Easter 4                               John 10:22-30, Ps. 23                                    5/2/04

                                           "Are You A Little Hen"

 

            I realize that the theme today revolves around shepherd and sheep, but I’d like us to think for a moment about being Jesus’ little hens.  More to the point, are you a little hen?

 

            Before the gentlemen tune me out with the excuse that only females can be hens; men are roosters, therefore either I’m only speaking to the women or I don’t know what I’m talking about, let me clarify.  First, contrary to what you may think, “hen” is not feminine; it’s neuter in gender.  Second, I’m not talking about a feathered creature who lays eggs and then gets fried.

 

            As I’m referencing it, “hen” is the Greek word that is translated “one” in the last verse of our gospel lesson.  Jesus says, “The Father and I are one.”  Since this Greek “hen’ is neuter it does not mean that the Father and Jesus are one God, one essence or one nature.  Rather, Jesus is saying that He and the Father are united in the work they do.  Jesus then is saying , His and the Father’s goals are the same and He will give His all to accomplish them.  As we post-Easter people know, Jesus gives His all too!  He dies on the cross to save us and make us one with Him and the Father.  Thus, we can become Jesus little lambs.  So, we are back to shepherd and sheep after all, you might say.

 

            We can go there in our imagery but with one stipulation: we need to be realistic.  When we think of lambs and sheep, we tend to have this idealized picture in mind.  We see nice wooly sheep grazing on a grassy hillside with sweet little lambs cavorting about.  Why, the scene is so homey they might as well have bows on their fleecy heads.

 

            I don’t mean to demean or ridicule the Sunday school lesson pictures that have put that image in our minds, but let’s face it, sheep were not pets!

 

            Yes, the shepherd cared for the sheep.  He saw that all their needs were met.  He found green pastures where they could rest comfortably.  He led them to still waters, knowing that they could not drink from running waters.  He protected them from harm, even fighting off their enemies.  And he put ointment on any wounds they sustained walking along stony trails or from wandering off the safe route he’d chosen.  A good shepherd did all this and more, but not because sheep are cuddly and fun to raise.

 

            Sheep existed for a purpose and they were cared for for a purpose...so that they could produce wool.

 

            Now, I don’t mean to imply that that is all we are to God - a creature that will mindlessly produce for God.  God does love us and care for us because that is the essence of God.  He created humans because He wanted - dare I even say, needed - an object for His love.  He sees to our needs, cares for and protects us - even gave His life for us - because He loves us.

 

            But, like all other creatures we were made for a purpose.  We were intended to produce.  Unlike lower animals though, God gave us the ability to seek and appreciate the meaning of our existence. 

 

            A hen lays an egg and a sheep gives up its wool without thought to the ‘why’ of its existence or the purpose of its action.  Humans, on the other hand, can think about the meaning of their lives.  In fact, planted securely in each human psyche is a need to make a difference, to contribute to a cause greater than our own comfort or survival, to connect with that “Something” - no that “Some One” who is greater than all.

 

            We were made lambs and given over to Jesus, the Good Shepherd, by the Father, so that we could be little hens.  All of history, all of salvation, all of life is intended for us to find our purpose, our meaning by being hens.  We exist so that we can ultimately become one with God.  Not that we will share His essence or nature, but that we will be united with God in His work. 

 

A sheep (or any other animal) produces purely from instinct.  It cannot think about the why’s and way’s of what it does, and it cannot make conscious choices.  It lives out its life with no sense of happiness or unhappiness over how that life has gone. 

 

            In addition to the ability to seek and appreciate the meaning of life, God gave humans free will to choose how they will achieve meaning or even if they will achieve it.  For all that we are free to choose our actions (or inactions), we can never really be happy though if we do not seek a meaning higher than just surviving or meeting our own selfish goals.  Finding true joy and peace means seeking to know God’s goals for us and, like Jesus, seeking to be part of God’s gracious plan for the world.  Being one with the Father in this way - in the way of Jesus - is what gives life real meaning.

 

            God cares for us, feeds us, leads us, protects us, died for us out of deep and abiding love, but He knows that we can only be all He intended us to be by hearing His call to share in His work.  He knows that we need to be little hens.

 

            We don’t have to do it.  We are free to refuse to hear Jesus’ voice.  We can take a different path and not follow Jesus.  We can live for ourselves and resist that inner urge to seek a higher meaning for our lives.  God will still love and care for us.  God’s salvation will still be effective for us.

 

            But, if we want to fulfill our purpose and find meaning for our lives, we will seek to become one with Jesus and the Father.  We will share the love we receive in such abundance.  We will become Jesus’ little hens.  Are you a little hen?  Amen.