It’s all about Jesus

Following is the sermon outline of Rev. Dr. Lillian C. Smith upon her installation as the Altoona District Superintendent, on Sunday, October 13, 2024, held at St. Paul UMC in Chambersburg. View the service here. (Sermon begins at 1:11:30)

By Rev. Dr. Lillian C. Smith, Altoona District Superintendent 

John 10:11-16 NIV

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

Acts 10: 44-48

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

 

This evening, we stand in the steps of those who have gone before us. We have inherited the faith and congregations of people who have gone before us. We stand in the legacy of faith of those who worked in mines, those who worked on the railroads, those who were teachers, those who were farmers, and those who served in the military. We worship in congregations that were started by individuals who sacrificed land and resources so that people in our generation could have a place to worship the Lord. 

I, like you, stand on the shoulders of those giants of faith who have gone before me. So, I call the roll of family members who were in this Methodist tradition of Christianity: I call Rosetta and Francis Asbury Webb. I call Leah and Edward Poole. Tonight, I remember Eula and Charlie Smith. I remember Lillie and Hayward Webb, and I remember my parents, the late Doris and Rev. C. Jasper Smith. All of them passed on a vibrant understanding and witness of Christianity in the Methodist movement.

I call the roll of churches from which I descend: New Hope, Mount Elon, Cumberland, Asbury in Easton MD, Wattsville VA, Mount Calvary and Asbury in Washington, DC. 

I am truly thankful for those who passed on a faith which has held me and kept me to this day.

I am going to talk on the topic of following the Good Shepherd. 

In the gospel of John, Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd. It is Jesus who not only protects the sheep but also protects the door to the sheepfold. The sheepfold is an open area that was surrounded in some way, such as by stones that were built up like a little wall and sometimes would be topped with thistles and thorns, and it had one door by which the sheep could go in and out. It was the Good Shepherd who stood in front of the door to make sure that the enemies, the predators—those things that wanted to destroy the sheep—could not come in. 

An interesting thing about sheep is that sheep are not too smart. They are vulnerable and are easily attacked and destroyed by wolves, cougars, bears, foxes and other animals. 

Humans are very like sheep, in that we have an enemy of our soul that is trying to destroy us. People are very vulnerable and they need protection. 

There’s a story of Shrek the sheep that became famous several years ago when he was found after hiding out in caves for six years. Of course, during this time his fleece grew without anyone having shorn it. When he was finally shorn, his fleece weighed an amazing 60lbs—50 lbs more than normal and enough to make twenty men’s suits. 

Shrek carried six times the regular weight of his fleece simply because he was away from his shepherd. It took a professional sheerer less than a half hour to rid him of his burden. We can get weighed down with the effects of sin and the attacks of the enemy, but if we follow the Good Shepherd, he will take care of us.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He is the savior of our souls. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through him.

The passage in John reminds us also that Jesus said that he has other sheep who are not a part of this fold; people in our communities that are vulnerable and need protection. There are people today who need to be freed from the weight of sin and pain. They need the Good Shepherd. 

In these times in which we find ourselves, we need to follow the Good Shepherd, and we need to bring others with us. 

We will soon be the Freedom Trail District. In this district, freedom was fought for at the Gettysburg Battlefield. In this district, President Abraham Lincoln shared the Gettysburg Address. In this district, people sought freedom through the Underground Railroad.

From Raystown Lake to Gettysburg Battlefield, we are going to reach more people for Jesus Christ. In the boroughs, towns, cities, mountains, valleys, and farmlands of Adams, Bedford, Blair, Franklin, Fulton, and Huntingdon Counties let’s go and tell lost sheep about the Shepherd from Galilee. Let’s usher them into a relationship with the good shepherd. We are called to share God’s love and the good news of the gospel with our neighbors, our family members, friends, and associates. 

In these perilous times, people need the Lord. We need to get past our arguing. We need to put our eyes back on Jesus and do what he calls us to do.

We are called to reclaim an understanding of the mission of the church. Every congregation is called by God to make disciples of all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them all that Jesus taught us. 

A lot of what we talk and bicker about takes our attention off our mission. There are sheep in our neighborhoods who need to come into the sheepfold of our God.

Beloved, it’s about Jesus, it’s not about us. 

In this district, one congregation provided a gift bag for 600 students of their neighborhood and provided a back-to-school meal to the teachers. Another congregation provides a middle-of-the-day kids club at their church so that children can come to know, love, and follow Jesus.

The scripture passage for the District Conference was Matthew 9:35-38. In our charge conferences we share in a Lectio Divina to reflect on the passage, and it is reminding us to go to the least and the lost—regardless of whether we agree or not—and love who God loves.

Every congregation, every congregation, is called to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. To make disciples, we need to be disciples, spending time with Jesus to learn more of Him. Disciples imitate Jesus in ministry. Disciples invite others on the journey. 

One of the on-boarding questions for me was, “What are your missional priorities?” My missional priorities are to:

• Increase the level of prayer in the churches of the new Freedom Trail District.
• Help congregations grow in their discipleship. Bible study, small groups, and other gatherings that help us grow in our faith.
• Help congregations engage or re-engage their neighbors. 
• Increase outreach and evangelism.

We cannot combat the Enemy on our own, through programs or slogans. It is only by the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit that we will be able to contend with powers and principalities as we pray and fight for our families, communities, and our nation. 

The following things are needed:

• Reclamation of God’s Kingdom mandate.
• Renew and Strengthen relationship with God -Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• Engage our communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
• Get to know our neighbors.
• Get past our fear of sharing our faith. 
• Intentionally cultivate relationships with others outside our churches
• Embrace the Christian understanding of what it means to be in ministry with our communities, following the direction of and yielding to the Holy Spirit.

What would it look like? It would look like the kingdom of God on earth. 

It is my prayer and expectation that God will move in mighty ways in this district, conference, and entire area.

Holy Spirit, do it again. Holy Spirit, have your way. Holy Spirit we’re asking for fresh wind and fresh fire. Lead us where you want to, not where we want to. Holy Spirit, have your way! Amen.

God’s Feet

On Sunday, October 25, 2020, the last of four services celebrating the appointment of our four new district superintendents was streamed from First UMC, Hollidaysburg. (View here:https://tinyurl.com/28zbftur) This service celebrated the appointment of Rev. Dr. Joleen A. Willis as the new Altoona District Superintendent. Following is an edited version of her installation address. 

Scriptures: Isaiah 52:7-10, Luke 4:14-21

Rev. Dr. Joleen A. Willis

Lord, bless this time of meditation upon your Word. May your Holy Spirit inspire and empower us that we might faithfully walk in your footsteps, obedient to your Word, your commands, and your call. Amen.

Most of us don’t think of our feet as beautiful. If anything I use shoes to hide my feet. Little known fact: I have weird feet. Well really it’s my toes. I have an extra amount of space between my big toe and my first smaller toe. So much so, that when I was wearing sandals as a church camp counselor when I was a college student, a camper asked me if I was missing a toe and I was scarred for life.

I even recall a family conversation, where my Aunt Wanda wondered if I would tie or wrap my toes together every night, if that would “fix” them.

Someone not so long ago told me that it is a trait of a particular ancestry. That tended to bring less embarrassment and infused a little pride when I thought of my toes that way.

When I was in the Philippines on a short-term mission trip, we were traveling north, and all of a sudden one of my Filipino traveling companions abruptly exclaimed, “Look” and pointed out an indigenous person climbing a nearby rugged and steep hillside – no special gear, harness, or rope. My friend went on to tell me about this people group, known as mountain people, and especially about their feet – how wide and solid their feet were. They were born with their climbing gear!

Watching the Disney movie, “Moana”, the feet of the main character, Moana, caught my attention. Her feet were mountain feet! Moana was not the typical Disney princess with the dainty, “Barbie- like” feet formed in the shape of high heels. Moana was ready for action! Moana was ready for adventure! And for salvation. The ocean had not been kind to her people; and Moana was called to set things right.

So, some of you by this time are thinking, too much information! We really didn’t come to hear about feet and we really didn’t need to know about your feet.

But feet are important. And the Bible speaks a lot about feet. We talk a lot more about speech, when it comes to proclamation; however, Isaiah 52:7 brings feet and voice together: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who procalim salvation...

In the Old Testament, the prophets bring good news (and sometimes they brought bad news to lead people to the “Good News”.) John the Baptist brings good news. Jesus Christ brings good news. The first disciples were in training to bring the good news. The apostles bring good news.

Chapter 52 then transitions to the fourth servant song, the promise of a Savior, the suffering Servant. If you thought feet were uncomfortable to look upon, what about the marred and disfigured appearance that Jesus, our deliverer, would take on?

In the New Testament, I can’t help but think about the woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, anointing them with perfume, and then she kissed the feet of Jesus. To this woman, in the midst of criticism, Jesus spoke words of Good News, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:36-50)

And then remember that night, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples? Later that night he would be arrested, beaten, tried, and then crucified. The one who was to have nails pierced through his feet, washed the dirty, dusty feet of those whom he loved, those whom he knew would soon scatter in fear, disillusionment, and doubt.

But this was the path Jesus walked to bring the Good News to fulfillment.

Isaiah speaks the good news of the promise of things being set right for the people of Israel. They have been in bondage and exile: first in Egypt, then Assyria, then Babylon. They cry out for God’s deliverance, saying …

Isaiah 51.9 reads: Awake, awake, arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength! Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who delivered us in the past? (paraphrased)

Israel cries out for God to awake, but God calls for Israel to awake! 

Later, in Chapter 51 and into the opening of chapter 52 God calls the people to “Awake!” Awake and remember His faithfulness. Awake, for they have been forgiven. Awake, for they shall be redeemed. It is they who had fallen asleep; it is they who needed to wake up to a genuine and active faith.

We are to get our feet ready for service!

Ephesians 6 talks about the armor of God, reminding us our feet are fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of peace.

Are your feet fitted and ready with the Gospel?

Do you have your work shoes on?

Or, maybe we first need to take them off? Maybe we need to start with how we “get ready; get fitted.” Maybe we first have to take our shoes off and let Jesus wash them. Maybe we need to spend time with God in prayer, reading and studying The Word, seeking God, looking for His guidance, listening for God’s voice, both personally and as the Church.

Have you ever had your feet washed? It’s a humbling experience. I grew up in a tradition of foot washing. We viewed it as a Sacrament. I remember Bishop Middleton, taking the ordinands together before we were ordained and washing our feet. She modelled service and she was preparing us for service. It was a sacred time. It was holy ground.

When we traveled to Korea to adopt Ethan and Sarah, the primary cultural practice we were instructed in was removing our shoes when we went into someone’s home or office. We had the privilege of worshiping in some churches in Korea and were struck by the pastor taking off his shoes and putting on the slippers when approaching the front (nave) of the sanctuary.

There’s a time to take off your shoes, in humility and worship, and seeking an encounter with God, and there is a time to put your shoes on, and go out with Gospel. We can’t do one without the other.

In Luke 4, Jesus went into the wilderness for a time of testing; then he returns to read the words of Isaiah in the synagogue; that he is anointed to proclaim the Good News, preach freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight to the blind, and to set the oppressed free. Only after ‘taking his shoes off’ (i.e. spending time with God, his Father) is he ready to proclaim that the Good News is now fulfilled.

In Isaiah 52, the watchmen see the messenger coming with Good News; and lifts their voices with joy.The messenger has arrived, the Good News is heard: 

The passage concludes with these directions “Depart. Go out from there...The Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” (Is 52:12)

Are you ready to depart? To go out with God before you and behind? 

Have you heard the Good News?

Are your feet fit with the Gospel of Christ?

Are you ready to be God’s feet and to follow God’s leading?

Do you hear God’s call, “Awake, Church! Awake, Altoona District!”?

Where will the message of the Good News take your feet?

God is Doing a New Thing

On Sunday, October 18, 2020, the third of four services celebrating the appointment of our four new district superintendents was streamed from Watsontown  UMC. (View here: tinyurl.com/DSinstallGW) This service celebrated the appointment of Rev. Dr. Gary D. Weaver as the new Lewisburg District Superintendent. Following is an edited version of his installation address. 

Scripture: Isaiah 43:18-19, Psalm 100, Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16

Rev. Dr. Gary D. Weaver

Good and Gracious God, may only your word be spoken and may only your word be heard. AMEN.

In the scripture from Ephesians, the Apostle Paul does not ask us to lead a life worthy of the call, he does not encourage us to lead a life worthy of the call and he does not challenge us to lead a life worthy of the call, he begs us to lead a life worthy of the call. (v.1)

I don’t know if you have ever begged anyone for anything.  If you have you know it was a desperate time. You were in a situation, a place, a season when you really needed things to change or you desperately needed things to remain the same. 

I must admit, I am not sure if the Apostle Paul needs us to change our practices of humility and gentleness, but he begs us to practice them, in what seems to many to be a world gone off track, with greater patience, bearing with one another in love as we make every attempt to maintain a unity of the Spirit as we are called to.

On this Laity Sunday (October 18, 2020), where we celebrate the role of laity in the church – which needs to be a year-round celebration – the appeal is to join and knit together as we promote the building up of the church, but more importantly the building up of the Kingdom of God as we know it.  

Although Installation Services focus on the District Superintendent being installed, what is worthy of celebration today is the cooperative mission and ministry of lay folk and clergy together, as we humbly attempt to be a part of God’s vision for God’s people. 

Little could any of us predict where we are today. Who could have imagined us sewing masks, wearing masks, fighting over masks? Who could have imagined this awkward season of opportunity that we call Covid? And on a personal note, who could have imagined me serving as a District Superintendent in the Lewisburg District?!   

I will be brazen enough to say that not so long ago, none of us imagined…and yet God knew and our God continues to know.

The chosen scriptures takes us into the Old Testament and into the present day movement of God. These words tell us—remind us—that our God declares, that our God saves and that our God proclaims; that our God makes a way in the sea, a path in the waters; that our God does and is doing a new thing! A new thing!

Now a bit of self-disclosure. Interestingly enough, I am not a car guy. Our oldest son, Isaac, is a car dealer in Arizona. I appreciate cars and I am thankful for my car and all that it provides me, but I am not a car guy. I married into a car family though, when families were strongly brand-and-maker-loyal—remember those days? There was only one car in Cindy’s family and that was Ford. I am absolutely sure that my father-in-law, if he were alive today, would roll his eyes to the fact that I drive a Mini Cooper!

But I do, like most of us, love the smell of a new car, the freshness of a new car. That smell and freshness offer possibility. Maybe it’s because people associate the smell with the luxury of having purchased a new set of wheels, or for me the idea that a Mini Cooper makes me look cool — the smell of a new car offers possibility.

That is what, I would say, the scripture offers us today. Possibility.

I would like to zero down on Isaiah 43:18-19.

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” 

I hope we can get behind that today. We can get behind the idea—we might even say, “amen!” to the idea—that God is doing a new thing. We might even enjoy what God is doing. Today, we gather in the Lewisburg District where new things are happening, where new things are springing forth.

And so just like the freshness of a new car, the possibilities that lay before when we embrace that God is doing a new thing call out for an “amen.”

I love a good amen—I believe we all love a good amen whether we proclaim it out loud or sing it silently. Amens are living testimony that our God is doing a new thing even now. Even now.

In the Lewisburg District we are saying, “Amen!”:

“Amen!” to local church hospitality that feels very different in this Covid season, yet is spiritually radical.
“Amen!” to churches where pastors and leaders are creating discipleship pathways while we are all trying to simply find our way.  
“Amen!” to a communion table where all are invited and welcomed, even when done uniquely. 
“Amen!” to a cluster that is planning to celebrate Christmas at a drive-in theatre. 
“Amen!” to the local church that brought in 14 new members in the Covid season.
“Amen!” to an offering plate that is more full of sacrifice than full of money.
“Amen!” to virtual nativities offered to the community this Advent Season.

“Amen!” to a full back pew of those who can’t hear yet are present each Sunday.

Dr. Todd Allen of Messiah University shared during a “Dismantling Racism” conversation the idea that conversations that end with “amen” are needed but conversations that end with “ouch” are needed as well.

Not many of us love a good “ouch.”

It has been said that “When it hurts, don’t be afraid to say ouch!” (Mary Buchanon)

As a church, as those who sit in the pews, as those who stand behind the pulpits, as those who lead outside the local church, and as the man who stands before you, we need to be able to say, “ouch” to where the church has been, “ouch” to where the church is, and maybe even “ouch“ to where the church may go. 

As a people of faith and as faithful people we live between the “amens” and the “ouches.”

We can embrace that God is doing a new thing—”Amen!”

When Isaiah spoke to the people of the day, the new thing that God was about to do signaled the freshness of God’s ways and the continual possibility of a sudden, unexpected turn of fortune.

Throughout scripture the amen idea that God is doing a new thing appears frequently enough that we ought to be sure we understand it. It is fundamental to how our God works over time, as much now as in Isaiah’s time. 

Yet, being told to not remember the former things may seem a bit ouchy. 

I like to remember the former things; recall the days gone by. I like to look back and act like there was a better time. 

Remember, Isaiah’s writing is to the children of Israel at a bleak period of their history: They are in captivity. They have lost everything they thought they would keep forever. They were homesick for the land and the blessing God had promised them.

And the words, “do not remember the former things” really say, “change your focus.” Quit looking behind, start looking ahead to a new thing. You see, if you are continually looking behind you can’t see where you are going and more importantly you can’t see where God is. If you are ever going to move on to new things in Jesus Christ, you must learn that you cannot depend on your past victories to sustain you.

The children of Israel had many victories in their past: leaving Egypt, conquering the land of Canaan, fighting prospective conquerors, and surviving a split in their country. 

But, now they are in captivity. All their previous victories were doing nothing to set them free. They needed a new work, a new miracle, a new victory, a new thing.

The question isn’t ‘What has God done?’, the question for you, for our church, and for the Lewisburg District must be ‘What is God doing right now – what is the new thing that God is doing?’

Just like we cannot lie in the past successes, we also cannot allow your past failures to possess us. Do not dwell on the past.

The children of Israel had failed God miserably. Every time God blessed them with good things, they returned to God evil things:

1. God gave them the Temple: They gave God idol worship.
2. God gave them truth: They lived and proclaimed a lie.
3. God gave them commands: They lived like they were suggestions.
4. God gave them wealth: They used it to abuse the poor.

Like us today, the children of Israel did not deserve to receive anything from God. Yet our God still loved them and still loves us.

As we hear today, being told not to remember the former things does not fully entail a criticism of them. What these words say to us is that we need to let go of the former things in a way that allows God to be praised; to let go of the former things that continue to separate us from the fullness of knowing our God. 

Isaiah’s word is to encourage us. Make no mistake, God truly is doing a new thing even in this Covid season. Do you not see it? And the scripture asks, “do you not see it?”

I want to take you to a place where many of you have been professionally and personally—to a bedside.

This happens to be the bedside of my mother. Now there are a few things you need to know about my mother and my growing up. I had a childhood that was best described as eclectic. You know when I first jotted that word down I started to wonder what would eclectic means in reference to a family?

In the world of design, eclectic is about harmony and the coming together of different styles, juxtaposing textures, and contrasting colors to create a cohesive beauty. That just might be my family: different, juxtaposing and contrasting and coming together to create beauty.

My father died when I was young and in that time I became aware, in a new way, of my mother’s sister, Aunt June, and Uncle Manny and my cousins. My mother and her sister had a very close relationship and so when my Uncle Manny died after my father died, my mother and aunt made a covenant that they would never leave each other. Throughout the years, that played out in many ways as they lived out their lives as widowed sisters.

But let me take you back to my mother’s bedside. 

My mother lived her last several weeks in an in-house hospice in Lancaster County. In those weeks my sister was that amazing family member who was by our mother’s side constantly. My Aunt was there often and not being able to be there always she needed to know that someone would be there. Simply, she did not want my mother to ever be alone. 

In that time I was serving in the then Wellsboro District, appointed to Calvary Church, Lawrenceville on the Pennsylvania-New York border, so I would visit when I could. 

One day, my sister, my aunt and myself were gathered around my mother’s bed and were silently counting her breaths, wondering, feeling lost, but valuing the sacredness of the moment. Many of you have been in that place as you anticipate a life-well-lived ending. 

None of us are sure how, but somehow the three of us found ourselves in the communal kitchen across from my mother’s room—my mother was alone. We were not there but a moment when a nurse came to us and said,  “You will want to come back in, your mother’s breathing has changed.” Your mother’s breathing has changed. What a gentle way to tell us that the life-well-lived was over.

The church, as we know it, is in the midst of its breath changing. Some of us stepped out of the room even for a moment and the church changed and to be honest because I believe we can be honest, parts of the church need to change. 

Now, let me make myself clear, I am not painting a picture of a dying church. I am painting a picture of a church that just might, like my mother, find a new life in the release of heaven.

I can not bring my mother back, and we can not bring the pre-Covid church or the church as we idealize to have been years ago, but we can forget the former things and we can stop considering the things of old as we see the new things that God is doing in our midst.

God, through Isaiah’s voice, is calling us to release heaven to the people around us as God makes a way in the wilderness and as God makes rivers in the desert. 

The Rt. Rev. Robert C. Wright, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, Ga., once said, “You and I have been called to release heaven wherever we are. And you and I have been given the capacity to release heaven wherever we find ourselves. And the more heaven gets released every day, you and I press on with Jesus.”

So today, together, we must keep our spirits open to the new things that God is already doing. And to that I say, “ouch” and “amen.”

Jesus is THE Good Shepherd

On Sunday, October 4, 2020, the second of four services celebrating the appointment of our four new district superintendents was streamed from Faith UMC in Montoursville. (View here: tinyurl.com/DSinstallPA) This service celebrated the appointment of Rev. Dr. Paul C. Amara as the new Williamsport District Superintendent. Following is an edited version of his installation address. 

Scripture reference: John 10:11-16

By Rev. Dr. Paul C. Amara

Oh, how we wish these were normal times. This [church] would have been filled with people; people who would have come from New York and New Jersey, from Washington DC, from Virginia, from Texas, and from Maryland—where we have family members who were not able to be here today—to celebrate this special historic moment in our lives, in the lives of Kadie and our family and me. This is the new way of life. 

God does everything for a reason. God’s presence is wherever we are. We don’t have to be in the church building. The church is not the steeple, the church is not a building, the church is us, the church is you and me. Jesus said, “Wherever two or three are gathered, in my name, my presence is there.” I believe that there are more than three of us here, so Christ is here, Jesus Christ is here amongst us. He is the Good Shepherd. We may have shepherds all around, but Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd.

Let us pray. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight. Oh God our redeemer and rock, save and guide us when we go astray. Bless us and pour your grace upon our lives. Even in the midst where we are gathered here, worshipping and glorifying your name, and as we serve you through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

In our scripture lesson, John 10:11-16, we heard Jesus declaring himself to be the Good Shepherd. But there is a story before that. Jesus Christ had started his ministry. He was performing miracles. He was feeding the hungry. He was providing hope for those who were in despair. He provided the strength for those who were weak. 

In John chapter 6:45 Jesus said, ‘I am the Bread of Life.’ Oh my goodness, if Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life, I will eat a bunch of him! I will cut a big piece—and I do every day, because I believe that Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life, not the bread that we eat, physically. He fills our souls. 

Jesus Christ had just fed [5,000] people, and they were looking for him again to be fed. He hid from them and went to Capernaum, and they followed him, looking for the guy who worked this miracle, who filled their souls. They found him and they wanted more. Do you feel that you want more of Jesus? Do you feel a hunger for Jesus? Do you feel that he has everything that you need in your life? He can feed you, and when he feeds you, you’ll be satisfied. Jesus told them whoever comes to Him and believes in Him will never be hungry again or thirsty. Did they believe him? 

Do we believe? When things happen to us that we don’t expect, when our loved ones die, when we can’t provide for our families, we start to ask the questions, Why? What have I done wrong? God, why did you take my loved one? God does not take our loved ones, God receives our loved ones. 

God created us in God’s image and God saw that it was all good. How do we see it today? Is it good? All humanity and even the angels complain (Rom 8:22). Where are these humans, these mortals that God cares about?

Jesus did not stop there. In John, chapter 8:12 Jesus again declares, “I am the light of the world.” I love light. It makes me happy, it makes me see well. We cannot continue to live in darkness. That is the purpose of Christ coming; to give us the light of the world, the light that even the devil cannot extinguish. When you take up that light and carry it with you anywhere you go, my brothers and sisters, you are assured of His saving power. There is nothing that can break you when you are bound with the Lord; there is nothing that can bring you down when you believe in Jesus Christ. Trust in Him always, put all your hopes in Him for He is our Savior. And Jesus said in John 10:9, “I am the gate.” Oh wow. When we have Jesus as the gate we are secure. That’s what I feel. I don’t know about you, but when I have Jesus as my gate I can sleep well. I know that no thieves will come into my yard, that there is nobody that is coming to steal because Jesus Christ is watching. 

Do you trust in the Lord with all of your heart and your mind and your soul? Do you believe Jesus Christ is your Savior? Say amen! Hallelujah! 

In John 10, Jesus says that he is THE Good Shepherd. Not just a good shepherd. Definite article—THE Good Shepherd. We may have several shepherds. I am a shepherd and I have my flock. Most of you here are shepherds, you have your flock. You know their names, and they know your name. But only a Good Shepherd will really care about the sheep. 

Sheep are normally not too smart. Brothers and sisters, we may feel that we are really smart all the time, by doing it our way, forgetting that God has God’s ways. But thanks be to God that God has the power of forgiveness for each and every one of us. Even as shepherds, we fall short of expectations. When we receive the encouragement to take good care of our parishioners some of us start to complain, ‘Oh, it’s too much. I’m told to wear masks all the time.’ ‘We want to worship and they say we should spread [out]. How [can] we…? We’re going to lose members.’ 

In many cases, sheep go astray. When you have Christ, you don’t lose members. They may go for a while, but they will come back because Christ has a hold of their lives. So, my brothers and sisters in pastoral positions, have no fear. Christ is with you. He is the Good Shepherd. He knows your names. He knew you even before you were born. He encourages us, he sets the example for us, to shepherd diligently. But Christ is not just caring for those in the fold. He also said, ‘There are some of mine who are not in the sheepfold right now, but I will bring them in.’ Oh my goodness, do we go and get those who are out there who don’t look like us, who don’t think like us? Do we bring them into our sheepfold? Those who don’t have our beliefs, our social identities, do we bring them into the sheepfold? Jesus says, ‘I have work to do, I will get them in,’ for we will be one flock with one shepherd. How could Jesus hold the sheep together?

In the Middle East shepherding is taken very seriously and sheep are very improtant. It is a source of living; raising the animals and selling them for the meat. They also use the wool and the skin for clothing, for bedding, and to pray on—they would dry it and use it as a mat to pray. The shepherds would have rope tied around their waist, and they could use this rope if a sheep was stubborn—tie it down for a while. The shepherds would also carry a wooden staff. They would use it in the rough, rocky terrain to stabilize themselves so they didn’t fall. They would also use it for defense or attack against predators, to block or stab at wolves praying upon the sheep. And the shepherds would use their staff when the sheep become so stubborn and wanted to follow their own will. The shepherd would hook them with his staff and pull them in. 

What kind of shepherd are we? Who are we in today’s life? Christ has encouraged us to be good shepherds and He set the example for us in John 10. In Ezekiel chapter 34 we see the opposite. God spoke to the shepherds, the leaders who had become ruthless and started doing wrong things—they did not care about the sheep but cared about themselves, about their own pockets, tending to themselves. God spoke to them and said, ‘You cannot do this. I will take charge. I am going to take away this responsibility from you and I will do it myself. The people will be secured. I don’t trust you anymore. My people are scattered all around, they need to be again together.’ There were bad shepherds then, so Jesus came to transform peoples lives, to become the Good Shepherd. Are we taking an example from the Lord? 

In John chapter 9, Jesus and his disciples were going from the temple and they saw a man who was blind from birth. The disciples, as always, asked questions. ‘Who sinned, he or his parents?’ Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Neither him nor his parents—he is blind so that the work of God may be revealed to you.’ After rubbing his eyes with mud, Jesus asked the blind man to go to the Pool of Siloam (which means sent) and wash his eyes and when he came back he could see! Have you found the Lord washing your eyes off, when you are in darkness, when there is some patch that is covering your eyes that you don’t see the truth? Have you felt that in your life? What did you do about it? Did you ask for the Lord to come and cleanse you? Did you ask for the Lord to come and open your eyes to see the truth? When the man came back, everybody was astonished. ‘How can you see? We thought you were the blind man.’ He said, ‘I don’t know. I was blind but now I see. What issue do you have with me?’ And they call upon his parents to come and testify. ‘Is this your son?’ The parents, fearing for their own lives or fearing that they would lose their space in the temple, said, ‘He’s our son. We bore him blind, but now he sees. We don’t know who healed him. Ask him, he is an adult.’ The pharisees were furious. He had mentioned the name of Jesus. He told them, ‘Why should I tell you again? Do you also want to be his followers?’ They answered, ‘What are you talking about? We have only Moses to follow.’ So, the man once blind was rejoicing; his parents were very afraid, very scared, terrified of would happen if they testified; and the pharisees were angry. 

We have situations in our lives when we feel scared. We don’t want to touch an issue if it doesn’t affect us directly: They shot someone in the street today. No, I have nothing to do with that, it did not happen in my community; Children have been separated from their parents. What do I have to do with that? My kids are here. We don’t want them in this country. But this is God’s land. Oh. Jesus Christ is our leader. Oh. We say we worship God and we do these things? Have no fear in Christ. Have no fear when you know that Jesus Christ is for you. In Romans chapter 8, Paul told those who had fallen, who had doubts, and those who were performing miracles and having things happen, “If God is for us, who will be against us?”

If Christ is your shepherd, what do you have to worry about? Are you saying things that need to be said to make life better for other people who can’t speak for themselves? Are you standing up for those for whom justice is a stranger? What role are you playing in your church? Pastors, what are you giving to your parishioners to make them believe that Jesus Christ is their only Savior? We ask our pastors to help us believe in Jesus Christ and let us know that with Him everything is possible, with Him there is no failure. There are shepherds that will run away—the hired hands will run away when the wolf comes to attack the sheep. But the real shepherd stays with his sheep, in fact they smell like sheep too. Do you smell like the sheep in the ministry you are doing or do you stay away? Don’t feel that you are being paid, or that you have been hired, feel that you have been sent for ministry.

Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, and with that love, I share myself, and I am ready to share myself with Williamsport District pastors and parishioners and everyone who is in mission and ministry with us. I am ready to come to you. I am ready to offer my resources to you. I am ready to share my talents and my gifts with you because I love you, Williamsport. I want to be in ministry with you. But I want to encourage you as well to be good shepherds. When you tend your sheep, you have to set an example, for charity begins at home. Though it doesn’t stay here—we go, we be in ministry. Let us do this together, brothers and sisters.

 Let us believe in Jesus Christ and let us take the fold that is outside and bring them in. Let us not say, ‘They don’t look like us. They don’t think like us.’ Let us use all that we have [in Christ] to heal ourselves and to make our ministries and missions fruitful. Let’s make our beloved community know and feel our presence with them. We are blessed to have wonderful leadership, our bishop, to shepherd us. But we can also be sheep, even in our churches. Pastors in Williamsport District and throughout the Susquehanna Annual Conference, do you take that time to be a sheep and allow the shepherd to lead you and not to do it your own way only? We are in this together. That’s what makes us great! We are connected as United Methodists. We cannot be lone rangers, we have to work together. We have a wonderful shepherd who is tending us, protecting us, and feeding us. Our shepherd doesn’t run away, our shepherd stays with us. Christ Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. 

May this God that has created us and given us this opportunity, continue to be in us, with us, and to surround us so that the wolves will stay away and allow us to function like children of God. Have no fear, speak the truth, fight for justice, create peace, share your love, and forgive one another. Christ wants us to do that, and when we do these things our world will be a better place to live in, where we will see and share with one another. 

In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.