I
am the Good Shepherd
Psalm 23, John
10:1-16
Grace Presbyterian
Church
July 27, 2014
Rev. Dr. Richard
E. Miller
I
Am Three Sundays ago, we heard the words of Jesus when he
said, “I am the Bread of Life”
rejoiced in the presence of Christ in our communion service. Last Sunday, we
looked at his statement, “I am the Light
of the World” and found out that we are called to be Children of Light.
This morning, we turn to two more of the seven “I Am” statements in John when
Jesus said, “I am the gate” and “I am the Good Shepherd.” These are the
most personable of the three. Bread is a food we eat. Light is something we
see. A shepherd is a person.
Background
of Statement
Jesus is in hot water with the Pharisees, a strict religious group that
emphasized salvation by following the letter of the law. As we know, being in
hot water with them was nothing new for Jesus they had criticized him for such
things as eating with tax collectors and sinners [Matthew 9:11], for allowing
his disciples to ignore fasting [Mt 9:14], and for casting out demons [Mt. 12].
In this case, Jesus broke their law by healing a blind man on the Sabbath. Not
only that, he broke another law by working on the Sabbath since he made clay
and placed it on the eyelids of the blind man. After washing his eyes in a pool
of water, he could see again. When the Pharisees confronted Jesus, Jesus said,
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” [John 10:14]. Jesus
was saying, “This man was blind. He was in need of a shepherd to heal him. I responded
to the need of one of my sheep.”
Importance
of Sheep
When Jesus called himself a shepherd, he was referring to an occupation
with which everyone, including the Pharisees, was familiar. This is
because sheep represented the chief
wealth and livelihood of many families of Israel. This was partly due to the
fact that much of Palestine was rocky and hilly and good for little else than
raising sheep. Sheep were raised for their meat, milk and fleece. The skins
were used as tent coverings and at times sheep were even a medium of exchange.
And of course sheep were used extensively as sacrifices of burnt offerings in
the Temple.
Functions
of a Shepherd
The function of a shepherd was to care for a flock of sheep. This
included making sure they had food and water, defending them against wolves and
robbers, healing them when they were sick or hurt, and rescuing them when they
were lost. Since sheep are very helpless, the shepherd had to lead them to food
and water. But not just any water. Sheep are frightened of running water, for
if they fall in, their wool soaks up the water and they drown. The shepherd
must find still water for them to drink.
This is reflected in the 23rd Psalm where it says, “He leads me beside still
waters.” One of the primary responsibilities of the shepherd was to protect his
sheep. The shepherd defended his sheep from wild beasts and robbers with his
staff, a short wooden club with a knob on the end studded with nails.
Tend
sheep for months at a time
Throughout the year, shepherds would tend their sheep for many weeks at
a time up in the hills that surrounded the Jordan River, or down on the plains
that bordered the Mediterranean Sea. Such shepherds had to be strong, alert and
dedicated because their work was very hazardous and dangerous.
The
sheepfold
He had to be particularly careful at night. At that time the shepherd
would enclose his sheep in a temporary sheepfold. Often this was simply an
enclosure made out of stones with briar bushes laid on top to keep out wild
animals. It has a small opening for the sheep to enter. The shepherd would lay
his shepherd’s crook across the opening so that the sheep entered very slowly.
He would then examine each sheep for any cuts or bruises the sheep may have
incurred during the day. When the sheep were safely inside, the shepherd
himself would lay down and sleep across the opening of the sheepfold. Thus
nothing could go in or out without walking over the shepherd. The shepherd
literally became the door of the sheepfold.
Sheep
become Lost
If sheep become lost, they cannot find their way back to the flock so
the shepherd must go and find them. He carried a rod or crook, the end of which
was curved as a hook. With it, he brought wandering sheep back to the herd and
rescued those who fell into holes and crevices. There were no fenced-in fields
in which sheep could safely graze. Thus the sheep were in constant danger of
falling off cliffs, being eaten by wolves, or stolen by robbers.
Shepherd
will Die for his Sheep
The most exacting test of a good shepherd is whether he cares enough
about his sheep to fight all dangers even if it means dying for them. Jesus
said, “I lay down my life for the sheep.” He laid down his life for us that we
might be forgiven and made whole in the eyes of God. Christ saved us just as
surely as a shepherd saved a lamb from a wolf.
So we see that the shepherd protects
his sheep, leads his sheep, and will die for his sheep. As our shepherd, Christ
has done all three.
The
Sheep Listen and Follow
The shepherd knew each and every one of his sheep by name. And each of
his sheep knew his voice. Thus when several flocks of sheep were in the same
sheepfold, the shepherd would simple stand outside and call to his sheep. They
would hear his voice and would come out of the sheepfold and follow him as he
led them to pasture. He didn’t have to drive them as one might do with pigs or
cows. He simply walked in front, called to them, and they followed him.
A man in Australia was arrested and
charged with stealing a sheep. But he claimed emphatically that it was one of
his own that had been missing for many days. When the case went to court, the
judge was puzzled, not knowing how to decide the matter. At last he asked that
the sheep be brought into the courtroom. Then he ordered the plaintiff to step
outside and call the animal. The sheep made no response except to raise its
head and look frightened.The judge then instructed the defendant to go to the
courtyard and call the sheep. When the accused man began to make his
distinctive call, the sheep bounded toward the door. It was obvious that he
recognized the familiar voice of his master. "His sheep knows him,"
said the judge. "Case dismissed!")
Every
sheep is precious
Jesus told the parable of a shepherd who had 100 sheep and found out
that one was missing. So he searches diligently until he finds it. And then he
calls together his friends and says, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my
sheep that was lost.” [Luke 15] In like manner, we are equally precious in
God’s sight - so precious in fact that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, laid down his
life for us.
Christ
is Our Good Shepherd
In the 23rd Psalm, we proclaim, “The Lord is my shepherd.” He’s not a
shepherd, he’s not the shepherd, he is my shepherd. God defines his shepherd’s
role with us when he says, “Do not fear,
for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass
through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not
overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned. And the flame
shall not consume you”[Isaiah 43] We belong, body and soul, to the Good
Shepherd, Jesus. He knows our name. We belong to him. When he calls to us, we
recognize his voice and follow where he leads us.
Branding
Sheep Branding sheep -
Northern Netherlands. A few years ago, I was traveling in the north part of the
Netherlands. Our bus had to stop because there were hundreds and hundreds of
sheep crossing the road. We got out to watch since it was going to take a long
time and we immediately realized that various sheep had a different colored
mark on it. This mark identified their flock and to whom they belonged.
We
are part of the flock As Christians, we have one shepherd and
belong to the one flock known as the Church. And each of us is marked with the
sign of the Cross. This clearly identifies Christ as our shepherd. At the same time, each of us has been called
to be a member of a part of the flock known as Grace Presbyterian.
Questions
to ask The psalmist said, “O come, let us worship and bow down, let
us kneel before the Lord our maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of
his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his
voice!” [Psalm 995:6-7] Since we are the people of his pasture and the
sheep of his hand, we must learn to listen to our Shepherd’s voice when he
calls.
Unfortunately, many times false
shepherds call to us and we stop listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd.
When we follow the false shepherds of the world
who go by such names as pride, envy, jealousy, greed, power,
possessions, anger and addictions, we become lost. As Isaiah said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have turned everyone to his own way.” [Isaiah 53:6]
We
are called to be Shepherds However, the best way to listen to the
shepherd is to become a shepherd of Christ to those around us. This was
highlighted by Jesus when he appeared to his disciples on the shore of the Sea
of Galilee. He went to Peter and asked three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And three times Peter replied,
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
And Jesus replied, “Feed my lambs. Tend
my sheep. Feed my sheep.” Then he said, “Follow me.”
So we follow Jesus as his sheep, and at
the same time become shepherds to those around us. The Latin word for shepherd
is pastor. Our shepherding duties include feeding the hungry, protecting the
innocent, leading the lost back home, visiting the lonely, comforting the
sorrowful and teaching the Word.
Special
Olympics
The story is told that at one of the Special Olympics, four boys were
running the 100 yard dash. As they were running, one of the boys fell down.
Immediately the three boys stopped, ran back to the boy, helped him back on his
feet. Then all four joined hands and jogged to the finish line together.
Model
for Christian Shepherding
This is a model for Christian shepherding. We watch for those who have
fallen and are in need. We lift them back on their feet. Take their hands in
ours and continue our journey together.
Shepherding
passed down to children
In Jesus’ day, skills as a shepherd is passed down from one generation
to the next. Children would help their fathers tend the sheep so that one day
they, too, could be a shepherd. In like manner, our skill at being a shepherd
is to be passed down to our children and to those around us. Our children learn
tolerance or bigotry, revenge or forgiveness,
Final
Thoughts
The story is told of two men who were asked to recite the Twenty-third
Psalm in front of a large audience. One of the men was a published orator
trained in speech technique and drama. He repeated the psalm in a powerful way.
Every word and every inflection was perfect. When he finished, the audience
cheered and even asked for an encore that they might hear his wonderful voice
again. Then the other man, who was much older, repeated the same words -- 'The
Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want...' but when he finished, no sound came
from the audience. Instead, people sat in a deep mood of devotion and prayer.
Then the first man, the orator, stood up and said “I have an observation to
make .The difference between what you have just heard from this man, and what
you heard from me is this: I know the Psalm, he knows the Shepherd." Amen.
John
10:1-16 NRSV
‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does
not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and
a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The
gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his
own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he
goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They
will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know
the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they
did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to
them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before
me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate.
Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find
pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they
may have life, and have it abundantly. ‘I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the
shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep
and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs
away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd.
I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the
Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not
belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.
So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Psalm 23 NRSV
The
Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He
makes me lie down in green pastures;
he
leads me beside still waters;
he
restores my soul.
He
leads me in right paths
for
his name’s sake.
Even
though I walk through the darkest valley,
I
fear no evil;
for
you are with me;
your
rod and your staff—
they
comfort me.
You
prepare a table before me
in
the presence of my enemies;
you
anoint my head with oil;
my
cup overflows.
Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me
all
the days of my life,
and
I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my
whole life long.
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