Good Door Sunday?

John 10:1-10 is the section of this chapter appointed for the 4th Sunday of Easter in the Year of Matthew.  In other years, other sections of John 10 are appointed.  This Sunday is also often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday, reflected in Psalm 23, which is appointed every year on this Sunday. What makes this first section of John 10 unique is that it includes the section about Jesus as the Door or the Gate.  Also, interestingly, this second metaphor is offered after the writer says that the disciples heard Jesus describe himself as the shepherd of the sheep and "they did not understand what he was saying."  Good Door Sunday doesn't have much of a ring to it, but it might be worth the preacher's while to consider this as an unmined treasure worthy of exploring.

(The following questions have been developed to unearth the function of the Word in the text.  This is a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers because how the Word functions is how the sermon also must function.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions as both Law and Gospel in this text, in a rather alternating style.  On one hand, we are alerted to "thieves and bandits" and strangers, all who come only to "steal and kill and destroy."  This is the Word functioning as Law, alerting us to our need for a Savior.  On the other hand, the Word clearly lifts up Jesus as the good shepherd who knows the sheep and goes ahead of them to pasture.  Also, Jesus is the gate that one passes through to be saved, to find both freedom and security, and to experience abundance.  This is a Gospel function.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are clearly the sheep of Christ.  We are those who are dependent upon him for life, security, and all we need to live.  We are those who are also in danger because of those voices which lead us away from life.

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  The Word functioning to invite us to live in a certain way in response to God's love is not present here.  The First Reading from Acts 2 is a good example of a Call to Obedience, where we are encouraged to distribute to all as any have need.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The back-and-forth nature of this text readily lends itself to couplets such as:  thieves and robbers/givers of life; stranger/true shepherd; kill/save; steal/give pasture; destroy/offer life abundant.

5.  Exegetical work:  The final verse in this reading has been picked up by many commentators as a particularly rich verse.  The 4th century bishop, Theodore of Mopsuestia, in writing about Jesus as the door said, "He was the Word through which all might know the Father."  His contemporary, St. Augustine, wrote, "By this faith they enter the fold so that they may live, for the just lives by faith." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IVa, pp. 343-344).  Both these writers lead us to see the grace that Jesus offers as the gate to life.  Johannes Brenz, one of the German reformers, followed in this track:  "[Christ] is... the door through which all the faithful enter to their heavenly Father and by whom the Father is revealed to believers." (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IV, p. 374).    Swiss reformer, Heinrich Bullinger, echoed this interpretation as well:  "Christ, then, is the Door, the Way, the Entrance, because through him we have an entrance into the church, the communion of saints, and a sharing in eternal life." (Ibid., p.376).  Craig Koester, in his contemporary commentary, says this:  "To be saved for life through the gate means coming to faith in God through Jesus the gate, whereas to be destroyed means being separated from God through unbelief.  Salvation and abundant life begin in the present..." (Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, p. 111).  Lamar Williamson, another contemporary commentator, makes the argument that the gatekeeping mentioned herein has a direct connection to the threats noted in John 9 that anyone who confessed Jesus as Messiah would be thrown out of the synagogue.  Williamson contrasts the "gatekeepers" of first century synagogues with Jesus who is, himself, an "entryway" to life abundant.  (Preaching the Gospel of John, p. 120).

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Chris Repp, in his 2020 analysis, does a nice job of lifting up the contrasts between life and death in this text.  He makes clear that one voice, the voice of the stranger leads to death, and the voice of Christ leads to life.  Similarly, living in a transactional economy leads to death, and living in relationship to Christ leads to life.  See the details archived under its reference at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Resurrection Matters

 

Acts 10:34-43, Peter's brief sermon to the Roman centurion and his household, is often read on Easter Day as the First Reading appointed for the day.  Its context - the conversion of the Roman centurion and his household - is critical for understanding its meaning.  In a parallel way to the earthquake present in Matthew's account of the resurrection, another sort of earthquake is happening here, where the announcement is made that "God shows no partiality."  This is a seismic shift.  Nothing will be the same for the followers of Jesus following this announcement.  In the same way, the resurrection of Christ rearranges all we thought we knew about God.  The preacher's task will be to witness to this seismic activity.

(The following questions have been developed to help understand how the Word is functioning in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. These questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used with other fine sets of questions which can open up a  text. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  There is almost nothing but Gospel here. The Word is functioning to tell us first that God shows no partiality and then how God works that out in Christ.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  There is little Law here, that is to say, the Word functioning to remind us of our need for a Savior.  Near the end of this brief homily, however, Peter reminds us that Jesus has been ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.  This mention of judgement is the only hint of Law here.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  We are invited to take the part of Cornelius and his household, as well as Peter's companions, who are addressed by this text. This good news of God's work in Christ comes to us too.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  Much like the brief hint of Law, there is also a brief hint of the Call to Obedience here when Peter tells that God has commanded those who witnessed Christ's resurrection to testify to it.  This command comes to us as well.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  It might be fruitful to take the words of Gospel and create couplets by suggesting their counterpart.  A few suggestions:  enmity with God/the peace preached by Jesus Christ; sickness/healing of Christ; oppressed by the devil/released by Christ.

6.  Exegetical work:  William Willimon, in his contemporary commentary, says this:  "Peter is not reading some new idea into the story; rather he is further penetrating the meaning of the affirmation that Jesus Christ is Lord."  "One cannot have a Lord who is Lord of only one part of creation."  (Interpretation series, Acts, p. 98).  Matt Skinner, in his online Working Preacher commentary from 3/27/2016, also notes the significance of Peter's sermon for his discovery of God's impartiality:  "Peter...describes Jesus' life, death, and resurrection for the explicit purpose of grounding and substantiating his conviction about God's impartiality.  He talks about Jesus from the perspective of one who has only just recently come to realize God's embrace of all people."  "Throughout the sermon Peter emphasizes God as the agent behind all aspects of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Because God was active through Jesus, Jesus' story attests God as welcoming of all, as refusing to make distinctions among people."  Alan Brehm, in his online sermon for 3/8/2013, concurs:  "It was one more sign that Jesus' death and resurrection had changed everything."

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  The insight of Charles Rice, that we need to help listeners recognize their shared story in the text will be especially important on Easter.  Listeners come hoping to learn what difference the resurrection claim makes in their lives.  Helping them see how their story and the resurrection story meet will be crucial.

Blessings on your proclamation!