Sermon 022413 A Fox in the Henhouse In today s Gospel reading Jesus calls Herod a fox, and also in the reading Jesus talks about a mother hen gathering her brood under her wings. I thought that it would be good to begin this sermon with a story about a fox and the henhouse, but all that I could find was that old maxim about this is like the fox guarding the henhouse. This saying is applicable in a case where, for instance, my wife, Ann would tell me to watch the hot pecan pie that is cooling on the kitchen counter, and make sure the dogs don t leap up and get it. That is the fox watching the henhouse. Since I couldn t find a story that illustrated the nature of the fox, I made one up. Henry was an Australian shepherd who lived on a farm. He was only a year old, and his mother was training him to guard the henhouse. The farmer trusted his dogs, trusted them to keep foxes from stealing chickens or their eggs. One morning Henry s mother went off to check on the cattle so she told Henry to patrol the perimeter around the henhouse while she was away. Henry was walking slowly around the hens and their chicks who were pecking away in the warm morning sun, when suddenly Henry turned around and almost jumped out of his skin. He considered barking, but it was too late. There was a fox walking calmly alongside him. Henry s mother had described foxes to him, but he had never actually seen one in person. The fox said, Good morning, Henry. Henry stammered, H- h- how do you know my name? The fox said, Oh, I have walking to and fro on the farm and heard your mother calling for you.
Henry said, Are you a fox? You look like a fox. The fox smiled a crooked little smile and said, You know, other people have told me that, but I am a dog. Henry breathed a sigh of relief, but he noticed that all of the hens, along with their chicks had retreated to the henhouse, all except for one pullet who had strayed off toward the woods. The fox said, Watch this. He charged after the pullet, chased it down and wrung its neck. Henry was shocked and said, Mama said that the farmer told us never to hurt the chickens. The fox responded, Of course the farmer would tell you that. He doesn t want you to know about the one chicken a month rule. Us guard dogs are entitled to take one chicken per month for ourselves. Henry was fascinated as the fox plucked the chicken and put it on a spit over the fire that he had started. When the chicken was cooked, the fox took it off the spit and said, What do you normally eat for lunch? Henry responded, Dog food. The fox said, Here, try a bite of roasted chicken. I think you will find it tastier than your dog food. Henry said, No thank you, I think I d better be getting back. The fox gulped down the chicken and said, I ll go with you. Henry was a little uncomfortable, but he was learning a lot of new things. As the two approached the henhouse, all of the chickens and their chicks were out in the yard feeding again. The fox said, Watch this, and he crouched low and began moving ever so slowly toward a hen and her chicks. He whispered, You have never tasted anything as good as a baby chick. I like to have them as hors d'oeuvres
The mother hen saw the fox approaching and immediately gathered the chicks under her wings to protect them. She didn t run for her life, but continued to cover her chicks with her wings, even as the fox came closer and closer and closer. Suddenly Henry s mother appeared out of nowhere snarling and charging the fox. She grabbed him by the neck and shook him violently, but he managed to slip away and run back into the woods. Henry s mother looked at him kindly and said, Son, that was close. That was your first encounter with a fox, and now you know what they are like. Never, ever let them come near the chickens. Foxes care only about themselves. They are deceptive and greedy and will do anything to get what they want. Look at that mother hen. She was willing to die to save her chicks. The farmer trusts us to protect his chickens so you should be willing to do the same. That s what I want you to remember. The moral of the story? Don t trust a fox. They are tricky, dishonest, and dangerous. The statement that prompts Jesus to call Herod a fox is a strange one from a strange source. Some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." Listen to this exchange from Luke 11: While he was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you. But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs
of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practised, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love to have the seat of honour in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the market- places. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it. When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile towards him and to cross- examine him about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say. After this exchange, it is hard to believe that the Pharisees had Jesus best interests at heart, and in fact, they probably didn t. Jesus was probably ministering in Perea, where Herod was the tetrarch, when this took place. The Pharisees thought that Jesus was stealing their thunder because he was ministering with power. He was going through the towns and villages teaching, healing, and driving out demons. People were flocking to Jesus. The Pharisees were probably trying to frighten Jesus into leaving Perea and returning to Galilee. Jesus definitely wasn t in the meek and mild mode when he responded to this insincere warning. He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Herod truly was a fox; deceptive, greedy, tricky, dishonest, and dangerous. The Herod spoken of here was Herod Antipas, tetrarch or governor of Perea and Galilee, and son of Herod the great. While he was a house guest of his brother Philip in Rome, he absconded with his brother s wife Herodias who was the female version of the fox. Except for his participation in the execution of the Son of God, this is
probably Herod s most egregious act - From Matthew 14: But when Herod s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter. The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus. Jesus was letting Herod and the Pharisees know that nothing could keep him from his mission. Jesus was focused on the Cross and his subsequent Resurrection three days after his crucifixion. He was headed for Jerusalem because this was where his destiny would unfold. He would encounter Herod face- to- face in Jerusalem at his trial. Luke 23: When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies. How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. Jesus came to save the world beginning with the Jews, yes all of the Jews including the Pharisees,
and Herod the pseudo- Jew. Jesus uses the image of the mother hen to explain his desire to embrace everyone who accepts him. The Pharisees have made their choice and are left to their own devices until the Last Day when Jesus will return and they will quote Psalm 118: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. Here is just one of the many prophecies in the Bible regarding that day. From Isaiah 45: Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness a word that shall not return: To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; all who were incensed against him shall come to him and be ashamed. In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall triumph and glory. Let us now turn again to our Epistle for today from St. Paul s Letter to the Philippians for it provides a commentary on the Gospel reading: For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. Stand firm in faith as Abraham did: And he believed the LORD; and the LORD
reckoned it to him as righteousness. Jesus wants to be our Savior. Like the mother hen, he wants to take us under his wings and protect us. For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling and set me high upon a rock. Jesus said to Martha, the sister of his friend Lazarus whom he raised from the dead: Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? This is probably the most important question you could ever be asked for it has eternal consequences. If you haven t already, please answer yes. Amen.