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Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep,” John 10:11. At first glance, this fact makes the Shepherd appear foolish. What flock of sheep is worth dying for? But the Good Shepherd, who owns the flock, embraces the apparent foolishness and futility in dying for the sheep. God’s love is hidden under the suffering and the cross. The sheep are not valuable in themselves, but the love of the Good Shepherd places the value of His own life upon the sheep. To Him, they are worth dying for. He loves their life so much that He gives up His own to save them from death. Such great love cannot be explained, but only proclaimed and marveled at.
And the Good Shepherd succeeds at defeating the wolf that sought the flesh and blood of the sheep, so the sheep are safe. As God told that wolf, the devil, Enemy No. 1 of God and us: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel,” Genesis 3:15, NIV. So it happened that the wolf was conquered, but the fierce battle also pierces the Good Shepherd’s flesh and drains His lifeblood.
But the Good Shepherd knows something the sheep can’t. His foolishness is only apparent, not real. He says, “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.
The death and resurrection of the Good Shepherd makes Psalm 23 a special one for each of us little lambs. Indeed, this Psalm wonderfully describes our life as sheep in the Good Shepherd’s flock. “The Lord Jesus is my Shepherd; I want nothing else.” That is what “I shall not want” really means. As little lambs of the Good Shepherd, we need nothing else but His love and care; we shall want for nothing, and so we should want nothing else but His grace and mercy.
But this seems too good a promise to be true, doesn’t it? We want for a lot of things. We suffer, hurt, mourn, and lack much. It seems like the wolf has once again escaped from his chains and has made it past the Shepherd to devour us. In such times Satan tempts us to think that Jesus isn’t our Good Shepherd and that we aren’t His beloved little lambs. When the shadow of death threatens, when we are beaten down, wounded, straying, harassed, helpless, old, achy, depressed, grieving, and at the breaking point, where in the world is our Good Shepherd then? He is right here with us, even then, especially then, since we are baptized into the Good Shepherd’s death and resurrection, we can confess in the face of trouble, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
When we want nothing more than a bit of rest, a tiny respite, or a touch of joy, at that moment has the Good Shepherd forsaken us? No, even then “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
And here is where He leads us: the paths of righteousness are found wherever His forgiving love and saving grace are found, in the comforting words of Scripture, in Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion. Though we are still surrounded by lions, wolves, and bears—the devil, the world, and our sinful nature—nonetheless, we lack nothing and have everything: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”
So with such great gifts from the Good Shepherd protecting us from sin, death, and the devil, every day we can confess Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Surely, for sure, certainly — all because the Good Shepherd laid down His life for you, took up His life again, and promises eternal life in His house to you. Amen.
