Sunday School at 9 am | worship at 10 am

A Sheepish Tale

Once upon a time, there was a pack of wolves. Not just any pack of wolves, but the most vicious and deadly pack of wolves ever to roam the countryside. They had ruled the land unopposed for countless generations, chasing down the fastest of the rabbits, outsmarting the smartest of the foxes, bringing down the most majestic of the elk, laughing in the face of the grizzliest of the bears—why, they would even howl in defiance at the moon in the sky!

So it’s no surprise that the little sheepfold made them furious. It seemed to just appear one day, right there in the middle of the pack’s territory. At first they were thrilled. What could be easier than snatching up these tame, fat, spoiled, domesticated sheep? But, as they soon found out, these sheep are protected. They have a really Good Shepherd, and they’re not able to snatch a single sheep out of his hand, no matter how hard they try. The best they can do is frighten the sheep, which only makes them start bleating some old poem about “yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” So the wolves are furious. But then the alpha wolf comes to a realization: they need someone on the inside. And so they form a plan….

Months go by, and it seems like business as usual for the flock: grazing, shearing, walking beside still waters, lying down in green pastures. Until one day, the Shepherd’s servants, the under-shepherds, notice something alarming. A couple of the sheep have been saying some things that sound a bit… howlish. Maybe even growlish. The shepherds confront them, and of course these howlish, growlish sheep deny that they’re anything but sheep. “Haven’t we been a part of this flock for months now? Haven’t you seen us grazing and flocking and doing other sheepish things alongside the other sheep? Can’t you see that we’re covered in wool, like any sheep?”

Indeed, a good portion of the flock has been convinced that these howlish sheep are not only genuine sheep, but most noble and exemplary sheep—worthy leaders among the flock. Some have begun following them, learning to talk in their howlish ways and walk in their growlish ways. Others are simply confused; they’ve always thought that sheep don’t howl, but here are some prominent, well-respected sheep that are challenging that long-held assumption. And in the midst of it all, the shepherds are accused of being the enemy. “We’re all part of the same flock! Yet these shepherds are trying to divide us. They are only interested in having all the power and control for themselves.”

But what the servants of the Shepherd know is that they’re not all sheep. The howls and growls are more than just a new way of expressing sheepishness. The howl is the voice of a predator. The growl is the sound of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, seeking someone to devour. They know that wolves can only lead a sheep into destruction. They see the bite marks on some of the sheep already. If they want to seek the good of the flock, they must throw out the wolves, and they must fight to save the sheep who have been wandering into howlishness.

This obvious story might sound familiar to you. It might sound like many churches today. It also sounds like the church Jude describes in his short New Testament letter. In both cases we may find ourselves wondering, where is the Good Shepherd when all this is going on? Is He still able to protect His flock? Join us Sunday morning to hear the profound encouragement our Good Shepherd gives us in the little letter of Jude.