Luke 13.31-35
Gathered under Jesus’
wings
In the Gospel text today,
Jesus talks about Herod as a fox, and the people as chicks whom Jesus would
love to shelter under his wings like a mother hen.
I don’t know how many of you
have any experience with chickens, but mine is limited. When I was about 10, my
family went to visit family friends in rural Indiana. We were city folk, and
knew next to nothing about farm life. After a tour of the barn where the cows
had just been milked, and a peek at the new piglets, Hattie sent me out to the
chicken coop to gather some eggs.
It’s this warmth,
protection, and security we can find when we shelter under Jesus’ wings. So, we
need to come here regularly, to be nurtured by him, to feel cared for and
loved, and forgiven.
But, just as the chicks
begin to wander away from mama, so do we wander. If we stayed always here in
worship, for some of us, it would be very pleasant. But most of us would find
it boring. Plus, Jesus doesn’t exactly kick us out to forage on our own, but he
does send us out to work to build the kingdom/reign he came to establish.
One hen in particular is
going to be killed; Jesus knows that he will be put to death. He knows better
every day just when that will happen, because he is on his way to Jerusalem.
Not all prophets were killed there, but many were, enough for Jesus to remark
on it.
In the meantime, Jesus is
doing what he can on earth. He’s preaching and healing and gathering followers
and disciples. He is trying to gather them under his wings until it’s time to
send them out. But not all chicks are willing to be gathered under his wings.
Many resist, claiming that Jesus is not their mama. And that’s why he gets
killed.
First, it means we need to
come regularly to worship together. Here, we hear the Word read and preached
and sung. Here we share the meal which fills us. Here we share our concerns and
offer them to God. Here we are reminded of God’s love and grace, meant for each
one of us. And from here we are sent out to do ministry in Jesus’ name.
So, do you consider yourselves
sheltered under Jesus’ wings? Do you come here for comfort, to be fed and
nourished? Do you come here to be fed and sent out for ministry? In what ways
do you resist being gathered under his wings?
Anyway, as we sat waiting
for news of the woman with the emergency, Bob told us about his ministry. He
had been serving quite happily in another congregation, but the bishop
contacted him and asked him to consider a call to – let’s say, Peace Lutheran
Church.
“But,” Bob said, “I prefer serving
churches that do a lot of outreach with needy people. Peace is filled with
wealthy people.” The Bishop’s response was, “Wealthy people need pastors, too.”
Pastor Bob accepted the call
and led the people of Peace to establish a number of community service
organizations, and to participate in the local branches of Habitat for Humanity
and Meals on Wheels.
Pastor Bob was sent to Peace
to comfort the afflicted, because even wealthy people can be afflicted, and to
afflict the comfortable, because wealthy people need to be challenged to see
needs beyond their own. I imagine many of the wealthy folks at Peace first
wanted to wander away, to resist being gathered under those service-minded
wings. They had better things to do with their time and their money. But,
Pastor Bob and Jesus persisted, and now they do some amazing ministries.
So come often to be gathered
around the table, fed and nourished and strengthened, so that you may be sent
out to do whatever Jesus is sending you to do in his name.
Please pray with me: Lord
Jesus, our Mother Hen, we give you thanks for gathering us under your wings. Forgive
us when we wander away, or resist being gathered. Restore us, fill us, and then
send us out again, to serve in your name. Amen