The Unique Shepherd

Text: John 10:11-16
Date: The Third Sunday of Easter4/30/06

  When our Lord Jesus Christ says, “I am the good shepherd, I know my own and my own know me,” he means to teach us at least two things. First, we his followers, his believers, his disciples, his sheep, are to listen for his voice, to believe and rely and live on his word. Secondly, as he says, “and I lay down my life for the sheep,” so we also are to love one another.

  Of all the animals, and for this above all other reasons, God created sheep to be a sign of the loving, saving relationship he desires with all people. For one thing sheep served as the sacrificial animal of the Passover. The final plague that would convince Pharaoh of Egypt to release the Israelites from slavery was the death of the first born of every household. The slaughter of a perfect lamb and the painting of its blood on the doorposts was the sacramental sign that preserved and saved God's people from the angel of death. This was, ultimately, to point forward to the sacrifice of the only Son of God on the cross of Calvary, the Lamb of God whose blood takes away the sin of the world and its wages of death. This is the first and most important thing, to believe in Jesus as our Savior from sin, death and hell, who purchased and won us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death.”

  In addition to serving as a sacrificial animal pointing to Christ's sacrificial love, however, sheep serve as an example of Christian faith and obedience. Sheep, more than other animals, have sharp hearing that knows, can identify and distinguish the unique voice of their shepherd to the point that they remain almost deaf to any other voice. They respond to and follow the voice of the shepherd who cares for them and leads them to green pastures and safe shelter. When we are the sheep and Jesus is the Good Shepherd, he is saying that we are to know, identify and distinguish his voice as our Unique Shepherd, follow him and, like sheep, remain deaf to other voices.

  From this we are to learn that we must not only continually hear God's Word but also hear it in a way that we may be enabled to distinguish the pure doctrine from false doctrine, philosophies, teachings and teachers. This is especially important in our day in our country because, while no one (yet) questions your right of religious freedom, to believe what you wish, our society is increasingly critical of those who believe so firmly that they also criticize false teaching. Sheep distinguish between the trusted voice of their own shepherd and the deceptive voices of wolves in sheep's clothing, or else they set themselves up to be deceived and devoured.

  Most of the articles of our fundamental confession of faith, the Augsburg Confession of 1530, begin with a clear statement of the pure, biblical doctrine that is taught among us, and then end with a statement of rejection and condemnation of all heresies and false teachings that are opposed to the truth. For example, the first article concerning God begins with the words, “In the first place, it is with one accord taught and held, following the decree of the Council of Nicea, that there is one divine essence which is named God and truly is God. But there are three persons in the same one essence…God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.” As further explanation, however, the article concludes with the words, “rejected, therefore, are all the heresies that are opposed to this article, such as the Manichaeans, who posited two gods, one good and one evil; the Valentinians, the Arians, the Eunomians, the Mohammedans [that is, Islam!], and all others like them.” [1] You know the popular opinion that, for all the differences between religions, “they all worship the one, true God, just in different ways or from different perspectives.” This is politically correct. But this is also not so. For God has revealed himself not only through his wondrous creation but also especially through his Word clearly written by his prophets, apostles and evangelists, and most clearly through the Word-become-flesh, Jesus Christ who said, “no one comes to the Father but by me.”

  There were, there are and there always will be voices other than and opposed to the voice of our Good Shepherd. These voices we are to recognize for what they are, mark or identify them and avoid them, as St. Paul says in his letter to the Romans, “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve” [Romans 16:17-18 (ESV)].

  These words, then, are of special importance to all who would be pastors or serve in other church-related professions. Preaching on this text Martin Luther put it this way:

This is fundamental: Christ knows his sheep and, in turn, the sheep know Christ. It, therefore, follows that for the sake of faith, Christ alone should be preached to his little sheep, that he has given his life for the sheep and they are to emulate his example with works of love. A faithful preacher, therefore, should present nothing other to his people than Christ only, so that people learn to know him, who he is, and what he gives, and do not wander away from his word of promise, “I am the good shepherd, and give my life for the sheep,” but believe that he alone is to be esteemed as the true Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. That is what should be preached to the people, so that they may learn to know their Shepherd.

 

  Let us therefore preach Christ alone. He is, above all, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for us his sheep. By his sacrificial death on the cross the righteous wrath of God against the sin of the whole world has been reconciled so that in Christ the Father looks with nothing but love toward his whole creation. Of course that love includes tears of pity for those who reject his great gift of redemption. But for those who labor and are heavy laden and repent of their sin and separation he applies the healing balm of forgiveness, peace, love and the promise of eternal life in the resurrection. The Good Shepherd bears with you and even carries you on his shoulders when you are weak or tempted to go astray. “By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet. 2:24). As the Apostle Paul said it, you can be convinced and assured that there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:39).

  Dear sheep of the Good Shepherd, he knows you. As one pastor said it, “he knows all about you, but he loves you nonetheless!” What more do you need to know?

  There is an old hymn that may be new to us that will be hymn number 711 in the new Lutheran Service Book (LSB). The text is by Dorothy A. Thrupp who lived 1779-1847. It is an appropriate prayer for us today.

  Savior like a shepherd lead us;

  Much we need your tender care.

  In your pleasant pastures feed us,

  For our use your fold prepare.

  Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

  You have bought us; we are yours.

  Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus,

  You have bought us; we are yours.

[1] The Book of Concord, ed. Robert Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert ©2000 Fortress Press, Minneapolis, p. 36.

____________________
Rev. Allen D. Lunneberg

Contacts:

deblocascio.stmark@sbcglobal.net

Pastor: Rev. Allen D. Lunneberg
7979 Commerce Rd.      (1/4 mile east of Union Lake Rd.)
West Bloomfield, MI 48324
Phone: 248.363.0741
Fax: 248.363.4755