A few years ago in the Portals of Prayer, there was a devotion on today’s Gospel text which began this way: “Good shepherds know their sheep – and sheep know their shepherd, whose voice assures provision and security. A young pastor of the suburban church wanted to host a living nativity. A donkey and four sheep were found. Inexperienced members built a stable and a crude fence inside with which to keep the sheep. But the fence was not high enough. Suddenly, one sheep jumped the fence and then another and another and finally the last one. The pastor ran after the first sheep. Three others chased wayward sheep through snowy drifts alongside a busy highway, shouting, “Stop! Stop!” The sheep were eventually retrieved and returned to the fold, where a higher fence was already under construction. “They wouldn’t listen!” the pastor exclaimed. “They just kept running!” An old saint, who knew something about both sheep and people, smiled and said, “They didn’t know you, Pastor. They didn’t know your voice. We do, though, and we love you.” A cute little story.
In today’s Gospel from St. John, Jesus was talking to the Pharisees, the Jews, and His disciples about Himself and His voice: about His purpose and ministry and why some followed Him and others did not. He described Himself as the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and His sheep know Him: they would know Him by His voice and respond accordingly. They would be gathered to Him.
The “Good Shepherd” is one of our favorite images of Jesus describing His relationship to His people in the Church. Why is Jesus as the good shepherd a favorite image? What makes it so comforting? Why do His sheep know Him and know His voice? What makes Jesus the Good shepherd? Well in this chapter of John, which is a favorite for many, Jesus explains. As He explains the hearer begins to understand the purpose of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, but it also explains why He has done what He has done in His life, death, and resurrection.
Jesus is the good shepherd because that is who He is. He is faithful, merciful, and loving. He is the opposite of a hireling, a mere hired hand who has no stock in the well being of the sheep. The hireling doesn’t care what happens to the sheep. He just wants to be paid. The hireling cares nothing for the sheep. He will abuse them, feed them poorly or abandon them if it’s convenient for himself. This comparison highlights what makes Jesus the good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd cares everything for the sheep. He cares and loves them so much that He fights for them against their enemies who would come and devour, scatter, and torture the sheep. The Good Shepherd sees the wolf coming and stands His ground and fights hand to hand. He will not abandon them.
Yet the way that Jesus, the Good shepherd accomplished this, the weapons that He used, and the enemies that He slew, were different than conventional fights in the sheep fields.
David before he was King David, we are told In 1 Samuel, protected His father’s flocks by slaying lions, and bears when they attacked the sheep. He killed the beast with a knife or sword as he would also pluck the sheep still alive from the lions’ mouth. In his selfless heroism and bravery, David was a type of Christ.
God the Father had appointed His Son to go and protect the sheep in the greatest battle for their souls, so Christ saw the enemies of His Father’s sheep and came to rescue the sheep while destroying the enemies. Not with a sword or slingshot did Jesus slay and defeat the enemy, but Jesus the Son of God came to earth using His own flesh and blood body of a true man as His weapon and shield. His weapon was also the truth of God’s Love for the world, the truth of God’s mercy and redeeming forgiveness.
The first attacking wolf which Christ came to defeat was Satan, that accuser who whispered doubts into those first human sheep, Adam and Eve causing them in their confusion and doubt to disobey the safety of the voice of their Lord and scatter. Satan, who ever since attacks again and again every generation in various ways, with a staggering amount of success. Satan then wielded the power of the second enemy who Jesus came to destroy which was sin. Satan with his false and slick voice held men and women captive by accusing them of their sin; using the Law to destroy people and remove hope. Or he would cleverly warp minds into thinking they could defend themselves and save themselves by somehow doing enough works for salvation which do not give success.
But the Lord would continue to call and speak by His voice in His faithful prophets and people throughout the Old Testament. As we heard in Ezekiel today, the Lord reminded the people that He would gather all His sheep who were scattered. He would seek them, gather them, feed them, and bind up their wounds, while punishing the wicked and the enemies who had oppressed them. He would Himself shepherd His people.
In the fullness of time, He sent Jesus to be that Good Shepherd born of a virgin but still true God. By Christ’s preaching and teaching in His earthly ministry, He was planting the Word by His voice. Then He allowed the forces of darkness to take Him as they thought they could silence His voice by putting Him to death on the cross. Satan must have thought that somehow this would break Jesus in His humanity or that in His death it would be the end of the Christ threat. That wasn’t the case. As Jesus was crucified it was as the Good Shepherd standing between the sheep and the blood thirsty enemy. As Jesus the Good Shepherd laid down His life, He was actually destroying the choke hold of sin upon the sheep that they may not have even known was there. He became sin for His sheep, He took the punishment for sin so the sheep would not have to receive an eternal punishment for their sin. So that they would not have to be swallowed by Satan and by death that final enemy. He snatched the sheep from the snapping drooling mouth of Satan. Breaking his jaw by crushing his lies regarding God’s mercy and where salvation truly comes. It is there in Christ alone.
Death could not defeat Jesus. He was raised again triumphant over death as a sign that the three enemies (Satan, sin, and death) who would consume the sheep are weaker than the power of the Good Shepherd and have been judged.
Yet many battles continue as Satan, the world, and our flesh tainted by sin continue to wage war against people, against us. So many voices crying out to distract from the one voice whom we can trust, the voice that can and will save us. Repent and hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, who calls you using His Word as it is preached, calling wandering sin-filled sheep to Himself. He Himself has searched for you. He even today picks you up and wraps you in His grace and restores you to His flock. Be gathered, fed, and healed. He binds your wounds and heals your sins. Though you were dead and weak, by faith in Christ, you are given life and hope again. The Good Shepherd calls out, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden by your sin and earthly cares, and I will give you rest.” The Good Shepherd did not just do His job and then leave His sheep to fend for themselves and He will not leave you now. His is a voice worth knowing. Follow His voice and your will find comfort, protection, hope, and peace at His cross, and the places where the benefits of the cross are given.
This is why the image of the Good Shepherd is so powerful and comforting. It is what Jesus the Good Shepherd continues to do. He calls out with His voice giving His Grace to people by the power of the Holy Spirit working through His Word and His sacraments. He leads us forth from Holy Baptism where we first hear His voice as faith is created in us throughout our earthly lives to the place of eternal rest in heaven which He has prepared for all believers from different times and nations. He prepares a feast table for us in the presence of those enemies of the Gospel, and fills our cup of grace to overflowing with the wine and blood of Christ with His body, bread, and triumphant presence.
In the midst of joy, sorrow, whatever we experience, the Good Shepherd speaks to us giving us hope because He has laid down His life for His sheep. In Him you and I have forgiveness of sins, and victory over the devil and hope beyond death. Jesus Christ makes all the hopes and promises of the beloved 23rd Psalm come true throughout our lives. He shall always provide for us so that we have no want. As He prepares a table for us here, He anoints us with joy and mercy and heals us of our sin as we drink the overflowing cup of blessing in Jesus blood for the forgiveness of sins. As we dwell in the house of the Lord the Church, we learn to know and love His voice. In that voice of the Good Shepherd, truly God’s mercy and goodness shall follow us for the sake of that Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. Amen
Pr. Aaron Kangas