“The Good Shepherd And His Sheeple”
Text: John 10:11-18
4-21-2024
In the name of Jesus our Good Shepherd, dear friends in Christ. Of all the metaphors that Jesus used to describe Himself, the one in the Gospel Lesson for today probably ranks near the top of the most loved. It’s also, one of the most familiar. Jesus called Himself the “Good Shepherd.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen dozens upon dozens of pictures portraying Jesus as the Good Shepherd. In them Jesus is usually surrounded by sheep, and almost always, He’s carrying one—either over His shoulders or in His arms. That image is very comforting. But think about it for just a minute. If Jesus is The Good Shepherd, then what does that make us? His sheep, right? Well, it just doesn’t seem right to call humans by an animal name so I coined a new one. We’re His “Sheeple.” That’s sheep + people = “sheeple.” Aren’t you impressed?
You know, that picture of Jesus as The Good Shepherd might be very familiar and yet most of us don’t know anything about the ways of sheep and shepherds. I’ve got news for you; it’s not very flattering to be compared to this animal. I raised a couple sheep back in Ft. Wayne so I know a tiny bit about their habits. And in my humble opinion, that is one dumb animal! I had about an acre of pasture for them to graze on. But what did those 2 knuckleheads do? They “supplemented” their diet by eating the black plastic that was sticking out from the decorative rock that surrounded some shrubs in their pasture. It bound up the stomach of one of them and it died. How dumb can an animal get?!?
When they’re out in the wide-open spaces they need to be led around regularly to find fresh grass to eat along with fresh water. They also have a tendency to wander off and get themselves into trouble. If a wild dog comes around and chases the sheep, they can die from the sheer nervousness of it. They need to be protected. Suffice it to say, sheep need lots of care.
Like it or not, Jesus compares us to these fickle and needy animals. And it’s a fair comparison because we also do some dumb things at times. Especially when it comes to spiritual things. It’s almost like we forget where to be fed spiritually. Our souls get weak and we can’t figure out why. Like that black plastic, we eat the world’s fake food and we foolishly think it’ll satisfy us. We’ve swallowed materialism and the so-called sexual revolution but it leaves us feeling miserable and empty. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, graciously leads us back to His Word and Sacrament to nourish our souls. Sometimes when He calls, we run the opposite way. Isaiah 53:6 says: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way…” Also, us “sheeple” are very vulnerable to attack from the wolf, that is, the devil. He harasses and chases us around until all we want to do is give up and die. We definitely need a Good Shepherd!
But did you notice something? Jesus said “I am THE Good Shepherd.” He’s in a class all by Himself. He’s special and unique. He didn’t say, “I am A Good Shepherd” because that would imply that there are other shepherds, or caretakers, of God’s people who can do His job. But no one else is in His league. What is it that makes Him so different and irreplaceable? Well, Jesus was willing to lay down His life for His “sheeple.” And that’s where the discussion of the “hired hand” comes in. Jesus says that when the wolf attacks, the hired man runs away. He won’t risk his life for the sheep. Unfortunately, that’s common human behavior. An employee doesn’t treat his boss’ property as good as his own. A hired man may do chores for you, but he won’t care for your animals the way you would. Why is that? It’s because he has nothing at stake. If an animal dies, it’s no skin off his nose. But the owner does care even if it’s only for financial reasons.
Then, Jesus adds a new dimension to this. He says that even though a caring shepherd may risk his life defending his sheep, he won’t voluntarily sacrifice his life to save theirs. That’s where the biggest difference of all comes in with the Good Shepherd. The reason why He’s willing to die for His “sheeple” is because He loves us. He doesn’t just consider us as His property that He owns. No, He loves us as His own children. And that makes all the difference in the world.
Think about it. A loving parent shows the same kind of unselfish devotion for their children. They willingly sacrifice for their kids. They sacrifice sleep when it’s time for their 2 a.m. feeding. As the kids get older, good Moms don’t know what a warm meal tastes like. They sacrifice this little pleasure, making sure their children get something warm to eat first. Good parents work their tails off to provide for their kids. They sacrifice their free time to help with homework or do laundry late at night. They sacrifice their peace of mind as they lay awake wondering if their child is safe while out with friends on a Friday night. All this, and a whole lot more, they willingly sacrifice because they love their children.
I heard a story about a terrible grass fire on the prairie long ago. Once the fire was out, the farmer went looking to see if any of his livestock had survived. Near the barnyard he found a smoldering lump. It was the charred, dead body of one of his hens. The farmer gently pushed the burned remains of that chicken and you’ll never guess what he found. Hidden underneath that dead hen was her brood of baby chicks, alive and well. She might have been able to run or fly somewhere safe from the fire. But the protective instinct of that hen caused her to cover her babies. She sacrificed her life so that her chicks could live. And God-forbid, if it ever became necessary, I know that all you loving parents would be willing to do the same in order to save the life of your child.
Well, believe it or not, Jesus loves us even more than that! Human parents are not perfect but the love of Jesus for us is perfect. And He was able to do what none of us earthly parents could ever do. Out of love, our Good Shepherd sacrificed His divine privileges so that He could humbly come down here to earth and become one of us. Out of love, He willingly sacrificed His life on the cross for all of His wandering and rebellious sheeple. If your son or daughter had committed a terrible crime and was sentenced to die, would you be willing to take their punishment? As much as we may love our children, I suspect that most, if not all of us, would have a hard time saying yes to that. But Jesus didn’t. He took our place. He sacrificed His own life for our sins. That’s what our loving, Good Shepherd was willing to do to save us.
But here’s the real twist. Jesus was able to do what no one else could ever do for us. He says in verse 17 “I lay down my life that I may take it up again.” Think about the shepherd scenario. What good would it do if a shepherd protected his sheep by fighting with an attacking wolf, only to die in the process? For the time being, they would be safe but they’d now be vulnerable without a shepherd. That’s why Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He didn’t just die while protecting us only to leave us vulnerable to more spiritual attacks. He also rose again so that He could continue to care for us, His “Sheeple” that He loves. Neither the Jews or the Romans or anyone else could take His life from Him. Rather, out of His deep love He willingly laid down His life to save us and then took it back up again.
In verse 14, Jesus says, “I know my own and my own know me...” And in verse 16 He explains this intimate relationship He has with us. He says that His sheeple listen to His voice. So, let me ask you: Do you really know the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ? Do you know Him well enough to listen and recognize His voice? Through His Word He’s calling you. When He sees you beginning to stray into spiritual danger He calls you back to the safety of His care. He calls you to come and be fed through His Word and Sacrament. He calls you to repent of your sins so that He can remove them and restore your soul. He calls you to trust and follow Him, believing that He will protect you from all kinds of danger and trouble. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, died so that we could live. And He lives so that everyone who trusts in Him can have eternal life through Him. May the Lord tune our ears so that we can hear and obey the gracious voice of our loving Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!