Category: Easter 3

Jesus Our Good Shepherd

5/1/2022

Bernard Plockhorst, Good Shepherd, 19th C. Public Domain

Easter 3 (Misericordias Domini Sunday)
John 10:11-16
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
May 1, 2022

Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” This is a significant statement. In Ezekiel 34, the LORD God says, “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.” And in Psalm 23, David confesses, “The LORD is my shepherd.” So, it is unmistakable, when Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, he is calling himself the LORD God. Jesus is the LORD God, and yet he is a man. He even lays down his life for his sheep. God cannot die. God cannot lay down his life. Yet, since God has become man, he does die for our sins and takes his life back again. This teaches us that there is only one Good Shepherd. There is only one God. And there is only one man, who is God, Jesus Christ. And he has proved himself to be the LORD by laying down his life for us and taking it back again. Jesus didn’t just die. He described how he would die and he rise from the dead, and he did it. This is why this is such a wonderful Easter lesson. Jesus, before he suffers and dies, makes the grand claim to be the Good Shepherd, which would mean that he is God, then he declares that he will lay down his life for his sheep and take it up again. And then he does just that.

The Good Shepherd joins his sheep fold. He himself becomes a lamb and dies for his sheep, and then he rises from the dead to shepherd his sheep forever. This is what St. John teaches us in Revelation 7, “For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” The Lamb will be their Shepherd. As the Shepherd becomes a lamb, so the LORD became a man. And as the Lamb continues to shepherd his sheep, so our Lord Jesus is a man forever. He forever makes intercession for our sins.

There is only one Good Shepherd. If your shepherd is not the LORD God, then he is not the Good Shepherd. If your shepherd did not become a man, then your shepherd is not the Good Shepherd. If your shepherd did not lay down his life for his sheep, then your shepherd is not the Good Shepherd. There is only one Good Shepherd who gives eternal life. Apart from him, you cannot be saved.

Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep, so that they may have eternal life. And he tells us that he gathers his sheep into one flock. But how does Jesus gather his sheep? We recite from Psalm 23, “He leads me besides the still waters,” but what does that mean? Jesus ascended into heaven. None of us has seen him with our eyes? Jesus says, “They will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Jesus’ sheep listen to his voice. Jesus shepherds his sheep with words.

This is why Scripture uses the word pastor as a name for preachers of God’s Word. The word pastor means shepherd. Now, obviously your pastor is not the Good Shepherd. There is only one Good Shepherd, who is God and man and died for your sins. Your pastor is not God, he is a sinner, and he has not died for your sins. Yet, after Jesus’ resurrection he told Peter to feed his sheep. And St. Paul exhorted the presbyters in Ephesus to “pay careful attention to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” (Acts 20:28) And St. Peter exhorts the presbyters in chapter five of his first epistle, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you.” (1 Peter 5:2) So, Christ’s ministers are under-shepherds, who care for Jesus’ sheep by using words.

The voice that Jesus’ sheep recognize is not a certain pitch or tone or accents or even a language. Jesus’ voice can be heard in every language, and in multiple tones and accents. Jesus’ sheep recognize his voice by the doctrine, that is, by the teaching, which that voice teaches. This is why Jesus keeps repeating, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” This is the chief doctrine that reveals the voice of the Good Shepherd. Jesus died for the sins of all people. Whoever trusts in Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection for forgiveness and salvation will be forgiven and be saved. So, if a voice does not preach Christ crucified, or denies that Jesus’ death makes atonement for all our sins, then that is not the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Many preachers get bored with the Gospel. So, they try to make their preaching more relevant to their hearers, by discussing issues that are more relevant for the here and now. Heaven is a far way off, but I need advice for today. Yet, what does Scripture say? “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19) Jesus died so that we might have eternal life. It is the job of the preacher to proclaim eternal life. Eternal salvation is always relevant. And you will not figure out how to sort out your life if you neglect your eternal life.

This lesson gives opportunity to warn Jesus’ sheep against false prophets, who, Jesus tells us, come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). Jesus tells us that we will know them by their fruits, that is, by their teaching. So, Jesus’ little lambs must pay attention to what is being taught to them. They must discern whether the preacher is preaching the Law and the Gospel from the Bible or whether he is teaching some human commandment; whether he is preaching the way to eternal life through faith in Jesus, who alone laid down his life for his sheep, or whether he is preaching a different way that leads to hell.

Yet, it has become so dire, that the wolves don’t even need to wear their sheep skins to fool the sheep. People will listen to enemies of the Gospel with reckless abandon while ignoring the voice of their Good Shepherd, as if these voices will have no affect on them. Consider this though, how much time in a week do you spend watching television or some other streaming service, or listening to the radio, or reading secular articles and books and how much time do you spend hearing the Word of God at church or reading your Bible at home? Do you know what your children are watching on the internet?

Recently, Disney has been criticized, because the children’s entertainment company opposed a bill in Florida, which would make it illegal for public school teachers to talk about sexual topics with children third grade and under. In response, supporters of the bill accused Disney of being “Groomers.” Groomers are perverted adults, who use their influence over children to manipulate them so that they may take advantage of them and that they might become perverts like them. It is a form of child abuse. It’s a very offensive title to give someone. Yet, the title fits. Disney, Nickelodeon, YouTube for kids, and many other children entertainment companies have been producing content, which encourages young children to support and explore homosexuality and transgenderism. This includes cartoons. People are rightly horrified by this. Yet, most continue to watch movies and shows from these companies and permit their children to watch this content as well, often without reviewing the content beforehand. But even if you avoid the most offensive content, mass entertainment is filled with messaging that is contrary to the Christian faith. And it has been from the beginning! Disney and Hollywood have been promoting pantheism, moral relativism, the occult, evolution, fornication, and many other messages contrary to what God teaches us in the Bible.

Do these messages affect you and your children? Of course, they do; especially if you consume many hours of this content. Yet, even if you try to avoid these bad messages (which you should), you’ll never completely silence them. You still live in this world. And even if you did silence them, you’d still have your old sinful nature to lead you astray. “All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way.” But now we have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.

We need to hear Jesus’ Word. We need to hear his voice. We must be taught what is right. We must learn to turn from our sins and fight our fleshly desires, to reject being conformed to this world. We need to learn that we are sinners, who need a Savior. We need to hear that Jesus laid down his life for us, so that we might have abundant life. But if you will not hear this voice, then you are not Jesus’ little lamb.

People think that they can be Christians without hearing the voice of their Shepherd. But that’s not true. Jesus says that whoever does not gather with him scatters. What would a flock of sheep look like if the sheep didn’t come when the shepherd called? It would look scattered, wouldn’t it? We need to hear the voice, that is, the teaching of our Good Shepherd Jesus, so that we may have eternal life.

Jesus says, “I know my own and my own know me.” With these words he teaches election. Election is the teaching that Jesus’ sheep are chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). This is why Jesus says that many are called, but few are chosen. Jesus desires all to be saved. That is why he calls them. But only those who are chosen are ultimately saved. This is a comforting message, because it gives us certainty of salvation. Jesus says in this same chapter of John, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29) This is immensely comforting, because no one can snatch you out of your Good Shepherd’s hand. No one can take the life Jesus has given to you away from you. It has been determined before the foundation of the earth.

Yet, how can you know that you are elect? How do you know that God has chosen you before the foundation of the world? Because you hear his voice and follow him. Don’t try to delve into the mysteries of God’s mind, which not even the angels can comprehend. Rather, listen to the voice of your Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus’ sheep hear his voice and follow him. Jesus gives his sheep eternal life. If you hear this voice and believe it, then you are Jesus’ sheep. You are elect. No one can snatch you out of the Father’s hand.

Before you knew him, your Good Shepherd knew you. And he has made himself known to you by the proclamation of his Gospel. He died, so that you may live. He promises you eternal life. If you believe this, you are most certainly Jesus’ little lamb. Amen. Let us pray.
Lord, my Shepherd, take me to Thee.
Thou art mine; I was Thine,
Even ere I knew Thee.
I am Thine, for Thou hast bought me;
Lost I stood, But Thy blood
Free salvation brought me. Amen.

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The Divine Call to be Christ’s Lamb

4/19/2021

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Jesus as the Good Shepherd, publicdomainvectors.org

Miscericordias Domini (Easter 3)
John 10:11-16
Pastor James Preus
Trinity Lutheran Church
April 18, 2021

To emphasize the importance of a job, when a job is more than a job, such as teaching, police work, farming, and health care, people say, “Oh, it’s not a job; it’s a calling.” Referring to a job as a calling adds meaning to the job, because it implies that God is calling that person to this very important task. The Bible refers to only two calls that God makes (we’ll call them divine calls): 1. The call into the Office of the Holy Ministry and 2. The call to be Christ’s Sheep, that is, the call to be a Christian.
Our Lutheran Confessions state in Article XIV of the Augsburg Confession, “No one should publicly teach, preach, or administer the Sacraments without a rightly ordered call.” And this statement is supported by Romans 10:15, where St. Paul asks, “How are they to preach unless they are sent?” And there are many other Scripture passages that teach that no one should enter the Office of the Ministry without being called (James 3:1; 1 Timothy 3; 4:14; Jeremiah 23:21). If a person decides that he wants to be a pastor, he can’t simply open up a church and start preaching, like one would if he wanted to open up a cake shop. A man must be called by God in order to be a minister of the Word. The apostles were called directly by Christ himself. Today, pastors are called through the Church.
A man who desires to be a pastor should feel an internal calling, but an internal calling is not enough. Through the Church, God calls pastors to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments. This is why when a man is called to be a pastor to a congregation it is called a divine call. It is for the sake of Christ’s sheep that only those who have been rightfully called should preach. Every pastor must preach the voice of the Chief Pastor, Jesus Christ. Jesus alone is the Good Shepherd.
The second and greater divine call is the call to be Christ’s sheep, that is, the call to be a Christian. This call likewise is from God and likewise is done mediately through the church. While the divine call into the Office of the Ministry calls only a few men who fulfill the Scripturally prescribed qualifications, the divine call to be Christ’s sheep calls all people who hear the Gospel. In order for a Christian man to be called into the ministry, he must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, and so forth (1 Timothy 3:1ff). Yet, the call to be Christ’s sheep makes no such list of qualifications. Rather, Scripture tells us that all we like sheep have gone astray. Jesus calls sinners to his fold. And he searches out those who have gone astray.
Jesus does not call the righteous, but sinners. He doesn’t demand that people reach certain qualifications before he will call them to be his sheep, rather he calls the weak, those picked on and abused, the wandering, the sick, the sinful. He calls them to repent of their sins and to believe in the forgiveness he has won for them.
Those who recognize the voice of their Good Shepherd and receive the call to be Jesus’ sheep do not do so because they are better than others or because they are less sinful. We were all children of wrath like the rest of mankind, born and even conceived in sin. The sin that dwells in our flesh is just as opposed to God, just as evil, just as damning as the sin that dwells in all mankind. Yet, Jesus’ sheep believe the voice of their Shepherd, which tells them that all their sins are forgiven for the sake of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One can only believe this and receive the call to be Christ’s sheep by the power of the Holy Spirit, who works through the proclamation of the Gospel.
The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Those called to be Christ’s sheep learn not to listen to any voice that does not preach that Jesus, the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. All we like sheep have gone astray. We followed our own way, that is, we followed our own sinful impulses. And we Christians continue to struggle with the impulses of our sinful flesh. Our Good Shepherd never committed any such sin. Yet, he knows our sin even better than we do. He tasted it when he drank God’s cup of wrath and died on the cross bearing the sins of the world. Jesus has felt the guilt of our sins more intensely than we could ever feel it. He knows our weakness. He knows how and why we fall. And he laid down his life in order to save us from it all.
Jesus knows his sheep and his sheep know him. He calls them by name. In your Baptism, Christ Jesus called you by name and made you his own dear lamb. You know him as him who bought you with his precious blood and washed you clean of all your sins. Through Baptism you receive the righteousness of Christ, so that you truly are without sin in the eyes of God. Yet, all this can only be received through faith. So, Christ’s sheep must continue to hear the words of their Shepherd. Jesus says that his sheep know his voice and follow him, but they will not follow the voice of a stranger. Why is this? Because they recognize the voice of their Shepherd, but they do not recognize the voice of a stranger.
A sheep does not need to know the different voices of strangers in order to know not to follow them. A sheep simply needs to know the voice of its shepherd. We, Jesus’ sheep, need to know Jesus’ voice. This means we need to continue to listen to Jesus’ voice. There are hirelings who will pretend to be Jesus’ under-shepherds, who seek only to fill their belly. They’ll satisfy themselves, but they don’t care for the sheep. They’ll run when the wolf comes. They will provide the sheep with no protection from the enemy. Wolves will come to snatch the sheep and scatter the sheep. And so, there will be false teachers, contrary voices to the voice of the Good Shepherd, which will try to draw you away from Christ’s fold. How can you protect yourself from them? How will you be able to recognize that they are strangers and enemies of Christ? By listening to Christ’s voice and learning from him. Those who listen to Jesus are his. Those who do not listen to Jesus do not belong to him.
What does Jesus call his sheep to? God calls men into the Office of the Ministry, so that they can be his stewards and tend his sheep. He calls them to preach the Gospel, baptize, instruct, forgive and retain sins, administer the Sacrament, and comfort the sick and distressed. What does Christ call his sheep to do? He calls them to follow him. Jesus’ sheep are called to listen to his Word, to repent of their sins and believe in the forgiveness he declares to them. Jesus leads his sheep to green pastures and feeds them, so Jesus’ Christians should gather to eat from Jesus’ hand his body and blood given and shed for them and to listen to his words which are more precious than any food for the body.
Jesus calls his sheep to follow his example and to suffer rather than fall away from him. Jesus did not deserve any of the suffering he received, yet he bore it willingly for our sake. And he has left us an example to not be scandalized by the suffering that God permits us to bear, because when anyone suffers as a Christian, he suffers to the glory of Christ by shedding the glory of this world and placing a firmer trust in Christ. We follow Christ by forgiving those who have sinned against us; by being patient and kind to others. We follow Christ by serving our neighbor and humbling ourselves before one another in love.
We do not follow Christ to become rich or powerful here on earth. We do not boast over others, because we are Christ’s sheep or because we think we are better sheep. Rather, we recognize that we have all gone astray like stupid sheep. And if it were not for our Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for us in order to forgive our sins and who called us out of sin and into his pasture, we would continue to stray and get devoured by wolves, that is, be devoured by Satan and be damned to hell.
Jesus says that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but that He came so that his sheep might have life and have it abundantly. Jesus laid down his life, so that we could have abundant life. He had the authority to take his life up again from the grave, and so he has the authority to take our lives up again and make us live forever. This is why we follow him. It is to this end that we follow him, so that we can live with him forever. Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” We follow Jesus, because he is the only way to eternal life. He is the only one who can save our souls from death and hell. He is the only one who can give us peace with God, and he has done it through his death and resurrection.
Jesus calls some of his sheep to be under-shepherds in the Office of the Ministry. They are not better than the other sheep. They are still sinners, who need forgiveness and need to constantly listen to the voice of their Shepherd and feed from his hand. They are held to a higher standard, because they must be able to teach Jesus’ sheep and must not scandalize them by sinful living, but rather set an example. But those called to preach are not to set themselves up as the Good Shepherd. They must rather point Christ’s sheep to the true Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who has won for them salvation.
Why does a preacher preach? Because it’s a job? No. Because he is called by God to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel. Why do Jesus’ sheep come to hear preaching? Because they are called by God to hear. God has called you. You are called by God to listen to the voice of your Shepherd, so that you can be fed the food of eternal life and be kept safe from the hirelings, wolves, and thieves. Every one of us has a divine call from God to listen to the voice of our Shepherd, to follow him, to eat what he gives us to eat, to go where he bids us to go, and to flee from any voice that would bid us to do otherwise.
The calling to be Christ’s sheep is the highest calling in the world. It is more important than being a teacher, farmer, or doctor, father or mother. It is by following the call of Christ that we fulfill our purpose in our other stations in life. And it is only by following the call of Christ that we will reach eternal life. May our Good Shepherd keep us in his fold, well fed and safe by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that we may enter the green pastures of heaven to live with our God forever. Amen.

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Misericordias Domini (Easter 3): One Flock, One Shepherd

4/16/2018

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John 10:11-16
April 15, 2018

Our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ said, "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd." This one flock is the holy Christian and apostolic Church. But it doesn't look like one flock, does it? It looks like a bunch of different flocks that teach a bunch of different teachings and follow a bunch of different shepherds. Even in our town there are more churches than we care to count, each with a different message. So, it is important for us to remember that to confess that there is one Church is a matter of faith. We don't see one united Church. Yet, we believe that there is only one Church, because holy Scripture clearly tells us that there is only one Church, even as there is only "one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism." (Ephesians 4:5)

Only those, who belong to Christ's one flock will receive eternal life. This is why Jesus warns so often to beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Matthew 7:15-16) Jesus tells us that we will recognize false prophets by their fruits, that is, by what they teach. Likewise, you will recognize the true Good Shepherd by his voice, that is, by what he teaches. This is why our Lutheran confessions define the Church as where the word is taught in its truth and purity and where the Sacraments are rightly administered (Augsburg Confession VII) and also as "the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd." (Smalcald Articles XII)

Yet, the word of God is often not preached purely and the Sacraments are often not administered rightly. Yet, even in places where the Word of God is not always taught correctly, Christ's sheep can still be found. Just consider the many centuries before the Lutheran Reformation under the Papacy when throughout the world everyone was taught to trust in their own good works, in relics and indulgences, and to pray to saints. Yet, we know that God still kept his faithful remnant even then, as he promised, and as we have evidence from the beautiful hymns and sermons written even in that time, which confessed the unadulterated Gospel.

And so, we learn that the one true Church is invisible. We can't see it with our eyes, yet we believe in it by faith. The Church is invisible, because we cannot see into peoples' hearts. There are people, who belong to churches that teach falsely, yet they still have true faith in Christ. And there are people who belong to churches that teach correctly, like Trinity Lutheran Church does, yet in their hearts is hypocrisy. There are true sheep within unorthodox congregations and false sheep within orthodox congregations. In this sense, they are in the true Church, but they are not of the true Church.

This also can give us comfort when we consider the many who belong to unorthodox and heretical congregations. Our Good Shepherd Jesus says, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice." (Matthew 23:2-3) What Jesus means by this is: The scribes and Pharisees read to you the words of Moses and the Holy Scriptures. So, listen to the word of God, which they speak to you. But, the scribes and Pharisees teach falsely about God's Word, so do not do as they teach and practice. This is, sadly, how Christ's true sheep have often had to live in this sinful world. The priests and bishops were wolves in sheep's clothing. Yet, they still read the Gospel in the Divine Service. So, God has preserved the faith of his Christians through his Word, even in the midst of false teachers.

And this can give you comfort if your loved ones belong to an unorthodox congregation. The ELCA teaches much false doctrine. They claim that the Bible has errors, they call good what God calls sin, and they even compromise on the very Gospel of justification by grace through faith alone. Yet, if the Scripture readings are still read in their churches, God's holy lambs can still live among them. And the same can be said of many congregation, which still permits the Word of God to be read in their services. For where the voice of the Good Shepherd is heard, there his sheep will gather.

Yet, this does not mean that it doesn't matter whether you go to an orthodox or unorthodox congregation. Jesus still warns us to beware of false prophets. It is your duty as a Christian to mark and avoid false teachers. And Christ's lambs, who currently live within heterodox congregations should flee, so that they can drink of the pure water of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, does not teach two different and conflicting things about Baptism, the Lord's Supper, or the very Gospel of how you are saved. The reason why there are so many different churches that teach so many different things, is because the devil has sown seeds of discord. If churches only taught what Jesus teaches, all churches would be in agreement. While it is possible for a Christian to survive where the Word is not kept in its purity, God warns against it. It is the duty of every Christian to find where God's Word is taught in its truth and purity and be joined to the one flock.

The Christian Church is invisible, but that does not mean that it is impossible to find. The Christian finds the one true flock, by finding the one true Shepherd. Jesus says, "My sheep listen to my voice." To know the Good Shepherd, you need to listen to what he says about himself. Jesus says, "I am the Good Shepherd." With this statement he claims a lot about himself. When Jesus the man calls himself the Good Shepherd, he claims to be God himself. Our Old Testament lesson states, "For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep." And the most popular Psalm begins, "The LORD is my shepherd." When Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, he calls himself the LORD.

Jesus, the man is also true God. He is the Good Shepherd. What does the Good Shepherd do? Jesus tells us "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." There is only one Good Shepherd. And he lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus suffered and died, so that he might save his sheep from eternal death. We wandered like lost sheep, yet he bore the consequences. If you find a Jesus, who is not true God and true man, you have found a false Jesus. If you find a Jesus who does not die for his sheep, he is not the good shepherd. Jesus tells us how we will know him. He lays down his life for us.

This is also how you identify whether your pastor is a true servant of God or a false preacher. Does he preach Christ crucified? Does he present you with your Savior Jesus? When you listen to him preach, do you hear a guy spouting off his opinions or do you hear the voice of your Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for you?

After Jesus' resurrection he asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" After Peter answered, "yes" each time Jesus responded, "Feed my lambs." When Jesus ascended into heaven he left the care of his precious lambs into the hands of his apostles and preachers. The job of a preacher is to feed Jesus' sheep what Jesus has prepared for them to eat. A pastor's job is to make sure that Jesus' sheep hear His voice. This means that pastors must preach above all that Jesus Christ laid down his life for the sheep by dying on the cross for their sins. Pastors must preach repentance and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ alone. They must baptize in Jesus' name, distribute Christ's body and blood in Jesus' name, forgive, exhort, rebuke, and teach in Jesus' name. Christ's sheep do not go to church to hear the ramblings of some guy. They go to church to hear the voice of their Good Shepherd. A pastor's job is to get out of the way, so that the sheep can hear Jesus' voice.

The word "pastor" means shepherd. But no pastor is the Good Shepherd, except Jesus Christ. Yet, Jesus charges his pastors with the task of bringing his voice to his sheep. So, Jesus also warns against hirelings, whom he does not send. Hirelings do not care for the sheep. They take advantage of them. They feed on them, wear their wool, drink their milk, but when the wolf comes they flee, so that the sheep are killed and scattered. This happens in real life when pastors and other false teachers do not teach Jesus' sheep the truth from Scripture, when they present their own wisdom over and against Jesus' words. So, when Satan comes and attacks with temptation to sin or accusations against the conscience or doubt over your own salvation, the sheep have no defense. They can't stand on Jesus' words to defend themselves from Satan's attacks. So, they fall into sin, despair, and unbelief. The hireling does well when everything is going well. But when Satan attacks his empty words bring no salvation. Only the words of the Good Shepherd can rescue from Satan, sin, and death.

And so, it is important for you to identify yourself as a true lamb of Jesus' fold. But how do you do this? Jesus says, "My sheep listen to my voice." You must be able to tell the difference between the voice of your Good Shepherd and the voice of a hireling, which will scatter you from the true flock. Martin Luther writes, "If we want to be Christ's sheep, we must have acute ears to distinguish Christ's voice from all others." For you to recognize your Savior's voice, you need to know what he preaches.

This is why it is so important for you to continue to read and pray your Catechism, even many years after you are confirmed. The Small Catechism is a summary of Christian teaching from the Bible. It tells you what you need to know to be a Christian. If you regularly pray your Catechism, you will be able to recognize whether your pastor is preaching the truth or lies. St. John writes, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1) But how can you test the spirits, if you yourself do not know what God says?

This also means, that if you want to be Jesus' lamb, you need to listen to preaching. First, you need to identify whether what your pastor preaches is from Christ. And if it is, then you must listen with joy, learn, and be comforted. This also means, that you will not listen to the voice of a stranger. When a preacher teaches contrary to what your Savior Jesus has taught you in his Word, mark and avoid him.

If you will be Christ's little lamb, it also means that you have gone astray. "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, everyone to his own way. And the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Jesus calls sinners to repentance. His flock is filled with broken, starving, and dirty sinners, whom he has washed, fed, and bound up. Christ sought you out when you didn't seek him. He died for you when you were out wandering. He gathered you into his arms by preaching the free forgiveness of sins to you.

And this is why Jesus' sheep want to be part of his fold. Jesus cares for his sheep. What you receive in the Sacrament of the Altar is more precious than anything you could work your whole life to gain. The words you hear, which forgive your sins, calm your guilty conscience, and give you assurance of God's love for you are more important to you than food, drink, clothing, or all the money in the world. We get beat up by the world and Jesus heals us. And we will follow him through this valley of the shadow of death until we finally reach the green pastures of heaven through Jesus blood and righteousness alone. Amen.

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Miscericordias Domini (Easter 3) Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Shepherds His Flock

5/8/2017

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John 10:11-16

04/30/2017

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Jesus makes two profound claims by saying this. First, by calling himself the Shepherd, Jesus claims to be the Lord God. The prophet Ezekiel writes, "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God." (Ezekiel 34:15) And King David declares in the beloved Psalm, "The LORD is my shepherd." (Psalm 23:1) Jesus is God, as he says in this same chapter, "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)

Second, Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. What does it mean to be good? Does it mean that he cuddles the sheep? That he's friendly? Easy going? Live and let live type of shepherd? Jesus tells us what it means to be the good shepherd. "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." This is what Jesus means when he calls himself good. He forfeits his very life, dies for wandering sheep. This is madness. No shepherd would ever do this, not even, by the world's standards, a good one. But Jesus gives us his own definition of good, which is only fulfilled in him. There is only one good shepherd. He is the one, who lays down his life for his sheep. And by laying down his life, he gives to them abundant life.

Jesus makes a stark contrast between the good shepherd and a hireling. In other words, Jesus sharply distinguishes the true God and the true Gospel from all false gods and false gospels. There is only one God, the good shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep. There is only one Gospel, the good news that Jesus Christ, your good shepherd, died for your sins and gives you abundant life through faith in him. All other gods and gospels will fail you.

"He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them." Nevertheless, people continue to follow false shepherds and listen to false gospels. As St. Paul writes, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

These false shepherds are very attractive. They say what you want to hear. They make you feel good. They don't condemn sins, or at least not your sins. Or they give you a path to heaven that you can control by your own good works. They can change their teachings and make exceptions on a whim. They're there to please you. But when the wolf comes, they don't stick around to help. When the devil comes to drag you into the darkness of sin, they have no defense. Because they don't preach Christ and him crucified. They are incapable of rescuing from sin. When death comes to collect his due, these hired hands run away. They have nothing to offer that can save you from death. These hired hands come in the forms of philosophies and ideologies, politicians, teachers, and preachers. But they are not your good shepherd. Your good shepherd laid down his life for you and he gives you eternal life with the forgiveness of sins.

I am Jesus' little lamb,
Ever glad at heart I am;
For my Shepherd gently guides me,
Knows my needs and well provides me,
Loves me ev-'ry day the same,
Even calls me by my name.

The children sing this hymn. Is it true? Does Jesus shepherd you today? Jesus says, "I know my own and my own know me." Is this true? Does Jesus know you? Does he call you by name? Or are these just empty phrases meant to make children smile?

Do you wonder how Jesus can know you when you suffer? "How can Jesus be my shepherd when so much is going wrong in my life. How can he be near when he seems so far away? How can he know me? And how can I know Jesus as my shepherd?"

Jesus himself answers these questions. He speaks of the shepherd, "The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of a stranger." (John 10:3-5)

Jesus' sheep suffer here on earth. They get sick. Their friends forsake them. They struggle with temptation and sin. They die. Yet Jesus' sheep hear the voice of their shepherd. They hear, "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." And this gives them courage to face suffering in this life. "Yes, I have cancer. My loved ones have abandoned me. And I struggle with sin every day. But Jesus has shed his blood for me. He has laid down his life, so that he may lift me up to eternal life. My cancer won't last forever. No mockery or slander can take away God's love from me. My sins are washed away in Jesus' blood and will not follow me into eternal life. I suffer now, but Christ suffered for me, so I know my suffering will end."
And so the Christian can sing the children's hymn, "I Am Jesus' Little Lamb" even as he grows old, even as he faces temptation, sin, sickness, and death. Because if you have the voice of your Shepherd, then you have Jesus.

And this is very important for each of us to understand. How does Jesus shepherd you? With his word. Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." Jesus makes you lie down in green pastures, leads you beside the still waters, and restores your soul through his word. He does this through his undershepherds, who preach the word of God.

These undershepherds are charged to feed his sheep by preaching Christ, who laid down his life for the sheep. The word pastor means shepherd. A pastor is not the good shepherd. There is only one good shepherd, who laid down his life for the sheep, Jesus Christ our Lord. But Jesus' pastors are charged to give his sheep what he earned for them on the cross. St. Peter writes to pastors, "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." (1 Peter 5:2-4)

The purpose of undershepherds is for the sheep to know their true shepherd. When you leave church you should feel like you know your shepherd and have heard his voice. The way you know your shepherd is by hearing the gospel, that Jesus laid down his life for you. And that by doing so he has washed away your sins and gives you eternal life. You hear your shepherds voice when you hear the Word's of Institution, which give you Christ's body to eat and to drink. You know your shepherd when you receive the fruit of his cross, given and shed for you. This is the table set before you in the midst of the sheep hating world. Here your cup runs over with Jesus' blood, which forgives your sins and gives you new life.

False teaching scatters the sheep. Jesus, your good shepherd gathers the sheep. Sheep are not supposed to live solitary lives without hearing the voice of their shepherd. You are not Jesus' little lamb, because you know that there is a shepherd or have heard his voice. Jesus' sheep listen to their Shepherd. They come when he calls. Jesus calls his sheep to come together to have fellowship with each other. And I don't mean sitting around drinking coffee and eating donuts. Jesus calls his sheep to come together to hear his word, to pray, to share in the Sacrament together, to be fed by their shepherd. (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25)

Martin Luther wrote in the Smalcald Articles, one of our Lutheran Confessions, "Thank God, today, a seven-year-old child knows what the Church is, namely, the holy believers and lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd." We confess in the creed, "I believe in one, holy, Christian, and apostolic Church." There is only one shepherd. There is only one flock. The flock gathers around the shepherd. It hears his voice. The flock may look scattered, because false teachers and preachers have caused churches of different confessions to pop up all over the world. But we walk by faith, not by sight. Jesus knows his own and his own know him. Wherever you have the voice of the shepherd and sheep gathered around that voice, you have the church. Jesus' flock is united in him.

When you were baptized, Jesus called you by name. He made you his own little lamb. And he joined you to his one flock to be fed and nurtured through the preaching of his word. Where you have Baptism, the Lord's Supper, the preaching of Christ's crucified to save sinners, and believers gathered to receive these gifts and to pray, there you have the good shepherd feeding his sheep, protecting them from wolves, and yes, giving them abundant life. Whoever gladly hears and believes Christ's word is his little lamb. And not one of Jesus' sheep will be snatched from his hand.
Amen.

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"For faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." ~ Romans 10:17

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