Sinner and Saint

The Good Shepherd

Easter 4, 2011

Good Shepherd Sunday

John 10:7-10, 14-15

Psalm 23

“The Good Shepherd”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

            The people of Israel were waiting for a Savior. Hundreds upon hundreds of years came and went as they waited. The people doubted the Prophets…with many of the Prophets being killed for their faithful proclamation. There would be one last Prophet sent…John the Baptist…and he too was killed for his faithful proclamation. The Jews had Pharisees and Sadducees as their spiritual leaders. Whom should they listen to? They both claimed to be right and faithful to the Scriptures, the Prophets, and the fathers of old. Yet they couldn’t agree with each other on faith and practice. Sounds like today doesn’t it?

            Today there still exists disagreements among denominations…but further…Christians and the world around us must contend with a growing number of religions that claim to be true. People wonder…is there really one true religion…or do they all just lead to the same place. Is there one Shepherd or many shepherds?

            In the latter part of our Gospel lesson Jesus said “All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.” (John 10:8) Here Jesus specifically calls out both the Pharisees and Sadducees… and all the false prophets before them. These religious “leaders” cared nothing for the sheep; the people of Israel. Instead they looked out for themselves, their own profit and welfare, their own prestige.

            The false prophets of old, the Pharisees and Sadducees didn’t proclaim the truth of God…but focused inward on how good they themselves were. They didn’t preach repentance of sins…but rather…for others to be as good as they perceived themselves to be. They pointed to self…and leading “good” lives instead of giving thanks for God’s grace. This is why they looked for a Messiah to free them politically from Rome; that Israel’s wealth and prestige would be restored…rather than looking for a Messiah that proclaimed repentance; a Messiah that would die for the sins of the world.

            Today’s false prophets and false religions are no different. They still focus on salvation through self. Christians Science teaches salvation through correct thinking (not salvation in Christ), Islam teaches salvation through “good” living and making the right choices (works), Judaism sadly teaches salvation by keeping the commandments and the rituals of faith (works), Mormonism teaches that your saved by your works…and that you may become a lord just like Jesus became a lord (works). Truly if you go up and down the worlds religions you find they all have one thing in common… salvation by self; by one’s own doing or work.

            This was not always so with Judaism and isn’t in true Christianity. This isn’t true with Jesus. Behold in Christ the seeking God. He comes to seek and save the lost. A Chinese convert expressed that truth in this way: “A man fell into a deep pit, miry and slippery. As he lay injured at the bottom, Confucius looked in and said, ‘My friend, I am sorry for you; if you ever get out of that place, take care that you never fall in again.’ Then a Buddhist priest came along. ‘I grieve to see your plight. If you can manage to climb up two thirds of the way, or even half, I might help you the rest.’ Unable to rise, such advice was mockery. Then Christ came by. Descending into the pit, He lifted the man to safety. That is the difference between Christ and the others.”

            We are all in that pit…for it is the pit of sin. Countless religions tell us to get out of the pit of sin we must do the work of climbing out of it ourselves. Sin is the slimy, slippery pit that no man can climb out of. It is a disease that we cannot cure ourselves. But God is a God of love. God didn’t leave us in the pit to suffer and die by ourselves. Instead God became man…Jesus…jumped into the pit and carried us out. Jesus defeated sin, death, and the devil once and for all. Salvation is all about Jesus and what He has and continues to do.

            This is why our Lord tells us “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14-15)

            Jesus is the Good Shepherd; the only true Shepherd. Others may try to look and act like the Shepherd…but they only wish to deceive. Satan is a master manipulator. Satan tries to look like Jesus...but in the end fails. Satan lies while the Good Shepherd loves. Satan leads the sheep to destruction…damnation itself…through sin and death. Jesus saves and gives innumerable blessings. Satan condmens…while Jesus forgives. Satan wants you to suffer with him in hell. Jesus took the wrath you deserve and gives you life.

            How great is the love the Good Shepherd has for you. The Shepherd becomes the pascal lamb to be slaughtered that you would have life. Through Christ and His work we have been saved. Truly we are saved by God’s grace through the faith He gives to us through the Holy Waters of Baptism and His Word…sustained in Jesus body and blood given and shed for you on the cross.

            By faith we may proclaim with David: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23)

            May God grant you the grace to be as knowledgable as Sir Isaac Newton who admitted on his deathbed: “I have learned two great facts. One is that I am a great sinner. And the other is that Jesus Christ is an even greater Savior.” Amen.

 

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

 

Foolish and slow to heart

Easter 3, 2011

Luke 24:13-35

“Long and winding road”

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

            I’ve always wondered where companies get their data for commercials. It just doesn’t make sense to me, for instance, how every car company claims to be the best. We have the best in class mileage, we have the best in class head room, we have the best in class towing…and on and on and on. But how do they all have the same “best in class” anything? Maybe it’s really a matter of having the best in class mileage…when your windows are open and your driving 37.5 miles per hour. For us…commercials lob all kinds of facts at us to convince us that they are truthfully the best…but we really don’t know what to make of the random facts we are given. In a sense the disciples on the road to Emmaus were like this. They had many facts and batted them around like a Ping-Pong ball, but they didn’t know how to interpret the data of all that had taken place in Jerusalem over the past days.

            There were two followers of Jesus, disciples (not of the 12) that were on their way to the town of Emmaus. They were discussing all that had taken place with Jesus. Suddenly this traveler comes upon them and asks what they are discussing. What these disciples didn’t realize was that this traveler was Jesus, their Risen Lord. They question him and treat him as being ignorant…don’t you know what just happened? What rock did this guy crawl out from? Well...He didn't crawl out of a rock...but He sure moved a big one!

            “What things?" [Jesus] asked. "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” (Luke 24:19-24)

            “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel…but… then we heard that just maybe He was alive…But him we did not see.” Can you hear the disappointment in these words…the lack of faith. They had all these facts…but they just didn’t get it. They were followers that were in deep despair and turmoil; they were on the verge of giving up their faith…you can see that the testimony of the women didn’t convince them. They had put all their hope in this Jesus and now they thought it was all in vain.

            They seem to have the same kind of hope and trust you see in children. Parents…help me out here. I’m not going to make you admit to anything in particular but you would have to agree on this. Children remember every little promise that is made to them…and if for any reason…ANY reason that promise is broken they are going to be very disappointed. I would have to admit as my parents child there were many occasions I would remind my parents of promises they didn’t keep; at least promises they didn’t keep in my mind. These followers had a true and wonderful faith…but they were convinced that Jesus didn’t keep His promise of being the Messiah.

            “He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27)

            How many times did Jesus tell His followers that He HAD TO DIE! And that on the third day would rise again. They were told the facts, they were given the knowledge…but they just didn’t get it.

            But then again…we don’t always get it either. We like these followers want Jesus to show himself, to prove His godliness by meeting our own expectations. Let me meet you on the mountain, Lord, Just once. You wouldn't have to burn a whole bush. Just a few smoking branches And I would surely be ...your Moses. Let me meet you on the water, Lord, Just once. It wouldn't have to be on Clinton Lake. Just on a puddle after the annual Central Illinois rain And I would surely be...your Peter. Let me meet you on the road, Lord, Just once. You wouldn't have to blind me on I 55. Just a few bright lights on the way to church And I would surely be...your Paul. Let me meet you, Lord, Just once. Anywhere. Anytime. Just meeting you in the Word is so hard sometimes. Must I always be...your Thomas? Just one time Lord…and I will believe with all my heart.

            How foolish are we and how slow of heart we often are. Jesus died for each one of us and was raised from the dead. We are forgiven. We are saved. We are heirs of eternal life.

            “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:30-32)

            I pray that we may recognize and be strengthened in our faith when we see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as we receive Him in His body and blood this very day.

            It is when we truly see Jesus by faith that we are able to live with true hope. It is when we look to Jesus as our Savior who died for us and won forgiveness and salvation for us that we may look forward by faith and hope for our future in heaven. It is then that we may take all the sadness, pain, and heartache of this world, cast it upon our Lord, and joyfully await to be called to heaven. By faith we know that we have a Savior that is always with us, always looking out for us, protecting us, guiding us, and carrying us home to be with Him.

            It is by faith that we may sing those wonderful words first written by Henry Francis Lyte: “Abide with me, fast falls the eventide. The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes, Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies; Heaven’s morning breaks, and earths vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.”

            In this long and winding road of life Jesus is with you always. You are conquerors and victors. Live as hope-filled people, for Christ died for you and has risen as He said. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.