“Feed My Sheep”

Luke 10:38; John 14, John 21

 

I was on a Senior High retreat several years ago

          And I asked the youth what Biblical topic

 they wanted to talk about.

          In typical teen age fashion they said they wanted

                   To talk about food in the Bible.

                             Little did they know that food and feeding people

 is a favorite topic in all of scriptures.

          From Adam and Eve eating in the Garden of Eden,

                   To the feeding of the Israelites with Manna,

                             To the feeding of the 5000 by Jesus and disciples

                   To Jesus eating breakfast with his disciples

                             After the Resurrection on the shore

                                      Of the Sea of Galilee.

 

It was even a commandment of Christ given three times

          “If you love me, feed my sheep.”

          “If you love me tend my lambs.”

          “If you love me feed my lambs.”

                    (Even the 10 Commandments were only given twice)

 

Despite what Jesus said to Martha when she was feeding Jesus

          He really does want us to feed each other.

                   It is our Christian duty and our privilege.

 

As we gather to remember one named Mary (Mary Newland)

          We are profoundly aware that she reflected both

the devotion of Mary to study at the feet of Jesus and

          the hospitality and feeding ministry of Martha.

 

Our Mary Newland was both a Bible student at Cherryvale

          And a regular cook in the church kitchen helping out

                   Wherever she was needed.

And as I sat with her children a couple days ago it was obvious

          That the Presbyterian Church at Cherryvale

 was not the only place that Mary took Jesus command

          to feed his sheep seriously.

 

Mary always has snacks- cookies and cool aid for the kids

          And so all the neighborhood kids would congregate

                   At the Mary’s house- “If you love me, tend my lambs.”

 

When Mary’s husband would be stationed overseas

          Mary would prepare care packages for him.

                   And when her children joined the service

                             Mary would send care packages to the children

                                      And to the other servicemen and women

                                                Who were stationed with them-

                                      “If you love me, feed my sheep.”

 

If there was any function at the church- wedding, funeral,

          Mary would be part of the group of women who would

                   Prepare a meal for people in the midst of mourning

                             Or celebration- “If you love me, feed my sheep.”

 

Mary’s family moved around quite a bit being in the Air Force,

     and that was hard for one who saw herself as a Cherryvale girl

                   Born and raised right her in town.

          They lived in England, Oregon, Washington so the friends and

                   the cities would change but the menu was always the same:

                             Pot Roast on Sunday, Hash on Monday and

                                      Hamburgers, Fried potatoes and chocolate pie

                                                On Thursdays.

          Sharing a meal was one of the ways that the family

                   Would stay close in the midst of all the changes

                             And it was one of the ways that Mary would care

                                      For her family and live out her faith.

 

Now Mary did get to settle in Cherryvale in 1969.

          When her husband died in 1982 she found comfort,

                   And community and a place to share her gifts of feeding

                             With people who liked to eat.

          She also found a place to study the Bible with friends

                   And grow in her faith.

          We have three of her Bibles and there are so many places

                   That are book marked that it is hard to narrow down

 a favorite passage but the one place in all three Bibles

          that had a book mark was the 23rd Psalm.

 

And I believe that Psalm testifies to Mary’s faith.

          The Psalm tells us that where ever we go God is there

                   To lead us, to comfort us, and to prepare a place of us

 

In her life Mary was the one who prepared a table for her family,

          She and her husband were the one who would find and prepare

                   A home for their family wherever they would go

                             Until finally they settled in Cherryvale,

                                      Home at last.

          But even Mary’s Cherryvale home was temporary because

                   God has now prepared a home for Mary

                             A home made not with hands but eternal in the heavens

          And God has prepared a place for Mary to eat at the

                   Banquet table in the Kingdom of God.

 

And we have gathered to remember her life and ministry among us

          And to give thanks for that good life that touched us

                   As her family, her friends, her brothers and sisters in faith

                             And fellow children of God.

Let us remember that the God who calls us to feed each other in Christ

          Is the same God who cares for us not only in this life but

                   In life eternal.

Let us feast on these words of Christ as we remember one who took seriously and joyfully the commandment of God to feed his sheep. Amen