Safe In His Hand
Easter 4 • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsThe Good Shepherd Calls His Sheep by Name and Keeps them Safe in the Father's Hand
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Parents give children a name. When you are given a name, you belong to someone. You are part of a family. When children are made fun of or are rejected by their peers, children know they’re accepted and loved by their family. They know they’re safe, protected in their parents’ hands.
In a world that’s hostile to his disciples, Jesus reminds them that he knows them by name and will keep them safe from the attacks of the world and the prince of this world.
Our text for this Good Shepherd Sunday tells us, as surely as it told Jesus’ first disciples, that
The Good Shepherd Calls His Sheep by Name and Keeps Them Safe in His Father’s Hand.
The Good Shepherd Calls His Sheep by Name and Keeps Them Safe in His Father’s Hand.
So, we are going to talk about how the Good Shepherd cares for us, defends us, and keeps us safe.
I. The Good Shepherd Will Always Care for Us ().
I. The Good Shepherd Will Always Care for Us ().
The Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem . . . Solomon’s Colonnade
Hanukkah
Solomon’s porch — “Son of David.”
The Good Shepherd cares for us
Through his Word, the Good Shepherd calls his disciples by name. He knows us, and we know his voice and follow him
3 The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
Through his Word, the Good Shepherd saves and gives life abundantly (eternal life) to those whom he calls (vv 9, 10b).
The Good Shepherd keeps the disciples safe in the world.
Jesus’ voice leads his sheep to follow him to green pastures, to his blessings of salvation and eternal life (vv 9, 10b, 27–28a).
Jesus cares for the sheep so much that he lays down his life for them in order to save them from false prophets (wolves) and eternal death (v 11).
Jesus promises to keep in his hand those whom he calls and saves. “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (v 28).
The Good Shepherd provides for our every need.
II. The Good Shepherd Will Defend us ().
II. The Good Shepherd Will Defend us ().
The world brings so many challenges against Jesus’ disciples.
The world is hostile to Jesus, his message, and his disciples (15:18–25).
The world is hostile to Jesus, his message, and his disciples
“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first.If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. The one who hates me hates my Father too. If I had not performed among them the miraculous deeds that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen the deeds and have hated both me and my Father.Now this happened to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’
2. The Jews represent the world when they attribute Jesus’ words and works to the devil or insanity (10:19–20).
The Jews represent the world when they attribute Jesus’ words and works to the devil or insanity (10:19–20).
3. Strangers, thieves, robbers, and wolves represent the world because they seek to draw the disciples away from Jesus and his words.
Strangers, thieves, robbers, and wolves represent the world because they seek to draw the disciples away from Jesus and his words.
B. Living in that world without a shepherd is a terrifying thought!
Without a shepherd, the sheep would only wander the way of death. The thief would kill and destroy the sheep (v 10a).
1. Without a shepherd, the sheep would have no sense of direction. The voice of strangers would lead them astray (v 5).
Without a shepherd, the sheep would have no sense of direction. The voice of strangers would lead them astray (v 5).
Without a shepherd, the sheep would only wander the way of death. The thief would kill and destroy the sheep (v 10a).
2. Without a shepherd, the sheep would have no safety net. The thief would steal the sheep; the wolf would easily snatch them away (vv 10a, 12).
Without a shepherd, the sheep would have no safety net. The thief would steal the sheep; the wolf would easily snatch them away (vv 10a, 12).
3. Without a shepherd, the sheep would only wander the way of death. The thief would kill and destroy the sheep (v 10a).
Without a shepherd, the sheep would only wander the way of death. The thief would kill and destroy the sheep (v 10a).
C. And be warned: this is our world!
In Our World Today...
1. Every day we hear the Word and will of Christ being demonized—as homophobic and hate-mongering and narrow-minded. (Give concrete examples.)
Every day we hear the Word and will of Christ being demonized—as homophobic and hate-mongering and narrow-minded. (Give concrete examples.)
2. Every minute we’re being tempted by the world to follow false Christs—gods of our bellies, prophets of prosperity, theologies of man. (Give concrete examples.)
Every minute we’re being tempted by the world to follow false Christs—gods of our bellies, prophets of prosperity, theologies of man.
Confirmation Student in Caddott, being force-fed — taught — the Five Pillars of Islam.
3. Without a shepherd, we’d quickly fall prey to any of these worldly wolves.
Without a shepherd, we’d quickly fall prey to any of these worldly wolves.
This is a chief blessing Jesus brings to the community of faith — his disciples.
1. Through his Word, the Good Shepherd calls his disciples by name. He knows us, and we know his voice and follow him (vv 3b–4).
Through his Word, the Good Shepherd calls his disciples by name. He knows us, and we know his voice and follow him
3 The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 When he has brought all his own sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.
2. Through his Word, the Good Shepherd saves and gives life abundantly (eternal life) to those whom he calls (vv 9, 10b).
Through his Word, the Good Shepherd saves and gives life abundantly (eternal life) to those whom he calls (vv 9, 10b).
B. The Good Shepherd keeps the disciples safe in the world.
The Good Shepherd keeps the disciples safe in the world.
1. Jesus’ voice leads his sheep to follow him to green pastures, to his blessings of salvation and eternal life (vv 9, 10b, 27–28a).
Jesus’ voice leads his sheep to follow him to green pastures, to his blessings of salvation and eternal life (vv 9, 10b, 27–28a).
2. Jesus cares for the sheep so much that he lays down his life for them in order to save them from false prophets (wolves) and eternal death (v 11).
Jesus cares for the sheep so much that he lays down his life for them in order to save them from false prophets (wolves) and eternal death (v 11).
3. Jesus promises to keep in his hand those whom he calls and saves. “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (v 28).
Jesus promises to keep in his hand those whom he calls and saves. “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand” (v 28).
III. The Good Shepherd Will Keep Us Safe ().
III. The Good Shepherd Will Keep Us Safe ().
To know the Son is to know the Father. Jesus and the Father are one. What a profound concept! John 10:29-30
1. Jesus is the voice the Father has given us to hear, and we hear Jesus’ voice every time the pastor speaks God’s Word to us.
Jesus is the voice the Father has given us to hear, and we hear Jesus’ voice every time the Pastor speaks God’s Word to us.
2. When we see Jesus loving, healing, caring, speaking kindly, touching gently, we understand what the Father is like. In heaven, Jesus is the face we’ll see, but we’ll see exactly what the Father is like.
When we see Jesus loving, healing, caring, speaking kindly, touching gently, we understand what the Father is like. In heaven, Jesus is the face we’ll see, but we’ll see exactly what the Father is like.
B. Thus the Son’s guidance, love, and care (protection) for his disciples is the very guidance, love, and care the Father provides for his people, Israel.
Thus the Son’s guidance, love, and care (protection) for his disciples is the very guidance, love, and care the Father provides for his people, Israel.
C. And thus as our Good Shepherd, the Son speaks to us the Word, love, and care of his heavenly Father for us and for our salvation.
Our Good Shepherd, the Son speaks to us the Word, love, and care of his heavenly Father for us and for our salvation.
1. By speaking to us through his Word, the Good Shepherd knows us and we know him, just as the Father knows him and he knows the Father (vv 14–15).
By speaking to us through his Word, the Good Shepherd knows us and we know him, just as the Father knows him and he knows the Father (vv 14–15).
2. By dying on the cross for us of his own accord, the Good Shepherd fulfills the charge he received from his Father, who loves him and loves the world through him (vv 17–18).
By dying on the cross for us of his own accord, the Good Shepherd fulfills the charge he received from his Father, who loves him and loves the world through him (vv 17–18).
3. By his promise of eternal election, the Good Shepherd keeps us in his hand, and this amounts to being kept safe in the Father’s hand. In Christ, we can be certain that we are the Father’s chosen sheep forever (vv 29–30).
By his promise of a New Covenant, the Good Shepherd keeps us in his hand, and this amounts to being kept safe in the Father’s hand. In Christ, we can be certain that we are the Father’s chosen sheep forever (vv 29–30).
Our Good Shepherd baptized us, marking us with the Cross of Christ, Forgiving our Sins, and gave us His Holy Name so no one will be able to snatch us out of His hand or the Fathers.
Parents give children a name. When you are given a name, you are chosen as a member of the family and are taken care of and protected. Each of us has that kind of name; it’s special for us.
When we are baptized into Christ, we are given another name: Christian. Christ Jesus, our Good Shepherd, knows both our names. He knows our given name, knows each of us that personally. But he also knows our baptismal name, and that’s even more personal because it means we’re in him. Christ knows each person who’s in him.
In Christ, we are chosen as members of the family of God. In Christ, we are cared for, defended, and kept safe in the Father’s hand. In Christ, we are secure, though the world seems to be falling apart. In Christ, we are safe. Safe in his name.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.