Good Shepherd Sunday Sermon

The Good Shepherd by William Dyce

Preached at St. John's Lancaster on the Fourth Sunday of Easter MMXII

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. In an age where we are influenced in so many ways to consider ourselves as individuals to be the center of the universe, it is very tempting to talk a lot about the nature of sheep. And I must admit, there do seem to be some very real similarities between us and them. They are creatures of flight and instinct which seem ever prone to move as a herd or a mob, without much evidence of reasonable introspection. They seem to be sick a great deal, and are relatively unable to protect themselves successfully against those who would prey upon them. They are beautiful in their own way, and useful after a fashion, but at the end of the day they do sort of remind me of four legged chickens with wool coats. To compare myself or my fellow homo sapiens to sheep is far from a compliment, and I think there has been far too much of it over the years.

No, it seems to me that the real purpose of today’s image of Jesus as the great and good Shepherd of Israel is more about him than us. In an age more agrarian and pastoral than our own, one which was scarce removed from the wandering lifestyle of the Bedouin tribes, the image of the shepherd was as common as that of the auto worker or the teacher in our own age. Just as the non-expert in our own day can identify a teacher who is able to motivate and inspire her students, or an auto worker who is diligent and timely, so the ancient Jew understood what constituted the character and habits of a good shepherd, even if he was several generations removed from the agrarian experience. Hence Jesus employed this image, along with others common to the age, to explain the love of God to the people of Israel, and indeed to all the world.

In ancient Jewry, the sight of the shepherd enduring cold, heat, rain, and danger to insure the safety and well being of his charges was well known. The good shepherd’s willingness to sacrifice and endure hardship and danger on behalf of his charges was proverbial. Jesus was not the first rabbi to employ the image of the shepherd climbing down the face of the cliff to rescue one of his charges, not was he the first to speak of Israel as a flock cared for by a committed and loving steward. While we no longer see shepherds in our daily travels, the image is as well fixed in our culture as it was in that of ancient Palestine. The image is a part of our culture, and it is not hard to understand.

Jesus Christ loves us, and takes personal responsibility for our care and nurture. He is as willing to go down the face of the cliff for you and me today as he was when he walked the dusty roads of ancient Galilee. His desire to deliver us from the danger and potentially fatal results of our lust, our gluttony, and our pride was demonstrated conclusively to everyone on the earth by his death for us on the cross. His ability to deliver on his characterization of himself as the pen or paddock which provides our safety, security, deliverance, and well being was proven by his ability to take up his life again in the Resurrection from the dead. Yes, his willingness to endure the shame and suffering of the Passion and Crucifixion, and his triumphant defeat of death itself is historical proof that he is faithful to all of those who are loved by God, and that includes you and me. Unlike the hireling who runs away at the first sign of trouble or danger, Jesus is willing to stand by us, to labour for your salvation and for mine, until the very end. He is willing to do whatever it takes to help all of us to overcome those sins which drag us down. He will faithfully stand by us when the bad times come to us, without regard to whether those bad times just come our way or are the result of our bad decisions and actions. In a nutshell, that is the meaning of all of this talk about Jesus being the Good Shepherd.

How will you respond to such a commitment made on your behalf? True, none of us asked him to be our Good Shepherd. He made these decisions willingly to show us his love before we were even created. When we were no more that a loved dream of what was to come in the mind of God, Jesus made the decision to love you and me, and everyone else ever made in the image of God the Father. He determined to do whatever it might take to offer us the gifts of forgiveness, of reconciliation with God, of deliverance from guilt and shame, of release from the bondage of our addictions and bad habits, of deliverance from being alone and devoid of purpose. And in addition to deliverance and restoration to God in this life, he offers us the opportunity to live forever with him in heaven in the life to come. He offers us escape from the just reward for our sins, for the way we have treated God and each other. He offers us escape from Hell and its everlasting separation from God’s love and hope and purpose. How will you respond?

I invite you on this day to respond by embracing God’s love in Jesus Christ with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength. As I complete this sermon today, stand and confess Jesus Christ, the second person of the Holy and Blessed Trinity as Lord and Saviour by saying the creed with passion and commitment, as if you really do believe it to be true. In the prayers of the People, bring him all of your needs and leave them at the foot of the cross, believing that he will do that which is best for you, and give you strength to do that which is best for his kingdom. Kneel in humility to confess your sins of act or omission and believe in your heart and mind that he truly does keep his promise to forgive you and restore you to a right relationship with your Heavenly Father. As we stand for the peace, purpose in your heart to make restitution to anyone or everyone you have wronged in any way, and if they are here today, approach them and offer to make a start. And then come to this table of our Lord to receive God’s gift of the Body and Blood of Jesus. Offer again to receive him as your own. Name him as your King and Saviour, your Brother and Friend. Know that in this act of Holy Communion, as you come to him in faith, he receives you as his own and empowers you for the task at hand. And then go forth into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the dynamism and strength of this salvation by living a life of humility and obedience, one that recognizes your need of him, and which passionately desires to please him by doing those things the Bible says we ought to do, and by not doing those things it tells us not to do. As we respond in this way to the Good Shepherd, God will work through each of us, through all of us, to glorify himself and to bring the nations into his fold; and there will be peace among the nations, and all people shall see the glory and tenderness of his love.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.