3rd Sunday of the Resurrection: John 10:11-16

April 14, 2013; 3^rd Sunday of the Resurrection (Misericordias Domini); Texts: Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34:11-16; I Peter 2:21-25; John 10:11-16; Title: The Shepherd Calls; Rev Tim Beck

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

We Christians thank the Living God because He revealed His name to us. He reveals Himself so that we may know who He is and whose we are. We thank the Triune God for revealing the name that is above every name, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this name we are redeemed from sin, reconciled to God as Father and delivered from the penalty of sin, namely death. In this name we also receive the Holy Spirit for newness of life. We thank God the Father for sending the Son to restore us to life, as His flock, one flock with one Shepherd. Jesus, the Son of God incarnate, walked among us, full of grace and truth, declaring who He is and calling us to be His. 

          What did Jesus declare about Himself?  Among His revelations the Apostle John records the emphatic “I, I am” sayings. “I, I am the door; I, I am the true light; I, I am the way, truth and the life; I, I am the bread, the living water, the vine; and I, I am the shepherd, the good one.”  Our texts today speak of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. Ezekiel prophesies the coming Shepherd. Peter declares the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Jesus reveals He is a Shepherd, the good shepherd. He tends his flock. He cares for us. And we his sheep rejoice in Him who cares for His flock day and night, while we    are waking, sleeping, upon the mountain sides and passing through dark valleys.  He is our Shepherd; so let us pay attention to His voice, to be confident that we are in his flock.

          Who is God’s flock? At times in the Old Testament all people are called God’s flock. This describes all people as created by God, as His creatures. But in this passage Jesus is not speaking of the universal realm of the Creator’s care; that is the world under the law. In other passages only the people of Abraham’s lineage are called sheep; those given the promise of the seed of Abraham. But in this context, where God incarnate, born of Mary, came to redeem a fallen race, he speaks not just of Abraham’s seed according to the flesh.  Who are His sheep? It is not at all complicated although it is mysterious.

The Pharisees, the Sadducees, most of Israel and most Gentiles are          excluded from this flock, but not for lack of invitation. So who belongs? “My sheep hear my voice.”       The Lord calls His own and those who hear are His own. He is the Shepherd of hearing Israel. “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. He is also the Shepherd of believing Gentiles.

          Those called, all who listen, who follow that holy, compassionate voice belong to the flock. Jesus pointed out that those in high places, the rulers of Israel, were in someone else’s flock; not because He failed to die for them... rather, they refused to follow.  Here is a mystery, why do some believe and others not? We cannot penetrate this enigma nor should we try. It is enough to know Jesus truly died for all, all are forgiven, but not all will be saved because of unbelief. The blame lands squarely on those who refuse the gift, and refuse freely; but the credit does not go to those who receive; the choice to ours to seize. That’s the mystery we cannot reconcile with our logic. Yet Scripture comforts us with this word: the elect will be saved. For election confirms that we are saved by grace alone, by something God does for us, and also in us, namely, to create faith that is indeed our own faith. We are saved because He died for us, forgiving us our sin. And faith passively receives, passively, because faith is not our work, even if faith is ours.  Faith is created and sustained by His word in you, both to will and do His good pleasure. So Jesus tells us the distinguishing mark of His sheep. It isn’t wool or skinny legs, cute lamb tails going flip flop. Rather, they listen to their Shepherd.

          What does Jesus tell the sheep?  He says he won’t fleece or eat them. He tells them He laid down his life for His sheep. This shepherd died for sheep. That’s pastoral love, a love that opens the door to knowing God as Father (Sheep, are you listening?). For Christ gave his life for the flock. He purchased a flock that was led by a bad “shepherd” down the stock yard gates toward slaughter. And the sheep who hear him turn away from death to follow the Good Shepherd who feeds, leads, protects, and brings us to eternal life.

          It wasn’t always that sweet, for we all like sheep had gone astray, each to his way. We were born with backs turned toward the Shepherd of life, bleating out that the desert air suits us, or caves in the rocks that smell like lion. We preferred shepherds of our choosing, hirelings, useless when it really mattered. It is a sinner’s nature to be hostile to God and blind to depravity. Like little Jack Horner who sat in a corner we call ourselves good for choosing what we want. Even if all peoples have an idea of God and a practice of worship, it is not of the true God. As evidence, God offers us life freely, but all peoples want salvation by the law, although a law that gets rearranged to achieve a winning percentage.  And that tendency, the Pharisee or Sadducee in us, prefers commands to of grace. But that cave is estrangement from the life of God. So the Psalmist mourns, “Like sheep they are laid in the grave - death shall feed on them. As our text says, we are wolf-prey; servants of Satan, children of wrath.

          But who wants to believe that? But for this reason, the reason of unbelief, the Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep. For this reason God assumed flesh and blood and bore witness, “I lay down my life for the sheep.”  I, I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. For this reason the Good Shepherd called us into His flock, giving us life. Jesus kept His word. He did not abandon the sheep when he saw the wolf coming. He remained faithful in the evil hour. When the power of darkness with a murderous host came, Jesus went calmly and quietly, meekly and fearlessly. He laid down his life. He was not overwhelmed by stronger powers; He laid down His life. He laid down His life for Israel, for Gentiles, for the world, for you too. And you who believe His voice follow, knowing your Lord did all things well for you. You follow His voice to a good end.

          He is the Shepherd, the Good one who redeemed us from our captivity, bringing us out from prison of law and condemnation into the freedom of God. He who gave His life also took it up again. What good is a dead Shepherd? He rose to lead, guide, discipline, protect and nourish the one flock. He watches over the church, staff and rod in hand.  Though the sheep scattered when He died, He gathered them, going before them to Galilee, ascending and after Pentecost He is building a great flock.  He continues to brings in sheep from within and from without the fold of Israel, enlarging the church with all the tribes and nations in the world.  And He sustains that church, taking them hoof by hoof through the wilderness. He carries the lambs in His arms, toward quiet waters and green pasture.  

          Nevertheless, we sheep don’t always understand our Shepherd. We get nervous, jittery; at times bolt and make a lot of noise.         Sheep take a lot of work to keep together, to keep safe, and to see they don’t wander off into the desert or go looking in caves. So Jesus uses both staff and rod for a good end, teaching us to listen.  He gathers and sustains us by His word, a word that applies to our every circumstance. “They will hear my voice.”  Hearing isn’t some hidden revelation that wells up from deep within our hearts. That gurgle in the gut is a sheep’s indigestion. We hear in a fashion more shepherd-like. He commands, barks, speaks, beckons, whispers through the Word, including through messengers of the Word. You’ve heard it in the law leading you to repentance. You hear it beautifully put in the gospel when Jesus said “I lay down my life for the sheep.”  And that message to all who believe is the sheepfold, the foundation, the capstone. This is what builds and supports your life, making sense of this life. This message lasts for eternity, and happy is the one who believes and builds accordingly, on this foundation.

          The Shepherd bids “Come to me.”  He bids us because I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. And all these things shall be yours because Jesus calls you.          That is a comfort for you, dear believer.  As Luther said, “Those who should hear, they hear, that is certain. Yes, his sheep   hear his voice and in that they hear his call, they are called, converted, won.” The sheep Christ calls he cares for. He Shepherds in a fellowship of love expressed in these words: “I know my sheep and they know me.”

          Faith receives the counsel of the Word, hiding it in our heart like leaven that works through the loaf.  Faith finds in Christ’s words joy, hope and direction despite the dangers we see along the way. The Shepherd knows our concerns, needs, sighs, fears. He knows his own and He loves His own.  He loves His own and He reveals Himself to us.  He brought His own into His new creation, into fellowship with Him. He chose us before the foundation of the world, for fellowship with Him and the Father.  He is the “I, I am.” He is the vine, we are the branches. He is the foundation and we are living stones in a holy building, the body of Christ. We sheep are bid to eat the Shepherd, and receive His life. That’s why His sheep hear and love Him.  We follow the Shepherd, whether upon mountain sides or through deep valleys. We remain in the fellowship of the word.         And when not in this sacred assembly, the word remains united with us; speaking to us so that we mediate upon it praying to Him who enlightens us.

          So He brings us into His likeness, applying the word through all the twists and turns along our path. He leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. He brings us into one flock, one faith, one baptism, one Lord and Saviour of us all, into the unity of the faith, the same confession, and same hope. Thank God His sheep have a Shepherd, and that Shepherd is the Good One. He revealed Himself so that we may know who He is and whose we are. 

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord (amen).