We
may have only a vague understanding of how sheepfolds work. We hear the
scriptures describe the Lord as a shepherd, and Jesus as the shepherd of the
sheep, but we don’t resonate with that. We do know that the blind man from
chapter 9 of John’s gospel has just entered the sheepfold. Jesus healed him
with mud and saliva. Following that, the formerly blind man teaches us how one
slowly comes to faith. At first, he knows only that Jesus has healed him. Then
he decides that he might call Jesus a prophet. Then he realizes that Jesus has
come from God. Finally, he declares, “Lord, I believe.”1 He
demonstrates that some people come to faith slowly, in baby steps. Some of us
need to hear that.
Along
the way, the healed man loses people who should have hung in there with him.
The neighbors can’t decide if he is the same blind man who had begged by the
road. The religious leaders interrogate him instead of celebrating his healing.
His parents don’t want to take a stand. Whatever community he once had seems to
have deserted him.
Even
if we know nothing about sheepfolds, we recognize that Jesus brings us into a
new community. Jesus welcomes the formerly blind man into the new community of
the church. He joins the flock. Jesus has healed him and led him to understand
and believe. He hears Jesus’ voice and follows. Jesus becomes the gate that
leads him to a new community.
We
may have known people for whom joining the church meant separation from family
and friends. People who make that kind of courageous decision can point out to
us that church becomes a new community. For most of us, though, joining the
church connects us to our family and friends. Either way, we hear in this
passage that joining the church puts us into a new community.
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