“THE SHERPHC ROD ly es

ae

} Ti SYMBOL OF JESUS CHRIST AS A SNEPHERD TENDING A FLO

PK IS A POPULAR ONE.
pas Seo)

ONE OF

qv pus KNOWN PICTURES OF OUR LORD AND ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED IS THE ONE THAT WE

SEE HERE EACH SUNDAY. IT RADIATES A FEELING THAT WE LIKi,

IMAGE OF A SHEPHERD THAT FILLS US WITH ASSURANCK.

PART AS THAT OF A SHSPHSRD AND ON NUMSROUS OCCASIONS HE US

A SHEPHERD TO ILLUSTRATE HIS POINT. / THE METAPHOR DOES NOTIS

SHEEP ARS NOT JUST ADDED FOR DECORATION BUT ARE SYMBOLIC Al

PLEASE, OF YOU AND I.

THERE ARE PROBABLY FEW ANIMALS THAT ARE MORE HSLPLZs:

JESUS, HIMSELF,

THES IS SOMETHING ABOUT T44e
SAW HIS MISSION IN
bo A PARABLE OR STORY ABOUT
STOP HERS, HOWEVER.

THE

W220, OF MANKIND AND IF YOU

IT HAS BEEN

CLAIMED THAT THEY ARE THE LEAST ACTIVE MENTALLY OF ALL why IS KNOWN THAT THEIR

SENSES ARE LESS ACCUTE THAN

—_—__

rd

DEPENDENT ON SOMZONE TO LEAD THS! TO FOOD AND WATER AND TO

EXCITABLE AND USUALLY QUITE

» GU COMPARISON TO THEN BECOMES

GLEAR.~ AS IS TRUS THROUGHOUT TH GOSPELS, OUR LORD IN THIY SYMUOL, HAS SHOWN HIMSELF A
MASTER AT. DESCRIBING PHENOMENA IN CONCISE CLEAR CUT PICTURHS.

edhe UNDERSTAND THE SHEPHERD IMAGS OF JESUS WE MUS] TAKE A LOOK AT THE PARTICULAR
TYPE OF SHSPH&RDING THAT WNT ON IN PALESTINE 2,000 YEARS AGO. OUR CONCEPTIUN OF A

SHEPHERD HAS

PERHAPS BEEN MOLWJED

BY THE PICTURE OF SHUEP GH

AZING ON A PLAIN, OF ROUGH

2s

TOUGH RANCHERS DRIVING TH@t TO THE RALLROAD DEPOT FOR SHIPRENT TO THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE.

—

ON THE CONTRARY, SHMPHERDING IN JESUS' DAY WAS A DIFFERENT] THING ENTIRELY: IT WAS

SOMEWHAT OF AN ART.

IN -THE NEAR EAST, WHERE WATER AND SUITABLS PASTURE LAND ARE QUITE SCARCE SHESP HAVE

THE MosT SViTABLE ANIMAL TO FAbsE
~ lat 3 %. FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS THE

TRADI'T ONALLY BEEN

SS

ONLY CLOTHING KNOWN WAS MADE FROM THE VERY VALUABLE 0d J A TREAT IT WAS WHEN ONE
OF THE PRECIOUS BEATS WAS SLAUGHTERED AND EATEN. IN THLS|CONTEXT THE SHEPHERD WAS

AN IMPORTANT MAN. IN THE “ARLY SPRING HE WOULD TAKE HIS FROCK UP INTO THE HILLS 1

FIND PASTUR® AND THURZ THEY WOULD STAY FOR APPROXIMATELY SEVSI. MONTHS, WANDERING PROM
HILL TO HILL IN SEARCH OF GRASSY;—PASTURE UNTIL THE COLUNE$S FORCED THE4 TO RETURN.

THE SHEPHERD HAD TO BE BRAVE AND CAPABLS OF DEFANDING HIS $HEEP PROM THE PROWLING

WOLVES OR FROM HUNGRY ROBBER BANDS. HE HAD TO BE PATIENT AND YST QUICK TO OBSERVE CHANGES

IN W ATHSR AMMEN. HE HAD TO POSSESS IMMENSE STAMINA TY ENDURE ENDLESS STILLNESS

———

AND vonasess. | OFTEN WONDER HOw WE, WHO AUTOMATICALLY 4LiP THE CAR RAUWLO ON TO KILL
THE SILENCE, WOULD DO AS SHEPHERDS.
BECAUSE OF HIS BXLSTENCE THE SHEPHERD WAS A THOUGHTFULIMAN, MANY AN HOUR HE WOULD

MSDITATS ON THE MEANING OF LIPS, THE LOVE OF GOD, HIS JEWIGH FAITH. AND AS YOU KNOW

3.

A PARTICULAR KIND OF MUSIC CAME FROM THESE MEN. BOTH TO WHILE AWAY EMPTY HOURS AND

TO CALM THEIR FLOCK THEY DEVELOP) AMAZING MUSIC ARESEITS, -{NGING, PLAYING ON VARIOUS

WOODEN FLUTES AND HARPS. /DAVED WAS & SHEPHERD SOY AND BSaRU HIS LULUSTRIOUS CaRush, 5 /AUAAn,

#{ SINGING AND TENDING TO sHe =P,
ABOYS ALL ELSE THE SHEPHERD HAD TO DE A TEWER AFFECTIONATE MAN. HIS CARE OF THE

FLOCK HAD TO 2% CONTINDOUS, HIS SHEEP KNEW AND TRUSTED HIN, HE IN TURN TREATED THEM WITH

CONCERN AND AFFECTION.

C Ou~o3a- AECS
THLS IS AN IMAGS THAT HAS LASTED, IT INSPIRED LUDWIG VON BEETHOVEN [0 Er tie

————

PASTORAL SYMPHONY:/ THE PHRASE "HE 3 AMPZAnS IN ONE OF THE MOST

BEAUTIFU) ARIAS EVER WRITTEN IN HANDEL'S M&SSIAH.

THES SHEPHERD GAVE LIFE TO HIS sHegP/ Ti bY COULD NOT ZAIS? ON THE ROCKY PALSSTING

TERRAIN WITHOUT HIM, [rex WERS DEPENDENT ON a GAVE THEM LIee.

IT IS WEYHIN THIS CONTEXT THAT Jesus USED THE SYMBOL OF THE SHEPHERD / AND WHEN WE THINK

ABOUT IT WE ANE HELPED BY CONSIDERING EVERY THING THE WORD QHEPHERD MEANT WHEN HE USED IT,

AS A SHEPHERD HE OFFERS LIF’ TO HIS SHEP, NOT JUST EXISTING, BUT LIFS ABUNDANT.

IF WE WILL BUT TRUST AND FOLLOW WE MAY CLAIM THIS LIFE FOR JOUR ony 22 IS NOT A RUSTRICTL VE,
. —————— =

SOMPFACED LIFE BUT LIFS ABUNDANT, LIFE FULL AND COMPLE TS WITH MEANING IN SAVERY MINUTE.

HE OFFIRS REAL LIFE NOT JUST A CHBAP SUBSTITUTE.

Lee

THENS 1S ANOTHER SDE TO THE STORY AND Heh IS wil

DOES NOT RIDE IN ABSOLUTE SAFETY AND COMPORT, ALL IS NOT

ARE QABBERS AND THIEVES WHO ATTS/PT TO CLIMB INTO THE WOLD

a

THERE ARS STILL THE WILD BEASTS THAT POSE A CONSTANT THRSA}

LRE WE COME ml THE. FLOCK

BLISSRUL EXT STENCE.

THERE

AT NIGH’? TO PLUNDER AND STEAL.

TO LIFS../ THERE ARE ALWAYS

THOSE WHO, POSING AS THE SHGPHSRD, WILL TRY TO LEAD THE FLOCK ASTRAY, TU DIVERT ITS

T) CUNNINGLY LURE IT AWAY FRQM ]

——

ATTINTLON FROM ITS MASTER, /

JF ABUNDANT.

THIS IS oe ceure:| 2 THE FORM OF A PRETTY SHEPHERD STORY OUR LORD LOOKED AT ALL OF

MANKIND, HIS CONTE. PORARTES y US, AND MEN FOR AGES TO COME J

BE IN THE ra THAT ALTERNATIVES TO LIFE ABUNDANT WOULD A]

LURING, PROMISING A BETTER LIFE. /

OF THE SHEPHERD, SHEEP THAT WOULD STUMBLE INTO ANY TRAP.

FACED WITH ALTERNATL VES, WAYS OF LIVING AND THINKING THAT J

AND MORE COMOFRTADLE THAN HIS WAY./ THIS IS BITING

SPEAKS TO OUR SITUATLON AS IF ITS SOURCE WAS IN OUR OWN DAT

WE, AS CHRISTIANS, ARE BY NO MEANS SAFE, WE ARE NOT IM

THAT PRESENT Ti EMSELVES INCONSPICUOUSLY IN OUR DAILY LIVES

a

CONSTANTLY BEING SALt0| THROUGH THE DOOR C
GIVE YOUR ALL TO THIS OR THAT. AT NO OTHER TIME IN HISTOR

CHRIST HAD TO CONTEND WITH SO MANY ALTERNATIVES AND STRONG

WD SAW THAT ALL WOULD NOT
WWAYS BE PRESENT, TEMPTING,

ha KNEW THAT THERE WERE $HEEP WHO DID NOT ANOW THE VOICE

Re KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE
[PPHAR INFINITELY BETTER

DOWN THROUGH TWENTY CENTURIES IT

UNE TO ALL THE ALTERNATIVES

THE WALLS OF THE FOLU ARE

OMES THE CONSTAWT PLEA TO FOLLOW, TO

y HAS THE CHURCH OF JESUS

TEMPETITORS. JIFE IS FILLED

a,

5

WITH SO MANY THINGS TD DOD, PLACES TO GO, ORGANIZATIONS TO §OIN AND CAUSES TO WHICH WE

MUST PLEDGE OUR SUPPORT, THAT LIFE ABUNDANT ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST OFTEN GSTS LOST IN

—

THE TUSSEL.

——

fossa ARE SOME ARMAS TO WHICH WE CAN TURN THA

Wp
Wr
hell be

TO ANYTHING CHRISTIA'. UND

THIS HEADING WOULD BE COMMUN]

! AlWSPRECISELY ANTITHETICAL

or
SH, FASCISM, : Ae¥ RELIGION

WHOSE BELIEFS CONFLICT WITH THOSE REVEALED BY JESUS CHRIST

OBvIoUS, THEY ARE QG aNd POLsTROUS, THMY OEFINE THEIR Yi

VOID THE. THEY ARE MORE LIKE THE BAND OF ROB BERS wiOSs

AND WHOSE ASSAULT CAN BE TURNED PACK.

IN THE PA ABLES OF OUR LORD, HOWEVER, IT IS THE ONE THJ

WALL, THAT SNEAKS IN THE PACK DOOR THAT IS THE REAL THREAT,

PGRKS AWAY AT THE FLOCK ONE BY

OF HIS WORK. THESE ARE THE THR2ATS TO OUR FALTH THAT WE MI

THREATS THAT LIE IN EVERY MINUTS OF OUR DAI LY LIVES, THESE

——

/ THESE ALTERNATIVES ARE
iT AND WE IN TURN USUALLY
APPROACHING CAN BE DETECTED,

cy

}\f STHALTHILY CREEPS OVER THE

THIS IS THE THIEF THAT

ONE UNTIL ONS DAY, TOO LATS,| THE SHEPHERED REALIZES THE EXTENT

ST OBSERVE, THBSS ARS THE

ARS Tis THREATS THAT ARS LETHAL.

LAST WEEK A HUMAN BEING WAS LIFTED INTO SPACE, AND THE

ORPITED THE EARTH.

—__

RIGHT NOW IN OFFICES*ALL OVER THE WORLG

om THIS
ij IN A MAN MADE CAPSULS,HE

COMPUTING MACHINES ARE CALCULATING

*

6.

FIGURING AND SPEWING FORTH ANSWERS 100 TIMES PASTE). THAN AJSINGLE HUMAN COULD DO. IN ALL

PROBABILITY WITHIN A FEW Y“ARS, IN A LABORTORY SOMEWHERE IN
ee Saas

WILL FUSE TOGETHER THE PROPER COMBINATION OF ELEMSNTS AND A

OUR LAND A BLO-@HEMIST

ONS CELLED PLANT

WILL COME INTO EXISTENCE, MAN WILL HAVE|CMFATSD LIFE. SCIENCE IS INDEED THE DARLING OF

THE 20th CHITURY AND OF OUR CULTURE. SCIENCE HAS GIVEN US THE HIGHEST OF LIVING

IN THE WORLD, IT HAS PROVIDED US WITH UNHEARD OF LUXURINS AND COMFORTS, IT HAS LENGTHED

OUR LIPS EXPECTANCY AND HELPED US TO GRYMVGRASS, IT HAS MADE OUR CAR SNATS SOFTER

AND OUR NAQTO 'S STRONGER. IDO NOT SAY THESE THINGS IN A DBROGATORY MANNER, WE HAVE

BEEN RICHLY BLESSED BECAUSE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND DISCDVERY. BUT’ SO GREAT AN i NFLUENCE ®

OF OUR LIVES AS SCIENCE HAS NOT BEEN CONTAINED AS AN- ACADEX
|

[C DISCIPLINE, BUT HAS

INVADED EVERYTING WE DO. WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN BBING SCIENTIFIC. ADVERTISERS HAVE
-_—a_—SSt — =

LEARNED THAT ONE WAY OF ASSURING A GOOD MARKET FOR A PRODUC

f IS TO GET THE NSWS TO THE

PUBLIC THAT IT HAS BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY TesTED, /* MAKE A PRINT OF DOING THINGS SCIENTIFICALLY

U@PONGCLOUSLY, QUIZTLY AND STEALTHILY SCIENCE HAS INVAD

—{_

ANYTHINGIN ITS PATH. AS A PEOPLE WE HAVE, UNINTENTIONALL|

b) OUR THINKING, PUSHING OUT
=

|, BIT BY BIT PUT ALL OUR

ih

FAITH IN SCIENCE. THOUT REALLY BEING AWARE OF IT WE DEPEED ON THE LABORT@RY FOR OUR %..

ULTIMATE ANSWERS, AND IN SO DOING KA VB INFLATED THE ROLS OF

A FIT PART-TO THE ROLE OF DIRECTOR,

SCIENCE IN OUR CULTURE FROM

ie

Te

IN THIS CONTEXT \sCIKNCH VERY SUBTLY HAS BECOME AN ALTY
FAITH IT HAS COM IN THE BACK DOOR AND THR ATENED THE Va
THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND IN OUR OWN PAST THERE HAVE BERN
REDIGAL PATRIOTISH HAW 2 NCUME AN ALTERNATE TO RELIGIOUS

tprv
VEE

LOVE OF A PARTICULAR POLITICAL SYSTEM OR GO

we
I am an AMERICAN, OR ENGLISH OR GERMAN FIRST AND A CHRIST

CASE PATRIOTIS’ HAS SNAKES) OV THe WALL AND NIBBLEO AWAY

TGSAY THAT ONE CANNOT BS BOTH CHRISTIAN AND PATRIOTIC. 65

L£ve

COUNTRY CHRISTIANITY IS LOVE OF GOW AND WMTW CANNOT 29

ANA VE TO OUR RELIGIOUS

RL EXISTENCE OF TH FLOCK.

TOSS WHEN NATIONALISK OR

PAITH. CONFIDENCE IN AND

tNMENT HAVE OFTEN PROMPTED MEN TO SAYING

[AN SEOOWE. WHEN THIS IS THE

‘Af Tas FLOCK. WS IS NOT
vT PATRIOTISH 15 LOVE OF

//

AS WE FACE A WORLD WITH SO MANY OPTIONS, SO MANY BECKOWING CALLS WE HUST REMEMBER

—

THAT WH ARS DEPENDENT

THU SHSPHERD FOR OUR SAFETY AND FOR OUR LIVES,

REGARUING

THESE ALTERNATIVES HE T&S US THAT THEY SIMPLY DO NOT CONSTITUPE LIFE ABUNDANT, THAT LIFS

WHICH HE OFFERS.

THE POPULAR NOTION OF THE WAY OF LIFE OFFERED BY JESUS

PIETY, OF RSSTNICTIVENESS, WE OFTEN THINK OF CHRISTIANITY |

nd

OR THAT OR THAT AND SO ON. THIS SIMPLY IS NOT

CHRIST IS ONE OF LONG FACED

IN TERMS OF "I CAN'T DO THIS

A TRUE PICT#RE, WE NESD ONLY REMEMBER

THE REST OF THE STORY AS JESUS COMPARES HIMSELF FURTHER WIfi THE SHPEHERD WHO GIVES

erre ano GIVES IT ABU

8.

iS
ASUNUANT LIVE NOT HALF LIFE LIFE THAT CAN BE LIVED ON

TO HIS SHSEP IS LIFE THAT CAN BE AFFIRMED, LIFE

HES FOLD THERE IS

ODDS. THY ASSURANCE OF SCIENCE IS GOOD ONLY UP TO A POINT

PRODUCED THE MEANS OF OUR ANNIHILATION. NATIONALISM IS A

POINT, -FOR IT IS CENTERED IN ONS COUNTRY THAT 1S IMPORTANT

AND WELL BEING ARE FINS, OUR OPSESSION WITH JOINING ORGANT2

NOT GIVE ANSWERS TO ULTIMATE QUESTIONS. THEIR OFFERING I5

NOT LIFE ABUNDANT.
AS A SHEPHERD TO HIS SHEEP JESUS CHRIST OFFERS US LIPS

COMPLETE AND FULL LIFE AND AN ASSURANCE OF LIFE EVERLASTING

SHSEP WHO DO NOT KNOW THE SHEPHERD'S VOICE ARS EASILY BED ASTRAY.

THAT CAN BE

LY IN PART. WHAT He OFFERS

ENJOYED IN ITS FULLNESS. IN

TO BE ENSEYS AK FOUND REFUGE AND ASSURAICE THAT Ai GOOD AGAINST ANY

FOR SCIENCE HAS ALSO
PRULY GREAT CAUSE UP TO A
ONLY HERS AND NOW. OUR COMFORT

IATLONS JS VALID, BUT THESE DO

A NAMLOW TEMPORARBL LIVE BUT

THAT HAS MEANING HERE AND NOW,

ff THIS Is LIFE wououin/

LURING SUBTLE

pic
APPEALS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN DIVEITLNG er FROM THE CARE O]

paonin. /s, LIKE SHEEP, CAN PE LED ASTRAY.

DIVING HEAD LONG INTO LIFE ABUNDANT WE ARE BASY VICTIMS OF

—$—<—<—<—_<_—$_—— nn, —_—_-_

' THEIR MASTER. THIS IS OUR

NEVER FULLY (NOWING THE SHEPHERD, NEVER

THE ALTERNA TIVES TO OUR FAITH.

——______

De

BE Ai OONSTANTLY FACED WITH A DECISION, WILL WE WELCQME LIFE ssunoan ty WILL wi
—_—— \

OUR OWN FOR BETTER PASTURES?

IN WERY DAY OF OUR EXISTENCE.

—_

os

THIS IS A QUESTION THAT MUST

WILL WE ONLY ACCEPT?

—_

rd

S EFFORTS AND SET OUT ON

BE RSSOLVED IN EVERY LIFS,