Calvary Lutheran Church

The Shepherding Virtues of Jesus

May the God of peace fill you with all joy in believing. Amen.

John 10:1-10

Dear Christian friends:

Throughout the history of God’s people the theme of the shepherd has always run strong. In the early history that was true in a very literal sense since most of God’s people were actually shepherds by trade. Already in Genesis 4, shepherding is described as the occupation of Abel, the son of Adam. Later Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s sons were all shepherds. The reason the Children of Israel were given their own separate location in the land of Goshen in Egypt was because Egyptians couldn’t stand shepherds. They were an abomination to them. But that is what most of the Children of Israel were –shepherds.

Because of this familiarity with shepherding, it was inevitable that the theme of a shepherd would eventually be applied to God himself. Jacob was the first to address God as his shepherd. David, of course, called God his shepherd in the well-known twenty-third Psalm. Asaph did the same in Psalm 80. And the list goes on—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel all wrote about God as the shepherd. Yes, the theme of the shepherd runs throughout the Old Testament both literally as an occupation and figuratively as a  picture of God himself.

And so it was also predictable that Jesus would describe himself as the “Good Shepherd.” And when he did so, the theme of the shepherd was guaranteed a place throughout the New Testament Christian church as well.

Who here has not seen a picture of Jesus with a staff in one hand and a little lamb in the other? Or who has not seen a picture of Jesus followed by a flock of sheep? And then there is today, the 4^th Sunday of Easter, which has been set aside as “Good Shepherd Sunday.”

On this Sunday it is fitting to ask ourselves once again these questions: What did the prophets have in mind when they compared God to a shepherd? What are the virtues of a shepherd that would make Jesus want to compare himself to one? Why has this theme of the shepherd been so popular among Christians for so long?

Our text for this morning answers these questions. While there are many analogies which can be made between Christ Jesus and a shepherd, this morning’s text gives us the three most important . . . .

SHEPHERDING VIRTUES OF JESUS

1. Intimate knowledge

2. Tender care

3. Eternal security

The first shepherding virtue that Jesus was conveying when he called himself the “Good Shepherd” is that of intimate knowledge. Verse 3: “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” If there was one thing that Jesus tried to impress upon the hearts and minds of his disciples after his resurrection from the dead, it was that he was back. That intimate, close contact with Jesus that they had enjoyed before the crucifixion was now restored.

And Jesus reminded his disciples of that again just before he ascended into heaven, “I am with you always even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The risen Christ did not live just in time, he lives in eternity, and eternity means spiritual presence here and now. He is with his believers on earth until the end of time.

And because he is with them, he knows them, and because he knows them, he cares for them. Verse 4: “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them.” The picture is that of a shepherd bringing his sheep out of the sheep pen in the morning and leading them to the green pastures and cool waters they want and need for the day. So also, the second shepherding virtue Jesus was conveying when he called himself the “Good Shepherd” was that of tender care. He cares for all our needs.

How foolish we are all going to feel when we face God some day and he asks us why we spent so much time worrying about what we will eat or what we will drink or where withal we shall be clothed. And then he will say to us, “Didn’t you believe me when I said that I am your Good Shepherd.”

We have an epidemic of fear in our society today, and the media loves to feed on it. We have especially financial fear, “Do I have enough for the future? Do I have enough to get the kids through college? Do I have enough for my retirement years?”

But fear is found not just in financial matters, it is found in all areas of life. How do you know if you have failed to make Jesus your Good Shepherd?—by concerning yourselves more about the future than enjoying the present. We all do it to some degree, some more than others. This is where the animal kingdom has a far greater advantage. Sheep are very dependent animals. They look to their shepherd for all their needs knowing that he will provide. Your dog at home does not worry about tomorrow, it lives only for the day. Your cat does not think about where its meal is coming from tomorrow, it sleeps its usual 18 hours a day in perfect peace. And they all depend upon human providers. We have a Good Shepherd who is the Lord of heaven and earth who promises to provide for all our physical and spiritual needs, and yet we worry about everything, “What is going to happen? How will we survive? Will I be happy?” Certainly, we can’t ignore the future, and we need to make sensible plans and provisions for it. But when we worry about the future, life in the present is passing us by with all its enjoyments and opportunities, its dangers and pitfalls. There is a reason Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” “Not tomorrow, not next week, not next year, but just today, Lord, and I know and believe you will be there tomorrow as well.”

Finally, the third shepherding virtue that Jesus is conveying when he calls himself the Good Shepherd is that of eternal security. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:7-9). The life of a sheep can be a treacherous one—wolves, thieves, hired shepherds who care nothing for the sheep are always a threat.

So also the life a Christian is a treacherous one. First, you have the wolves, or even worse, Peter calls the devil a “roaring lion” who prowls around looking for someone to devour. The devil’s ultimate goal is to destroy soul and body in hell. Then there are the thieves—the temptations of the world that want to come in and steal faith from us. Then there are the hired shepherds—those religious leaders who are in it for themselves—for fame or even—or those who attract people to themselves rather than lead people to Christ.

And then there is death itself. Events like terrorism, natural disasters, accidents, and the treat of fatal diseases do not help us feel very secure. How are we to find any peace, any security in this life knowing that every time we leave our home we face dangers out there, any time we gather in crowds with other people we may be a target, any time we drop our children off at school it may be the last time we see them? Here is how: Jesus said, “I am the gate for the sheep . . . . Whoever enters through me will be saved . . . . I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

A tourist to the Middle East a few years ago visited the ancient town of Hebron where to this day a great amount of sheep-raising still takes place. He noticed in particular the construction of a sheep pen where the sheep would be kept overnight. It was in the shape of the letter “C” with high walls all the way around except for a small opening about six-feet wide. This obviously was where the sheep went in and out of the holding pen, but there was no gate?

The traveler was very curious about that so he asked one of the shepherds standing by why it had no gate. And the shepherd answered with these exact word, “I am the gate,” meaning, of course, that at night he wrapped himself up in a blanket and laid in that six-foot entrance. No sheep could wonder out of the pen, no hungry wolf could enter the pen, without passing over his body first. Now that’s security.

Only Christians can live with that kind of security. Only Christians can live this life to the full, because they are in the sheep’s pen where Jesus is the gate. They are secure in their faith here, and someday they will be secure in heaven whenever, young or old, the Lord calls them home.

Intimate knowledge, tender care, eternal security—that’s why we call Jesus our “Good Shepherd.” Amen.