Matthew 9:35-10:8

A Nation of Sheep was a best selling social commentary on the United States.
        Although it was written years ago, it still seems to apply.
        We are, accept it or not, a nation of sheep.
        We either lack strong leadership or just wander around aimlessly.
        This is not a political commentary,
        It is simply a statement about the times in which we live.

For one thing, these are times when leadership is difficult in general.
        Leaders are under constant public scrutiny.
        Television magnifies the smallest flaw. 
        While this might make it harder for the crooks to be crooks,
        it also cuts at the desire of some excellent leaders.

It is also a time of individualism; we aren't much open to leadership.
        Many people want to be left alone.
        We are turning inward to our own private and personal lives.
        We are our own leaders...or so we like to think.
        In fact, most simply follow the pattern of an individualist.  They are  followers with a rebellious attitude.
                Hippies, cowboys, adventurers, artists of form, but with little substance.
                What is sad is that we are disillusioned into thinking that 
                this is who we are.

Finally, we have been burned, hood-winked, cheated by some who claimed to be good leaders.
        Watergate, Marion Barry's cocaine use, Bill Clinton's lying, Jimmy
        Swaggart's cheating, and whatever else have made us cynical towards leadership.
        These have all tainted our view of politics and religion.
        In addition:
        there are countless leaders who have let us down closer to home:
        local politicians, business people, and even church leaders who just 
        don't follow through on their promises.

Jesus looked at the people of His time and dubbed them, "People without a Shepherd."
What pain He must have felt.
        Sheep without a Shepherd  is a good metaphor for this situation.
        Nothing wanders about more aimlessly than sheep without a leader.
                I was reading a story about this the other day:
                A farmer went out to get the sheep one day and was puzzled 
                when the sheep wouldn't come out of the barn.
                He noticed that the lead sheep was staring at a stream of 
                light in front of the door. 
                Because the sun was coming up, the light looked like a pole or 
                rope that was blocking the door.
                Finally, the first sheep jumped the beam of light and came 
                out.
                To the farmers amazement, all the sheep jumped it on the way 
                out.

        Jesus knew that sheep need a leader.
                Without a leader, the sheep are in great danger, "helpless" 
                And "harassed."

Those words strike home to many of us.
        "Harassed?"  Modern life has a way of harassing us.  It can also make us feel 
         helpless.
                We are victimized by the peer pressures around us.
                There is an alarming amount of violence in our society.
                We can get lost in the complexity of the changing world and its changing demands.
        The result is that we are turned into sheep that blindly follow the trends and 
        jump over the beliefs that come out of our T.V. sets, 
                or are passed around the office,
                or we hear in the classroom.
        We need a leader, a good shepherd who can give us a sense of direction.

Jesus Christ is that shepherd.
        He offers us His leadership.
        "Follow me!" was His call to the Disciples.
                That same invitation is given to us today.
        We know that Jesus has great compassion for us.
        He knows we need leadership so He offers it.

There is one thing we must bear in mind, however.
        If His leadership is to benefit us at all, then we must follow it.
        Again, if His leadership is to be effective, then we must be obedient.
        A tip of the hat to Jesus is not enough.
        Occasional remembrances will not do.
        Following is a moment by moment continuance of an ongoing relationship.

To a people who, like sheep, are in need of a leader, Christ is there.
        Will we choose to follow?
        Or will we wander lost, confused, and even misled?


 
 
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