Title:- SERMON: JOHN 10:1-10;

Very truly I tell you, anyone who enters the sheepfold not by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a brigand. The fold is where the sheep feel safe at night, they feel protected from wild animals that want to attack them. And they know that in the morning their shepherd will come and open the gate and lead them out to the pastures, that is, their land of abundance.

In this current pandemic, this country is cracking under the pressure created by this crisis. When I went shopping just after the emergency measures were applied. I duly lined up at 07:00 a.m., for my age group, outside my local supermarket, keeping my social distance. And as soon as the store opened I went straight to the paper goods aisle. Apparently so did everyone else, the people ahead of me were taking 3-4 packages of t.p... So although I needed only one package I took two; the same with the eggs, there were three left, so I took two; and the bagels, I needed two packs but took the last three packs.

There is a term for this condition, it is called psychosis, a mental disorder where the thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with the external reality. How can we be so impaired? We live in a land with an excellent medical service, an outstanding food distribution system, and farmers who grow more food than we need. For instance, last year, 2019, the American farmers produced, on average, 176 bushels of corn per acre. That is one more bushel than is required to feed the whole world.

Yes, we truly live in a land of abundance. An outstanding medical system and all of this is protected by the best military service in the world. Yes, we truly live in a fold protected from most, if not all, the dangers of the world. But none the less, in this land of abundance why are we panicking. Jesus said,…” I am the gate whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Today, in this country, which is our fold, which is filled with abundance, yet we are like lost sheep with no shepherd. When we should be feeling safe and secure. In this very challenging time, we are insecure, disorderly, and very self-serving.

Why?
Because we are led by, as Jesus called them thieves and brigands. Yes, we are served by very self-serving individuals. They recently announced a $2.2 trillion rescue package for the U.S. economy. However, our neighbor to the north, Canada, did the same thing for $79 billion. Since their population is one-fifth of ours, obviously, our rescue package should have cost less than $400 billion. So where is the rest of the $2.2 trillion going? According to a published independent analysis by a private organization, the rest of the $2.2 trillion is going to rich organizations, corporations, and individuals to write off business losses going back two years. Yet the COVID 19 pandemic only arrived in this country in January 2020.

Yet our front line medical personnel are struggling to acquire the proper equipment and protective clothing to treat the patients safely. We are now told our food supply chain is breaking. Why? Not because the farmers cannot produce the food but because the processing plants cannot procure the proper PPE supplies or establish a safe working environment for their employees. Aren’t the government's FDA inspectors supposed to ensure safe working conditions? The employees, often immigrants, are paid low wages and often live in very crowded conditions where they cannot socially distance themselves from other workers. Furthermore, they carpool to travel to and from work. Once again, our leaders, collectively, have failed to provide the leadership either in the food chain or the medical fields to ensure adequate medical supplies or food. Hence, the induced mental condition called psychosis.

But remember, “to God goes the glory”

As you see in the fact that the American farmers are overproducing, God does provide. If we follow the way of Christ, he does lead us to a life of abundance. No matter how these brigands and thieves can corrupt our natural resources and natural abilities. And who are these brigands and thieves? They were around during the time of Jesus, they were then called “messianic pretenders,” our present-day leaders act, expecting all the glory to go to them. Their sycophantic followers who themselves are business leaders, line up to glorify them when they stand at the same podium. But even then the sheep did not follow them. No, because then as now we know who the real shepherd is, he clearly tells us that if we continue to listen to Jesus, the son of God, pray our prayers, serve those of the least, who will always be amongst us, thanks to the brigands and thieves. Then and only then, will we not only have a life but life with abundance

Remember, still, “to God goes the glory”.

Our abundance is not measured in dollars and cents, but in answered prayers and thanksgiving for guarding, guiding, and protecting us and all the poor, sick, and suffering. We do know the voice of our shepherd as we thank God for being the reason for the season, this season of everlasting abundance.