that all your people may be gathered

In the movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” Arthur King of the Britons goes around on his mock horse, clip-clop, clip-clop, announcing “I am Arthur King of the Britons” –  it’s blatant self-heralding.

What a way to build a kingdom. What a way to gather a people.

It doesn’t work of course. Most people respond something like

[jeering] “Oh yeah?”

And one group goes so far as to respond to his announcement in an even more subversive manner…

“I am Arthur, King of the Britons.”

“I don’t know we had a king. I thought we were an autonomous collective.”

Jesus was not a self-heralding king. In fact, by some accounts, he shushed up all business about himself as much as he could.

But the word got out.

The kingdom, that is, the reign, of God, is at hand. It’s time to get ready.

That kingdom is shalom, the peace of God.

What would it be like to live in peace, God’s peace? How would you get there? What would it look like?

To reach God’s shalom,

         justice and righteousness must be established.

To live in safety,

         the fear of death must be removed.

As a shepherd,

         beholding lost sheep, scattered over distant hills, 

Jesus regards with compassion

         the people who have come out to seek him

         in a deserted place

Powered by faith alone.

Send them away, the disciples said,

         so they can buy for themselves

         something to eat.

No, you feed them.

How shall we feed so many?

He had them group themselves for the meal

         organized like Moses’ flock into hundreds and fifties

         into impromptu households

                  like the people fleeing Pharaoh on that first Passover

Giving thanks

         he broke the bread

         telling them

                  this is my own body

Giving thanks – but who has seen him?

When you fed me, gave me drink, clothed me, visited me,

         then you saw me

And so John can testify

         we proclaim to you

         what we have heard,

         what we have seen with our eyes,

         what we have looked at

         and touched with our hands,

(1 John 1:1)

So Jesus host of the sacred meal

         gives thanks

         as Israel always had

                  Blessed be thou O Lord our God,

                  king of the universe,

                  who brings forth bread from the earth

From the earth

         he feeds God’s people

Taking up the resources of creation

         what they had

         what they brought

         blessing it

         revealing its transformative power

When shared

         no longer victims

         they are God’s people once again set free

Like the first Passover

Like the bread in the wilderness, bread from heaven,

once again God feeds them

         with the food he provides

once again

         as with the binding of Isaac

         God himself provides the offering

Jesus

         like a shepherd

         comforts

         feeds his people

         calms their fears

and goes on

         teaching

         healing

         moving among the people

Our shepherd

         gathers us in

         transforms us with his word

                  and his self-gift of the meal

         sends us out again

                  as his messengers

                  his disciples

         to bear Jesus

                  his word

         into the world.

Jeremiah assures the people of Israel that their true shepherds are coming, sent by the Lord. The word to the unfaithful shepherds, leaders who have failed to look after the people and be their guides: you will be called to account.

To the people God’s assurance:

         I will gather, I will bring back, my people

         They will be well and increase

         I will give them shepherds

                  true leaders

         they shall be safe

                  and not afraid

The letter to the Ephesians proclaims that

         we will all become one flock under one shepherd.

         Hostility between peoples is broken down.

         All are gathered around God’s table.

         Nobody is left out, any more.

We are reconciled in Christ

         and through his cross

we are made one people

         in him.

We are all members of his household.

There is a banquet

         not like the dinner party Herod threw for his own birthday

         a heaven-sent banquet

                  not just for the prominent or the select

         all are at the table

                  this time

         the table that is the kingdom feast of God.

But can we do enough?

Are the resources we have enough for God to work with?

And who will come,

         if we extend the invitation? God knows!

When you open the doors,

         who knows who will come in,

         who God will send.

We find out, a bit, simply enough:

         God keeps sending us people,

         like the people of Edmonds,

                  Mountlake Terrace, North Seattle, …

God keeps sending us the

         familiar stranger

as well as the

         heroically Other.

Whoever God sends us,

         God calls us to be faithful

         in serving

                  as his messengers, his disciples, his friends.

We are no longer strangers – but remember (God says),

         you were a stranger once;

         know you who are a member of the household,

         a citizen numbered with the saints,

know to be prepared

         to become one great people of glory

         to be built into a dwelling place

         for – not ourselves –

         for God.

Risen Christ,

faithful shepherd of your Father’s sheep:

teach us to hear your voice

and to follow your command,

that all your people may be gathered into one flock,

to the glory of God the Father.

Closing prayer from Common Worship (http://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-worship/worship/texts.aspx)
Notes for a sermon to be given Sunday 22 July 2012 at Saint Alban's Episcopal Church, Edmonds, Wash. (stalbansedmonds.org)
Jeremiah 23:1-6, Psalm 23, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, Mark 6:53-56, BProper11, Shepherd, Shepherd King, JRL+