INJ

'I Am Jesus Little Lamb'
St John 10:11-16
Misericordias Domine
Divine Service
April 28^th, 2006

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Dear Saints,

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. We are the sheep. This is the sermon that Jesus is preaching to us this morning for our comfort.

What image comes to your mind when you hear these words? Green rolling hills, a quiet stream and very white, fluffy, happy sheep? This, is seems, is how this text is most often painted and pictured.

But the picture in the Scriptures is different. These sheep are in perilous danger. This is one of the marks of sheep: they are utterly helpless. Left to themselves sheep wander off and get lost. Jesus didn't call us dogs or cats. These animals seem to be able to find their way home, but not a sheep. Without a shepherd between a sheep and the wilderness, that sheep is lost.

And a sheep, if attacked, has no defense, they can't out run or out smart anything. Jesus didn't call us cows or even goats. These animals at least have a fighting chance against a wolf, but not a sheep. Without a shepherd standing between a sheep and a wolf, that sheep is lunch.

This is how Jesus gives it to us, we are sheep, that is, we are weak and flighty, that we're really not that smart, that we prone to wander, go where we are not to go and do what we are not to do. In other words, we are sinners, inclined by nature to disobey God, to do and think what we shouldn't. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned, every one, to his own way.” [Isaiah 53:6]

And this, our sin, our turning to our own way, our following our own desires and seeking our own good, by this we've gotten ourselves into a very dangerous situation, surrounded by ravenous, hungry wolves, threatened on every side, and we, as sheep, are completely helpless; we have no way to defend ourselves, no way to save ourselves.

This is the picture of the sheep, of us poor, miserable sinners , not white and fluffy, but wool matted with the stink of sin, tangled and snared in the thorns of disobedience, not resting in rolling green hills but lost in the valley of the shadow of death, surrounded by a pack of ferocious wolves, surrounded by death and the devil, all ready to attack us. It's not a pretty picture, but bleak and tragic, full of terror and death, but that's how it is with sheep who have no shepherd.

But the Bible tells us of the shepherd, the Good Shepherd who seeks and saves the sheep. This is the good news, the comfort. The Shepherd does for the sheep what they could not do for themselves, rescues and delivers and saves them. But this is not an easy task, for we are so tangled in thorns that the Shepherd's arms and back are cut deep as He rescues us; the thorns are even twisted around His head, He sheds His blood to pull us out of the danger of sin.

We are so surrounded by wolves that the Shepherd Himself is devoured and torn apart by them; He gives His life to rescue us from the jaws of death.

“I am the Good Shepherd,” says the Lord Jesus, “The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” [St John 10:11]

And this is why He is the Good Shepherd, our Good Shepherd, your Good Shepherd, because He died for us, on our behalf, in our place. He felt the pain and suffering that our sin deserved; He is devoured by the jaws that were meant for us.

This is our delight as sheep, poor, miserable, weak, flighty, not-so-smart, wandering sinner sheep, that we have a Good Shepherd who spared nothing, not even His life, to rescue and deliver and save us. We have nothing in ourselves, but everything in Christ.

+ This is our sure hope, that “Thou we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou [our Shepherd] art with us.”
+ This is our comfort and peace, that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. [St Luke 19:10]
+ This is our joy and delight, “I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” [St John 10:14]
+ And so this is our confidence and our boast, “I am Jesus' little lamb, and He is my Good Shepherd, who has laid down His life for me.”

May God grant us His Holy Spirit, that in the midsts of all the troubles of this life and death, we would cling alone to Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and find in His death for us our life and salvation. Amen.

And the peace of God which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ + +

Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller

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