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THE 24-DAY MIRACLE #3
"ALL WE LIKE SHEEP"
Today's one of those radio days where Ken and I almost
want to put on one of those disclaimers you sometimes see on television.
"WARNING: do not try this in your own home. These are professionals."
Because the song we're going to feature from Handel's Messiah this Wednesday
is one of the toughest in the whole book. "All We Like Sheep Have
Gone Astray." Right up until the very end, this one really moves.
And then the ending moves too . . . but in a different way. You'll see
what I mean.
There's something very blunt and un-PC about the lyrics to this song,
but of course, we can't blame Mr. George Frederick Handel for the words.
They come from the pen of the prophet Isaiah, the 53rd chapter. Here's
all of verse 6:
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have turned every one of us to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on
Him [Christ] the iniquity of us all."
There's not a lot of "I'm OK — You're OK"
to be found here. No, writing under inspiration, Isaiah tells us: "We
are ALL lost." Every single one of us is like a sheep that's gone
astray.
You know, even people who walk in the paths of the Lord and preach Christian
truth on the radio can get to a place of some self-denial. We're sitting
in church; maybe we even work for the church. Life is good; we have a
steady marriage, good job, sound investments. And it seems like unreality
when the Bible says — or when a choir sings — "All we like sheep
have gone astray." But friend, this spiritual diagnosis is entirely
accurate. Every single citizen of this planet has wandered off course.
I have; you have. We all have.
In his autobiography, Just As I Am, Billy Graham tells about attending
a National Prayer Breakfast at the White House back in 1979. And Bishop
Sheen, the Catholic host of the TV program, Life Is Worth Living, was
the featured devotional speaker that day. He was retired by then, kind
of in a weakened condition, with cardiac problems. But he managed to make
his way up to the podium, very slowly, with Pastor Graham sending up some
prayers on his behalf. "God, help him get through this somehow."
Well, about ten seconds later, Billy Graham was almost sorry he'd prayed
that prayer. Because Bishop Sheen looked right over at President Jimmy
Carter and his wife Rosalynn. And he started out with these words: "Mr.
President . . . you are a sinner."
What?! Just like that? "Mr. President, you are a sinner"? Which,
of course, he is — but you don't say a thing like that. And the crowd
almost expected the Secret Service to walk right up and cart Bishop Sheen
away, or at least unplug his microphone. But the aging preacher continued.
"Yes, Mr. President, you're a sinner." And then he kind of looked
down. "And I am a sinner." And then to all of the dignitaries
and senators and reporters sitting there: "We are all sinners."
Billy Graham shares that by the next December Bishop Sheen had gone to
his rest, but no one there at the White House ever forgot that sermon.
And he was right. "All we like sheep have gone astray."
There are really two images we might have of sheep, and I guess as sinners
we find ourselves falling into both metaphors. Sheep, of course, follow
the leader. Where one sheep goes, they all go. And from a Scriptural perspective,
when one goes WRONG, they all do. That's really our topic for tomorrow,
"Since By Man" — one man, that is — "Came Death."
One man named Adam sinned, and we all followed him. One misstep sent an
entire planet reeling off course.
And yet there's another sense where each of us mindless little lambs goes
astray in our own foolish and flawed way. We find our own ditch to tumble
into. In fact, Line #2 from this verse is so terribly true. "We have
turned every one to his own way."
And really, from childhood, even from infancy, isn't that true? How many
of you who are parents have heard this coming from very young lips: "No,
I can do this my own self"? I can tie my own shoes; I can select
my own girlfriend; I can choose my own brand of motorcycle, pick my own
poison or drug of choice . . . and I can certainly chart my own destiny.
Really, every single person on this planet has looked up at heaven and
the Shepherd who dwells there, and said in the immortal words of Frank
Sinatra: "I'm going to do it my way. Don't bother trying to guide
me, because I'm going to turn to my own way. I'm an individualist, and
I'm going to do my own thing . . . just like all the other sheep on this
farm."
And friend, let me say again: this is our universal condition. You're
not exempt from it, and neither am I. We have all gone wrong, purposefully
going off on our own, down our own road. Which is the wrong road. Emily
Dickinson, the great American poet, would have celebrated her 167th birthday
today, December 12. And she writes about this universal dilemma, how each
of us is our own worst foe.
"The Soul unto itself Is an imperial friend
— OR the most agonizing Spy An Enemy could send."
So yes, it's universal. And what irony that here are
sheep who think they know better than the Shepherd! Friend, the sheep
never know better than the Shepherd — but we think we do. Until God confronts
us with this verse and this song, and we realize it: "Oh. I've gotten
lost. I AM on the wrong road."
But there's more than realizing, more than a warning fog horn provided
here. Friend, here just 13 days before Christmas, I'm eternally grateful
for the last line, the final climactic promise of this song.
"And the Lord hath laid on HIM [Jesus] the iniquity of us all."
What can we possibly say about that? Five billion lost
sheep on this planet; five billion rebellious wrong roads taken. Five
billion "turnings away." But God lays the totality of all of
that on Jesus instead. Every single one of us turned to our own way, but
Christ the forgiving Shepherd takes that wicked wandering upon Himself,
and bears the price of it for us. What a monumental, unfathomable gift,
at Christmas and forever.
Listen now to "All We Like Sheep," and whatever you do, stay
tuned right to the very end.
"All We Like Sheep" by the London Philharmonic
Choir. 4:07
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