedom is about the soul, not the body. Just think, Paul experienced perfect freedom from a prison cell.
I pray for our world, our country, and of course our local community that we will hear the voice of the shepherd who calls us to live compassionately, and that we will be free enough to follow, loving our fellow brothers and sisters so much that we will be empowered to live sacrificially for one another.
God's peace,
Rob+
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