Peter Drucker was one of the great management consultants the Business World has ever known.  He had the ability to see clearly right to the heart of a company and help its leaders better understand themselves and how to succeed.  He was able to do this not so much by talking, but by asking many, many questions.  In addition, he was a great listener.  The key question Drucker would ask the leadership and those they led was “WHAT BUSINESS ARE YOU IN?”  After carefully listening to the answers to that question, he would ask a follow–up question:    “HOW’S BUSINESS?”

Based on the responses to his first question, Drucker knew the answer to the second question almost before he asked it.  If the leadership and others in that particular business KNEW what business they were in, the chances are business was really good.  On the other hand, if they did NOT know what business they were in, the chances were business was not very good at all.  It was also true that if the leadership knew what business they were in, but the other folks did not, their business was not particularly good.

Just a few months ago, the announcement was made that the Polaroid Company will no longer produce instant film.  The Polaroid Camera and the instant film it used were a marvel when they were first introduced.  But now it is all over.  Polaroid forgot what business they were in.  They thought they were in the Instant Film business – and even though Polaroid was one of the first camera companies to create a digital camera – they chose to focus on instant film instead – you see they thought they were in the instant film business.

They forgot that they were in the business of caring for their customers, and providing what their customers needed.  They forgot what business they were in.

Peter Drucker always asked the question, “What business are you in?” - because he knew that if an organization did not know what business it was in, that particular organization was on the endangered species list – it would not be in business for long.

Peter Drucker’s insight is not only true for businesses – it is true for any organization of human beings.  It is just as true for the Boy Scouts – a Public School – the United Way – the Mobile Public Library – even Central Presbyterian Church.

Church Consultant extraordinaire, Lyle Schaller always asks many questions when he consults with a Church.  Borrowing from Peter Drucker, Schaller always asks each and every church, “What business are you in?”  He too has come to understand, that if a church does not know the answer to this question – if a church does not know its mission and purpose – then that Church is on the endangered species list.  Further, Schaller knows that if a congregation – not just the leadership – but all of the members of the congregation - do not know in the fiber of their being the reason and purpose for their existence as a Church, that congregation will either not exist very long – or its existence will be of little consequence.

What business IS the Church in?

The Bible has this to say:

The call of God to Abraham and Sarah is still God’s call to each and every one of us whom God has claimed in the waters of Baptism as God’s own child.  This call is also God’s call collectively to all of the children of Abraham and Sarah – it is God’s collective call to the Family of God, the Church:

“GO - from all the comforts of home and kindred and nation – to the place that I will show you – and I will bless you – so that you will be a blessing – and by you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

The Church is in the business of being a blessing to all the families of the earth.  This is in essence what Jesus said to all of his disciples, past, present and future – “GO – and make disciples of all nations – teaching them all that I have taught you (and perhaps Jesus had in mind what St. Francis later said – use words if absolutely necessary) baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and the Holy Spirit – and lo, I will be with you always.”

It is what John Calvin said about the business each and every one of us is in, when he said, “The purpose of Human Life is to glorify God and to serve God in the world.”

This is what the Presbyterian Church USA’s Book of Order has this to say about the Business the Church is in:

The church is called to be Christ's faithful evangelist:

(1) going into the world, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all he has commanded;

 (2) demonstrating by the love of its members for o another and by the quality of its common life the new reality in Christ; sharing in worship, fellowship, and nurture, practicing a deepened life of prayer and service under the guidance of the Holy Spirit;

 (3) participating in God's activity in the world through its life for others by

(a) healing and reconciling and binding up wounds,

            (b) ministering to the needs of the poor, the sick, the lonely, and the powerless,

            (c) engaging in the struggle to free people from sin, fear, oppression, hunger, and   injustice,

            (d) giving itself and its substance to the service of those who suffer,

            (e) sharing with Christ in the establishing of his just, peaceable, and loving rule in the world.

The Church is called to undertake this mission even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ.

            How can we know this is true?  How do we know that this is the business the Church is In?

            We know this is the business the Church is in - because it has been true from the beginning.  It was true when Jesus told those first disciples that he was going to Jerusalem.  As soon as the words came out of his mouth, his disciples tried to talk Jesus out of his mission.  “You cannot go there – it’s too dangerous – there are people there who will try to kill you.”

I am sure that they WERE worried about Jesus and his well-being.  After all, if anything happened to him, what would then become of his mission and ministry.

I suspect that they also had an eye on what might happen to THEM – if Jesus went to Jerusalem.  If they went with him, they would be a risk.  The same people who had it in for Jesus, would not hesitate in taking them out either.  They were afraid for their lives, even as they feared for Jesus’ life.

Yet, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, they went with Jesus to Jerusalem.  After his crucifixion, they were fearfully hiding in the upper room.  Christ came to them there - and later at the sea shore.  There he invited them to join him in his mission to the world.  There he told them what business they would be in as the Church – the Body of Christ for the world.  FEED MY SHEEP, Jesus told Peter and all of the disciples.  And empowered by the Holy Spirit – they undertook this mission even at the risk of losing their lives, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ.

There is a lot of talk in the Bible about sheep.   The Kings of Israel were thought of as Shepherds of God’s flock – perhaps because of King David’s early life as a shepherd.  The prophet Ezekiel says that most of the Shepherd Kings of Israel spent more time fleecing the flock than caring for the flock.  Through the Prophet, God promised God’s people that God’s would be their Shepherd.  Our most beloved Psalm declares that God is our Shepherd – and therefore we will not want nor fear.  Jesus - in our text this morning - declares that he is the incarnation of God’s promise to be the Good Shepherd.

 And then in our second text, Jesus tells us that we - the Church – the Body of Christ for the world- we are shepherds too.   FEED MY SHEEP – TEND MY LAMBS – Jesus commands us.

He also tells us that he has sheep not of this fold – and that we are to be his agents – his shepherds in gathering the flock.

That is your calling – your vocation – this is business Central Presbyterian Church is in – Feeding Christ’s Sheep – Tending Christ’s lambs – gathering in ALL of Christ’s Sheep – with particular care for those not of this flock.

Jesus also told a parable about sheep and shepherds.  Luke 15 – the Parable of the Lost Sheep.

Read the Parable – story of a class at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. This story occurred in a class on the parables of Jesus.  The professor read the parable of the Lost Sheep.   Then he asked the class for their interpretation of the parable.  Every one of the students interpreted the parable as being about God’s (the shepherd’s) love for the one lost sheep that was so great that the shepherd would leave the flock and go in search of the one sheep who was lost.

There was another voice in the class.  A young Palestinian Christian was taking the class – and he dared to offer another interpretation of the parable.  He said that he was grateful for the insight the class had given him, but from his perspective, he interpreted the parable far differently.  He said that the shepherd went in search for the one sheep which was lost, because without that one sheep, he no longer had a flock – he only had 99 sheep.

This is more than a semantic difference in an interpretation of the parable.  It is the difference between the  Hebrew Thought and Western Thought.  The Scriptures were written by people who were decidedly Eastern in their thought.  We on the other hand are decidedly Western in our thought.  We are shaped by the Greeks and the Romans – who were far different in their understanding of life from our Hebrew and Palestinian ancestors.  Greeks and Romans honored and cherished the value of the individual – whereas the ancient Hebrews honored the value of the community over that of the individual.

This is the reason we have so much trouble with the Biblical texts which lift up the value of the community over the rights of the individual.  In the Exodus stories, we read that the whole group had to suffer for the transgressions of one individual – and our fist response is “That’s not fair!”  But those ancient folks understood that the community was more valuable and sacred that the rights of the individual.  This, they believed, was also God’s perspective on life.

The understanding of that young Palestinian Christian on the parable of the Lost Sheep is far more than a semantic difference –m it is a crucial difference in our understanding of evangelism.  We seek out the lost not merely for their benefit – but for yours.  We, the Church, cannot be all that God has created and called us to be without those who are on the outside.  We seek them out for the benefit of the community of faith.

There was another Presidential primary some few years back.  And memorably out of that highly charged political time came a phrase that we still hear echoed today.  “IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!”

Because I am not always very quick on the uptake – and God has often had to use a two-by-four to get my attention – there are times when God either whispers in my ear = or has to shout so that I can hear – IT’S THE SHEEP, STUPID – IT’S THE SHEEP.

And so this morning, I share with you what we hear from the Scriptures, what we hear from Jesus Christ and what we hear from God.  IT IS THE SHEEP.  Feed Christ’s sheep – feed those sheep of Christ here in this place – seek out those sheep not of this flock – and feed them too – be particularly mindful of those sheep who are in greatest peril from whatever the source.

Feed Christ’s Sheep – because that is the Business you are in.

Feed Christ’s sheep because that is exactly what Jesus calls you to do.

Feed Christ’s sheep who are not of this flock - not so much because it is their best interest – as it surely is – but also because the Church cannot be all God calls it to be without them.

This table has upon it the gifts of God for the people of God – this table is Christ’s way of feeding his sheep – spiritual food – so that we might be strengthened to feed his other sheep – with physical food and spiritual food.  These are the gifts of God for the people of God – for ALL the people of God.

Peter Drucker believed that the business any organization is in – is serving their customers.

Who are YOUR customers?

God and Others - The business you are in is serving God – and serving God’s sheep – especially those sheep not of this fold.

It is NOT about you --- you are not the customers of this Church – God and others are your customers – serve your customers.

The business you are in is sharing all your God given gifts – with those who so desperately need the very gifts God has given to you.

You see - God has given gifts and talents to you -- FOR THEM.

In the name of Jesus Christ - Feed His sheep – to the glory of God.  Amen.