"NEVER IN NEED"
Fourth Sunday of Easter
May 3, 2020
Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church Glenshaw, Pennsylvania
TEXT: The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 (KJV)
This fourth Sunday in the season of Easter is traditionally known as "Good Shepherd Sunday," obviously because in all three years of the lectionary cycle (as well as in the traditional one-year lectionary) the famous twenty-third psalm is the appointed psalm of the day and various selections from the tenth chapter of John (the "Good Shepherd" chapter, as many have called it) serve as the Gospel reading. The significance of all this at this particular time of the year is this: Ironic though it may be, the Lamb of God, who was sacrificed for our sins, has, by virtue of His resurrection from the dead, become our Good Shepherd--the One who provides for us in every way imaginable. He gives us the things that we need the most--especially the things that no one else can provide. These thoughts are particularly appropriate for us during these trying times. They give us comfort as we contemplate an unpredictable future. Above all else, the things our Good Shepherd provides us with that we need the most are the forgiveness of our sins and the assurance of everlasting life in heaven.
The Shepherd image is not an unusual one in the Scriptures. In the Old Testament the Lord is frequently spoken of as the Shepherd of Israel. When Jacob blessed his grandchildren, the sons of Joseph, he acknowledged the Lord to be his Shepherd throughout his life (Genesis 48:15). In addition to the famous text before us this morning, the Psalms often sing the praises of the Lord who is the Shepherd of His people (Psalm 28:9; 80:1). Likewise the prophets make mention of the Lord (and also His Messiah) as the Shepherd who watches over Israel (Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:12; Micah 5:4). All of these words find their fulfillment in the New Testament as the Shepherd image (the picture of complete loving care) is applied to Jesus. This morning we take a closer look at these familiar words from the Spirit-inspired pen of King David, examining what they have to say to us about the Shepherd and about His sheep.
One way in which we can see that Jesus is our Good Shepherd is by what He has done for us. He has first of all lived the life of perfect obedience that the Law of God requires of us. Even though He was under no obligation to subject Himself to the Law, He did it nevertheless, fulfilling every one of it demands flawlessly. What's more, after obeying the Law perfectly in every last detail He suffered the penalty that we have incurred by our disobedience. He who alone was innocent took the guilt of everyone else upon Himself and endured the just punishment for the sin of all humanity when He suffered and died on the cross. Because of what He has done for us in His perfect life and His innocent suffering and death, the things that we need the most are ours: the forgiveness of our sins, reconciliation with God, and the sure hope of everlasting life in heaven. No shepherd on earth can or will provide for his sheep so completely. Jesus alone is the One who can truthfully say: "I lay down My life for the sheep" (John 10:15).
We can also see that Jesus is our Good Shepherd when we examine the reason why He did what He did. In the well-known "Good Shepherd chapter" of the Fourth Gospel the Savior draws a sharp distinction between the genuine Shepherd and the hired hand. He says: "He who is a hired hand and not a Shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me" (John 10:12-14). There is nothing superficial or uncertain about Christ's motives in doing all of this for us. He had nothing to gain by doing what He did for us. Our Good Shepherd laid down His life for us for no other reason than that He loves us and cares about us that much--enough to totally and completely sacrifice Himself for our benefit.
Since the Word of God speaks of our Lord and Savior as the Good Shepherd, it should come as no great surprise to us that it should likewise refer to us as His sheep. But before we start to feel flattered by that description, we should know that in calling us His sheep, our Lord is not exactly paying us a compliment. He didn't make that comparison because we're so cute and cuddly; He made it because, like sheep, we are helpless. Sheep are extremely vulnerable to any predator that may happen along. Their vulnerability is made even worse by the fact that sheep like to wander. In short, sheep are neither strong enough nor intelligent enough to look out for themselves. They are an easy target for all kinds of danger and foul play. More than that, they aren't even capable of finding the basic necessities of life. Such is our situation in spiritual matters. We need the nourishment of the Gospel of Christ and we are surrounded with all kinds of dangers and temptations, but we are powerless to do anything to help ourselves.
But we have no reason to fall into despair, even in the face of this difficulty. Even as we live in this world, helpless among so many dangers and enemies, we can live in confidence nevertheless. We can live in confidence because that confidence does not rest in ourselves. If it did, it would be a false confidence that would do us more harm than good. But our confidence is in the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He provides the nourishment that we need by feeding us with His Gospel through His means of grace. Through those same means His Holy Spirit protects us from our "adversary the devil [who] prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Because of what the Good Shepherd has done and continues to do for us, we can rest secure in the face of everything that confronts us, knowing that we are safe in the arms of His mercy.
It's a frightening world that we live in—a world that has become even more frightening over the past couple of months--a world where the best-laid plans are thwarted and very few things are certain. It is a world that is full of trials and temptations, disappointments and broken dreams--a world where Satan lurks everywhere, never relenting in his ongoing effort to drive a wedge between us and our God. It's a world that could easily overwhelm us if we were left to our own devices. But thank God we're not. The Good Shepherd, who has laid down His life for us, His sheep, continues to be with us in the midst of all of the dangers that we face, providing us with the strength that we need to overcome them all and to continue to live in His loving care until, by His grace, we rest forever in the arms of His mercy. Amen.
May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, by the blood of the everlasting covenant equip you thoroughly for the doing of His will. May He work in you everything which is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom be honor and glory forever and ever. He who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. Amen. ~