Bible Text: Matthew 25:31-46 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes
If you have ever visited Victoria you have likely driven through, stopped at or seen Beacon Hill Park. It is a large 200 acre park between the downtown core and the ocean. Perhaps you’ve walked among the various duck ponds or fed the peacocks. One of its greatest features is the petting zoo. Families are invited to come and pet donkeys, sheep and cows, but the highlight is the goat enclosure where miniature goats will jump up, on or around you, and you are invited to brush and cuddle said goats. Admittedly Mike and I were often the only adults in the goat enclosure not accompanied by children. However, the best time to visit the petting zoo is just before 5pm when the zoo is preparing to close, when they must get the small herd of goats from the enclosure to their barn. Any member of the public still in the zoo is invited to line the walkway between the two locations and then they are instructed to clap. As soon as the gate to the enclosure is opened the herd stampedes and our cheers keep them on the right track. No matter your age seeing a stampede of miniature goats is hilarious. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Lt1jhG1mcU). To be perfectly honest, if our strata allowed it we would have a few goats to keep us company. There is just something joyful about them. Which is one of the abundant of reasons why I am challenged by the passage in Matthew 25, to say nothing of the fact that it reminds me that I have ignored those in need on numerous occasions. It was important for me to dig deeper and find out why Jesus separates the sheep and the goats. Placing the sheep on his right and upholding them for their behaviour and placing the goats on his left and protesting their ignorance. What does Jesus have against cute little goats?
Well, in North America sheep and goats are easy to differentiate, both are cute and cuddly but sheep are woolly and goats are not. However, in the ancient Middle East, and still in parts of Africa today, sheep and goats were almost identical. In fact, most average people can’t differentiate between the two and sheep and goats often mingle together in the same herd. In Jesus’ day mixed flocks were not unique, therefore this passage would speak to the experiences and knowledge of the original audience. Shepherds needed to separate them at night because sheep were more valuable, and they preferred to be out in the open at night but goats needed to be brought in and kept warm since their wool was a lighter texture. But outward appearances aside, that is where similar traits seems to end. While it is clear from the parable that sheep and goats are not the main theme, it does remind us that this parable is teaching us about conformity. Being part of the herd isn’t the only thing that is required of us. Author Heather Disher points out, “There is something that only our Shepherd can see in us, and that unseen thing tells God whether we are sheep or goats. It determines whether God sorts us to the left or the right.”
We all know that sheep have a reputation of being less than bright; perhaps you have heard the term dumb as sheep. But you might recall a sermon some months ago in which I described some of the more clever attributes of a sheep. They aren’t all that dumb but they are helpless. You may not know this but there is a flock of big feral sheep on Lasqueti Island. It can be quite startling when you are walking along one of the quiet roads and all of a sudden these large, matted, sheep come strolling out of the woods. But these aren’t your average sheep. They are not helpless because there are no predators on Lasqueti; in the real world there are all kinds of beasts, difficulties and compromising situations that a sheep can get into. Sheep need a shepherd for survival. Goats, however, while also being portrayed as rather stupid, have a reputation of being independent and curious, even dangerous and destructive. Most goats would rebel against being led. Even the Ministry of Defence knows that if you want to rid an area of weeds it’s best to get a herd of goats because within days nothing will be left. Again Heather Disher says it best, “Shepherds protect sheep from their environment, whereas goatherds protect the environment from their goats.” Now perhaps you are thinking I’ve taken this theme a little far, by getting stuck on this discrimination against goats I have lost the point of the parable. This is Reign of Christ Sunday after all!
Hopefully, here’s where you can see the link. The Gospel passage has echoes of Old Testament passages in which God is the judge of the nations. However, the key change is that in Matthew the authority and kingship now belongs to Jesus, the servant or shepherd king. In my ordination vows, and the vows that all the elders take it states, “All ministries of the Church proceed from and are sustained by the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Prophet, Priest and King… The Presbyterian Church in Canada is bound only to Jesus Christ, the Church’s King and Head” Before any other loyalty, before our commitments to country and Queen, Christ is above it all and what a blessing it is because this is no ordinary king. Jesus’ reign and judgment is compared to a shepherd separating sheep and goats. Then, just as it is today, Christ’s assertion that he is a shepherd king, would have seen ridiculous. No king, ruler or judge would ever stoop so low as to get themselves dirty in a pen. But then when Christ points out that he is present in the needy stranger it takes everyone by surprise. Both the sheep or righteous and the goats or unrighteous are caught off guard. Neither group expected that Jesus was among the hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, prisoner. The sheep weren’t serving those in need because they were serving Christ but because they were serving. They sought to help because they saw a need for it. We don’t serve others because we might be serving Christ but because Christ served us. But this parable also points out that the reign of Christ takes people, all people, by surprise.
Have you ever noticed that in images or movies about shepherds or goatherds that sheep are always led by the shepherd whereas goats are always followed by the goatherd? Like sheep, we must rely on our shepherd, we must place our dependence on him. We all want to be independent- go our own way- lead our own flock of one- it is likely why I like goats so much. But sheep follow the voice of their shepherd and trust said shepherd to provide for their needs. Are we being led, allowing God’s Spirit to pull us in the right direction, or are we so headstrong that we are going our own way? This is a question for our personal lives as much as our church. Do we act as though we are bound only to Jesus Christ? Or are we easily distracted by other loyalties?
Are there needs within the community that we are too disobedient to see? How do we put Christ’s words into action?
The celebration of Christ the king is not an old tradition. It was in fact authorized by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as a reaction to the rise of authoritarian regimes in Europe. “The aim was to celebrate the all-embracing authority of Christ which leads people to seek the peace of Christ.” Goats are adorable but too many of us, too many world leaders, too many corporations are goats- only pursuing what we want. On this reign of Christ Sunday see how we can be more like sheep, vulnerable, serving when we have the resources to serve and being served when we are in need, relying on one another and most importantly dependent on Christ our king. Amen