Seek The Kalos Shepherd

For those not familiar with an Anglican Service there are four Scripture readings prior to the Message. Today's assigned readings are: Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23; 1 John 3:16-24 and John 10:11-18.

A certain butcher ....had sold all his cleaned poultry .....except ......for one hen.

A woman then entered the store ......and asked for a hen.

The butcher weighed his one remaining chicken ...... and said that would be $4.85

"Do you have a larger one?" .....asked the lady.

The butcher thought fast.

He returned the chicken to the ice barrel, ......stirred it for a bit, .....and came up again ....with the same hen.

Weighting it, .....he said .....that would be $5.25

The women thought for a moment: and said......." I guess I'll take both of them! (Long Pause)

Our Gospel text today...... addresses the role of a Good Shepherd .....and an vital attribute of a Good Shepherd .....is integrity.

The butcher must have turned many different shades of red .....when the lady requested..... both of the chickens.

......He was not being ......honest with her.

He was a little weak .....in the area of integrity, ....and now .....he was about .....to be caught.

Jesus .... In our text.....is before the people once again.....telling them a story.... A short parable..... about .....a good shepherd.

A shepherd with integrity.... A shepherd who was caring, .....compassionate.......A shepherd..... willing to die .....for his sheep.

Jesus in this story ....is also telling us ....something about himself,..... for he is..... the Eternal.... Good shepherd.

Jesus uses a story about shepherds .....because the people in his day .....knew the kind of life ....that a shepherd lived.

It was a difficult life,........ a hard life.

A Shepherd would protect and guard the sheep ...... often times fighting off wild animals .....who sought to kill and devour them.

At times he would also fight off robbers ......who would attempt to steal the sheep.

It was a lonely life, ....a difficult life, ......but if a shepherd did well .......everyone in the community would know... that he....... Was a good shepherd.

So what is meant..... by this term Good?

In the Greek, ....which was the language that New Testament was written......There are two words that are translated .....into English ....As good.

The first is agathose (ä-gä-tho's)......which implies a moral .......and capable quality ......about a person.

In this case....A person is good .... If they perform their assigned tasks well.

Now there is another word that is also translated good and it is: kalos. (kä-lo's)

Kalos not only encompasses the attributes of the agathose, (ä-gä-tho's) ......but adds the qualities of being genuine,....of beauty and magnificence, .....being praiseworthy.

And that is the term that Jesus uses in our text today... a goodness .....far beyond just doing the work ....of a shepherd.

It is a type of goodness ....that would make you feel secure..... and at Peace.

A goodness that is permeated...... with a love.

A love so deep...... That Jesus ...the Good Shepherd .....would lay down his life ....for the sheep.

Jesus was not a hired hand, ......one seeking ....to get paid .... To just complete a job....he was willing to lay down his life down, .... For the sheep.

Our Lord is the Good Sheppard.... The kalos, (kä-lo's) Shepherd ...

And He will not flee when trouble comes, .....he willingly lays down his life, ......to sacrifice his life ...for us... for the sheep.... so that we might gain .....eternal life. (Pause)

There was a pastor .....who visited a sheep herd.....and saw.... a very strange lamb.

It looked ....as though it had 2 heads ......and 8 feet.

He asked the owner ....about it.

The owner explained .....that one of their sheep had a baby ....but the mother died.

They tried to give the orphan sheep..... to another mother-sheep..... but when she smelled it, ....she rejected it.

Then they skinned the dead sheep ....and put the skin ....on the live lamb.

Now the mother-sheep ....accepted the lamb .....as her own ....and cared for it.

Beloved, .....Jesus ..... the good shepherd ......died for us..... as the Lamb of God, ......and God accepts us ..... for we are clothed .....with the Lamb's robe ....of righteousness.

Jesus willingly laid down his life for us, .....so that we might have life, .....eternal life.... with him.

Jesus the Good Sheppard .... The kalos Shepherd loves us so much, ....cares for us so much..... that he willingly ......sacrificed himself .....for us.

He did not die as a martyr, ...killed by men; ..... He, willingly laid down His life ....for us..... for the sheep.

Five times in our text, .....Jesus ....clearly affirmed .....the sacrificial nature ....of His death (John 10:11, 15, 17--18).

He laid down his life.

Jesus cares for us so deeply ....that we are told .....he knows each sheep.

He knows you..... not just your name.

He knows you... He knows the real you... and ........he loves you. (Pause)