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Good Shepherd Sunday, 2010
Rev. Brian L. Kachelmeier
Acts 20:17-35
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The shepherd image is one the earliest depictions of Jesus that has been found. The shepherd is the image of the resurrection. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays His life down for His sheep. He does this on his own. He has the power to lay it down and the power to take it up again. The shepherd image teaches us who Christ is and what He has done for us.
After His resurrection, Jesus sent out the Apostles just as the Father sent Him in order to speak His voice through which sheep are gathered. After the death of the Apostles, men were also sent by being placed in this office by the Holy Spirit through the voice of the congregation. Thus, the shepherd image also is used to describe the divinely instituted office of Holy Ministry. This office goes hand and glove with the divinely instituted visible congregation. Here we have the shepherd and the flock... ...the pastor and the congregation. Now keep in mind that the pastor is not the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. Rather, the role of the pastor is to shepherd the sheep by speaking the voice of the Good Shepherd. In this way the sheep are fed and protected.
Now before we get to far, it would be good to comment on the proper understanding of the image of sheep. It is commonly noted how dumb sheep are. After such an assertion, people joke about how God is not giving to us a compliment by calling us sheep. At this point people begin to chuckle. I don't know how many times I have heard that one. Now I want you to look at today's gospel text and tell me if being called a sheep is a compliment or not.
Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:27-28, ESV) In today’s gospel text, who is receiving a compliment? The sheep are the ones who belong to Jesus. They are the ones who hear His voice. They are the ones who follow Him. They are the ones who are given eternal life. They are the ones who can rest confidently in the strong hand of Jesus.
The image of a sheep is used to show forth its vulnerability. It is unable to fend for itself. It is in need of help. It needs a shepherd to feed it and protect it. Far from being a put down, to be called the sheep of God is a compliment. His sheep belong to Him. It is hard to imagine a sheep without a shepherd. The two images go together like a kingdom and a king or creation and the Creator. The image of sheep in the hand of the shepherd is the image of divine grace.
Throughout the Old Testament, the image of the hand of God portrays both creation and preservation. The LORD creates and sustains all things with His hand. From His hand comes every good and precious gift. His hand is also powerful to save. By His hand, He rescued the people of Israel out of Egypt. The hand that feeds the sheep is the hand that fights off the wolves. Here in today’s text, Jesus says that no once can snatch a sheep out of His hand. And no one can snatch a sheep out of the Father’s hand. In fact, the Father and the Son are one. They are consubstantial meaning of the same divine essence. Jesus is God.
In the mystery of the Holy Incarnation, the shepherd becomes one of the sheep. Yet, not just any sheep, rather He becomes the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He then becomes the perfect sheep who faithfully listens to the voice of the Father perfectly unto death. His death is given up for the benefit of His sheep.
Those who are not His sheep are the ones who do not listen to His voice. They’re the ones who are not receiving a compliment. Verse twenty four states,"So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”" (John 10:24, ESV) See, Christ did tell them plainly, but they would not listen. Oh how many times have we run into people who reject the plain word of God? In fact, it is in our own nature to close our ears when the LORD tells us something we don’t want to hear. Left unchecked, we join the chorus singing, “Yeah, tell us plainly.” Thus, we are learning to be sheep who listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. For this reason, the LORD has given to His church the gift of His written word and the gift of the pastoral office so that this word would be heard.
In today’s reading from the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit teaches about such things. This text opens with the Apostle Paul gathering the elders from Ephesus before his upcoming death. Paul is passing on the baton to the next generation of shepherds who will feed the sheep and fight off the wolves. These words read just like one of Paul’s epistles to Timothy or Titus. Here we have a variety of terms used for the one divinely instituted office in the church. They are called elders (πρεσβύτερος), overseer/bishop (ἐπίσκοπος), who are given the task of pastoring that is shepherding (ποιμαίνω) the flock.
In verse twenty-eight we are taught that when a congregation calls and places a man into the pastoral office it is the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul speaking to fellow shepherd says, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God.” (Acts 20:28, ESV) Thus, the shepherd is placed in the midst of the sheep and given the responsibility of theological oversight for the well being of their souls. Let us be clear, this is not unlimited power to coerce or demand the sheep to do what ever the shepherd desires. On the contrary, it is a very limited authority that is tied to the written word of God which is the voice of the Good Shepherd. Here we have the ultimate check and balance system, sheep with the written word who listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and the under shepherd with the written word put upon his lips.
Notice how clearly Paul teaches the teachers this truth. He is leading these shepherds by example. In verse twenty he states, “I did not shrink back from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house.” Again in verse twenty-one he states, “testifying… …of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Here we see the importance of good law and gospel preaching. Likewise in verse twenty-four he says, “…to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Again in verse twenty-five, “proclaiming the kingdom” In verse twenty-seven he goes on to say, “for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” Finally, in verse thirty-two he concludes “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20, ESV) Paul is telling these preachers to preach the word just like he told Titus. Twice the Apostle reminds them that he did not shrink back from teach the word. The pastor is to feed the sheep what they need as sheep rather than give the people what they want according to their own natural desires.
In this way, we can understand why pastors are so concerned about doctrine. It is their job as overseers. Paul warns these shepherds to be on the look out for false teaching not in accordance with the written word. In Acts chapter twenty verse twenty-nine, he admonishes them saying, “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30, ESV) Speaking twisted things is to pervert and change the voice of Jesus.
When a person goes out in his yard to water the grass, plants, or trees, the garden house is the means through which the water flows. If that hose becomes twisted, it prevents the flow of the water. If the hose is bent too much, the plants are not watered. Anyone who cares for the well being of those plants will check and found out why the water is not flowing. The gardener will examine the hose and locate the twisted and bent section. Once found, he will correct the problem by straightening out the hose once again.
The LORD gives to the church the means of grace through which the favor of God flows to His people. If those means become twisted and bent, the flow of the forgiveness of sins diminishes. The greater the distortion of God’s means of grace results in more devastating consequences for the individual. If the flow of the water of life is damned up and ceases, then the people can be damned for eternity. This reality is not to be taken lightly.
It is the role of the shepherd to speak the voice of the shepherd and it is the role of the sheep to listen to the voice of the shepherd. Let us continue to learn to know the voice of the Good Shepherd. Listen to Him. Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:27-28, ESV) Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. Thanks be to God that these things are written so that we may believe and have life. Amen.
