One of the television networks has been airing a provocative promotion in order to catch our attention and make sure we tune in: "For only the third time in the history of our country ...." Now that is an attention grabber. And it's going to happen this week! I know you'll tune in because it will be almost impossible to tune out. "For only the third time in the history of our country, the Pope will visit America." First it was Paul VI, and then John Paul II, and in the coming days, Benedict XVI. The cover of the current issue of Time magazine features the Pope in profile. When I first glanced at the cover it looked like the profile of George Washington, the Father of our Country. A closer look and sure enough: Pope Benedict. For the coming days he is the Holy Father in our country. The Holy Father for 1.1 billion Roman Catholics throughout the world. Can you imagine? 1.1 billion people looking to Benedict as their spiritual guide, their shepherd - leading them into a closer relationship with Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

But the image I want to hold up this morning is not Jesus as Good Shepherd, although I am very fond of that image. Rather, and I'm going to use the King James translation here, I want to highlight the words of Jesus, "I am the door for the sheep." He is telling anyone willing to listen, "You want to harm my sheep? You first have to deal with me." This was not a threat aimed at the thieves and the wolves. This was a promise for the sake of the lambs and the sheep. In contemporary terms we might promise a friend, "I've got your back," meaning, "Nobody can sneak up behind you to harm you." Jesus says very simply, "I am the door." And two-thousand years later, two billion-plus people, including 1.1 billion of our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, two billion-plus people derive their core identity from Jesus Christ, who is the Door. The Open Door leading to a more abundant life in this realm - and everlasting life in the next.

We've all encountered signs on various doors. "Stop." "Keep out." "No admittance." Jesus is not like any of these doors. Jesus is the polar opposite. Rather than a barrier and a persistent "keep out," Jesus is a living door, a talking door, a speaking door who invites, "Welcome. Won't you please come in? Won't you come into my Father's house? Won't you come into my Father's love? Does not matter who you are. It does not matter what you've done. I am not a scorekeeper; I am a doorkeeper. I am the way, and the truth, and the life. I am the Door."

Now, if Jesus is the Door to the sheep, what a pleasure to be a part of that flock. I belong to Jesus, and so do you! I am a Door man, and gender aside, so are you! We are a part of a community with Jesus as our Door. The Door is closed to those who wish to harm the community. The Door is open, wide open, to those who wish to join the community.

In the days of Jesus (and even now in the Middle East), shepherds out in the hills simply pile up rock in a circle and leave an entranceway about three-feet wide. On top of the rocks, the shepherd would place brambles to keep the sheep well-protected from predators: those on two legs (poachers and thieves); and those on four legs (coyotes and wolves). At night, the shepherd does not pile more rocks at the entranceway - the shepherd himself becomes the door. With a bed of hay and a blanket, the shepherd lays down and becomes the door. And wouldn't Jesus feel right at home, asleep on the hay? "Wanna harm my sheep?" says the shepherd. "Those gathered in this community? First, you gotta get by me!"

In this community called church, in the name of Jesus, we want to work together to make this a safe place to let down our wool, as it were. We can make our mistakes; we can disagree, and sometimes loudly so; but still we are enfolded, one with another. In our First Reading this morning we sneak a peek through the window into the early church. It is merely months beyond Easter and all the believers were getting together and sharing everything they had with one another. They spent time together in worship each day at the temple and then they would all go to somebody's house and break bread with "glad and generous hearts." This is how the author puts it, "With glad and generous hearts." No wonder the church of Jesus was growing. No wonder that "the Lord added to their number those who were being saved." Praise the Lord each day and pass the bread each evening. The early church was one, small, happy family.

But as the church got larger and more and more people got added to the fold, things went less and less smoothly. Human nature. The more people you have the more opinions are held. Disagreements arise and dissension occurs. Sheep who love the Door, the Lord Jesus, sometimes find it difficult to love one another. I've seen it here. We have an ideal vision of what the church should be and sometimes we find ourselves being less than loving or understanding of one another. If you see this happening, please - you must stand up in the midst of this flock and say, "Will somebody please get the Door!" Aha ... the Door. Of course, the Shepherd. the Door. After all, we are here, you and I, due to the Door.

This has always been my intent as a pastor and the thrust of my preaching. I am trying to show you the Door. I'm a Doorman, and proud of it. It's the prayer of every pastor that each Christian take upon herself or himself that same job description ... attempting to mirror God's love, and in so doing, trying to show others the Door.

This morning at Grace, through the waters of Baptism, our Good Shepherd reaches into the flock and gently picks up Maxwell. A very familiar image of Jesus is that of Shepherd, with a lamb held ever so close to his bosom. Imagine the image this morning, with Maxwell as a lamb in the arms of the Shepherd. We have had so many recent Baptisms at Grace that last week one of our members said to me, "All these Baptisms; there must be something in the water." It was unintentional, I think, but what a wonderful pun: "so many Baptisms that there must be something in the water." And this morning it is Maxwell's turn, as his Mom and Dad and older brother lead him beside the still waters. And we pray that throughout Maxwell's life, goodness and mercy shall pursue him! So many Baptisms; so many lambs. No need to worry about the future of this church! And then we look to that future, where God contiues to raise up leaders like Elizabeth Bauerlein willing to guide the lambs. For sure, no need to worry about the future of this church! And what happens here happens throughout the world among our two-billion-plus brothers and sisters in Christ.

In fact, on this Good Shepherd Sunday, this Old Goat doesn't worry about any one of us. It is the Shepherd's own doing that goodness and mercy shall follow us throughout the days of our lives. And beyond? Well, it is the Good Shepherd's own promise that indeed, we shall dwell in the house of the Lord - forever! All due to the Door.