Title:
Known
Date:
5/11/2008
Texts:
Psalm
80.1-4
John
10.1-18
Series:
Jesus
The
Good
Shepherd
Delivered
By:
Dr.
William
M.
Smutz
In
the
early
90’s,
I
was
trying
to
rent
a
house
at
Montreat
for
my
confirmation
class.
Montreat
is
an
old
and
storied
conference
center
of
the
Presbyterian
Church,
located
in
the
mountains
of
western
Every
summer
the
conference
center
holds
four
or
five
week-long
youth
events….with
about
a
thousand
teenagers
in
attendance
at
each.
Housing
for
this
many
young
people
and
their
adult
advisors
is
a
real
challenge.
Some
church
groups
stay
in
the
conference
hotel.
Some
groups
stay
in
the
dorms
of
the
little
The church I was serving at the time had the tradition of taking each year’s confirmation class to one of the youth conferences. It was a way to help the kids spiritually mark their transition into the adult membership of the congregation. This particular year the confirmation class was big; too large for the Montreat house we normally rented. I had to find a bigger place!
At
that
time,
a
woman
names
Susan,
a
retired
Christian
Educator,
was
the
renting
agent
for
over
100
houses.
It
was
almost
impossible
to
rent
a
house
at
Montreat
without
going
through
her.
As
you
might
imagine,
many
people
were
leery
about
turning
over
their
beloved
vacation
home
to
a
youth
group
–
who,
without
even
trying,
could
be
pretty
rough
on
a
place.
When
I
called
to
inquire
about
a
house,
wanting
to
know
about
size
and
price
and
availability,
Susan
said
‘wait
a
minute….I
need
some
information
first’…..And
for
the
next
hour
and
a
half
she
questioned
me
about
everyone
I
knew
at
Montreat,
pastors
I’d
worked
with
in
different
parts
of
the
country,
the
seminary
I’d
attended,
denominational
leaders
I’d
met…..Heck,
by
the
time
we
got
off
the
phone,
Susan
knew
the
names
of
my
wife
and
kids,
and
maybe
even
my
shoe
size!
She
ended
the
conversation
with
the
request
that
I
call
her
back
in
exactly
one
week;
and
said
that
maybe
we
could
talk
about
a
house
then.
At the agreed upon time, I called Susan back, and learned that over the course of the intervening week, she had contacted everyone that I had mentioned in our previous conversation, and checked me out! I was now a known quantity to her….she knew my people…..my stories had rung true, and….she had the perfect house for
me!
Knowing
and
trust
pretty
much
go
hand
in
hand
for
us,
don’t
they?!
We’re
more
comfortable
dealing
with
people
we
know….or
people
known
by
someone
we
know….someone
who’s
judgment
and
character
and
values
are
known
to
us…are
approved
by
us.
Knowing
our
neighbors;
knowing
the
people
next
to
us
in
church;
knowing
our
classmates
and
teachers….Such
knowledge….such
knowing
is
critical
to
us.
The
more
we
put
into
a
relationship….the
more
personal
risk
we
feel
in
a
social
situation,
or
a
job
situation,
or
even
a
faith
situation….The
more
important
it
is
that
we
know
those
around
us….and,
in
return,
are
known
to
them.
Teammates
have
to
know
and
trust
each
other’s
skills
and
style
of
play
if
they
are
to
be
successful
together.
A
praise
band
or
a
choir
have
to
trust
their
director
if
they
are
going
to
make
beautiful
music
together.
A
firefighter
has
to
know
that
the
others
in
the
company
have
his
or
her
back,
in
order
to
enter
into
a
dangerous
situation
to
put
out
a
fire
or
save
a
life.
In
our
Gospel
lesson
Jesus
lifts
up
the
relationship
between
a
shepherd
and
his
or
her
sheep,
to
illustrate
the
kind
of
knowledge
and
trust
that
exists
between
him
and
his
disciples…..
“I
am
the
good
shepherd,
I
know
my
own
and
my
own
know
me….they
follow
me
because
they
know
my
voice”.
Sheep
aren’t
the
smartest
critters
in
God’s
Kingdom.
They
need
someone
to
watch
over
them
and
watch
out
for
them,
or
they
will
get
hopelessly
lost
and
in
deep
trouble.
But
over
time,
and
through
repeated
exposure,
sheep
can
come
to
know
and
trust
the
one
who
cares
for
them,
the
one
who
feeds
them,
the
one
who
watches
out
for
them….by
learning
that
one’s
voice.
Jesus
says
that
he
has
the
patience
and
love
of
a
shepherd.
He
says
that
those
who
look
to
him,
can
trust
him,
and
will
trust
him,
as
they
come
to
know
his
voice…as
they
listen
for
his
call.
You
know,
sometimes
you
and
I
are
not
the
smartest
critters
in
God’s
Kingdom
either.
If
left
to
our
own
devices
for
too
long….Or
when
we
try
to
be
in
charge
of
ourselves
and
in
charge
of
the
world
around
us….It’s
easy
for
us
to
get
hopelessly
lost….and
not
too
hard
to
get
ourselves
in
deep
trouble….
We
know
how
frightening
it
is
to
be
lost
in
life….We
also
know
how
quickly
we
can
be
overwhelmed
by
the
trouble
we
make
for
ourselves.
In
times
like
these,
and
all
other
times,
Jesus
invites
us
to
listen
for,
and
then
trust
his
voice….Jesus
invites
us
to
know
that
he
will
take
care
of
us.
What
a
wonderful
invitation!
What
a
comforting
invitation!
But
how
do
we
do
it?
How
do
we
learn
Jesus’
voice?
How
do
we
come
to
trust
him??
I
see
three
ways….
First,
we
can
look
at
the
Gospel
witness
–
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke
&
John;
where
we
get
to
know
the
values
and
character
of
Jesus
really
well.
A
good
reason
for
us
to
read
and
know
scripture.
Second,
we
can
look
to
the
witness
of
all
the
faithful
who
have
come
before
us….What
our
parents
and
grandparents,
and
Sunday
School
teachers,
and
Saints
of
the
church
taught
us
about
Jesus
through
the
witness
of
their
lives….
And,
third
we
can
look
to
our
own
experience
in
life….When
all
else
fails,
and
even
those
closest
to
us
prove
unreliable…Jesus
is
the
one
continually
saying
to
us….come
back,
you’ll
be
OK,
I
can
see
you,
just
follow
my
voice!
Think
about
the
difference
between
Jesus
who
says
to
us
–
follow
me,
you
know
my
voice,
you
can
trust
me….In
comparison
to
the
fear
and
denial
displayed
by
the
military
leaders
of
Myanmar
this
week….And
contrast
this
modern
day
tragedy
of
fear
to
the
first
Pentecost,
nearly
2000
years
ago.
Jesus’
disciples
were
hiding;
paralyzed
by
the
fear
that
they
would
be
next…
that
they
would
get
it
just
like
Jesus
did...
On
Pentecost,
the
Holy
Spirit
is
for
them
the
voice
of
Jesus...
which
carries
them
beyond
their
fear,
and
right
out
the
door,
to
where
they
can
start
making
a
difference
among
God’s
people.
The
week
we
stayed
in
that
new
house
at
Montreat
–
the
one
Susan
had
helped
me
rent…..I
discovered
that
all
sorts
of
people
around
the
conference
center
suddenly
knew
my
name…..that
there
was
a
new
level
of
welcome
and
trust
extended
to
me……Those
who
offered
me
these
gifts
were
not
people
I’d
ever
met
before…..But
Susan
had
told
them
I
was
an
OK
guy,
that
she
knew
me,
that
she
knew
my
people….And
that
was
enough
for
them
to
trust
me
too;
because
they
knew
and
trusted
Susan….
Jesus
is
a
great
guy.
We
know
him
through
the
Gospels.
We
know
his
people,
because
they
are
us!
We
know
he
knows
us
through
and
through.
We
know
and
trust
his
voice…..Comforted
by
this
fact
–
that
we
are
so
well
known…..It
is
our
responsibility
today
to
help
others
realize
that
Jesus
knows
them
and
loves
them
too!
Who do you know that needs to hear this good news?? Who do you know that is lost and overwhelmed, and in trouble? They need to hear about Jesus from someone they
know….someone they trust!
On that first Pentecost the mighty breath of God blew the disciples out of hiding and into the world, where they had work to do. Do you feel that breeze this morning? Do you feel it pushing you along a bit? Let’s be ready to help others know Jesus like we do!
Amen!!!