The Good Shepherd and the Hired Hands
April 21, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Easter
Confirmation & Youth Sunday
Psalm 23John 10:11-18
"The Good Shepherd and the Hired Hands"
Courtney M. Chandler
I want to begin this morning by addressing the 5 students who have been through the confirmation journey together. When we began, people questioned why we had such a small group. People thought the group would seem sad or quiet. We had 5 students, all attending different schools, coming together once a week. What would they have to talk about? It took a couple of weeks and one really fun day partnered with other youth in a game of Sardines that opened the door to laughter in the group.
If you’re wondering what Sardines is, it is a game often played in youth groups. It’s kind of like, “hide and seek” but the opposite. One person hides, everyone looks and when you find the person you hide with them. The idea is to have everyone hiding together by the end of the game. Lucy Kerr was the first to hide. Well, Lucy was the only person to hide. No one knew Lucy would be as good at this game as she was. We spent the entire hour looking for Lucy. Finally I found myself going through the church shouting, “Lucy, the parents are here for pick up. You need to come out.” I don’t know where she came from. It was as if she just appeared out of nowhere and then gloated about how she watched people walk by her during the game.
As silly as it sounds, it was that moment that helped our group open up. We laughed in our group. We studied as a group. We learned as a group. They asked some tough questions, not just about faith, but also about life. They are a great group of young people and I could not be prouder of each of them.
My sermon for today, while for everyone, is focused on our confirmands, our youth, and our children.
When I was 13 years old, I was sad. I was lonely. I was struggling with some health issues. I remember sitting in my room one night, all alone, listening to music and having a little talk with God.
Where are you God? Why am I so sad? Why do I not have friends? Why am I all alone? And I remember thinking how disappointed I was with the world. And that night as I lay in bed, I heard a voice say, “Instead of being disappointed in the world, why don’t you change the world?” I had no idea what that meant, but I thought about that and prayed about that. After youth group one Sunday evening I remember knowing that God was calling me to ministry. I announced one day to my family that I was going to be a minister and I remember the looks of disbelief. I remember being told that was not an appropriate job for a woman. I remember being told that I should think about doing something else. And so I kept my calling to myself until I was 16. At 16 I was at church camp and went to tell a minister who was a leader at the camp, Rev. David Semones, and a friend, a peer, who also had a calling to ministry. The three of us stood outside in the night with the moon and stars overhead and we prayed. And I knew. I knew that God would be with me.
Fast forward to college. I began to question my faith. I started to read books on other religions and philosophies. I then went back to my basics and began to read my bible. I was searching for something, but I was unsure what it was I was looking for. Once again, I felt lost and alone with my faith. I was a theater major and many of my classmates claimed to be atheist or agnostic and because I felt myself questioning things, I never told any of them about my church background or call to ministry.
One night, I was at a theater party and a friend of mine said he needed a listening ear. I went outside with him and we sat on the porch steps and began to talk. He told me about how he grew up in the church and how he loved his church. He was active as a child and a youth and then one night at youth group, he came out of the closet to his youth group. The response of that church was to kick him out and not allow him to come back. This led him to question God and the people who claimed to be Christians. He struggled with how anyone could treat a young person they had known since birth that way. He was lost and he was hurting. I told him that I grew up in church too and I was sorry he was treated that way. I told him I believe our God is a God of love and grace and that God loves him. I then asked if he wanted to pray. Unsure of his response, he nodded and said yes. The two of us held hands, Janet Jackson music blaring in the background, and as we sat on the porch of that house party, we prayed. And when I said, “Amen.” My friend, tears rolling down his face. Hugged me and said, “You’d make a great minister.” And with that I began to cry and told him my story and my struggle. He had no idea.
You’re probably wondering what any of this has to do with Jesus being the Good Shepherd. I have a few points here:
1st: Christ loves us in ways that are beyond our understanding and never gives up on us. There is a video on the internet. In this video is a field and in the field is a narrow crevice. There is a man reaching into the crevice and pulling with all his might and finally, he pulls up a sheep. The sheep is happy and free and starts jumping and leaping with joy, only to fall into another crevice and the shepherd shakes his head and goes over to help get the sheep out again. This video always makes me giggle, but it also reminds me of Jesus stating that he is the, “Good Shepherd.” He is always trying to rescue us from cracks and crevices of life. In the text Elizabeth read to us, Jesus compares being a good shepherd to being a hired hand. A hired hand would give up on that sheep that kept jumping into the cracks. A hired hand would walk away. They don’t actually care about the sheep. To the hired hand, watching the sheep is just a job with a paycheck and nothing more. And sometimes, Jesus comes after us in ways that can be disguised and mysterious. Sometimes Jesus sends us people who are actually good hired hands. People who love us and care for us…sometimes people we know, but sometimes those people can be complete strangers. My friend, who sat on the porch steps with me, was my good hired hand. You may think the story meant I was the hired hand for listening and praying with him, but in reality, I believe he was sent to remind me of my calling and the gifts given to me by the Holy Spirit to minister to others. I believe that God sends us little signs from time to time to remind us of who we are and why we do what we do, as a pastor, as lay leaders, as a faith community, as people who call ourselves Christian. God wants us to be Good Hired Hands and that often means lifting up others and their skills and building them up so they remember their vows and callings as people of faith.
And, I know that we are CALLED, by Christ to be those Good hired hands! Later in the book of John, chapter 21 to be exact, some of the disciples decide to go fishing. They went out and caught nothing. Then, just before daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples didn’t know it was him. Jesus called out to them, “You have no fish, have you?” And they answered back, “No.” Then Jesus told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. They did and their net was so full of fish it was too heavy for them to haul it. Jesus told them to bring the fish to shore and they would cook it and have breakfast together right there on the shore. When Jesus broke bread they knew it was him and then after Jesus and Peter had a conversation. Now, if you remember, on the night Jesus was betrayed, he told Peter he would deny him 3 times. And 3 times Peter was asked if he knew Jesus and 3 times Peter said, “No.”
Now here are Jesus and Peter sitting on the side of the lake and Jesus asks Peter if he loves him and Peter says yes. Jesus tells him to feed his sheep. This happens two more times. Jesus giving Peter the opportunity to right a wrong, but also giving him directions to take care of his sheep. He is calling Peter to be a Good Hired Hand.
Jesus wants Peter to care for the sheep just as he did. In this same way, Jesus calls us to be good hired hands as well. Each and every one of us is called to be there for others.
What I want you, confirmands, youth and even our children to know is this: No matter what happens in life, no matter how dark things may get, or how lonely or sad or upset you may become. No matter how many times you stumble and fall or question life or faith. No matter how much you go through, God is with you. The Good Shepherd is there, trying his best to dig you out of the trenches of life. And sometimes, the Good Shepherd sends people to take away the pain and stress of life. Sometimes the Good Shepherd sends Good Hired Hands to remind you of your purpose and call to follow Jesus.
Even when the “wolves” come and things are scary and bleak, you have people in this church and in your life who will be there for you. Sometimes they simply appear at just the right time. Other times, you may have to ask, but people will be there to help you. And church, it’s important to remember that we are called to be helpers too. We are called to be that friend who offers a hug or a listening ear or maybe the opportunity to stand in a circle after dark and simply pray or sit on a front porch step and cry together. Jesus needs you. Jesus needs us. Each and everyone one of us is called by Christ to care for one another.
In this day and age we need less hired hands who are simply doing a job and more GOOD hired hands who show empathy and compassion and love for all of God’s people. Confirmands, continue to build your relationship with the one who promises to be with you every step of the way and use those spiritual gifts to share God’s love with others. It doesn’t matter if you’re called to ministry or to be a doctor or lawyer or poet or teacher, you each have a gift and you are called to use that gift to build up others as you build up the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not some far off place, this kingdom, it’s here and it's now and all we have to do is be an active participant in sharing the love you have received and been called to share. Students, children, adults, You are a beloved child of God and you are never alone. If you ever need anything or have any questions, we are here for you. You never have to walk alone on this journey. You never have to feel scared or frightened, we vowed to love you and care for you and walk with you through your faith journey when you were baptized and we will uphold our promises to be there for you, no matter what. You are a child of God, holy made, divinely inspired and the Good Shepherd and his Good Hired Hands are here for you as you continue to grow in faith.
You are loved. Amen.
Confirmation & Youth Sunday
Psalm 23John 10:11-18
"The Good Shepherd and the Hired Hands"
Courtney M. Chandler
I want to begin this morning by addressing the 5 students who have been through the confirmation journey together. When we began, people questioned why we had such a small group. People thought the group would seem sad or quiet. We had 5 students, all attending different schools, coming together once a week. What would they have to talk about? It took a couple of weeks and one really fun day partnered with other youth in a game of Sardines that opened the door to laughter in the group.
If you’re wondering what Sardines is, it is a game often played in youth groups. It’s kind of like, “hide and seek” but the opposite. One person hides, everyone looks and when you find the person you hide with them. The idea is to have everyone hiding together by the end of the game. Lucy Kerr was the first to hide. Well, Lucy was the only person to hide. No one knew Lucy would be as good at this game as she was. We spent the entire hour looking for Lucy. Finally I found myself going through the church shouting, “Lucy, the parents are here for pick up. You need to come out.” I don’t know where she came from. It was as if she just appeared out of nowhere and then gloated about how she watched people walk by her during the game.
As silly as it sounds, it was that moment that helped our group open up. We laughed in our group. We studied as a group. We learned as a group. They asked some tough questions, not just about faith, but also about life. They are a great group of young people and I could not be prouder of each of them.
My sermon for today, while for everyone, is focused on our confirmands, our youth, and our children.
When I was 13 years old, I was sad. I was lonely. I was struggling with some health issues. I remember sitting in my room one night, all alone, listening to music and having a little talk with God.
Where are you God? Why am I so sad? Why do I not have friends? Why am I all alone? And I remember thinking how disappointed I was with the world. And that night as I lay in bed, I heard a voice say, “Instead of being disappointed in the world, why don’t you change the world?” I had no idea what that meant, but I thought about that and prayed about that. After youth group one Sunday evening I remember knowing that God was calling me to ministry. I announced one day to my family that I was going to be a minister and I remember the looks of disbelief. I remember being told that was not an appropriate job for a woman. I remember being told that I should think about doing something else. And so I kept my calling to myself until I was 16. At 16 I was at church camp and went to tell a minister who was a leader at the camp, Rev. David Semones, and a friend, a peer, who also had a calling to ministry. The three of us stood outside in the night with the moon and stars overhead and we prayed. And I knew. I knew that God would be with me.
Fast forward to college. I began to question my faith. I started to read books on other religions and philosophies. I then went back to my basics and began to read my bible. I was searching for something, but I was unsure what it was I was looking for. Once again, I felt lost and alone with my faith. I was a theater major and many of my classmates claimed to be atheist or agnostic and because I felt myself questioning things, I never told any of them about my church background or call to ministry.
One night, I was at a theater party and a friend of mine said he needed a listening ear. I went outside with him and we sat on the porch steps and began to talk. He told me about how he grew up in the church and how he loved his church. He was active as a child and a youth and then one night at youth group, he came out of the closet to his youth group. The response of that church was to kick him out and not allow him to come back. This led him to question God and the people who claimed to be Christians. He struggled with how anyone could treat a young person they had known since birth that way. He was lost and he was hurting. I told him that I grew up in church too and I was sorry he was treated that way. I told him I believe our God is a God of love and grace and that God loves him. I then asked if he wanted to pray. Unsure of his response, he nodded and said yes. The two of us held hands, Janet Jackson music blaring in the background, and as we sat on the porch of that house party, we prayed. And when I said, “Amen.” My friend, tears rolling down his face. Hugged me and said, “You’d make a great minister.” And with that I began to cry and told him my story and my struggle. He had no idea.
You’re probably wondering what any of this has to do with Jesus being the Good Shepherd. I have a few points here:
1st: Christ loves us in ways that are beyond our understanding and never gives up on us. There is a video on the internet. In this video is a field and in the field is a narrow crevice. There is a man reaching into the crevice and pulling with all his might and finally, he pulls up a sheep. The sheep is happy and free and starts jumping and leaping with joy, only to fall into another crevice and the shepherd shakes his head and goes over to help get the sheep out again. This video always makes me giggle, but it also reminds me of Jesus stating that he is the, “Good Shepherd.” He is always trying to rescue us from cracks and crevices of life. In the text Elizabeth read to us, Jesus compares being a good shepherd to being a hired hand. A hired hand would give up on that sheep that kept jumping into the cracks. A hired hand would walk away. They don’t actually care about the sheep. To the hired hand, watching the sheep is just a job with a paycheck and nothing more. And sometimes, Jesus comes after us in ways that can be disguised and mysterious. Sometimes Jesus sends us people who are actually good hired hands. People who love us and care for us…sometimes people we know, but sometimes those people can be complete strangers. My friend, who sat on the porch steps with me, was my good hired hand. You may think the story meant I was the hired hand for listening and praying with him, but in reality, I believe he was sent to remind me of my calling and the gifts given to me by the Holy Spirit to minister to others. I believe that God sends us little signs from time to time to remind us of who we are and why we do what we do, as a pastor, as lay leaders, as a faith community, as people who call ourselves Christian. God wants us to be Good Hired Hands and that often means lifting up others and their skills and building them up so they remember their vows and callings as people of faith.
And, I know that we are CALLED, by Christ to be those Good hired hands! Later in the book of John, chapter 21 to be exact, some of the disciples decide to go fishing. They went out and caught nothing. Then, just before daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples didn’t know it was him. Jesus called out to them, “You have no fish, have you?” And they answered back, “No.” Then Jesus told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. They did and their net was so full of fish it was too heavy for them to haul it. Jesus told them to bring the fish to shore and they would cook it and have breakfast together right there on the shore. When Jesus broke bread they knew it was him and then after Jesus and Peter had a conversation. Now, if you remember, on the night Jesus was betrayed, he told Peter he would deny him 3 times. And 3 times Peter was asked if he knew Jesus and 3 times Peter said, “No.”
Now here are Jesus and Peter sitting on the side of the lake and Jesus asks Peter if he loves him and Peter says yes. Jesus tells him to feed his sheep. This happens two more times. Jesus giving Peter the opportunity to right a wrong, but also giving him directions to take care of his sheep. He is calling Peter to be a Good Hired Hand.
Jesus wants Peter to care for the sheep just as he did. In this same way, Jesus calls us to be good hired hands as well. Each and every one of us is called to be there for others.
What I want you, confirmands, youth and even our children to know is this: No matter what happens in life, no matter how dark things may get, or how lonely or sad or upset you may become. No matter how many times you stumble and fall or question life or faith. No matter how much you go through, God is with you. The Good Shepherd is there, trying his best to dig you out of the trenches of life. And sometimes, the Good Shepherd sends people to take away the pain and stress of life. Sometimes the Good Shepherd sends Good Hired Hands to remind you of your purpose and call to follow Jesus.
Even when the “wolves” come and things are scary and bleak, you have people in this church and in your life who will be there for you. Sometimes they simply appear at just the right time. Other times, you may have to ask, but people will be there to help you. And church, it’s important to remember that we are called to be helpers too. We are called to be that friend who offers a hug or a listening ear or maybe the opportunity to stand in a circle after dark and simply pray or sit on a front porch step and cry together. Jesus needs you. Jesus needs us. Each and everyone one of us is called by Christ to care for one another.
In this day and age we need less hired hands who are simply doing a job and more GOOD hired hands who show empathy and compassion and love for all of God’s people. Confirmands, continue to build your relationship with the one who promises to be with you every step of the way and use those spiritual gifts to share God’s love with others. It doesn’t matter if you’re called to ministry or to be a doctor or lawyer or poet or teacher, you each have a gift and you are called to use that gift to build up others as you build up the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not some far off place, this kingdom, it’s here and it's now and all we have to do is be an active participant in sharing the love you have received and been called to share. Students, children, adults, You are a beloved child of God and you are never alone. If you ever need anything or have any questions, we are here for you. You never have to walk alone on this journey. You never have to feel scared or frightened, we vowed to love you and care for you and walk with you through your faith journey when you were baptized and we will uphold our promises to be there for you, no matter what. You are a child of God, holy made, divinely inspired and the Good Shepherd and his Good Hired Hands are here for you as you continue to grow in faith.
You are loved. Amen.
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