In Jesus Holy Name Easter IV 2020
Text: John 10:11 Redeemer
“I Am…. The God of Israel”
Last week I began with a quote from the great newsman, Paul Harvey who told his listeners the “rest of the story.” Today we find Jesus telling some stories which people in Israel were familiar. Everyone knew about shepherds and sheep. They were familiar with a sheep pen. A sheep gate. Much like Paul Harvey Jesus supplied a hint as to his identity, which of course is “the Rest of the Story.”
Some might think Jesus was reminding their listeners of the shepherd boy who became a king. David. In Israel a shepherd spent days and nights with the flock of sheep. He would protect them from robbers, bears, lions, any animal that would harm the flock. David, himself said that he had killed bears with his slingshot. He was not afraid of the giant Goliath. Raise your hand if you remember the story of David and Goliath.
In America when we see flocks of sheep they are moved from pasture to pasture with Border Collies. Not in Israel in the first century, nor today. The shepherd in Israel would lead his flock to new pastures. The sheep knew their shepherds voice and they followed him.
One of the most common and popular images of Jesus is that of a Good Shepherd. This image has dominated Christian art for two thousand years. Many churches have a stained glass window of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Those of us who have grown up in the church can close our eyes and envision the picture of Jesus the shepherd with a sheep slung around his neck.
The image of the Good Shepherd is caring, inviting, and personal. The image resonates with our desire for a vibrant relationship with God. Here at Redeemer we have our own stained glass window that shows Jesus the Good Shepherd.
John Stott in his book “The Contemporary Christian” (p. 284) writes: “There is an old story about a tour group in Israel. The tour guide had been explaining to the group about the close relationship a shepherd has with his sheep, and how he is able to walk in front of them, call them, perhaps whistle or play a pipe, and they will follow him. During the tour, the group came upon a shepherd. They spotted a man in the distance driving a small flock of sheep with a rather menacing stick. Was the guide mistaken?
The guide immediately stopped the bus and rushed off across the field. A few minutes later he returned, his face beaming. He announced, "I have just spoken to the man. Ladies and gentlemen, he is not the shepherd. He is in fact the butcher!"'
Jesus knew the Jews were looking for a new King, a new Shepherd, like David or Solomon. They wanted the Romans gone. They wanted their independence. Who better than Jesus. If Jesus can feed 5000 people with a few loaves of bread and two fish, then He could easily feed an army. Jesus constantly healed people, and raised people from the dead… Who better than Jesus to heal every Jewish soldier injured in battle, or raise back to life those who were killed.
If you have been reading the book of John then you remember that in John 6 after feeding 5000 people the crowds wanted to make Jesus king by force.
Now in John 10 we come to the “rest of the story”. Jesus said, “I am the gate”. “I am the Good Shepherd”. This is where Jesus looks at the crowd and says: “Raise your hand if you remember the story of shepherd boy, who became a King.” “Raise your hand if remember the words God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel. They did.
Each week I have been sending out a “Thought for the Week” and encouraged you to read a chapter in the Gospel of John. and watch the video series “Stuff They Didn’t Teach Me in Sunday School. If you have, then you understand that in this passage Jesus is claiming to be the only “gateway to peace with God”. He is claiming to be “The One”, The King of the Universe, The Yahweh of their bible who has come in flesh and blood with judgment, justice and redemption. He said “I Am the true Shepherd” of Israel. It did not go over well.
I must admit that I get very excited when talking about the theology of this passage. In Ezekiel 34 God, the “Intelligent Designer of the Universe”, is the same God who rescued Israel from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. This is the same God who allowed human kings like Saul, David, Solomon and others to become “shepherds” of His people, Israel. (I Samuel 8) The Kings and Religious leaders of Israel were to care for God’s people, not misuse them, not steal from them. The kings were expected to stop the worship of false gods. They were to protect people from their enemies. A few like David, Josiah, and others did… but most failed in their responsibilities as “good shepherds”.
Do you remember the message last Sunday when Jesus explained the bible passages to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? (raise your hand) “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, (including Ezekiel) Jesus explained to them what the bible said concerning Himself.” Luke tells us that when their eyes were opened… not only did they see the “risen Jesus” but they “saw” with their eyes the fulfillment of bible prophecy. They said:” Were not our hearts burning within us when He talked with us on the road and helped us to understand the bible.” He was just asking them to remember their own bible stories.
I can tell you that when the Pharisees and other religious leaders heard Jesus use the words: “I Am the Gate.” “I Am the Good Shepherd” they knew He was talking about Ezekiel chapter 34. Listen to the “Word of the Lord”, a prophecy that Jesus came to fulfill.
Read Ezekiel 34 (selected verses)
v. 1-4
v 10-11
v 13 16-17 Raise your hand if you remember the story told by Jesus in the Gospel when he said “that on Judgment Day He Himself will separate the sheep from the goats,” and judge humanity. One group will be placed on the left the other on the right.
These Pharisees knew Jesus was “replacing” their temple building with Himself. No longer would forgiveness be provided by going to the “temple in Jerusalem”. No longer would eternal life be the sole possession of the Jews. The theology of the Pharisees was restrictive. God was for the Jews, alone. God’s grace was for the Jews, alone. Only the descendants of Abraham & Isaac and Jacob would inherit the blessings of Yahweh. Why do you think Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan? It challenged their understanding of the bible. Even after the resurrection of Jesus why was Peter worried about going into the house of Cornelius, A Roman Centurion. (Acts 10) Jesus came to break prejudice like child breaks a stick over his knee.
Jesus is asking his listeners to rethink the words of Ezekiel. Listen to the words of Jesus: “I am the gate, all who enter through me will be saved.” I am the good shepherd…I have other sheep (that are not Jewish) I will rescued them as well. They will listen to my voice. There will be one flock and one shepherd. This is why Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus said: I will lay down my life for the sheep so they may have life and have it to the fullest.” In other
words the restrictive, prejudice theology of the Jewish religion was not God’s plan.
This debate between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus took place during the Feast of Dedication in the winter. We know as Hanukah. During this debate the Jewish leaders asked Jesus to provide them a miracle that would prove that He was indeed the “Good Shepherd” of Ezekiel 34
Read John 10:24-33
In four short months, the Pharisees would have Jesus arrested and crucified because he was too dangerous to let live. Jesus was too dangerous to let live. Have you every thought of the “Good Shepherd”, Jesus that way?
When Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The ancient religions were shaken. When Jesus said: “I am the only way” that you can have peace and harmony with your Creator, modern day religions cry foul.
Listen carefully: The Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The text does not say “the shepherd’s life was taken from Him.” The text doesn’t’ say the ‘Shepherd’s life was ripped from His grasp by doubters. The text doesn’t say the Shepherd laid down his life reluctantly or with great regret. Nor was His life stolen from Him. (quote from a sermon by Rev. Ken Klaas)
When Jesus was crucified on Calvary’s Hill, He was in control. He willingly gave up His perfect life because your Creator was keeping His promise to Adam and Eve, and to all who have broken His commandments to provide a Substitute. Jesus our Substitute offered His perfect, blameless life in our place. When Jesus said that He, the Good Shepherd, would lay down His life for His sheep, it meant that he would take the punishment we deserved. It means that He carried our broken commandments to the cross and left them there. This was God’s eternal plan. Through faith in Jesus, His death and resurrection God grants peace, forgetting and erasing our broken commandments to all who believe. This is the “Good News” of Christianity. (Colossians 2:14)
The men and women who witnessed the death of Jesus; those who wrapped his breathless body with a linen shroud; those who rolled the stone to close the entrance to the tomb, knew it was watched and sealed by Roman guards. Everyone knew that Jesus was dead and buried. Before dawn on that first Easter
morning, the earth shook. The guards fainted in fear. The Roman seal was broken. The stone was rolled away from the front of the grave in which Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had placed the corpse of Jesus. Understand, the stone was not moved to let the living Good Shepherd, Jesus out… it was moved so you could looked inside.
Today the Good Shepherd is calling your name. He is asking you to lift the “restrictions” on your heart. When you do. When the Holy Spirit opens your eyes, you will find the peace and hope your heart is longing for.
He is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
