Easter 5 2023- David Dearman

Hallelujah, Christ is risen.

The Lord is risen indeed.

Hallelujah.

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid.

Bless the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Let us pray.

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people.

Grant that when we hear his voice, we may know him who calls us each by name and follow where he leads, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns one God forever and ever.

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 the bread at home and ate their food with a glad and generous heart, praising God and having the good will of all the people.

And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people.

The Lord is my shepherd.

You make me lie down in green pastures.

And lead me drive still waters.

You revive my soul.

And guide me along bright pathways for your main sake.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.

For you are with me, your rod and your path, they comfort me.

You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me.

You have anointed my hand with oil, and my cup is running over.

Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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 just.

He himself bore our sins to 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.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to God's people.

Jesus said, 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 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.

So again, Jesus said to them, Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

All who come before me are thieves and bandits.

But the sheep did not listen to them.

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.

The gospel of the Lord.

My name is David Deerman.

I'm the retired head of school at Trinity Episcopal School in Galveston.

I currently serve as the chair of the diocesan commission on schools.

I'm delighted to visit.

I've got to say this is the only church that I know of in the area that includes its ordained glass.

It's been a long time, but I'm pretty sure there's a derivative in there.

But I must say the thing that is probably most at home for me is this gorgeous frontal.

And I've never seen that before.

And of course, at home for me because I was born and raised in Louisiana.

And this Pelican who is tearing her breast and feeding her young is uh well, that's the state flag in Louisiana.

But the the government there who thinks it's about them does not realize it is a medieval symbol of Christ.

And I'm thankful that that you know what it is.

Every year, on the fourth Sunday of Easter, the Eucharistic lectionary serves up the metaphor of Jesus as a shepherd.

And in the light of Easter, Jesus' shepherding work did not end after its historic beginning when our Lord guided and taught his first disciples.

We hold that Christ was victorious over death and continues to lead and guide through word and sacrament and in the hearts of all who put their trust in him.

The markings for a deep study of leadership may be found in the tenth chapter of John's Gospel.

But in this sermon, I'll just make three observations from the section that is today's gospel reading.

He enters at the gate, unlike the thief who climbs over the fence.

Second, the shepherd leads by example.

He goes ahead of the sheep, showing them the way to greener pastures.

And third, the sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice.

Perhaps they follow because his words have been consistent and reliable.

But over time the sheep have come to trust in him.

So for the first idea, the shepherd is the one who enters by the gate.

They climb over or break through the fence.

We all could cite instances of other people pushing boundaries to get what they want at the expense of others.

Just think of that wilderness of eternal construction that we call I-45.

There always seem to be a few folks who weave in and out of traffic.

At the faults of others than to look at ourselves.

But we've probably done our share of not always being patient and waiting our turn.

You may remember Robert Fulgham's inspirational book, All I Really Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten.

Much of what he notes is about respecting boundaries, rules like play fair and don't hit people are among his examples.

There may be in the list, I think that every youngster also needed to learn to share with their classmates.

I mean that just makes sense.

There may be twenty children in a class, but only five balls, four easels, three sets of blocks, two guinea pigs, two beanbag chairs in the reading nook, and only one bathroom.

To be kind, to be fair to one another, children need by necessity to share what the classroom has to offer.

In our first lesson, the Acts of the Apostles gives us a picture of the early Christian community in Jerusalem, a picture of how they shared what they had.

Perhaps this was kindness born of necessity.

Some disciples were fishermen.

They had come from Galilee, and they could not continue to fish in the big city.

Where thieves would scale the wall to harm the sheep, the shepherd lays down his life to protect them.

As Jesus' disciples, how might we be called to play fair and to be kind?

Are there rules we should support for the well-being of all?

And in a time when climate change robs neighbors near and far of their homes and their work, how does love make sharing from our own abundance necessary?

Second idea.

The shepherd leads by example.

He leads the sheep out of their enclosure and goes ahead of them, showing the way to green pastures and water.

Some years ago, my primary care physician counseled me to eat less bread.

Rolls, toast, biscuits, muffins, and that marvelous specialized type of bread, the chocolate chip cooking.

These had become part of every meal that I ate.

Such foods are high in carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into sugar.

And I had a family history of diabetes going back at least two generations.

But cutting back was hard.

And I resisted my doctor's advice.

As it so happened, my doctor was a parent in the school where I served.

That was the year that his twins went on a class trip to Camp Allen, and he came with us as one of the parent chaperones at campsite three.

Sitting across from me at lunch, my doctor slid the beef patty out of his hamburger onto his tray and set the buns to the side.

That day, I noticed that he practiced what he preached.

My attention was arrested, and I was inspired to try a little harder to make some changes in my diet.

Isn't it so true that when someone you trust sets an example, the learning comes more easily?

As disciples of Jesus and sheep of his fold, how might we be called to demonstrate the way of love in our own communities and families?

Who in our lives would find their path more easily if we helped show the way?

Might someone we know be inspired to hear our own faith journey.

And the third idea.

Following him has worked well.

Perhaps not immediately, perhaps not in the way that they envisioned, but eventually green pasture and water come into view every time as they trot along in his footsteps.

As this pattern is repeated over time, the sheep learn to recognize and take comfort in the shepherd's voice.

As children grow into their teen years, they are particularly wary of adults who act differently in private than they do in public.

Adolescents have a special radar to sense hypocrisy, especially in their own parents.

In one story that comes to mind, a boy seriously strayed by stealing the family station wagon.

And he wrecked it.

The first thing his father did on seeing that his son was not hurt.

The first thing was to hug him tightly.

Then and only then did he express his disappointment and set forth the consequences.

It was a long and hard summer as the son worked to pay for the car repair.

Looking back on it all, he recalled that his father was strict.

But he always knew that his father loved him.

His father's love was consistent, and it showed even when the boy did something dumb, this dad showed shepherd-like leadership in the way he parented.

And the boy grew up knowing that he could trust his dad's love in good times and in bad.

The shepherd's consistent love inspires his sheep to trust his voice.

As sheep of his fold, how might we be called to trust the shepherd's voice in our own communities, families, and in our own hearts?

What kind of consistency do we need in order to be trustworthy to others?

May God give grace that we might follow in the footsteps of Jesus the shepherd.

May we take some pointers from his pastoral leadership, in the way we respect boundaries, in the way we set an example for others to follow, and in the way we act that allows others to trust us.

Amen.

We believe in one God, the Father and the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and seen.

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father.

God life from light.

For us he came upon the spirit.

For us, he was crucified and conscious.

He suffered all the third scriptures.

He ascended to heaven.

He will come to hand the Lord to judge the hand of the heaven.

And seek the heart of the hand.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son, he has worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world of God.

Amen.

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Holy God, create all peace, deliverance, and give our life.

We confess that we allow us to fear our separation.

You cause to reconcile life.

To be gracious.

Hear this good news.

The love of God is beyond measure, and you are included in that love.

Know that you are forgiven and thus freed to love and serve.

I don't have a microphone, but I don't have to make anyone.

Thursday before.

On six days, we call it a highly religious ceremony.

On Thursday night, I'll tell you all about it.

If you have a key to give you a regular handle, it's full.

This is all in all.

So come, you who have much faith and you who have little, you who have been here often, and you who have not been for a long time, or ever before.

You who have tried to follow and you who have failed.

Come not because the church invites you.

It is Christ, and he invites you to meet him here.

Lift up your hearts with Let us give thanks.

To the Lord our God.

It is right to give confidence and breath.

It is truly right to glorify you, Father, and to give you thanks.

For you alone are God, living and true, dwelling in light inaccessible before time and forever.

Fountain of life and source of all goodness, you made all things and filled them with your blessing.

You created them to rejoice in the splendor of your radiance.

Countless throngs of angels stand before you to serve you night and day.

And beholding the glory of your presence, they offer you unceasing praise.

Joining with them and giving voice to every creature under heaven, we acclaim you and glorify your name as we sing.

Your mighty works reveal your wisdom and love.

You formed us in your own image, giving the whole world into our care, so that in obedience to you, our Creator, we might rule and serve all your creatures.

When our disobedience took us far from you, you did not abandon us to the power of death.

In your mercy you came to our help, so that in seeking you we might find you.

Again and again you called us into covenant with you, and through the prophets you taught us to hope for salvation.

Father, you loved the world so much that in the fullness of time you sent your only Son to be our Savior, incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.

He lived as one of us, yet without sin.

To the poor he proclaimed the good news of salvation, to prisoners freedom, to the sorrowful, joy.

To fulfill your purpose, he gave himself up to death, and rising from the grave, destroyed death and made the whole creation new.

And that we might live no longer for ourselves, but for him who died for us and rose for us.

He sent the Holy Spirit, his own first gift for those who believe, to complete his work in the world, and to bring to fulfillment the sanctification of all.

We give thanks.

Grant that all who share this bread and cup may become one body and one spirit, a living sacrifice in Christ, to the praise of your name.

Remember, Lord, your one holy Catholic and apostolic church, redeemed by the blood of your Christ.

Reveal its unity, guard its faith, and preserve it in peace.

Remember all who minister in your church.

Remember all your people and those who seek your truth.

Remember those on the parish prayer list.

Remember all who have died in the peace of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.

Bring them into the place of eternal joy and light, and grant that we may find our inheritance with all the saints who have found favor with you in ages past.

We praise you in union with them and give you glory through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Through Christ and with Christ and in Christ.

All honor and glory is yours, Almighty God and Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

Amen.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.

Amen.

God of creation, we give you thanks for the mergement of our souls and bodies, both as individuals and as community of faith.

Let our image of the women of God, a mythical union home to our church, that no more encouragement our world, individuals of our community, and the body wine on even in the darkest of days with the green of the glory.

Amen.

Keep your eyes wide open, your hands willing, your heart generous, your ears attentive, your sense awake, your feet light, your hope alive, and your faith alight.

Go and shine wherever you may be.

Go and embrace with tenderness all of life and its sorrows and joys.

Go and know what divinity expects and what your sisters and brothers seek.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with you now and remain with you forever.