Jesus, the good Shepherd
The text for my sermon is from John 10.11. Jesus says I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus did much of his teaching with parables, that is ordinary stories from everyday life with a heavenly meaning.
So Jesus told them the parable of the lost sheep and the shepherd's joy. The shepherd in Judea had a hard and dangerous task. Pasture was scarce. The narrow central plateau was only a few miles wide, and then it plunged down to the wild cliffs and the terrible devastation of the desert. There were no restraining walls and the sheep would wander. George Adam Smith wrote of the shepherd, " On some high moor across which at night the hyaenas howl, when you meet him, sleepless, far-sighted, weather-beaten, armed, leaning on his staff and looking out over his scattered sheep, everyone of them on his heart, you understand why the shepherd of Judea sprang to the front in his people's history; why they gave his name to the king and made him the symbol of providence; why Christ took him as the type of self-sacrifice."
Now the shepherd was personally responsible for the sheep. If a sheep was lost the shepherd must at least bring home the fleece to show how it had died. These shepherds were experts at tracking and could follow the straying sheep's footprints for miles across the hills. There was not a shepherd for whom it was not all in the day's work to risk his life for his sheep.
Many of the flocks were communal flocks, belonging, not to individuals, but to villages. There would be two or three shepherds in charge. Those whose flocks were safe would arrive home on time and bring news that one shepherd was still out on the mountain side searching for a sheep which was lost. The whole village would be upon the watch, and when, in the distance, they saw the shepherd striding home with the lost sheep across his shoulders, there would rise from the whole community a shout of joy and of thanksgiving.
That is the picture Jesus drew of God; that, said Jesus, is what God is like. God is as glad when a lost sinner is found as a shepherd is when a strayed sheep is brought home. As a great saint said, " God, too, knows the joy of finding things that have gone lost.'' So important is the lost sheep that he leaves the ninety and nine in the fold, and goes after the one that has strayed. He cares for each as if it were His one ewe lamb.
In the Holy Land in the time of Jesus dogs were not used to drive sheep instead they were there to defend the flocks from the wild beasts of the forest and the field, and to give notice of their approach.
The shepherd had a close relationship with his sheep. The shepherd himself walked before the sheep, whether he led them to pasture, water, or the fold. The shepherd's going before the sheep and leading them to pure waters and verdant pastures, is a very striking and beautiful representation of God's grace, care and continual help.
It is said that the Eastern shepherd, as he brings his sheep back to the fold each night, stands at the door and counts each one. As he does so, he puts his hand on the head of each animal. He makes a habit of touching each one of them. If he were to grow careless and neglect to habitually touch his sheep, it would soon turn its head away when it heard his voice! This, of course, could be very serious, for with such a broken habit would follow the animal's actually ignoring the warning shout from the shepherd and subsequently could be disastrous for the sheep.
If we are experiencing the Shepherd's touch daily in our lives, then we will recognize His voice when He warns of impending danger. This will mean "practicing His presence" daily such as having a regular quiet time each day. Each of us should have a special time each day where we say our prayers and read our bibles with bible reading notes. This sets us up for the day and helps us to grow and have power in our Christian lives.
Many stories are told of Paul Gerhardt whose hymns are still sung in Germany. John Wesley translated some of them into English. Gerhardt's family was very poor. He was the shepherd boy who cared for the small flock of sheep and goats on the edge of the forest. One day a hunter came out from among the trees and asked the lad how far it was to the nearest village.
"Six miles, sire," he replied, "but the road is only a sheep track and can easily be missed." "I have lost my way, and I am very tired," returned the hunter. "Leave your sheep and show me the way. I will pay you well." "No, sire," said Gerhardt. "I cannot do that for they would stray into the forest and be stolen or eaten by the wolves." "Never mind; your master would never miss one or two, and I would pay you more than the price of one or two sheep. "But sire, my master trusts me with these sheep, and I have promised not to leave them."
"Well," said the hunter, "let me take care of the sheep while you fetch me food from the village and a guide." "The sheep do not know your voice and would not obey you, sir." "Can you not trust me? Do I not look like an honest man?" asked the hunter with a frown. "Sir," said the boy slowly, "You tried to make me false to my trust and break my word to my master. How do I know that you will keep your word to me?"
The hunter could not help laughing. "I see you are an honest lad, and I will not forget you," said the hunter. "Which is the path? I must find my way for myself." But Gerhardt would not let the man depart hungry, so he gave him the humble contents of his scrip. Just at that moment several men came hurrying through the forest uttering shouts of delight as they caught sight of the two of them. Gerhardt had been talking to the Grand Duke, and these were his attendants who had been much alarmed at his disappearance.
This was the beginning of Gerhardt's future career of honour and success. Pleased with the lad's honesty, the Duke had him well educated and thus gave him a good state in life. Yes, God wants us to be honest in His sight, and to our fellowman. You will find throughout your life that it pays to be honest.