EASTER IV
April 21, 2024
“Our Shepherd, Our Savior”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. (Psalm 23:1-3)
Jesus told them this parable: “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.” (Luke 15:4-5)
The poetry and imagery of this “Good Shepherd Sunday” is beautiful and reassuring, as the relationship between God and his people is likened to that of a shepherd and his sheep. Most of us have a pretty limited understanding of what skills and knowledge are needed to be a shepherd, whether in the present day or a couple thousand years ago. However, the image of the shepherd guarding and guiding a flock of sheep, protecting them from predators and leading them to pasture and water shows up time and again throughout the Bible, as writers use the familiar, everyday descriptions of the times. Although we aren’t livestock experts, many references, parables, and illustrations educate us in a rudimentary way about the responsibilities, challenges, and constant vigilance involved in caring for a flock of sheep.
Referring to Jesus as a shepherd tells us that he was not only willing to be human and live among everyday people, but that he would take on the hard, dirty, virtually endless work of keeping track of an unruly flock of sheep. In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks of the sheep following their shepherd because they know his voice, and trust him. He is the one who will lead them safely to pasture, and who is dedicated to protecting them. He tells us, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)
As we read this passage, the universal nature of Jesus’ message for all humanity is crystal clear. None are excluded and all are invited and welcome. The loss of one is a loss to all, and the rescuing of one is a triumph for all. Therefore, I know I am one of those sheep in the flock, and I matter just as much as the next, which means the next one matters just as much as I do. None of us can think, imagine, or comprehend on such a vast scale, so that’s where we are called to have faith that God knows, understands, and cares for every one and for all.
How blessed we are to be assured of the care and protection of our Lord, and to be able to share this Good News through our words and deeds.
Just another one in the flock,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers