The Shepherd of Love
Sermon
The View from the Cross
Cycle B Gospel Text Sermons for Lent and Easter
Object:
As we continue our Easter journey, we are presented with an image that has stood the test of time. It is an image of solace, comfort, and hope. It is an image that helps people to see Jesus not only in a positive light, but in the light that God created so we all can see the world as it really should be.
In the first five verses of this chapter of John's gospel, we are presented with the scene of a shepherd entering through a gate into a walled enclosure that has several flocks of sheep in one sheep pen. The enclosure, with stone walls, is guarded at night by a doorkeeper to prevent thieves and beasts of prey from entering and bringing harm to the sheep. The fact was that anyone who took the time to climb over that wall was up to no good. And it should be noted that the shepherd has a right to enter the sheep pen. The one watching the gate opens that gate for the shepherd. When the shepherd comes in, he calls his own sheep by name. You see, shepherds know their sheep well enough to give them names. As sheep hear the familiar sound of the shepherd's voice they go to him. The shepherd leads them out of the pen until the entire flock is assembled. And when he goes out into the fields the sheep follow him.
It is instructive and important to the gospel reading to understand that if a stranger enters the pen, the sheep will run away from him because his voice is not familiar. The point of this is simply to say that the shepherd, because he knows his sheep and because his sheep trust him, is able to pull the flock together and go out into the world. In the same way people come to God because God calls them. If the people have a relationship with God, they therefore trust God and will follow.
Having said this, the fact is that the lesson was missed by those who heard Jesus even though they did understand the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. In their blindness they just could not see Jesus as the Good Shepherd. They were still looking for something else!
We need to remember that it was Jesus himself that developed the shepherd/sheep figure of speech that has in many ways defined how some see Jesus even today. The people who heard this form of description of Jesus would have understood that the shepherd would separate his flock from the other sheep as they go to pasture. Once they got close to their pasture and the enclosure that would hold them while they are in the fields, the shepherd took his place in the doorway and acted as a human gate. What is happening here is that the sheep depend on the shepherd for all of their needs. The spiritual meaning is that Jesus is the only gate by which people can enter into God's providence.
When Jesus said, "All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them" (v. 8 NRSV), he was referring to those leaders of the nation who did not really care about the spiritual good of the people, but only cared about themselves. However, in Jesus the shepherd, they will find security from enemies and the shepherd also provides for their daily needs.
Just prior to our verses for today, we have an image of the thieves who are false shepherds and care only about feeding themselves. They will do everything they can to steal and kill if necessary to get what they want. They do not care about the sheep they care about their own comfort. Jesus said of them, "All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them" (v. 8 NLT).
Enter Jesus who has come to help the sheep, Jesus gives life, and it is life that is not held back in any way but is offered freely and without condition. The message is clear, Jesus gives life; the thief takes it!
If you were to ask our children if they could be any animal, how many do you think would answer that they would want to be a sheep? My guess is that probably none would want to be a sheep. Most would want to be a lion, an elephant, or something pretty like an exotic bird.
Why is it that no one ever says they want to be a sheep? It is never a mascot of a sports team. But from the Christian perspective, it is often seen as a romantic or complimentary thought to who we are.
The truth of the matter is that the attributes of sheep are not many. There is nothing romantic or complimentary about sheep. They are not too bright and most would say that they are stupid and stubborn. I mean, be honest, have you ever seen a trained sheep at the circus? Come see the dancing elephants, funny monkeys, and trained sheep. They are simple-hearted, dirty, and wayward; they are not at all like the sheep we see in the advertisements for mattresses on television. They easily wander away and it seems they never learn from their mistakes. They are easily frightened and confused and are known to plunge off cliffs in their fear and confusion. They are defenseless, dependant, and constantly need guidance and protection.
It may not be complimentary to be a sheep but it is comforting to know we have a good shepherd to come and rescue us when we, like sheep, go astray. Remember "thy rod and thy staff."
There are so many positive things about the Good Shepherd that it is important to get the point across in our journey of faith that we who call ourselves Christian are happy to be members of the flock that Jesus has so carefully assembled. Why are we happy? We are happy because Jesus has developed the sheep and shepherd metaphor in a third way as well. You see, Jesus knew that when it got dark outside, danger was all around. Sometimes in our Hollywood image of Jesus and the land in which he lived we forget what it was like in reality. In biblical times wild animals roamed freely in the hills and valleys around Palestine. The life of the shepherd, despite the romantic images we have managed to put together in our Christmas stories, was a difficult and often violent way of life. Just take a walk back in time and see what we discover in 1 Samuel:
But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death."
-- 1 Samuel 17:34-35
"The Lord who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the Lord be with you!"
-- 1 Samuel 17:37 NLT
That does not sound like an easy job! And Jacob also experienced the labor and toil of being a good shepherd:
Twenty years I have been with you, and all that time I cared for your sheep and goats so they produced healthy offspring. In all those years I never touched a single ram of yours for food. If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, did I show them to you and ask you to reduce the count of your flock? No, I took the loss! You made me pay for every animal stolen from the flocks, whether the loss was my fault or not. I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights.
-- Genesis 31:38-40 NLT
Once again we see how important it is that we understand just how much power titles can communicate. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that says so much. In the Hebrew scriptures God is referred to as a shepherd; just recite the opening lines of Psalm 23. Well, Jesus is this to the Christian community and he came to give his life for the benefit of the sheep.
There are some facets of this Good Shepherd imagery that need to be more fully investigated. The Good Shepherd, Jesus, sacrifices everything for the sheep. Once again, he feeds them, cares for them, protects them, and is willing to die for them. Contrast this with the person paid to do the job. That person does not have the same kind of life commitment. That person is interested in making money and in taking care of number one. Hey, I am not saying that is always a bad thing. But if a wolf attacks the sheep what do you think the underpaid shepherd is going to do? He is going to run for his life. Obviously that shepherd cares nothing for the welfare of the sheep. Historically Israel had many false prophets, selfish kings, and pretenders to the throne when it came to an actual messiah. And the historic truth is that the flock of God suffered greatly from this kind of abuse.
The difference between the hired hand and the Good Shepherd is that the Good Shepherd has an intimate relationship with the flock. He has a personal interest in the well being of the sheep. Again, he knows them by name. Further because he knows the sheep by name they come to know him in the same way. The relationship is reciprocal. This kind of intimacy is modeled on the loving and trusting that comes from a mutual relationship between the Good Shepherd and God the Father. Jesus' care and concern is most clearly articulated by his willingness to die for the flock! I am sure that it can be said that some shepherds have died while protecting their sheep from danger. However, Jesus willingly gave his life for his sheep and the fact is that his death gives them life!
Add to all of this the fact that the sheep are not one homogenous group. There are other sheep that are in need of the care that only the Good Shepherd can give.
I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
-- John 10:16 NLT
Jesus is referring to the Gentiles here. The power of his coming death would also bring these other sheep into the flock. They too will listen to what Jesus has to say. Jesus continues to bring people together to listen and to learn and finally to commit themselves to a new way of living, a new way of life. This seeking out of all who would listen compliments the growth of the early church. Jesus' message crossed over many flocks and many pastures on its way to finding itself in the life of the world. The evidence is widespread, just listen to the impact that message had when, one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him,
"Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me." So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
-- Acts 18:9-11 NLT
In just another couple of weeks we will celebrate Pentecost and there you can see that Pentecost itself is a very direct result of the Good Shepherd doing what good shepherds do. They cared for their own flock and by so doing insured that other flocks would find their way into his safe and life-giving pastures.
In our closing verses today, Jesus predicted his death, saying no less than four times that he would voluntarily lay down his life. We can see as we absorb the totality of these verses that God has a special love for Jesus because of Jesus' sacrificial obedience to the will of God. Jesus predicted his death on more than one occasion. He predicted his resurrection on two occasions. It is so important that we understand that Jesus went forth into the world knowing what was going to happen and still he carried his own cross. The Good Shepherd was willing to die for the sheep, all of the sheep. The important point to be made is this, "No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command" (John 10:18 NLT).
The following is from Sir George Adam Smith:
With us sheep are often left to themselves; but I do not remember ever to have seen in the East a flock of sheep without a shepherd. In such a landscape as Judea, where a day's pasture is thinly scattered over an unfenced tract of country covered with delusive paths, still frequented by wild beasts, and rolling off into the desert, the man and his character are indispensable. On some high moor, across which at night the hyenas howl, when you meet him, sleepless, far-sighted, weather beaten, armed, leaning on his staff, and looking out over his scattered sheep, everyone of them on his heart, you understand why the shepherd of Judea sprang to the forefront of his people's history; why they gave his name to their king and made him the symbol of providence; why Christ took him as the type of self-sacrifice.1
It is good to be reminded that our word "pastor" is Latin for "shepherd." It is, therefore, a highly suggestive term. It places every minister who leads a church under the high obligation of loving and nourishing the flock they serve. It summons every member to follow and feed and grow. Finally, the shepherd does not have the lambs; the sheep do. In other words just as Jesus has defined ministry through his thoughts, actions, and deeds, ministry is a collective endeavor and the entire flock must work together for the Good Shepherd. We have a promise fulfilled at the empty tomb that the Good Shepherd will always be with us. Amen.
__________
1. George Adam Smith, The Historical Geography of the Holy Land (New York: Richard R. Smith, Publisher, 1894), 312-13.
In the first five verses of this chapter of John's gospel, we are presented with the scene of a shepherd entering through a gate into a walled enclosure that has several flocks of sheep in one sheep pen. The enclosure, with stone walls, is guarded at night by a doorkeeper to prevent thieves and beasts of prey from entering and bringing harm to the sheep. The fact was that anyone who took the time to climb over that wall was up to no good. And it should be noted that the shepherd has a right to enter the sheep pen. The one watching the gate opens that gate for the shepherd. When the shepherd comes in, he calls his own sheep by name. You see, shepherds know their sheep well enough to give them names. As sheep hear the familiar sound of the shepherd's voice they go to him. The shepherd leads them out of the pen until the entire flock is assembled. And when he goes out into the fields the sheep follow him.
It is instructive and important to the gospel reading to understand that if a stranger enters the pen, the sheep will run away from him because his voice is not familiar. The point of this is simply to say that the shepherd, because he knows his sheep and because his sheep trust him, is able to pull the flock together and go out into the world. In the same way people come to God because God calls them. If the people have a relationship with God, they therefore trust God and will follow.
Having said this, the fact is that the lesson was missed by those who heard Jesus even though they did understand the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. In their blindness they just could not see Jesus as the Good Shepherd. They were still looking for something else!
We need to remember that it was Jesus himself that developed the shepherd/sheep figure of speech that has in many ways defined how some see Jesus even today. The people who heard this form of description of Jesus would have understood that the shepherd would separate his flock from the other sheep as they go to pasture. Once they got close to their pasture and the enclosure that would hold them while they are in the fields, the shepherd took his place in the doorway and acted as a human gate. What is happening here is that the sheep depend on the shepherd for all of their needs. The spiritual meaning is that Jesus is the only gate by which people can enter into God's providence.
When Jesus said, "All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them" (v. 8 NRSV), he was referring to those leaders of the nation who did not really care about the spiritual good of the people, but only cared about themselves. However, in Jesus the shepherd, they will find security from enemies and the shepherd also provides for their daily needs.
Just prior to our verses for today, we have an image of the thieves who are false shepherds and care only about feeding themselves. They will do everything they can to steal and kill if necessary to get what they want. They do not care about the sheep they care about their own comfort. Jesus said of them, "All others who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them" (v. 8 NLT).
Enter Jesus who has come to help the sheep, Jesus gives life, and it is life that is not held back in any way but is offered freely and without condition. The message is clear, Jesus gives life; the thief takes it!
If you were to ask our children if they could be any animal, how many do you think would answer that they would want to be a sheep? My guess is that probably none would want to be a sheep. Most would want to be a lion, an elephant, or something pretty like an exotic bird.
Why is it that no one ever says they want to be a sheep? It is never a mascot of a sports team. But from the Christian perspective, it is often seen as a romantic or complimentary thought to who we are.
The truth of the matter is that the attributes of sheep are not many. There is nothing romantic or complimentary about sheep. They are not too bright and most would say that they are stupid and stubborn. I mean, be honest, have you ever seen a trained sheep at the circus? Come see the dancing elephants, funny monkeys, and trained sheep. They are simple-hearted, dirty, and wayward; they are not at all like the sheep we see in the advertisements for mattresses on television. They easily wander away and it seems they never learn from their mistakes. They are easily frightened and confused and are known to plunge off cliffs in their fear and confusion. They are defenseless, dependant, and constantly need guidance and protection.
It may not be complimentary to be a sheep but it is comforting to know we have a good shepherd to come and rescue us when we, like sheep, go astray. Remember "thy rod and thy staff."
There are so many positive things about the Good Shepherd that it is important to get the point across in our journey of faith that we who call ourselves Christian are happy to be members of the flock that Jesus has so carefully assembled. Why are we happy? We are happy because Jesus has developed the sheep and shepherd metaphor in a third way as well. You see, Jesus knew that when it got dark outside, danger was all around. Sometimes in our Hollywood image of Jesus and the land in which he lived we forget what it was like in reality. In biblical times wild animals roamed freely in the hills and valleys around Palestine. The life of the shepherd, despite the romantic images we have managed to put together in our Christmas stories, was a difficult and often violent way of life. Just take a walk back in time and see what we discover in 1 Samuel:
But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death."
-- 1 Samuel 17:34-35
"The Lord who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!" Saul finally consented. "All right, go ahead," he said. "And may the Lord be with you!"
-- 1 Samuel 17:37 NLT
That does not sound like an easy job! And Jacob also experienced the labor and toil of being a good shepherd:
Twenty years I have been with you, and all that time I cared for your sheep and goats so they produced healthy offspring. In all those years I never touched a single ram of yours for food. If any were attacked and killed by wild animals, did I show them to you and ask you to reduce the count of your flock? No, I took the loss! You made me pay for every animal stolen from the flocks, whether the loss was my fault or not. I worked for you through the scorching heat of the day and through cold and sleepless nights.
-- Genesis 31:38-40 NLT
Once again we see how important it is that we understand just how much power titles can communicate. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that says so much. In the Hebrew scriptures God is referred to as a shepherd; just recite the opening lines of Psalm 23. Well, Jesus is this to the Christian community and he came to give his life for the benefit of the sheep.
There are some facets of this Good Shepherd imagery that need to be more fully investigated. The Good Shepherd, Jesus, sacrifices everything for the sheep. Once again, he feeds them, cares for them, protects them, and is willing to die for them. Contrast this with the person paid to do the job. That person does not have the same kind of life commitment. That person is interested in making money and in taking care of number one. Hey, I am not saying that is always a bad thing. But if a wolf attacks the sheep what do you think the underpaid shepherd is going to do? He is going to run for his life. Obviously that shepherd cares nothing for the welfare of the sheep. Historically Israel had many false prophets, selfish kings, and pretenders to the throne when it came to an actual messiah. And the historic truth is that the flock of God suffered greatly from this kind of abuse.
The difference between the hired hand and the Good Shepherd is that the Good Shepherd has an intimate relationship with the flock. He has a personal interest in the well being of the sheep. Again, he knows them by name. Further because he knows the sheep by name they come to know him in the same way. The relationship is reciprocal. This kind of intimacy is modeled on the loving and trusting that comes from a mutual relationship between the Good Shepherd and God the Father. Jesus' care and concern is most clearly articulated by his willingness to die for the flock! I am sure that it can be said that some shepherds have died while protecting their sheep from danger. However, Jesus willingly gave his life for his sheep and the fact is that his death gives them life!
Add to all of this the fact that the sheep are not one homogenous group. There are other sheep that are in need of the care that only the Good Shepherd can give.
I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
-- John 10:16 NLT
Jesus is referring to the Gentiles here. The power of his coming death would also bring these other sheep into the flock. They too will listen to what Jesus has to say. Jesus continues to bring people together to listen and to learn and finally to commit themselves to a new way of living, a new way of life. This seeking out of all who would listen compliments the growth of the early church. Jesus' message crossed over many flocks and many pastures on its way to finding itself in the life of the world. The evidence is widespread, just listen to the impact that message had when, one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him,
"Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me." So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
-- Acts 18:9-11 NLT
In just another couple of weeks we will celebrate Pentecost and there you can see that Pentecost itself is a very direct result of the Good Shepherd doing what good shepherds do. They cared for their own flock and by so doing insured that other flocks would find their way into his safe and life-giving pastures.
In our closing verses today, Jesus predicted his death, saying no less than four times that he would voluntarily lay down his life. We can see as we absorb the totality of these verses that God has a special love for Jesus because of Jesus' sacrificial obedience to the will of God. Jesus predicted his death on more than one occasion. He predicted his resurrection on two occasions. It is so important that we understand that Jesus went forth into the world knowing what was going to happen and still he carried his own cross. The Good Shepherd was willing to die for the sheep, all of the sheep. The important point to be made is this, "No one can take my life from me. I lay down my life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For my Father has given me this command" (John 10:18 NLT).
The following is from Sir George Adam Smith:
With us sheep are often left to themselves; but I do not remember ever to have seen in the East a flock of sheep without a shepherd. In such a landscape as Judea, where a day's pasture is thinly scattered over an unfenced tract of country covered with delusive paths, still frequented by wild beasts, and rolling off into the desert, the man and his character are indispensable. On some high moor, across which at night the hyenas howl, when you meet him, sleepless, far-sighted, weather beaten, armed, leaning on his staff, and looking out over his scattered sheep, everyone of them on his heart, you understand why the shepherd of Judea sprang to the forefront of his people's history; why they gave his name to their king and made him the symbol of providence; why Christ took him as the type of self-sacrifice.1
It is good to be reminded that our word "pastor" is Latin for "shepherd." It is, therefore, a highly suggestive term. It places every minister who leads a church under the high obligation of loving and nourishing the flock they serve. It summons every member to follow and feed and grow. Finally, the shepherd does not have the lambs; the sheep do. In other words just as Jesus has defined ministry through his thoughts, actions, and deeds, ministry is a collective endeavor and the entire flock must work together for the Good Shepherd. We have a promise fulfilled at the empty tomb that the Good Shepherd will always be with us. Amen.
__________
1. George Adam Smith, The Historical Geography of the Holy Land (New York: Richard R. Smith, Publisher, 1894), 312-13.
