Easter
John 10:1–10
1"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
2But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
6This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
9I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
What a marvelous God we have. His works are beyond comprehension; they are full of splendor and majesty and his righteousness endures forever (Ps 111:3).
He is unlike any other god. He is unlike the gods of the Hindus. He is unlike the gods of Buddhism. He is not at all like the god of Islam. He is unique. His works are more sublime. His deeds are more amazing. His salvation is greater. Other gods are tyrants; they delight in people serving them, they are almost even selfish. The god of deism is a remote god, far off, paying little attention to what goes on here on earth.
But our God is a shepherd. He is caring, loving, compassionate, and serving. He is gentle and meek. He leads us, protects us, makes us lay down in green pastures and leads us beside still waters.
When his people were slaves in Egypt he himself brought them out of slavery. Jesus Christ, the good shepherd, led them through the Red Sea to freedom. He led them in a pillar of cloud through the wilderness. He fed them with bread and meat from heaven. He brought forth water from the rock for them to drink. And finally led them to green pastures in a land flowing with milk and honey. No other god has ever done this. He defeated the gods of Egypt; he overthrew the baals and the ashtaroth, he conquered the armies of the Canaanites and Philistines and gave his people rest and peace.
Today more than ever we need a shepherd. We are like sheep. That's not amazing. Jesus says that anyone who does not enter by the door but climbs in by another way is not the shepherd, but a thief and robber. Today we are being led by thieves and robbers. Secular philosophy and ideas are leading us with false promises and hopes. They promise us utopia but cannot lead us there. Secular advisors, counselors, politicians promise a new and bright future but are leading us to destruction. God says: "Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard; they have trampled down my portion; they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness." (Jeremiah 12:10) Just as in ancient Israel: "[they say] 'peace, peace, when there is no peace." (Is. 57:19). Again God says; "the prophets say to them, 'you shall not see the sword; you shall have peace.' But 'I did not send them. They are prophesying a lying vision." (Jeremiah 14:14). The same happens today. Mankind seems to be more lost today than ever before. And the shepherds only kill and steal the sheep.
But even more dangerous are wolves in sheep clothing. They enter undetected into the flock where Satan uses them to attack from within. They look like sheep, but inwardly they are wolves come to sow seeds of discord, fighting, jealousy, gossip, and resentment. Small groups form cliques. Old grudges keep festering. Such are not the sheep of Christ. These are thieves because they lead the sheep away from Christ; they cause the sheep to turn and follow others. The sheep must always be on guard and keep vigilant so that they recognize the voice of their shepherd; Jesus.
God is our shepherd. He is neither a distant god nor a tyrant. He is a shepherd. He led is people out of exile. He rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. And Israel sang: "The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters." (Ps. 23) "Behold, flock, Behold your God. The Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; he will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young." (Isaiah 40:11).
We know God as a shepherd by his Son. "I am the good shepherd," says Jesus. "He who enters by the door is the shepherd." "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life. I am the good shepherd." "I have called you by name." (John 10)
Jesus is our shepherd. He calls his sheep by their name. He knows each and every one of his sheep. He knows your desires, your dreams, your thoughts. He keeps a record of all your sorrows and collects your tears in his bottle. He has called you through His word. You are his. You were called to be his possession.
And he makes you lie down in green pastures. "No one comes to the father but by me. I am the door." So Christ is the access to the Father (Eph 2:18). "I am the way the truth and the life." There is no shorter way to the Father except that we love Christ, hope and trust in him, and boldly look to him for everything good, learn to know and praise him.
God himself is your shepherd. None other. And the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. He lays down his life and he takes it back up. "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." The good shepherd offers his life for that of his sheep. Follow him and he will lead you to the promised land flowing with milk and honey.
He set you apart from other sheep and made you his own flock in your baptism. That is where you first heard his voice. That is where you came to know your shepherd. Follow none other. Make his voice as familiar to you as your own, for his voice is life, and life abundant. There is life in no other. Hear, learn, and follow that voice. The sheep do not follow the voice of another. But in order recognize his voice, you must hear it by learning the word of God. Only by hearing his voice can you distinguish between his voice and that of another. We must know to discern his voice from the voices of others who lead to death instead of to life.
Today, we need to follow the shepherd who will lead us to green pastures and who will protect us from the thieves and robbers. We need to recognize the voice of our true shepherd to whom we belong and flee from the false shepherd who does not enter by the door. We need to hear his voice and listen to it and follow him.
His sheep hear his voice and they follow. Those who do not follow are not his sheep. There are other sheep who do not recognize his voice and run as if from a stranger. They turn away from following and get lost in a world of wolves and thieves. They follow the wolves of sinful lusts and desires. They follow the voices of their flesh of greed of anger of jealously of lust and immorality. They are not his sheep.
But the sheep of the shepherd hear his voice and he leads them into righteousness. They hear him in the word preached and in the sacraments. They follow him by worship and prayer and faith. They follow him in lives of compassion and mercy. They take up their crosses as did the shepherd and lay down their lives for others.
Jesus says, "I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd." (10:16) there is still much work to be done. There are still sheep of the shepherd who have not heard his voice. Following the shepherd means to speak his word in the neighborhoods, in the streets, and in your community so that those sheep will also hear the voice of the shepherd and follow him. Following the shepherd means to bring other sheep into the flock so that they too will hear his voice and follow. Our mission is not complete. Our work is not done, until all the sheep of the shepherd are brought into the fold by the door, Jesus himself. The door is Jesus. The door is word and sacrament. Until all the sheep are brought in, your work is not finished.
Amen.