Jesus, the Good Shepherd
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, has given His life for His sheep. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15: 13) This solitary act brought us salvation. No other person could accomplish this task. This alone was the Shepherd’s work. He said, “No man taketh it from me, but I layeth it down of myself. I have the power to lay it down and I have the power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:18)
In giving His life, He established an everlasting church in the world which He also sustains and empowers through His Word and His Spirit. Jesus said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against this church, (Matthew 16:18) and that Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not His Word. (Matthew 25:35)
To human view, however, it seems as though the Lord's cause was lost when He cried out on the cross: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” To the world His death spelled the total failure of all His claims. But from what appeared to be great weakness, greater strength was revealed. Jesus paid our sin debt, he destroyed death, and He conquered the legions of hell.
When we hear and believe the gospel (which is the power of God unto salvation), we are enabled to turn away from all self-made consolation and depend entirely upon the Good Shepherd who not only says: “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives his life the sheep.” (John 10:11), but also promises: “and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” (John 10: 14)
It has been said that sheep are gifted by nature above all other animals with a most acute distinction of sounds. Among thousands of people, a sheep recognizes its shepherd by the sound of his voice and follows him. If thousands of sheep were together in one flock and all were bleating, each little lamb knows the voice of its mother and runs to her. In the gospel, Jesus no doubt refers to this peculiarity.
When we have come to know Him as the One who has given us life, because He laid down His life for us, and found our only solace in the grace and truth that He has brought, we, like John the Baptist, can say that we greatly rejoice at the sound of His voice. (John 3: 29) May we always desire to hear the Word of God so that we may be firmly grounded in it and enabled to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd. In this may we be protected from the wolf (the tempter) who is ever ready to lead us from the protection of the Shepherd into the paths of destruction. These expressions of Christ are filled with hope because He calls himself the Shepherd and we, who hear His Word, His sheep. Our comfort then is in our Shepherd’s reed which sounds so inviting when He says: “ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep and am known of mine.”
No matter what may betide us under the providence of God, we can ever hear the voice of the Good Shepherd who cheers us with these words: Ye are my dearly purchased flock who know my voice and that I will never forget you. Such recognition has its foundation in the Word and in faith, and on none other can it rest. A Christian must, while yet on earth, endure many misfortunes, and sorrows, as though there were no difference between him and the wicked. His life and death outwardly viewed, have nothing peculiar; it even seems now and then that God leads the Christian through much severer trials than if he were a heathen; he certainly has more conflicts with temptations and other tribulations of the soul. But be not disconcerted thereby—remember that the Good Shepherd has said: “I know my sheep.” (thoughts taken from Luther)
A sheep lives because it hears the voice of its shepherd, but as soon as it disregards this voice it will go astray and become prey to wolves. The only safety is in the neighborhood of the shepherd. Therefore, that sheep which hears the shepherd’s voice is secure. Just so with the Christian. If he does not hear the Word of Christ, he has no consolation. If he faithfully heeds this Word, he has everything that Christ achieved for him, i.e., the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
In the midst of his labors, yes even while he suffers pains which are also ordained of God, he knows he is a sheep in the fold of Jesus. He judges not his life according to what he feels, but according to these words of Jesus,
From the Archives of the late Pastor, Rev. A.C. Holmgren from September 1984
Submitted by Pastor Stan