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Ezekiel 34:11-16 1 Peter 2:21-25 St. John 10:11-16 April 23, 2023 Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is risen Indeed! Alleluia! There are a lot of different names for the man at the front of the church, but each name communicates his purpose. Perhaps he’s called a minister; this suggests that he’s the one who takes care of your needs, particularly, your spiritual needs. Maybe you call him a preacher; this carries his duty to speak and interpret God’s Word from the pulpit. When he’s called father, that denotes the close relationship between you and him. Or, when you are focused more on the sacrifice he makes and the Sacrifice he distributes, you call him a priest. If you want to hearken to your German roots, then you could employ the word Seelsorger, which literally translated means, “soul care;” this German description encompasses many facets. Each one of these titles carries your expectation for the man at the front of the church. Now, for the man at the front of the church today, you all call me Pastor Schultz. “Pastor” is a fitting word for today on Good Shepherd Sunday. Pastor is the Latin word for “shepherd,” or for “the one who leads a flock to grazing.” In this sense, there are numerous examples of pastors throughout the Bible. Shepherding was one of the most common professions throughout the Scriptures. The first one identified is Abel, the second son of Adam. In Genesis 4, Abel is described as a “keeper of the sheep,” and the sacrifice that he brings to the Lord is one of the firstborns from his flock (Gen. 4:1-4). After Abel, Jacob and his sons were shepherds. In fact, Jacob’s ten sons were tending their flocks when Joseph came. As the story goes, they turned from their flocks, threw him in a pit, and sold him into slavery (Gen. 37). Moses tended to the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, when he saw the Burning Bush on Mt. Horeb (Exod. 3). Perhaps the most famous of the Old Testament shepherds was David, the youngest son of Jesse who was almost passed over by the prophet Samuel because David was out tending the sheep (1 Sam. 16). David would later write the most well-known psalm, Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd.” There were many shepherds throughout the Old Testament. However, there were also examples of wicked shepherds in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 34, right before our reading today, the prophet laments that there had been no faithful shepherds in Israel. Instead, the false priests and false prophets who should have cared for the people had simply gorged themselves on the sheep. The false priests and false prophets were hirelings who only took the paycheck but care nothing about the sheep entrusted to them. This was almost certainly in Jesus’ mind every time He preached to the Pharisees and Sadducees. Through the Old Testament, there were good and bad shepherds. As we move into the New Testament, there are still more shepherds. While Peter is better remembered as a “fisher of men” (Matt. 4:18-22), he was also made a shepherd of souls. Following the resurrection, in John 21, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Each time, Peter confirmed his love for his Lord. And each time, Jesus responded, “Feed my lambs; Tend my sheep; Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Following in this apostolic office, the man at the front of the church is called “pastor.” Why? Because God has ordained him to tend and feed you, His flock. But do not think that Peter, let alone any other biblical shepherd or any pastor since has perfectly tended God’s flock. There has only ever been one Shepherd. That’s what we heard today from John 10:16: “There will be…one shepherd.” That’s Jesus. He is the Shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. What does this mean? Just like our reading said, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who perfectly knows His sheep. He knows the habits of His flock and the personality of His sheep. When you go astray and wander away from the flock, Jesus seeks you out; He pursues His lost sheep (Matt. 18:10-14). Sometimes – or perhaps, oftentimes – this includes facing the wolves. Jesus faces your sins. He doesn’t shy away from them. He isn’t scared of them. A shepherd who thinks the wolves will leave him alone is a foolish and naïve shepherd, but that’s not the Good Shepherd. No, Jesus knows there will be wolves. Jesus knows Satan will try to snatch away some of the flock. So, Jesus tends and directs His flock. To put this plainly, Satan will use the world, its agendas, and its promises to snatch you away from this flock, this church. The world says, “Love is love” and lets every sinful mind provide its own definition. But Scripture says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8), God is the measure and foundation of love, not the other way around. The world says, “My body, my choice,” and denies personhood to the most vulnerable and helpless. But Scripture says, “This is My body, given for you,” because in this Sacrament, Jesus sacrificed His comfort to save the helpless. The world says, “Follow your heart” and fulfill your dreams and fantasies. But Scripture says, “The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer. 17:9). That’s why Scripture shows God’s creative order and the good vocations for men, women, and children. In all the world’s lies, do you see the pattern? The world sounds good, but it only offers parodies and poor imitations of God’s Word. The world wants to snatch you away from the flock with these shallow promises. These are the wolves that slink around and stalk the flock. These are the wolves that Jesus faces. That’s what places Good Shepherd Sunday into the Easter season. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, faced the wolves. He was no hired hand. He did not flee. He was never intimidated by their fangs. Instead, He faced them head on, hanging from the cross. But don’t think that Jesus was naïve or foolish. He knew the wolves were coming. The wolves didn’t take His life; He laid down His own life for the sheep. The verses immediately following our reading add to this. Listen to verses 17 and 18: “For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18). Every shepherd that came before Jesus and every pastor who has followed has died, but not one of them has had the authority to rise from the grave on his own. But Jesus has risen from the grave. The wolves are not victorious. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Good Pastor, who has defended His flock with His own life. Every faithful pastor since Jesus has directed His flock back to that cross. In that cross, the flock is safe. In that cross, the Good Shepherd fights against the wolves. In that cross, the sheep are united as one flock with one shepherd. Pastors are sometimes called “under shepherds.” Why? Because pastors are not the Good Shepherd, but still work under Him. Through faithful pastors calling people back to church, Jesus unites His sheep. Through faithful pastors proclaiming the cross and resurrection, Jesus fights against the wolves that would snatch you away. Through faithful teaching of the Sacraments, Jesus leads you to grazing at this table. In the words of Israel’s shepherd king, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Ps. 23:5a). What you call the man at the front of church matter. Right now, he’s a preacher, speaking and interpreting God’s Word. Through the week and through visitations, he’ll be a minister, tending to your spiritual needs. Through preaching and ministering, he provides seelsorge, “soul care.” But today on Good Shepherd Sunday, the man at the front of the church is called pastor. The pastor shepherds God’s flock, working under and for the Good Shepherd. The pastor preaches against the wolves that would snatch you away. He leads you to eat and drink what God has provided for you. And he points you back to the cross – always to the cross – where Jesus the Good Shepherd fought and died for you, laying down His life so that He might take it up again in glory. To Him alone be all the praise both now and forevermore. Amen. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Pastor Schultz Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas Return to Top \| Return to Sermons \| Home \| Email Church Office

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Ezekiel 34:11-16

1 Peter 2:21-25
St. John 10:11-16

April 23, 2023

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

He is risen Indeed! Alleluia!

There are a lot of different names for the man at the front of the church, but each name communicates his purpose. Perhaps he’s called a minister; this suggests that he’s the one who takes care of your needs, particularly, your spiritual needs. Maybe you call him a preacher; this carries his duty to speak and interpret God’s Word from the pulpit. When he’s called father, that denotes the close relationship between you and him. Or, when you are focused more on the sacrifice he makes and the Sacrifice he distributes, you call him a priest. If you want to hearken to your German roots, then you could employ the word Seelsorger, which literally translated means, “soul care;” this German description encompasses many facets.

Each one of these titles carries your expectation for the man at the front of the church. Now, for the man at the front of the church today, you all call me Pastor Schultz. “Pastor” is a fitting word for today on Good Shepherd Sunday. Pastor is the Latin word for “shepherd,” or for “the one who leads a flock to grazing.”

In this sense, there are numerous examples of pastors throughout the Bible. Shepherding was one of the most common professions throughout the Scriptures. The first one identified is Abel, the second son of Adam. In Genesis 4, Abel is described as a “keeper of the sheep,” and the sacrifice that he brings to the Lord is one of the firstborns from his flock (Gen. 4:1-4). After Abel, Jacob and his sons were shepherds. In fact, Jacob’s ten sons were tending their flocks when Joseph came. As the story goes, they turned from their flocks, threw him in a pit, and sold him into slavery (Gen. 37). Moses tended to the flocks of his father-in-law, Jethro, when he saw the Burning Bush on Mt. Horeb (Exod. 3). Perhaps the most famous of the Old Testament shepherds was David, the youngest son of Jesse who was almost passed over by the prophet Samuel because David was out tending the sheep (1 Sam. 16). David would later write the most well-known psalm, Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd.” There were many shepherds throughout the Old Testament.

However, there were also examples of wicked shepherds in the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 34, right before our reading today, the prophet laments that there had been no faithful shepherds in Israel. Instead, the false priests and false prophets who should have cared for the people had simply gorged themselves on the sheep. The false priests and false prophets were hirelings who only took the paycheck but care nothing about the sheep entrusted to them. This was almost certainly in Jesus’ mind every time He preached to the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Through the Old Testament, there were good and bad shepherds. As we move into the New Testament, there are still more shepherds. While Peter is better remembered as a “fisher of men” (Matt. 4:18-22), he was also made a shepherd of souls. Following the resurrection, in John 21, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Each time, Peter confirmed his love for his Lord. And each time, Jesus responded, “Feed my lambs; Tend my sheep; Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Following in this apostolic office, the man at the front of the church is called “pastor.” Why? Because God has ordained him to tend and feed you, His flock.

But do not think that Peter, let alone any other biblical shepherd or any pastor since has perfectly tended God’s flock. There has only ever been one Shepherd. That’s what we heard today from John 10:16: “There will be…one shepherd.” That’s Jesus. He is the Shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

What does this mean? Just like our reading said, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who perfectly knows His sheep. He knows the habits of His flock and the personality of His sheep. When you go astray and wander away from the flock, Jesus seeks you out; He pursues His lost sheep (Matt. 18:10-14). Sometimes – or perhaps, oftentimes – this includes facing the wolves. Jesus faces your sins. He doesn’t shy away from them. He isn’t scared of them. A shepherd who thinks the wolves will leave him alone is a foolish and naïve shepherd, but that’s not the Good Shepherd. No, Jesus knows there will be wolves. Jesus knows Satan will try to snatch away some of the flock. So, Jesus tends and directs His flock.

To put this plainly, Satan will use the world, its agendas, and its promises to snatch you away from this flock, this church. The world says, “Love is love” and lets every sinful mind provide its own definition. But Scripture says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8), God is the measure and foundation of love, not the other way around. The world says, “My body, my choice,” and denies personhood to the most vulnerable and helpless. But Scripture says, “This is My body, given for you,” because in this Sacrament, Jesus sacrificed His comfort to save the helpless. The world says, “Follow your heart” and fulfill your dreams and fantasies. But Scripture says, “The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer. 17:9). That’s why Scripture shows God’s creative order and the good vocations for men, women, and children. In all the world’s lies, do you see the pattern? The world sounds good, but it only offers parodies and poor imitations of God’s Word. The world wants to snatch you away from the flock with these shallow promises. These are the wolves that slink around and stalk the flock. These are the wolves that Jesus faces.

That’s what places Good Shepherd Sunday into the Easter season. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, faced the wolves. He was no hired hand. He did not flee. He was never intimidated by their fangs. Instead, He faced them head on, hanging from the cross. But don’t think that Jesus was naïve or foolish. He knew the wolves were coming. The wolves didn’t take His life; He laid down His own life for the sheep. The verses immediately following our reading add to this. Listen to verses 17 and 18: “For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:17-18). Every shepherd that came before Jesus and every pastor who has followed has died, but not one of them has had the authority to rise from the grave on his own. But Jesus has risen from the grave. The wolves are not victorious. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the Good Pastor, who has defended His flock with His own life.

Every faithful pastor since Jesus has directed His flock back to that cross. In that cross, the flock is safe. In that cross, the Good Shepherd fights against the wolves. In that cross, the sheep are united as one flock with one shepherd. Pastors are sometimes called “under shepherds.” Why? Because pastors are not the Good Shepherd, but still work under Him. Through faithful pastors calling people back to church, Jesus unites His sheep. Through faithful pastors proclaiming the cross and resurrection, Jesus fights against the wolves that would snatch you away. Through faithful teaching of the Sacraments, Jesus leads you to grazing at this table. In the words of Israel’s shepherd king, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Ps. 23:5a).

What you call the man at the front of church matter. Right now, he’s a preacher, speaking and interpreting God’s Word. Through the week and through visitations, he’ll be a minister, tending to your spiritual needs. Through preaching and ministering, he provides seelsorge, “soul care.” But today on Good Shepherd Sunday, the man at the front of the church is called pastor. The pastor shepherds God’s flock, working under and for the Good Shepherd. The pastor preaches against the wolves that would snatch you away. He leads you to eat and drink what God has provided for you. And he points you back to the cross – always to the cross – where Jesus the Good Shepherd fought and died for you, laying down His life so that He might take it up again in glory. To Him alone be all the praise both now and forevermore. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor Schultz
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas

Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office

Pastor Schultz Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas

Pastor Schultz
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas