Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are the sheep of his flock. He gathers us into the sheepfold and protects us from robbers and wolves. This is a very beautiful way to describe the relationship we have with Jesus. As the Good Shepherd, he lays down his life in order that the sheep might live. He died on the cross so that we might be saved.

In today�fs Gospel lesson there is a different picture of Jesus. He says, (vs.34) �gO Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!�h Have you ever thought of God as being a mother chicken who takes her baby chicks under her wings to protect them? The chicks can be running around the yard, but when danger comes, she clucks and clucks to them to run under her wings and hide in her feathers. She will use her sharp beak to ward off any cat or dog that gets close. Birds can be fierce when protecting their young. I�fve been attacked by both crows and sea-gulls when I�fve gotten too close to their nesting areas. The birds come swooping down, threatening with their sharp, screeching beaks and sharp claws. I get out of the area fast. Mother chickens are just as protective. That is the way that Jesus will protect us, too. We are his chicks, his precious children.

But there is a problem. Little chicks like to wander around. They don�ft want to stay under the wings of their mother. They are the original meaning of the old expression; they want to �gget out from under their mother�fs wings.�h Little chicks have a big world to explore, they want to see what a cat looks like, and they want to try fighting on their own. They are just like us. Sometimes we might feel smothered under the protective wings of Jesus, we feel that his laws and regulations and commandments are preventing us from enjoying the world. The church is just a clucking hen trying to suffocate us. We are like what Jesus said about the city of Jerusalem,

Perhaps the reason Jesus compared himself to a hen protecting her chicks, was because he had called Herod a �gfox.�h The really dangerous wild animals in Palestine in the time of Jesus were the lion, bear, and wolf. Herod is only like a fox, he is not a big political player, but he could still be vicious. A fox is wild. It can do damage. There is the old expression, �gto be like a fox in the henhouse.�h If a fox gets into the chicken coop, it can kill dozens of birds, just for the excitement of killing, and not even eating any of the birds. Herod is that sort of wanton killer. So, in the face of Herod the Fox, Jesus will be like the Hen that gathers her chicks under her wings. Even if the fox attacks the hen and kills her, the chicks are protected under her body and are safe. Herod wanted to kill Jesus. Later he will let that be done by Pilate. Jesus will be killed on the cross. But we who have found shelter under his outstretched arms will be safe.

It wasn�ft really Herod or even Pilate or the Jews who had Jesus killed. It was Satan. He thought Jesus was easy prey, just a �gsitting duck.�h But Jesus was the Sacrifice that arose from the dead on the third day. He arose to bring healing and life to those who believe in him.

When Jesus calls us, let�fs go under his protective wing. The soft feathers are his love and grace. Where is you hiding place? The church, the Bible, friends, prayer?

Finally, as a footnote, I wonder if this could add new meaning to Easter eggs. We are the eggs. We are the chicks that are given new life in the resurrection of Jesus. We are gathered into the basket, like being gathered into the Kingdom of God.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church