St. Mark: A Wayward Sheep Brought Home

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Yesterday the church not only celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday but she also remembered the Evangelist Mark. Mark’s story is one of a wayward sheep who was ultimately brought home, if we follow Church tradition. He was the rich man who came to Jesus asking the Lord what he must do to inherit eternal life. The sheep heard the voice of the Good Shepherd but wanted to show himself to be able to guide himself to the final destination. Jesus recited the 2^nd table of the Law to him, all those commands that can be summed up as love your neighbor as yourself. The man replies, “I have done all these since my youth.” Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.” The sheep went away sad, disheartened and sorrowful because he had great possessions.

The sheep went away from the Good Shepherd sad that day. The hook of the shepherd was used ever so gently to correct the sheep, but the sheep refused correction. “How difficult it is for anyone to enter the kingdom of God! With man it is impossible!” But the voice of the Good Shepherd kept echoing in his head, and the sheep knew it to be something he needed to hear, much like the prodigal son finally came to his senses. Mark didn’t go too far on his own but still stayed on the fringe. We also know Church tradition also holds that it was Mark who was around Jesus on the night of his betrayal ran away naked into the night. All the sheep were scattered that night as the Shepherd was struck.

But again, the words of Jesus the Good Shepherd kept coming back to Mark, they kept working in Him. Because Jesus looked upon him and loved him. And that Love did not end but continued to the end of Mark’s course in this life. Because after the resurrection of our Lord, it was the mother of Mark who had the upper room where the church gathered for the breaking of the bread and the prayers. Mark was there and became a companion of Barnabas and Paul for a time.

But like a sheep, when the way of missionary work got tough, Mark left their way. Sometimes for a sheep the grass looks greener elsewhere or at least the way seems easier and more pleasant. Mark fit that category of a sheep that needed continued correction and exhortation. And also, us. Jesus fulfilled the Law, yes, but He did not abolish it. He still speaks His Law ultimately in love that we repent and confess our sins and follow Him. The Law is still good for us to hear because we need to be reminded that we fail to love our neighbor as ourselves, and that we too have our pet gods that we hide away, gods we don’t even know we have until Jesus’ word calls us out. “Go and sell everything you have. Give to the poor.” Wealth and possessions, those were Mark’s god for a time. A more pleasant and easier life. That was Mark’s god at a later time. We have the same issues, when one idol falls, we are quick to pick up another. Perhaps for us it is the government who promises to take care of us until they don’t. Then it’s the money because we have that as well. Maybe its our family. We jump from idol to idol. We are sheep that have heard the Good Shepherd’s voice but need gentle correction again and again. This is not a one-time deal. Jesus continues to teach us and lead us that He is our God and we His people. And the best part of it is that He promises not to forsake us through it all. For He came and fulfilled all that we could not. He loved his neighbors perfectly for you and for me. He loved you by laying down his life for you.

We are the sheep for whom He came to lay down His life. Mark is the man Christ loved. He is a man of many for whom Christ died. And He speaks forgiveness to Mark and to you as well. He finds you in the pit of your sin and pulls you out of it. He brings you to repentance and faith in Him and leads you home.

Mark is a remarkable man in the New Testament, a good picture of our ourselves. He walked with Paul for a time and then again later after their reconciliation, and He also listened to and worked with Peter. It was from this time that Mark wrote the Gospel that bears his name. He put down on paper the words which Peter spoke for all the world to know. Perhaps His Gospel is meant when Paul calls for the parchments when he asks for Mark to be sent to him. We will never know. But we do know what Mark wrote he wrote that all would come know Jesus as he knew Him: This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark does not call him the Good Shepherd but you can see the image work well in Mark. Mark tells us that Jesus looked upon him with love, and we know Christ went out of His way to bring him into His pen of the Church. Christ our Lord has done the same for us. He came and sought us out and speaks in love to us now calling us to follow Him. His Words endure forever and His way is the only way that leads to everlasting life.

Let us give thanks to our Lord who has sought his oft wayward sheep and led them home. May we rejoice in the fact that our Lord continues to do the same for us now and keeps us steadfast in His Word and Way by giving us His Word and His Sacraments by which our faith may be strengthened along the way, firmly believing that by His provision and work at the cross, where He laid down his life, we will be saved.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO