The Shepherd Who Leads
Mikell Chapel
The Last Sunday after Pentecost
Holy Eucharist 9:00 a.m.
Evensong 4:00 p.m.
November 20, 2005
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 2024
Matthew 25:15-23
A Homily Preached by the Reverend Canon Carolynne G. Williams
We are in the season of the church year where we are assessing. Our attention is focused. We are determining if we have had a good year or not? When we review our spiritual highlights of this past year, the question for some maybe, Have I done all that I can do for God? Have I completed my giving as I pledged to do? Have I completed my turn of volunteering for this church year?
When intentional focus is given to assessment, we are determining if we have reached the goals that we set for ourselves during this season of Pentecost. As this week passes we will turn our attention toward giving thanksgiving. Not only for ourselves, but to those who are alone. We will give thanks for all the blessings of this life.
We will determine if we have indeed housed the homeless.
We will reflect upon whether or not we have fed the hungry.
Did we really welcome the stranger in our midst or was it a polite and distance greeting?
Yes, we have been faithful in praying for the sick, and for those who are in need.
We consciously seek to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter to those who do not have it and perhaps listen to those that we would not normally have a conversation. This is the season when we, as Christians seek to consciously express outward and visible signs of thanksgiving. We are keenly aware of those who have less; and we reach out to those who are less fortunate.
We, as Christians, are sensitive to the needs of others and are responsive more so than not. We pray consistently for those saints who have died. These paths of living and being are an integral part of our understanding the fabric of Christian community. Our ministries are attended to and offered consistently without fanfare or drama.
Thus, caring for God’s people becomes a way of living.
These avenues of caring become renewed within us as we learn to follow the cross which is in front of us.
The cross is there for us to see and wonder about.
We do grow spiritually. Our souls are enriched as we seek to serve. In our assessing we find that, yes, we have found a new meaning to love thy neighbor as we love ourselves.
Those ministries of caring for and giving to those in need are a part of our heritage. We do these things because this is what we have been called to do. We give of ourselves corporately as well as individually. This extension of God’s love happens without provocation, for those who have charitable hearts and it happens without solicitation. Even though both of those stimuli are needed, that is provocation and solicitation; even so…, we give because in our assessing we understand that? All things come of thee, O’ Lord and of thine own have we given thee”. To give thanksgiving is the least that we can do.
So when we hear this passage from Matthew, the passage of separating the goats from the sheep, this parable, we subconsciously separate ourselves from those who have not done as we have.
We automatically recall what we have done in the measurement of comparing ourselves to others.
Yes, we know that it is not healthy to compare ourselves to others, especially when we are doing an assessment of ourselves, but we do compare. We reflect on what we have done for others to ensure that we have our names recorded in the book of life. We may not tell anyone that we are measuring, but we are.
If we are not sure about how we are measuring up, we will sometimes check with each other to determine if what we are doing is in keeping with what we believe that we have been called to do. We want to be reasonably comfortable with what we may suspect God’s plan is for us and for our lives. We have different methods of checking to determine if we are measuring up.
Whatever the method or the system, we engage it periodically to ensure that we are with the sheep and not the goats.
We know that God is separating the sheep from the goats.
How do we know?
We heard in our epistle from the book of Ezekiel that “God said that he will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep”.
God will determine from looking at the hearts of humankind weather or not we have served at the right of God or to the left of God.
Our Nicene Creed reminds us that when He comes again to judge the living and the dead, his kingdom will have no end”.
God’s kingdom. There will be sheep and goats in God’s kingdom but, God is the determining factor as to who goes where.
We are in the season of sifting, of assessing, of sorting. “Separated from one another are the foolish and the wise and the foolish”.
Separated from one another will be the sheep form the goats.
Sheep are usually depicted as more valuable than goats. Sheep are not necessarily smarter or more intelligent.” But the sheep and the goats were both used in sacrificial worship.”
In the kingdom of God where God says, “I am king of Kings and Lord of lords.” I am the good shepherd that leads the flock.
In the midst of us assessing our progress in the kingdom of God, “we cannot secure our eternal destiny.” “We cannot nail down our eternal future”. We are totally dependant in the midst of our assessing and measuring on “God’s merciful grace”. (pg 285)
The Lord said, “I am your God and you are my people.” I will “rescue my sheep”.
I believe that there are those who have the responsibility of leadership in varied walks of life who have the best of intentions.
However, when it comes to separating the shaft from the wheat,
The final judgment is not ours.
The mission is what we always have before us.
The people in the gospel of Matthew came from every nation
And every tribe.
Our ancestors come from the lands near and far. They came to the foot of the throne of Lord. Our foundational fathers and mothers were shepherds in the flock of God.
Abraham and Sara, Isaac and Rebekkah.
Jacob and Leah and Rachael.
Joseph.
Moses and David.
It is from the house of David that God speaks to us.
The leaders in the arenas in which we work, serve and live are in many instances like those who were a part of the tribes of Israel.
The Gospel of Matthew reveals to us the destiny of those who were indecisive as to where their assessment placed them.
Those who were not seeking God, but were focused on the things not of God often felt as if they were in exile. They seemed to sense that they were in a desert. They were the Israelites. They wanted to be lead. They wanted the endless searching and wanderings to end.
They, the lost, were seeking the face of God.
And God promised that they would be rescued.
God promised that those who are at his right hand, “Come you that are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food.”
“I was naked and you clothed me.”
God was caring for God’s people. The people of Israel began to hear the words spoken by their shepherd. Their leader.
And as it is with any group, the experts tell us, the thinking and subsequent action of the leader reflects in the group that’s following, sooner or later.
And when they came together, God began to separate the righteous from the accursed; the sheep from the goats. You did not feed the least of these…. Move to my left, all you nations of Israel. Move to that place that is not a place of favor.
He said to them what I ask of you is simple. It is to see the spirit of Christ in those who are different from you. Give to those who have less than, feed the spirit of those who are suffering. Be attentive to the souls which are thirsty. Look into the eyes of those whose vision has been diminished because of the inequities of life.
Can you imagine God saying:
In feeding yourselves continue to feed others. Be with them shepherds. Decide that you are no longer going to be on my left but move to my right. Walk with those who about building my Kingdom.
Can you imagine God saying?
Continue to move to my right hand as if you believe that I sit on the throne and as if I guide you. You will find that your life will be enriched in ways that are beyond measure.
Can you imagine God saying?
Your lives will take on a new way of being. We will find ourselves, coming to a place that will have no distinction. As God looks upon us we will take on the radiance that has been given to us, freely.
As we move closer to the place of God, regardless of the boundaries that hold us hostage, we will find that we have been rescued.
We will recognize being rescued from ourselves.
Can you imagine God saying?
You, all of you, come to the place that offers comfort. That place where there is only one Lord of Lords. There will be no distinction. You are my children. You are MY sheep.
God is the good shepherd; He leads us to the Cross.
At the foot of the cross we stand and worship him
We worship God for eternity. And for our claim to be with God.
Only God’s mercy will endureth for ever.
Let us worship the lord our God. God is worthy to be praised.
Comments? Contact The Rev. Carolynne Williams: cwilliams@stphilipscathedral.org