Holy Trinity Ankeny Pastor Timothy Olson

In Jesus’ day, there would be times when multiple shepherds would bring their flocks together. Whether by accident or on purpose, they would gather them in a paddock, an area that was walled off to keep the predators out of the flock. The sheep would mingle together and do all the things sheep do. Now that presents a problem for the shepherd. How do you tell your sheep apart from the other shepherd’s sheep?
 
When the shepherds would leave the paddock, they would call out to their flock. The sheep would hear their shepherd's voice and would follow. The shepherd's voice is key. The sheep know which shepherd is theirs and they follow. The sheep know… But sheep are still sheep.  Sheep wander off… Sheep fall into ravines… The Shepherd still needs to go and find them when that happens.
 
The shepherd’s voice is key. Jesus tells us today, “I know my own and my own know me. They know my voice.”
 
Acts 4:5-12 | 1 John 3:16-24 | John 10:11-18

The resurrection of Jesus reveals that God’s way is the way of life, light, love, peace, hope, and wholeness. Whenever these things break through the darkness of the world it is a moment of resurrection. Sadly, we don’t see it, nor do we often want to accept this eruption of new life. We are resistant to the resurrection.

We live in the age of the individual. We are a lonely, fragmented people often at each other’s throats. The resurrection of Jesus binds people together in love to stand against the individualism that makes everything about “me.” “Doubting” Thomas struggled in despair and doubt because he was not with the others when Jesus first appeared. The church in Jerusalem in Acts “held” all things in common and lived in joy.
Readings:
Acts 4:32-35
John 20:19-31

The Gospel of Mark ends at chapter 16, verse 8 (other endings were added much later). It is an odd, perplexing end that leaves us with an empty tomb and three women who say nothing to anyone. Yet, maybe Mark was less concerned with what happened then and more concerned with what happens now. The resurrection means that God is loose in the world, unrestrained and persistently confronting us with life, love, and grace. What do you say about that?