Good Shepherd Sunday
John 10:1-10 and Acts 2:42-47
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
April 30, 2023
One Thing
The Rev. M. Anthony Seel
How many here have seen the movie “City Slickers?”
Even if you haven’t seen it, you may be familiar with one scene from that 1991 movie. In a famous scene, three city slicker buddies from New York City are on horseback on a cattle drive from New Mexico to Colorado. The trail boss, Curly, played by Jack Palance, has a conversation with Mitch, one of the city slickers played by Billy Crystal.
Curly says to Mitch, “You know what the secret to life is? One thing. Just one thing. Once you figure it out, you stick to that.”
Mitch asks, “But what is the one thing?”
Curly answers, “That’s what you have to find out.”
The early church was crystal clear are their one thing. “
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42
Before we consider the early church’s pattern of life, let’s look at our gospel reading which sets the context for our first reading from Acts.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has just healed a man who was born blind. The Pharisees took offense because Jesus did this healing on a Sabbath Day. Jesus calls them on their arrogance, and then He gives the Good Shepherd parable to those gathered around Him.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.” John 10:1
In Israel, a sheepfold could be a square of stone walls, or a yard in front of a house. Entering the sheepfold by the door is the proper way. Thieves and robbers enter in other ways.
In this parable, Jesus points to the Pharisees who were trying to rob people of their faith in Jesus, the Messiah send by God His Father.
vv. 2-3 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
Jesus approaches His sheep through the door. When Jesus explains this parable to His followers in verst 7, He says plainly that He is the door.
But, who is the gatekeeper?
Commentators are divided on this question. Some say that the gatekeeper is God the Father who chose His own before He set the foundations of this world. Others say that the gatekeeper is the Holy Spirit who opens the hearts of those whom God calls to the truth of the gospel message. Either way, the gatekeeper is God, opening the way that leads out of the sheep pen to good pasture and water.
As King David so famously wrote,
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:1-2
Jesus said, When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
There are many false shepherds today. The former mainline denominations are full of them. Those denominations are dying because they do not have many faithful shepherds who feed their people from the riches of God’s Word.
Dean William Ralph Inge said many years ago that “Whoever marries the spirit of this age will find himself a widower in the next.” This is not the way of Jesus Christ.
His first hearers “did not understand what [Jesus] was saying to them.”
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.” v. 5
Jesus is the door through which we enter the kingdom of God. John 14:6 interprets John 10:7 for us. Jesus said, ““I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
There is only one door into the kingdom of God. That door is Jesus Christ. Robbers and thieves point to other ways. They say things like, “there are many ways to God.” Or, “all religions are essentially the same.
Let me ask you this: how many religions do you know that teach that the divine Son of God became a human being like us and willingly died on a cross to pay for the sins of the world?
Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” v.9
Through Jesus Christ, we find everything we need for our lives and our salvation.
Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Who is the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy? Everyone who opposes Jesus. Those who oppose Jesus steal your joy and destroy your soul. The ultimate destruction of those who oppose Jesus Christ is eternal death.
In contrast to thieves, robbers, and hired hands that Jesus mentions in this parable is the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd loves His sheep. He provides for them. He dies for them. He gives them a fullness of life that is not available from anyone or anything else.
This world glitters with wealth, privilege, power, position, prestige, economic status, political status, social status, academic status, etc.
Jesus speaks of a different kind of prosperity and status. The abundant life that Jesus promises His followers has nothing to do with stately mansions, luxury cars, or any of the fruits of affluence, fame, or any earthly attainment. The abundant life comes from the resurrection life of Jesus Christ.
Would you like a picture of the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers?
Here it is:
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47
Do you find that underwhelming? Does that sound boring? Is it too commonplace?
Let’s look a little deeper into this picture.
Isn’t awe coming upon every soul extraordinary?
How about wonders and signs done by Apostles?
How about the common life shared by those drawn together by Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd?
These Christians had “glad and generous hearts” because of what God had done in their lives and what God was doing around them.
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” v. 42
This is what happens when the church gathers for worship. The Apostles’ teaching is the reading and preaching of God’s Word. Fellowship is the time spent with other followers of Christ. The breaking of bread is Luke’s language for the Lord’s Supper. Prayer undergirds everything that the Church does.
v. 43 “And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.”
Awe is the natural response to the supernatural experience of the presence of God. Wonders and signs show the power of God. Wonders and signs are still happening in our world. It is more common in cultures where science and technology have not influenced people as strongly against supernatural works of God.
vv. 44-45 “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”
Let’s be clear – the early church’s pattern of living was not socialism or communism. In Jerusalem, the chuch was a tight-knit community, voluntarily sharing their goods with each other. They sold possessions and distributed what was needed to the needy. This was also voluntary.
vv. 46-47 “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
The church met together daily in the temple and in their homes. Again, breaking of bread is the Lord’s Supper. The Apostle Paul indicates that they ate together in their homes, and Holy Communion was a part of those meals.
They share table fellowship with each other in a spirit of gladness. They praise God for the new life they have received through Jesus Christ His Son. This is a table around which anyone would want to be.
The church at this point, after the Day of Pentecost, is over 3,100 members. Meeting in homes meant that the church was widely dispersed throughout Jerusalem. Perhaps some or most of the Pentecost Day pilgrims returned to their homes outside Jerusalem. Even so, the growth of the church in Jerusalem continued.
Throughout the Book of Acts, we see the church of Jesus Christ growing and thriving.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is where the fullness of the abundant life is meant by God to be shared – in His church. This is the preeminent place where the abundant life given to us by Jesus Christ is meant by God to be experienced.
It is to be experienced through the Apostles’ teaching, through fellowship, through the Lord’s Supper, and through prayer.
We should be in awe of what God has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ. We are a part of the greatest movement that has graced this world. Jesus Christ is still calling others into His sheepfold.
The Easter moment when men, women, and children are given new life in Jesus Christ is happening today and everyday all around the world. Jesus the Good Shepherd continues to lead His church into the abundant life that He promised.
The abundant life that Jesus Christ promised is found in Him. It is only found in Him.
Let us praise God for all that we have received from Jesus His Son.
May God grant us favor with all people.
May God add to our number day by day those who are being saved.
May each of us experience the abundant life that Jesus the Good Shepherd promises for all His followers.
Let us pray.
