Confirmation

Confirmation a rite of passage, an action of adulthood. A step to join with the fellowship of believers.
Not a action the is to be forced, but one that the young person willingly accepts as their own.

I come her this day not lightly to join with the fellowship of believers to declare myself as part of the body of Christ. I come this day of my own free will accepting this role, and claiming the name Christian publicly.

Today the membership will grow
Its not just about numbers
Today the confirmation class seeks to become members
Its more than just membership
Today these young people, publicly claim the name Christian for themselves
Yes! Now that's what it is all about! Thanks be to God.

Pruning

Pruning what do you prune what do you leave. I was devastated when someone told me that my favorite flower, a sunflower was a weed. Weeding is a difficult thing in the plant world as well as in our world. Layoffs are some sort of pruning are they not. May be not a positive pruning but still yet a pruning.

shepherds and hired hands

This is an adaptation of an exercise that I learned in my recent continuing ed class the Poetic Nature of Preaching

Shepherd shepherd sheep herder protector wolf avoided wolf fear sheep goats lost crook protect 99 and one hired hands no commitments

Hired hand what commitment to they have to they care if all the work is done well propbaly yes because if they don't do the work they wont get the pay. Does money increase our loyalty does it make us feel like we need to take a bullet for the job or does it mean that we can hit the road. In this case are we willing to take a wolf bite for the pack? Pay often means there is follow through on our parts.
But Jesus as our Shepherd guides us protects us just because. Not because of anything we did but because of grace
The hired hand does not own the sheep will leave the sheep and run away. But the shepherd has ownership and will protect the sheep. Not simply abandon the sheep and run away. When the hired hand runs the wolf will snatch them and send them in all sorts of directions. The hired hand does not save the sheep because when push comes to shove the hired hand has no concern for the well being of the sheep so simply runs away. Jesus is the good shepherd one who has concern for the well being of the sheep. So who is the sheep? Who are included in the fold and who are excluded from the fold? So Jesus' own know him and he knows them. How can we be sure that we are known by God? What proof do we have that we are included into the fold. Jesus also says that he has other sheep but they are not in his fold. Why are they not in his fold? Does Jesus exclude them or is it there choice not to be in Jesus' fold? Jesus speaks how he must bring them into the fold and then they will hear his voice and know his voice. God our creator loves Jesus because Jesus lays his life for each and everyone of us. Jesus is in control when to lay his life down and when to pick it up again.