SERMON "The Good Shepherd.”
Do any of you know the sweet little Children’s Book by Margaret Wise Brown called “The Runaway Bunny.”
It is a sweet story about a little bunny who dreams about running away from home, only to find “home” wherever he ends up.
His mommy does not stop him from running away, but she does not leave him either. When he climbs a tree, the tree is in the shape of Mommy.
When he travels the ocean, the wind is the shape of Mommy.
When he joins the circus, the trapeze artis is shaped like Mommy.
Finally, Bunny gets to point. “Aw, shucks, @ he says, “I might just as well stay home and be your little bunny.” Which he does.
It is a sweet story for smaller hcildren, being reassured in a parents love and protection, but as adolescent and adult readers, we might thin it is a little too protective and clingy. Most of us do actually encourage our children to grow up, journey out and not to stay home after they have turned 35!
However, the image of a runaway bunny or a sheep to resonate with the biblical readings this morning.
Whether we are bunnies, sheep, or people, we cannot run away from God. God is our home, and as the apostles Paul reminds us “nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord… neither death nor life. Nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation.” But as the story about the little runaway bunny might feel a little unnerving with this ever present, conforming mommy shape that the little bunny can not escape and thus just sighs and stays home as a little bunny – the images of God as a good shepherd, and as a ever present power, should feel empowering and encouraging to dare to embrace this life.
The first reading this Confirmation Sunday – the beautiful, beloved and poetic Psalm 23 “The Lord is my Shepherd.” and many of us know the words of this beautiful and beloved old Psalm.
The Lord is My Shepherd is an old Psalm or religious poem filled with beautiful images and poetic reflections.
Together with the Gospel according to John that you just heard, - the beloved old Psalm 23 offer us several images of God as home and as a good shepherd. God is both shepherd and host, pasture and valley, mansion and fortress, still water and open gate. God is the good voice and the faithful protector. Whatever the circumstances of our lives, God is with us: in peace, in war, in hope, in fear, in life, in death, in joy, in suffering. Not as a suffocating mommy, but as a faithful encouraging Sheperd we may trust.
This is good to hear on this Confirmation Sunday, when we celebrate 10 fantastic youngsters on their way in life, - and making an important stop here in church to confirm their faith, to strengthen their hope and show their love for family, friends, for community and fellowship, for belonging in this fold, this church and this faith.
The Good Shepherd has a shepherd’s staff which has two useful ends: a crook for drawing the sheep away from danger, and a blunt end for prodding them toward places they would rather not go.
A good shepherd both protects and agitates as needed, both gather in for shelter and leads out to graze in new pastures. An so it is with God, the Gods Shepherd who draws us in to hold us, but also relentlessly pursues us and challenges us to go where we would rather not go, where we might fear to go: the good shepherd challenges us not just to stay home safe and sound in our place of comfort and compliance.
A good Shepherd protects and encourages to dare: a good shepherd is trustworthy, faithful and caring.
Although the images of shepherd and sheep wind their way through the Bible, they might be difficult images for us as modern contempory people to embrace.
Not only are most of us on this continent far removed from the practices of shepherding: we do not meet many shepherds in the rolling hills of southern California, do we?
And the image we also believe has a negative connotation: to describe someone as a sheep, in 2024, is an insult. We really do not like being compared to stupid bahiing sheep that simply follow the crowd without questions, and who expect someone else to take care of them. We want to be independent, self-reliable, brave and free.
But if we get upset and simply dismiss the images of shepherd and sheep on this account, then we are missing the point.
It is all about trust. It is all about relations. It is all about belonging.
The Good Shepherd protects, calls and embraces. But the Good Shepherd also challenges, pushes and encourages.
‘I am the good shepherd, “Jesus said,” I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father know me. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”
Faith is trust. Hope is trust. Love is trust.
Trusting that God is with us through the darkest days and the brightest Sunday like today.
Trusting that we are not alone in this big life: that God is with us and urges us to live in relation and trust with others.
Trusting that life is bigger than what our senses tell us, and our knowledge proves. Trusting that love is the greatest force of all – that moves us, strengthens us, sustains us and lifts us.
Faith is trust that God is a Good Sheperd, who stays, who protects, who challenges us to do better and more; and not just stay idle in the green pastures but pursue other pastures and share all of this with our fellow brothers and sisters.
Trust is faith.
Trust empowers us.
Trust makes us meet each other and the world with open hearts and minds.
Trust is the opposite of fear. And God wants us to meet each other and the word with trust.
Today we confirm our trust in God as a good shepherd; and we pray that God as the good shepherd will guide, call, protect and follow the confirmand and all of us today and all the days to come. AMEN
CONFIRMATION CEREMONY
Speech to the Confirmands
Dear Confirmands: dear Cecile, August, Julie, Denis, Maya, Alexander, Emily, Kay, Tempest and Jonas.
Dear family and friends.
Today is the day! Today is your day.
We greet you with the utmost love and care. You look beautiful and handsome. You look a little bit nervous too. So, relax. Enjoy the day and this moment.
You walked into the church and to confirmation classes in November – and we have met here in church, on Zoom and at a very cozy Confirmation Camp. It is always a little bit scary to start confirmation class, as you do not know each other beforehand. You come from every corner of Southern California and even Texas. But it is always a joy to witness how you meet each other in confirmation classes and very quickly build bonds and make friendships. You trust that even if you are different individuals, you belong here: a group of confirmands, as youngsters on their way, as youngsters gradually leaving childhood behind and trying to embrace the path of adolescence.
And at the same time, your parents are also gradually leaving behind the time of your childhood – and trying their best to embrace the new reality with teenagers, independence, debates, and conflicts. A fascinating time of change, but also challenging.
Do not be too hard on your parents – they are doing their best.
So, for a moment, look at your parents. Not with a sigh and rolling eyes, but with tenderness and love – they brought you into this world, they cared for you, carried you, walked with you, protected you… but most importantly they loved you and still do. Whisper a grateful thank you today for those who carried and loved you. Remember this day and that they were here with you.
Do not be too hard on your parents, - and do not be too hard on yourselves either.
Life is a tough balance act. Life as a teenager is a wonderful time of change but also a scary time of change. So, do not be too hard on yourselves. Believe in yourself. Believe that you are loved and worthy. Believe that you have a voice, a place and a time.
Life can be a tough balance act. Trying to walk the line, find the right path and do the right thing.
Linedancer/tightrope walker is a beautiful song written for a confirmand on his way.
Life, my dear, is like a tightrope.
Stretched before your feet.
Life will lift you.
It is a gift you must climb up to meet.
You will have to venture out upon your own life’s rope.
The first step is the hardest one.
Trust and love and hope!
Leave what drags you down behind you. look upwards, and one fine day from afar.
You will find you can dance with a shooting star.
This is not just a song to the confirmands but to all of us regardless of age, gender, nationality, religion, or political observations.
Life is about choosing, what to do and what not. Life is about daring to walk the line, daring to be present in the moment, daring to take chances, meet challenges and most importantly believe that life is good, relationships are fundamental and faith in tomorrow, in each other and in God is what give you balance on the line of life. Life is choosing to live in trust.
Life is a journey that may take you places and to situation you had not planned. But what you can plan is what you build your choices on, which values you meet the world with. If you meet the world in trust or in fear.
You have all chosen to be here today.
You have chosen to confirm your faith.
You have chosen a Confirmation Word to be your word on your way forward. As a light. As a beacon. As a guide:
1. For nothing will be impossible for God
2. Behold, I am with you always to the end of age.
3. Be merciful: forgive and give.
4. You are the light of the world…. Let your light shine before others.
5. As you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
6. Overcome evil with good.
7. Love bears all things and endures all things.
These are the finest beacons and leading stars for your lives and paths ahead.
So, here is a small card for you. Keep it close to heart. Be loved. Be kind. Be You.
Dear 10 – I enjoyed our time together. I enjoyed our talks. I have enjoyed giving you a time and a place to ponder and wonder upon this amazing life of ours embraced by a loving God.
Today you confirm your faith. Today God confirms his faith in you as his beloved children.
So be brave, humble, kind and courageous.
Be good and be a good neighbor.
Embrace life. Extend grace and love without fear.
Always let your light shine in a world that too often is filled with darkness.
Put your imprint on this church, this time and this world. Go and be the light of the world.
Congratulations. Tillykke. You fantastic 10 young ones, we wish you long and strong lives!
Disse fire smukke unge mennesker, gid I laenge leve maa!
Amen