“I AM the Good Shepherd”
John 10:11

Click for Audio

Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Good Friday—April 10, 2020

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

We conclude our Lenten sermon series on the great “I AM” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John:

“I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life”

“I AM the Door”

“I AM the Light of the World”

“I AM the Resurrection and the Life”

“I AM the True Vine”

“I AM the Bread of Life”

For our Good Friday meditation, we consider Jesus’ declaration: “I AM the Good Shepherd . . . and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

Critics of the Bible often assert that the Bible is nothing more than a ragtag collection of unrelated documents, cobbled together over thousands of years.  However, apparently most of these critics haven’t actually read the Bible very much.  For, if they had, they would know that one of the most prominent features of the Bible is its extraordinary unity and cohesiveness. 

From Genesis to Revelation, throughout 66 books, written by dozens of authors over thousands of years, there is a remarkable similarity of thought, doctrine, history, and symbolism, which you wouldn’t expect to find if is just a ragtag collection of cobbled together, unrelated documents.  This unity and cohesiveness of the Bible is difficult to explain—unless you accept the explanation of the Apostle Peter: “For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

One of the most consistent symbolisms found throughout the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, is the picture of us humans as sheep, and God as our Shepherd.  For example, in the book of Psalms. 

Psalm 100: “We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” 

Psalm 77:  “You lead your people like a flock.”

 Psalm 28: “Save your people and bless your inheritance, be their shepherd and carry them forever.” 

Psalm 95: “For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” 

And, of course, the beloved Psalm 23: “The Lord is my Shepherd . . .”

The prophet Isaiah tells us one implication of this symbolism: “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.”  You see, sheep are notorious for straying and getting lost, and we all like sheep have strayed spiritually, and if left to ourselves would be lost forever. 

But, the Lord promises in Ezekiel, “‘As a shepherd seeks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I seek out my sheep and rescue them . . . I myself will tend my sheep and make them lie down,’ declares the Sovereign Lord. . .  ‘I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.’”

It is very significant that King David, the great Old Testament prototype of the coming Messiah, was originally a shepherd boy.  For, the Old Testament prophesies that the Messiah will be the Lord himself, come down to earth to live among humanity, like a loving Shepherd with his flock.  As Micah beautifully prophesies about the Messiah: “He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth.  And he will be their peace.”

All this Old Testament prophetic symbolism about God as our Shepherd and us as his sheep finds fulfillment in the New Testament.  The Gospel of Matthew says, “When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Jesus says of the final judgment, “All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Because like lost sheep we have wandered and gone astray from his ways, we all deserve like the goats to be cast out of his flock.    But, your Good Shepherd had compassion on you, as he proclaims, “I am the Good Shepherd . . . and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

Peter says, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” But, before David faced Goliath, he said to Saul, “When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth.” 

Like the shepherd boy David fighting off savage beasts that attacked his flock, your Good Shepherd fought off for you the most savage beasts of all.  Your Good Shepherd fought off for you Satan, sin, death and damnation, and rescued you from the mouth of hell.  As Peter says, “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”

Isaiah describes the sacrifice your Good Shepherd made to rescue you: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.  Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.  We observed him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Jesus suffered and died as your substitute, your Good Shepherd laying down his life for you, to pay in your place the penalty for all your sins.  By his wounds you are healed of all your sins; through his punishment you have full forgiveness and peace with God.

“I am the Good Shepherd . . . and I lay down my life for the sheep. . .  only to take it up again.”  Your Good Shepherd suffered death to rescue you from your enemies, but as Hebrews says, God “brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep.”

Your Good Shepherd continues to care for you.  He guides you in the paths of righteousness through his Word; he leads you to the still waters of Holy Baptism; and he prepares for you a table with his cup overflowing with blessings for you. Your Good Shepherd continues to care for you, through his Word and Sacraments, and through his undershepherds, the pastors he has appointed to feed his flock.

After his resurrection, Jesus told Peter, “Feed my sheep,” and Peter later wrote to his fellow pastors, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care. . .  And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” 

Some years ago at another country church I served, I confess that I was distracted at a church council meeting.  But, they sure got my attention when I thought I heard someone recommend renting out the PASTOR to make extra money!  It turned out they wanted to rent out the PASTURE behind the church.  But, there IS a connection between the words “pastor” and “pasture.” “Pastor” literally means “shepherd,” one who takes the flock out to “pasture” and feeds them.  As Paul says in Acts to the pastors at Ephesus, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made your overseers.  Be shepherds of the church of God.”

“Have no fear, little flock,” Jesus says, “for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”  Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fear no evil, for your Good Shepherd is with you.  As Hebrews says, “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’  So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’”

“The Lord is my shepherd . . .  he restores my soul.”  “I am the Good Shepherd . . .  and I lay down my life for the sheep.”