ACTS GOOD SHEPHERD Acts 4: 5-12 John 10: 11-18
What did you do? Why did you do it? What are you going to do about it? Those three questions came in very useful when I was a teacher. Being a teacher of teenagers required some means of getting them to tow the line so to speak. Telling them off and putting them into detention was the usual way of bringing about calm - but it wasn’t always successful. As is the nature of teenagers, arguments inevitably arise between them which can lead to nasty confrontations. I and many of my colleagues would call these occurrences ‘Mission Impossible’ because that’s exactly what it felt like sometimes. But on one of the dreaded teacher training days when you often had to sit and listen to mad-capped ideas created by someone who hadn’t been in a classroom for year, we were given an idea that intrigued me. The approach suggested was that instead of the teacher storming in and dishing out strong words of wisdom – let the kids to decide what the outcome should be by asking those three simple questions, but they had to answer the questions directly to the other person. An occasion arose when two girls came to blows – lots of shouting and verbal abuse and threats of punching each other’s lights out. Ah – I thought – let’s see if this idea works. So, I asked the first question – what did you do? They both described to each other what happened. Next question – Why did you do it? – they then told each other the reason – I was a bit surprised that they listened to each without interrupting, and how calmly they did it! And then the final question – What are you going to do about it? Astonishingly they both looked at each other and smiled – then without any hesitation they shook hands and said that they’d overreacted, and they’d be friends again – they even gave each other a hug! My reaction? Gobsmacked! It worked! However, subsequent applications of this method weren’t always as successful as this one, but it did provide a way forward in addressing the issue. So, what I used to call Mission Impossible I renamed WWW.mission.
The reason I’m telling you this story is because I was reminded of it when I read this morning’s New Testament reading from Acts. In a way, Peter and John were asked the same questions by the Sanhedrin. What did you do? Why did you do it? and What are you going to do about it? However, the last question was a question they asked themselves – what are we going to do about it? So, what had Peter and John done? Well, at the beginning of chapter 3 in Acts Peter had healed a crippled man who begged for money in the Temple. Peter said to him ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ And he did – in fact he made a big song and dance about it and as a result word got around. Peter and John were also teaching people and proclaiming the gospel message of salvation that’s received through faith in the crucified and risen Jesus – and they were doing it in front of the religious authorities. So that’s what they did. They were then brought before the Sanhedrin for interrogation. The next question was ‘By what power or by what name did you do this? The rulers, elders and teachers of the law made up the Jewish council – the same council that had put Jesus to death. They were the ones who had authority and it didn’t please them that the man they thought they had sacrificed for the good of the nation had followers who were just as persistent and who promised to be just as troublesome as he was. The actions and words of Peter and John threatened these religious leaders who, for the most part, were more interested in their reputations and positions than in God. Basically, they were saying ‘Where did common uneducated people like you get the power and authority to do a thing like this?’ But being filled with the Holy Spirit Peter spoke boldly before the council, and virtually put them on trial by showing them that the one they had crucified had risen again. Instead of being defensive, the apostles went on the offensive, speaking out for God and presenting the gospel to these leaders.
Why did the apostles have such confidence? Well, obviously we all know because of what Jesus had taught them, and how his mission had been manifested through his death and resurrection. Their confidence was because, as we heard in this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus is the Good Shepherd - not ‘a’ good shepherd, he is ‘The’ Good Shepherd – he is the one who protects, guides, and nurtures his flock. During Jesus’ time there were shepherds who were hired to tend the sheep as though they were their own. Sheep are utterly defenceless and dependent upon the shepherd. They are always subject to danger and must always be under the watchful eye of the shepherd. But Jesus said that these shepherds didn’t care about the sheep – and ran away when danger came. These false shepherds were the religious leaders of the day – who looked after themselves rather than the flock they were charged with looking after. True shepherds, when subjected to grave danger, sometimes gave their lives to protect the sheep. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gave his life on the cross to save his own flock. Although he had the power, he did not choose to save himself. A hired hand tends the sheep for money, while the shepherd does it for love. The shepherd owns the sheep and is committed to them. Jesus is not merely doing a job; he is committed to love them and even lay down his life for his flock including ‘other’ sheep – these sheep were the Gentiles. Jesus came to save the Gentiles as well as the Jews. He wasn’t going to rest content with delivering just the present sheep from the danger they faced. He came to enlarge the flock by bringing in a whole lot of very different sheep. Jesus came with a WWW.mission. – this morning’s gospel is an insight into his worldwide mission – a mission that included dying for the sins of the world in our place. The apostles confidence came from the fact that they were saved and were always guided and protected by Jesus – who, even though he died, rose again to continue his mission through them.
Knowing that Peter and John were unschooled, the council were amazed at what being with Jesus had done for them, and although the evidence was overwhelming and irrefutable, the religious leaders still refused to believe in Jesus and asked themselves the final question – What are we going to do about this? Well, in the chapters of Acts that follow we learn that they continued to try and suppress the truth.
We shouldn’t be surprised if some people reject us and our positive witness for Jesus. I’m sure you’ve all experienced occasions when you’ve been challenged to explain why you’re a Christian and how scary it can sometimes be if they adopt an aggressive approach. Sadly, when minds like these are closed, even the clearest presentation of the facts can’t open them – but we shouldn’t give up. We must pray for those people and continue to bear witness to The Good Shepherd, and trust that we will be shown the way in which to do so. Peter and John stood and delivered answers to the questions fired at them despite the obvious animosity directed at them. They were committed, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to doing what Jesus had called them to do. To put their faith into action and be agents of his WWW.mission.
So, let’s just think about those questions again in relation to Jesus. Think about how you might answer them. What did he do? Why did he do it? What is he calling you to do about it? It’s a challenge – it’s a scary challenge to be and do what we are called to do – to be part of the WWW.mission. So I’d like to finish by reading you some words I found on a card in a church I once visited. I read them every day – and I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide me and give me the confidence and courage as I attempt to do what I am called to do. I hope they can help you too.
Don’t worry if you feel inadequate. So did Moses.
Or if you say the wrong thing. So did Peter.
Or if you get criticized. So did Jesus.
He just went on loving and caring. So must you.
Because you are trying to do something for him
and for all sorts of people whom he loves
He’ll back you all the way.
Amen.