Shepherd King

The Fourth Sunday of Easter

April 30, 2023

John 10:1-10

 “Shepherd King”

Here in the densely populated area where we live outside our nation’s capital, sheep and shepherding are about as far removed from our daily lives as anything could be. And yet, in the midst of our hectic and hurried lives, even though we are far removed from sheep and shepherding, this image of our Lord remains near and dear to the hearts of God’s people. This is before us today on this Fourth Sunday of Easter, often referred to as Good Shepherd Sunday. The Scripture readings, the prayers and hymns, the message – everything revolves around this beloved image that we have of our risen Savior Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd. It is those closing words of our Good Shepherd in today’s Gospel reading that form the basis of today’s sermon: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). May the Lord’s rich and abundant blessing rest upon the preaching, the hearing, and the living of his Word for Jesus’ sake.

One of the curious things about sheep and shepherding in the Middle East, which Jesus references here in the verses of today’s Gospel lesson, is that instead of following after the flock and driving them along, the shepherd goes at the head of the flock, leading them forward to wherever their destination may be. “When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:4). Within a given area, shepherds would share a large, common holding pen where sheep from their different flocks would all be put together. But wouldn’t all the sheep from the different flocks get all mixed up? How would they be separated from each other? Answer: the sheep know their own shepherd’s voice. The sheep follow their shepherd as he calls out to them, and he leads them along with certain calls that they are familiar with. They follow him because they know his voice. The sheep trust their shepherd to do what’s right for them: taking them to pastures for feeding and water for drinking. I find all of this really interesting because it’s the complete opposite of what I knew from my growing up years on the farm. We did not have sheep, but we did have cattle and pigs, and I can assure you that they definitely would not follow you around. It is true that livestock will often come when you call them, especially around chore time first thing in the morning and again late in the afternoon toward evening. They come because they’re expecting you to feed them. But as far as obediently following you around from one place to the other, well, that’s another thing entirely.

Whether it’s sheep or people, we all want the same thing: we want full and abundant life. Now what does that look like? We can spend a lot of our time and a lot of our money chasing after things that promise full and abundant life, but do not deliver on that promise because they cannot deliver on that promise. We are led to believe that full and abundant life is measured by things; the newest and shiniest thing that’s out there. Commercials and advertising are designed to make us discontent with what we have so that we will want what they are selling, whatever it may be. But when the newness and the shininess wear off, when the novelty goes away, then what? The whole cycle starts all over again. We want the next thing. We want something different, something better, something that is going to fill that void in life that we are feeling. And so we continue to feed the beast within us, and the beast is always hungry.

There’s a better way: listen to your Shepherd! He knows our needs better than we know them ourselves. Our Good Shepherd does not sneak around trying to break in by the back door, gaining access to our lives in some underhanded way like a thief or robber. Our Good Shepherd demonstrates his love for us by laying down his life for us. He has shown what love-in-action looks like, not just in word or speech, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18), by giving his very life for us on the tree of the cross. As Peter writes in today’s Epistle lesson: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25). The original word used here for Jesus as “Overseer” of our souls (έπίσκοπος) is where we get our word “episcopal,” meaning guardian, overseer, or bishop. That is who Jesus us: Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.

Out of all the voices calling out to us, vying for our attention and allegiance, his voice is the one we can trust. Our Good Shepherd is himself the very door to the sheep, so if anything is going to get to his beloved flock, it has to get through the Shepherd first. “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7, 9) is one of Jesus’ “I am” sayings here in John’s Gospel: I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35-48); I am the Light of the world (8:12 and 9:5); I am the door (John 10:7, 9); I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-14); I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25); I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6); I am the Vine (John 15:15).  And behind all of these “I am” sayings is how the Lord God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush at Mt.  Sinai: “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). Jesus our Good Shepherd is that very God. The full and abundant life that we all long for comes from this Good Shepherd who is “I am.”

Here in the shadow of our nation’s capital, there are many military ceremonies: promotions, retirements, or a soldier is being honored for service above and beyond the call of duty. As the honoree approaches the unit commander to receive their award, he or she salutes and then reaches out to shake hands. In the unit commander’s palm, before he clasps hands, you may notice a glint of metal. That is a challenge coin. A challenge coin is a specially designed coin, and is given to someone to confirm membership in an organization or group, or to honor a person for a special achievement. Some of you may have such challenge coins on display or tucked away for safe keeping. Recently I was given a challenge coin, not for military service, but for pastoral service, which took me by surprise. The inscription is a passage from the psalms: “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way” (Psalm 25:9). As you can see, there is the arm of the shepherd with the shepherd’s crook, together with lambs of the flock. I was humbled and honored to receive this gift. You call me your pastor, and that is what I am. The word “pastor” is the Latin word for shepherd.  That is what the Good Shepherd has called me, his under-shepherd and unworthy servant, to be. And so, by the grace of God and with the strength that he gives, I will continue to shepherd God’s flock so that all may know that full and abundant life which our Shepherd King alone can give.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.