Sunday Thoughts

 As I was in a couple of different churches this past Sunday, I had a couple of thoughts that struck me.

First, we are currently in the middle of a sermon series focusing on Psalm 23.  This is a pretty well known passage, even among those who are not committed Christians.    The first line says, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.".    This acknowledgement is pretty profound.   The shepherd/sheep image is one that is used throughout scripture, and the more I think about it the more interesting it is.    The sheep is an animal which is not particularly intelligent (note the recent video showing a sheep getting pulled out of a trench, and immediately jumping back in).  It is also an animal that has literally zero defensive abilities.  No camouflage. no horns/antlers, not particularly fast or agile, no sharp teeth, or anything else.   Enter the shepherd, who provides protection, guidance, care, and pretty much everything needed to keep the sheep safe and flourishing.    Yet YHWH refers to us as sheep.   We're being told that we are these relatively stupid, defenseless, animals that can't really survive without help.    I don't know about you, but that almost sounds insulting doesn't it?    In Matt 25 Jesus makes the point that the helpless sheep are the "good" ones, while the goats (who have some of the defensive measure sheep lack) are the "bad" ones.   I really don't think that a lot of people quite buy into the notion that we are like sheep, and that we desperately need a shepherd.   I think a lot of folx believe that they are the exception to the rules about sheep.  That they can fend for themselves and that they don't really need a shepherd.  Or at least that they don't need a shepherd until things get really, really bad.  Then they desperately need a shepherd.    Based on the repeated use of the sheep/shepherd example in scripture, I can't understand how so many people are convinced are so convinced that they have things under control.   Maybe we need to reevaluate our condition.

Second.   On Sunday night I attended the service at a church that started as a Sunday night service at our church and eventually was planted as their own congregation.   When they met at our church, they had between 1,500-2,000 people who attended every week.  When they were planted, that dropped to 700-900 per week. They had a run of 21 years as a church and we saw lots of good things happen within the community.   Yet, Sunday night was their final service.  I don't know all the details, and I really don't need to.   What I took away from the service was that YHWH raises up congregations/churches in a particular place and time, and that there is no guarantee that they will go one forever.   I think it's OK to acknowledge that sometimes a congregation/church runs it's course.   "For every thing there is a season." we're told, and season's come to an end.   I'll admit that there was sadness, and disappointment watching this final service, but not an excessive amount.    The members will find other places to worship, serve. and communities to be a part of, and eventually things will be fine.  I guess that whole shepherd/sheep thing might go for churches too.