| The Second Sunday after Easter , 2001
John 10:11-16 The Good Shepherd
The newspaper recently reported that California shepherds got a 33 percent pay raise, from $900.00 per month to $1,200. That raise makes them the highest paid shepherds in the United States. Scores of shepherds work with over 800,000 sheep in our state. The workers -- mostly from Peru, Chile and Mongolia -- are exempt from minimum wage regulations because it is hard to determine how many hours they work because they rarely leave their flocks. Even with the 33 percent raise they will still have to toil in their pastures without toilets, electricity or running water.
People have been herding sheep for thousands of years. The shepherd's lot has never been an easy one. The word pastor is Latin for shepherd, so "pastor" and "shepherd" can be used interchangeably. In the time of Christ the shepherd was almost always outdoors, with only a camel hair coat and a simple hood to protect him from the wind and rain, and from the burning heat of the midday sun. Generally, a shepherd ate only what he could carry with him -- bread, cheese, olives, figs, dates, and raisins.
The needs of the sheep were constant. They had to be led to food and water, and if a sheep fell into a rocky crevice, the shepherd had to climb down to it or pull it to safety with his curved staff. If the sheep was hurt in the fall, the shepherd stretched the animal over his shoulders, carried it to a safe place, and tended its injuries. At night the sheep had to be protected from thieves and wild animals. Bears, lions, jackals, and wolves vanished from Palestine during the Middle Ages, but in the time of Christ, they still prowled the hills. The shepherd, armed with a sling, rod, and staff was the sheep's only protection against ambush. The pastor carried a rod at his belt. When a fierce beast approached, he used his sling to fire stones at it, and if the lion got close he resorted to his rod, a baseball bat like weapon.
The pastor could be sure that voracious predators lay in wait to pick off one of his careless sheep. An isolated lamb made for a sumptuous meal. Nevertheless, sheep are like human beings. Some are docile and obedient and never wish to stray far from the company of the shepherd; others are adventurous and wander off alone; others are foolish and stray thoughtlessly away or linger behind. All this meant that the shepherd could never relax. Back then he had no sheepdog to round up a stray. How would he keep his sheep from heading off in the wrong direction? A couple of ways. First, the shepherd would take his sling and throw a stone to drop just in front of the nose of the sheep to warn him to turn back. Or if he was close enough he would use his staff. The staff was a long crooked stick curved at the end in such a way that a sheep could be hooked and brought back on course. Traditionally, the bishops carry in the processions of the liturgy a staff-like stick called a crosier. The crosier recalls their pastoral authority.
To help them protect the animals under their care, shepherds put their sheep in caves at night. When these were not regularly cleaned they became strong smelling places. If no caves were available, the pastors built a sheepfold of stone walls. Stones were stacked up high and topped with thorn branches to keep out wild animals. The fold had no gate, so the shepherd acted as a human gate by lying across the open entryway. When shepherds shared a single sheepfold, they could take turns sleeping. There are other details about herding sheep. Today most sheep are slaughtered for meat once they are big enough. In ancient times they were kept for their milk and wool. The result was that in Palestine pastor and sheep were together for as long as eight or nine years. The sheep could identify the call of their pastor. For example, if the sheep of three or four flocks were all mixed together in a field, the shepherds could separate them into their proper groupings by yelling out to them. The sheep would respond to their respective master. They knew the voice of their shepherd; he knew their voices. The rams had deep, raspy bellows, the little lambs had high pitched bleats. Each sheep had his own personality and distinctive black and white markings. The pastor had a name for each one, and the sheep came to know their names: Brown Leg, Smudge, Black Ears. And so, over time, a bond of understanding developed between sheep and shepherd. The shepherd called his sheep by name. When the sheep heard their names they came running to their pastor. They knew him, he knew them.
Then, shepherding was not merely a matter of roaming around, there was some hard work involved. During the autumn and winter when there was little grass to graze on, the pastor was busy all day climbing trees, and cutting down the branches and leaves to feed the sheep below. The shepherd's care of the flock was nonstop. Often he had to carry the baby lambs who didn't have the strength to keep up with the flock. One visitor to Palestine a few centuries ago reported seeing on more than one occasion a shepherd carrying several little ones: a lamb under the left arm, a lamb under the right arm, and two or three more riding in a sack slung over his shoulder.
This job description of a pastor would not be attractive for everyone. It was a lonely, low paying job with little vacation time. Nonetheless, the shepherd was close to God's creation, and often close to God. He loved his flock, and they loved him. For this reason the pastoral picture is a major motif in both Old and New Testaments. We see the shepherd wandering over the wide open spaces searching for green pastures, beneath the silent stars at night, close to the elements. In the midst of life and death and birth and peril, there he stands, sleepless, weather-beaten, armed, leaning on his staff, and looking out over his scattered sheep, every one of them on his heart.
This Second Sunday after Easter the Church calls us to consider the relationship of the shepherd to his flock. The shepherd and sheep image is a rich one, full of important truths. We will survey just a few. Our Gospel text from John 10 has something to say about pastoral ministry in the Church, as well as Christ's position over the Church. The minister is often called "pastor". Before the Reformation the title "pastor" was rarely used. The Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli changed that. His book, The Shepherd , had much to do with the emergence of the modern usage of the word "pastor" in Protestant circles. There is nothing wrong with that title. It is a good one. Presbyters are ordained and bishops are consecrated to be overseers in the Church. As overseers, their function and duty is to shepherd the church of God (Acts 20:28).
Now how should they do this? What pastoral style should the ministers use? Pastors should look to the shepherding model as Jesus did. In John 10:3 the Lord says, "and [the shepherd] calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him," In some cultures the shepherds drive the flocks ahead of them. They use whips and threats and fear to get the sheep to go where they want them to go, and do what they want them to do.
This, however, is not the model Jesus endorses. Rather, in Palestine the shepherd walked ahead of his sheep. He called them, and they followed. They trusted him to lead them to good pastures and friendly waters. They were attracted by his example and guidance, they were not driven by fear and force. The flock of Christ has too often been hurt by tyrants. There are few things more ugly and hypocritical than ecclesiastical tyranny. In 2 Corinthians 11:19 the apostle Paul rebukes the Corinthians for putting up with such leadership. He says, "For you put up with fools gladly. For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you in the face." This kind of clergy control completely contradicts the shepherd model. It is a style of leadership that belongs in the cults, not in the flock of Christ.
Much more could be said about pastoral ministry, but let us move on to Christ Himself. Jesus announces, "I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I know my sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep" (John 10:11, 14-15).
When He says He knows His sheep and they know Him, it means that there exists a sweet communion and fellowship between each true believer and the Savior. This bond is so intimate, so sacred and strong that it can only be compared to the eternal and mysterious unity of God the Father with God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The bond between the Persons of the Trinity, and the bond between the believer and Christ is similar. There develops between the Good Shepherd and the sheep a oneness of life, a unity of spirit, and a harmony of desire.
In His incarnation, Jesus Himself led the flock by providing an example. As His sheep we follow His lead. He Himself took every step that He wants us to take, He bore every burden that He asks us to bear, He faced every temptation that He allows us to face, He suffered every grief that He permits us to endure, He did all the tasks that He desires we do. As the good Shepherd He goes before us and we follow.
Furthermore, as the divine Good Shepherd, He knows our beginning and end, He knows our history, He knows our spiritual trials and wanderings; our fears, tears and pain. He knows these things and He sympathizes truly and tenderly with us in all of them. David appreciated this reality. That is why he could write in Psalm 23, "The LORD is my Shepherd; I shall not want. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Ps. 23:4). Like David, we need to sense the comfort and compassion of Christ in all our adversities. God's grace to His own is an abounding source of strength.
Have you fallen into a hole of despondency? Christ can pull you out. Are you surrounded by confusion and doubt? Listen for His voice. Are you too weary to go on? He will carry you on His shoulders. Are you injured and hurt? He will bind your wounds. Have you gone astray from Him? With His staff He will bring you back onto the path. Have you wandered far from the flock and are lost? Put your faith in Him. He will seek and save you. Do you hunger and thirst? "He will make you to lie down in green pastures; He will lead you beside the still water." Are you under attack by wolves and beasts? The Good Shepherd wields a mighty rod.
Best of all, the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. A hired hand would not lay down his life for sheep. If confronted by a life threatening danger, he would run away or avoid it, and the owner would of course not expect the hireling to die for someone else's sheep. Not even the owner himself would give his life to save his animals. A human life is too precious to sacrifice in such a way. The image of God in man means that there is a gaping chasm that separates man from the animal world. The intrinsic value of one human soul is far greater than numberless sheep. A similar chasm separates man from God. How much more valuable was the life of God's own Son than all those for whom He dies? As the Good Shepherd, He freely laid down His life. He went beyond what even the best shepherd would be expected to do. He suffered and died for His sheep. And by so doing He not only saves them from sin and death, but He grants them eternal life.
In John 10:18 Jesus states: "I have power to lay down [my life] and I have power to take it again." The power to take His life again means He has the power to recover it. This implies the resurrection. Our Lord's role as our Good Shepherd does not end with His incarnation. Jesus no sooner dies than He lives again to resume His Shepherd's role for us. He rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven and yet remains our Good Shepherd.
Take to heart the fact that as a believer in Christ you have a Good Shepherd. He is the Lamb of God who bore your sin on the cross. He is your pastor today and forever. He is strong to overcome your enemies. He is vigilant to protect the flock. He is patient when you wander. He knows you and loves you to the point of laying down His life for you. He desires now to graciously feed you with His body and blood. The bread and wine of the eucharist are sweet pastures for the sheep of the flock. Come to your Lord and Shepherd. Bring Him your sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Return to Sermons |
