The Good Shepherd

This Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Easter, is also called Good Shepherd Sunday as it focuses on Jesus' claim in our Gospel today – I am the Good Shepherd.  

What do we think of when we hear the words 'good' and 'shepherd'? It sounds uncontroversial, but in fact it was at a point of conflict in Jesus’ ministry. His claims were dividing people, frustrating them, v24 ‘how long will you keep us in suspense’; they demanded, 'tell us who you really are?'.  

In response, Jesus says, 'my sheep hear my voice and follow me'. Christians believe that: ‘who Jesus was, [and is today]’, is the central question of life - one that we should all try to answer for ourselves. 

Sometimes Jesus’ words appear unclear even as he used parables and common ideas to make things clear. Shepherds were common and in the Hebrew scriptures. His listeners might recognise Psalm 23: ‘the Lord is my shepherd’. Or Ezekiel 34 when God condemns false shepherds who feed themselves and allow the sheep to be scattered. Ezekiel prophesies (v23) ‘I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them and be their shepherd’  

I want to say 3 things about this shepherd today -  

First, Jesus is a good shepherd  

It’s always good to get out of London – wonderful city that it is – to remind ourselves of the countryside. I’m just back from Sutherland - the remotest part of Europe – at the top of Scotland. Not a lot of people, but lots of sheep, and at this time of year, lots of lambs too, (although I did not see many shepherds). 

In our Gospel, Jesus says ‘I am the good shepherd – then explains that - a good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep’. He contrasts ‘good shepherd’ with ‘hired hand’ who run away from wolves, with the good shepherd fighting for the sheep. A good shepherd feeds and protects the sheep. 

I was pleased to read about the new Pope Leo because all his life he has cared for the poor and oppressed. Although an American he has spent a lot of his life in Peru serving in poor communities. Our prayers are with him as he embraces his new Shepherding role in the Roman Catholic Church. 

We see good shepherding behaviour in Jesus as he reached out to the blind, lepers, bereaved & poor. Jesus, and his followers, speak up for the poor, those with addictions or suffering injustices. What this Church is doing through the Crown Street Trust. 

This is what good shepherds do – so when Jesus describes himself as the good shepherd – we know what he means. He does not run from wolves. 

The second thing is Jesus is a speaking shepherd 

V27 ‘My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me’. 

Our Gospel describes a climax in Jesus’ ministry. A kind of ‘make up your mind’ moment. It’s as if Jesus is saying, ‘you’ve heard the parables, seen the miracles, heard my bold claims, now, what do you think?’. 

John describes ‘people as divided’. Some said he had a demon, others that he was out of his mind. Still others, that he was blaspheming and deserved to be stoned.  

So when large crowds were gathering, they asked him – ‘how long will you keep us in suspense, if you are the Messiah, tell us plainly?’. They sound frustrated - yet here’s the thing – Jesus is frustrated too. ‘I have told you, he says, and still you do not believe’.  

Jesus says the works he has been doing demonstrate who he is, but they do not believe because they do not belong to his sheep – because ‘my sheep hear my voice, I know them, they follow me’. I give them eternal life and they will never perish. ‘No-one will snatch them out of my hand’ because no-one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand’.  

Bold claims. They don’t come much bolder. ‘The father and I are one’. No wonder some wanted to be rid of him. 

Do you hear God’s voice speaking in Jesus? Will you receive eternal life?  

The third thing – Jesus is a sacrificing shepherd 

Jesus offers not only physical life (10:10) but eternal life to those who hear and follow. But how? How is this life now - and eternally - possible? How was this teacher, miracle-worker, call him a Messiah if you like, - but how is he able to defeat death and give eternal life? 

Because Jesus was the perfect, sinless son of God who chose to lay down his life: ‘the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep’. This is what happened at Easter – the crucifixion was not an accident, a plan that went horribly wrong, it was God’s salvation plan for humanity. 

Easter is about victory over death – not just for Jesus - but us too. This is what the story of Dorcas is about – in the early life of the Christian Church - death was defeated by Jesus - and life, eternal life, is available to those who hear the shepherd’s voice.  

This idea is developed further in the words of John the Baptist when he described Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’ – which we sing in the Agnus Dei before communion. Jesus is God’s sacrifice, abolishing the Old Testament sacrifices once and for all, and laying down his life for us, his sheep. 

Through this sacrifice we have eternal life, and no-one can snatch us out of his hands. This is our hope – so no wonder at Easter we shout: ‘Christ is risen, he is risen indeed. Hallelujah’. 

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen