Inside a Shepherd’s Heart
Psalm 23, John 10:1-10
Reverend Joe Cobb, MCC of the Blue Ridge
5.7.2017
As we were saying goodbye to each other
after last Sunday’s worship service, one of
you stopped going down the stairs, turned,
looked up and said, “what happened next?”
What do you mean? I asked.
You didn’t tell us the rest of the story. What
happened after you put on your suit, put on
your clergy collar, tucked your notes inside
your pocket, grabbed your rainbow boa stole,
and headed out the door to the courthouse?
Oh, I said. That.
Well, that sounds like a good place to start
next Sunday’s sermon.
And, here we are.
To bring you up to speed on a continuing
story, I spoke last Sunday of being
launched into the unknown by the stranger
who showed up at Emmaus, at a table there,
and a table here, who helped me recognize
an inner courage to stand with and for people
whose Love had been put on hold by the U.S.
Supreme Court until they could rule on same-
sex marriage.
As I walked along Luck Avenue toward
the courthouse, my mind was full of wonders:
I wonder if anyone will show up; I wonder if
I’ll trip over my words; I wonder if some couples
will show up not having heard the news about
the stay on marriages being upheld…
I turned and walked up the narrow alley behind
Oakey’s Funeral Home, through the parking lot,
and with the Courthouse in front of me, could
see some press starting to gather. I saw a very
distinguished looking African-American clergy
standing nearby, and introducing ourselves,
learned that he respected me, yet differed in
his understanding of scriptural interpretation
on marriage.
Frank House and Edward Doss showed up,
and together raised and held a banner for
equality behind me.
And then, shaking a bit from nerves,
I began:
When we deny two people of the same sex
who love each other and are committed to
each other the right to marry, we are limiting
the power and nature of love.
Love isn’t defined by gender or sexual orientation.
Love isn’t defined by color of skin or body type.
Love isn’t defined by power or coercion.
Love isn’t defined by wealth or poverty.
Love is defined by the beautiful introduction of one soul
to another, drawn to the inherent goodness of the
other, with a passion to bring forth the best
qualities of that love in an intimate relationship.
Love doesn’t like being put on hold,
because Love has a greater purpose
and that purpose is linked with justice.
That day I felt the presence of the Shepherd
urging me to open a gate, which previously
had not only been closed, but leapt over by
thieves seeking to rob some people by limiting
their expression and commitment of deep,
abiding love.
The day and the days following were not without
Resistance – one friend shared that the press
Conference was covered by the Roanoke Times
and the Charlottesville paper, and the comments
were, well, very diverse – ranging from many in
Roanoke who were certain this was ushering
in the apocalypse and those in Charlottesville
which were supportive of not limiting Love.
It was for me, a close look inside our Good
Shepherd’s heart – a heart full of love for
ALL his sheep, a heart willing to inspire a
once timid shepherd to don a rainbow boa
stole and lead those I love into an abundant,
just life.
The Shepherd calls his sheep by name
and leads them out…that they may have
life and have it abundantly.
Shortly after I moved to Roanoke, while
meeting as many people as I could to learn
about this place and how I might create a
life here, I met a beautiful soul named
Ann Masters, who was then Director of
the Clean Valley Council. Ann was the kind
of person who took you in with her beautiful
smile and southern grace, and when we were
talking about our mutual faith and my recent
leaving from the United Methodist Church,
she ever so gently asked:
How is it with your heart?
My heart is tender.
As I held Sally’s hand following her surgery
on Wednesday, I thought of the countless
times I’ve been at bedsides
praying for healing and holding one of you
close.
As I dipped my hands into the holy waters
of our baptismal bowl, and baptized a
beloved soul on Thursday evening, I thought
of the sacred moments when we have
remembered together that we are God’s
beloved with whom God is well pleased.
As I opened the closet in my office and
began sifting through years of memories
and ministry together I thought about
all the closets we’ve opened up, emptied out,
aired out, and walked out of and into new
lives of authenticity.
As I heard the front door open and close,
I thought of all the people who have entered
this place shaking in fear, wondering if this
would finally be a place of welcome, and those,
for one reason or another, who have left this place
wrestling with anger toward something this
Shepherd said, or knowing somewhere within
that the Good Shepherd had brought them here
to tend to their hearts and prepare them for the
next season of their lives.
Jesus came to call us by name and lead us
out into new pastures, so that we can have
new life and have it abundantly.
While it may seem better to close the gates
around our grief and protect the tenderness
of our heart’s aching and longing, I am not inclined to
let any thief or bandit deter me or us from
following the Voice of the One who is leading
us into a new prayer for abundant living.
What does this abundant life look like?
In his book, Crossing the Unknown Sea, poet
David Whyte tells this story of a conversation
with a spiritual guide named Brother David.
Having wrestled and wrestled with what an
abundant life would look like in his own life,
and after exhausting himself with high-speed
busyness in search of it, he asked what he
thought was a simple question:
Tell me about exhaustion.
Brother David paused, then answered,
You know that the antidote to exhaustion
is not necessarily rest?
David repeated the question aloud, and
then asked: What is it, then?
The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness.
You are so tired through and through because
a good half of what you do here…has nothing to
do with your true powers, or the place you have
reached in your life. You are only half here, and
half here will kill you after a while. You need
something to which you can give your full
powers.
Living wholeheartedly is about courageously
and patiently giving attention to the ripening
of our authentic, spiritual, creative, loving
selves and living into the fullness of our powers
for good in this place and in this world.
And, it is always to be on the look out
for that which will seek to rob us of
wholeheartedness.
The Shepherd is calling us by name
and is leading us in to know that we are
loved, and leading us out…that we may have
life, abundantly.
Amen.