Hey, I want you to do something for me. I want you to pretend to be a sheep. No, not a sheep in a metaphorical sort of way – but I want you to put yourself in the position of a real, four-legged, wooly sheep. Your task over the next few minutes will be to look at life and look at the world from the perspective of one of these little critters. In order to play the role properly, there are a few things that we need to keep in mind:
• You are delicious! I mean to tell you – there are folks that would just love to sink their teeth into a good mutton chop. There is a demand for you – but clearly that demand can only be satisfied at a substantial cost to the sheep.
• You are a sitting duck. You can’t defend yourself very well. Because of this you are timid, fearful and easily panicked. Consequently you prefer the company of other sheep. Safety in numbers, I reckon.
• Some say that sheep are not very sharp. In fact, sheep are dumb and gullible. I don’t know about you, but I’m a natural for that role.
• Finding food consumes most of your waking hours and you are not very good at it. In fact, you need to be kept away from poisonous plants and precipices and ravines. Why, because sheep are so stubborn that they’ll insist on eating and drinking stuff that isn’t good for them or wandering close to danger.
Ok – let’s set the scene. There are enemies out there who want to chow down on you. Let’s be clear - you are worth more to them dead then alive. You can’t defend yourself. You hang out with others because going along with the crowd makes you feel safe. Half the time, you are not aware of the trouble that surrounds you. Admitting that you are wrong is hard and Lord knows that being wrong is a very normal condition. You really have a hard time doing the right thing and, in fact, doing things that are bad for you seems to come second nature.
Ok – ready to play sheep? Let me warn you - it isn’t going to be easy for us. In fact, you may find it a bit humbling. Admitting that we are helpless and dependent goes against the grain. You see, we spend most of our lives learning independence. We study so that we can get jobs to earn our own way. We look forward to the day when we don’t have to worry about money. We work out so that we can be strong and face life head on. We study self-defense and learn how to protect ourselves. At the end of the day, being independent and self-reliant become badges of honor among us. So being a sheep - being in a position where we are weak and defenseless - is a struggle. That’s why things like swine flu and a bad economy are so, so troubling for us.
Let’s take this in another direction. Instead of being real sheep, I’d like for us to think about being sheep as a metaphor for living the Christian life. Now we need to know that all of the weaknesses and dangers that real sheep face – we, as spiritual sheep also face. For example, real sheep become targets because they are delicious to their enemies. There are those that want to have Christians over for dinner – well done, by the way. As spiritual sheep, we are targets for those who are hungry for lamb chops. Saint Peter tells us that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5.8) Did you get that? We’re little more than a Scooby snack for the devil. In another place Saint Paul tells the Roman believers: “We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8.36b) Like it our not – our rugged independence does us no good against these enemies.
In the spiritual realm – we are sitting ducks. Remember how God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt? Imagine watching God go to work to free his people from the Pharaoh – the plagues; the pillar of fire; the cloud; the opening of the Red Sea; manna from heaven; flocks of quail flying into the tents; water from the rock. Wow! Can you imagine? These folks got to see some pretty amazing things. Even so, we read how they fussed and complained against God. We read about the rebellion and the idolatry. At the end of the day – these people – because of what they had seen, had every reason to trust and follow God. But they didn’t – the innate weakness of sheep came through and they fell.
Let me read you the thoughts of Saint Paul regarding this from the Bible translation called The Message. Paul writes: “These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.” (1 Corinthians 10.11-12)
Ok – so that is the scene. Spiritually – we are like sheep. Our self-confidence does us no good in the spiritual battle. In fact, self-confidence and self-reliance can work against us. The answer to our dilemma lies in the one who loves the sheep.
You see, beloved, sheep rely completely on the shepherd. It is the shepherd that leads them to green pastures and to good drinking waters. It is the shepherd’s rod that keeps enemies at bay. It is the shepherd that drives away the wolf and the lion. It is the shepherd that keeps the flock together. It is the shepherd’s staff that is used to bring back the sheep that stray. For sheep to survive, it takes a caring hand – the hand of a shepherd.
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. Today we celebrate God’s care for us. Today we look to our Savior – Jesus - as the great shepherd of the sheep. But as we do this let’s ask the question: What kind of shepherd is this? What does Jesus bring to the table for us – the sheep of his pasture?
Jesus is a shepherd who intimately knows his sheep. He says, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and know the Father.” (John 10.14b-15a) Friends, I don’t know about you, but having a God who really knows the pains that I feel and the sorrows that I carry and weaknesses that I have fills me with hope. The Good Shepherd knows everything about us and yet still loves us. We don’t have to be afraid that some hidden sin or fault will make Jesus abandon us – He won’t – ever. He knows us and loves us just as we are.
Jesus is the kind of shepherd that has the power to stand up to the enemies of the sheep. He drove out demons with but a simple word. In poetic hymn this has been taught: With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected; But for us fights the Valiant One, Whom God Himself elected. Ask ye, Who is this? Jesus Christ it is. Of Sabaoth Lord, and there’s none other God; He holds the field forever. (TLH 262, v 2) Friends, we have a Good Shepherd who has the authority and power of dominions and principalities. Jesus – your Lord, my Lord – uses his authority to protect his sheep.
Jesus is the kind of shepherd that wants his flock to be complete. He seeks his sheep from all over the world and brings them into his fold. “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10.16) Every felt like you didn’t belong? Ever felt like you didn’t think the same, speak the same as others? Jesus doesn’t think so. His Kingdom is big enough for all. We all will be one flock with Jesus as Shepherd.
Jesus is the kind of shepherd that is willing to lay his life down for his sheep. He said, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10.11b) Jesus taught that there is no love greater than love that is willing to give his life for his friends. (John 15.13) Do you know anybody else that loves you like that? Beloved, I want to tell you that our Good Shepherd Jesus loves you enough to die for you.
But it doesn’t stop there. Jesus is the kind of shepherd that dies for us, but that also rises for us! He lays his life down for the sheep and he takes it up again. And because our Good Shepherd has died for our forgiveness and rises again to new life – we too have the same hope.
Dear, dear saints of God – no greater Shepherd could have been sent for us. The Father sent a shepherd who would be our intimate friend, our loving protector, who would gather his flock from all corners of the world, who would die to protect us and who would return to life to give us eternal life. And so with joy we return to the theme of Easter – Christ is Risen.
