Sermon for 4/26/26: Fourth Sunday of Easter (a)

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Sheep and Their Shepherd
John 10:1-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Sheep are notorious for getting themselves into trouble, for straying away, for ending up lost and confused, subjected to danger and unable to take care of themselves. They’re dirty, smelly animals. Worse than that, though, they’d walk off a cliff without a thought. That’s why they need a shepherd.

Sheep may be stupid animals, but strangely enough, sheep know the voice of their shepherd. Sheep hear the voice of their shepherd and everything seems right with the world. They have their shepherd who will keep them safe from predators and thieves and lead them away from the cliff’s edge to food and water.

One of my favorite sayings, especially when I’m feeling rebellious, is, “People are sheep.” Ask nearly any adolescent why they’d want to do something they know will get them in trouble, and you’ll hear, “All my friends are doing it.” We might jokingly reply, “And if your friends told you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?” I hope you younger folk aren’t offended. If it’s any consolation, sheep-like behavior doesn’t end when you turn 20, 30, or even 60. Advertisers know they can put pressure on anyone by saying, “Your neighbor is better off than you.” Left to our own devices, we will follow the crowd, even when that crowd leads us into hell. That’s why we need a shepherd, too.

Jesus pays us no compliment by calling us sheep. But that is, in fact, what we are. By nature we walk away from the Good Shepherd right into the jaws of death. As Scripture says, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” This is no temporary disorientation. It is separation and alienation from the God who alone gives us life. Too often we do listen to the voices of those who would lead us astray. We allow other voices to drown out the Voice that really matters. We hear the voice of false preaching, preaching that tells us we can earn our own ticket inside the heavenly gates, and it sounds appealing. The voice of the world is telling us that God really meant to say that abortion isn’t murder, that it’s okay to live together outside of marriage., that we can do whatever we want as long as it makes us happy. What could be more appealing than that? Surely our Shepherd He wouldn’t deny us happiness. Are there thorns in the pasture? Surely not; the grass is so green. We’ve let the thieves lead us out. We are poisoned with the putrid and stagnant water of worldliness with its passing fads which we think will quench our thirst, all the while refusing the streams of living water to which the Good Shepherd beckons us.

In the Old Testament God describes Himself as a shepherd. In Ezekiel, God promises that He will depose the false shepherds of Israel who scattered the flock and fed off the sheep: “As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered…” David, himself a shepherd, confesses, “The Lord is my shepherd.” Jesus is that shepherd. He is the Shepherd who comes to be with His sheep.

The Good Shepherd still calls and gathers a flock by His Word. He says, “the sheep follow [the shepherd], for they know his voice.” He speaks to us through pastors, men He raises up to serve as undershepherds. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, these undershepherds will speak to you with the voice of the Good Shepherd. They will lead you to the still waters of Baptism and the green pastures of the Holy Supper. They will restore your soul with the holy word of forgiveness, spoken by the pastor as by Christ Himself.

You are blessed to have a faithful undershepherd in Pastor Rudnik. He speaks to you with the voice of Christ, and he has led and will continue to lead you faithfully to the gifts of God. There are people who will attempt to lead you astray. But you have your standard against which you can compare anyone claiming to be your shepherd. How does what this person says compare to what my Shepherd tells me? Ask that question, and you will be able to tell the true Shepherd and the true undershepherds from the mere hirelings. Listen to the voice. Does what I say to you lead you away from the true Shepherd and His gifts? If so, don’t listen to a word I say. If anyone steps into this pulpit and preaches anything apart from Christ and Him crucified, don’t follow them, and don’t listen to what they have to say. They would lead you away from your Shepherd, the One who would—and did—die to save you.

Martin Luther gave us a beautifully simple definition of the Church in the Smalcald Articles: “Thank God, a seven-year old child knows what the Church is, namely, holy believers and sheep who hear the voice of their Good Shepherd.” The Church is where the Good Shepherd is. The Shepherd calls you by name in Holy Baptism. Where His voice is sounding in the pure preaching of His Word and Supper, there you will find the sheep that belong to Jesus. Keep your ears attuned to the voice of the Good Shepherd, for He alone has the words which give you abundant life. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

The peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always. Amen.