Misericordias Domini

Jesus says, “I, myself, am the Good Shepherd” (Jn 10:11). He is speaking in contrast to the other shepherds—to all other shepherds. There are many shepherds, but there is only one Good Shepherd. In fact, the others are not true shepherds at all. Jesus says they are hirelings. They may look and act like shepherds, but they don’t actually care for the sheep. A hireling is only going through the motions to collect a paycheck. But at the first sign of trouble, he’s gone. He abandons the sheep and runs. A hireling cares only about himself, about saving his own skin. Jesus cares about his sheep, and he gives up his own life so we may live.

Have you ever considered why God calls us sheep instead of some other animal? Sheep aren’t known for being strong, or wise, or brave. They aren’t good at providing for themselves. They need a shepherd. When I was a child, we lived in the country and had a few sheep. I remember watching my dad dig up some poisonous weeds from their pasture. He said the sheep didn’t know any better and would eat them. Most animals seem to know what’s good to eat. Apparently not sheep. The same thing could be said for sheep’s tendency to wander off and get lost. Even a pigeon with a brain as big as a peanut knows how to get home. But not a sheep.

Today so much of the Church is wandering far afield from the safety of the Word of God. Sheep like to wander. And there are countless false shepherds who are lead the Church astray. Why are there always so many false teachers in the Church? Because they tell us what the sinful nature wants to hear. St. Paul writes that “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Tim 4:3). Part of the blame rests on the sheep, who welcome in false teachers with open arms.

It’s sad but true that a pastor in our synod can often get away with teaching false doctrine for years. But if he touches one dollar from the offering plate, then he’s gone. This shows, unfortunately, where our priorities often lie—with money rather than faithfulness to the words of Jesus. Would to God that we had the same hair-trigger intolerance for false teaching as we do for embezzlement of church funds. But instead, when a pastor strives to teach the pure doctrine of Christ, there is often grumbling among the sheep. “Why does he always have to talk about sin? Why can’t he make us feel good? Why can’t we sing our favorite Methodist hymns?

This is the nature of sheep. We need to be led to green pastures. We need to be protected from the wolf. We need to be delivered from false shepherds and their deceitful words. We need our Good Shepherd. When the Church is led astray, God lays the greater share of the blame, not upon his sheep, but upon the false teachers who know better. There are many passages of harsh judgment in the Scriptures, but never harsher than when directed at the false teachers. The entire chapter of Ezekiel 34 is written as a judgment against these men: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them” (Ezekiel 34:2–4). Nothing incurs the wrath of God so much as false shepherds who intentionally lead the people of God astray, growing fat while the sheep suffer. Therefore, “Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I am the Lord; I have spoken” (Ezekiel 34:10–11, 15–16, 24b).

This is what Jesus means when he says, “I, myself, am the Good Shepherd. He is the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy. And all of us, as St. Peter says, “were straying sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25).

Jesus has many sheep, in many folds across the world. And in these folds, in these local churches, the Great Shepherd appoints under-shepherds to care for his flock. Did you know that the word “pastor” is simply Latin for “shepherd”? Every pastor is called to serve his little flock as a representative of the one Good Shepherd. The pastor stands in the stead of Christ and by his command to say the words of Christ and no others. And God warns that he will judge pastors by their faithfulness to this task. The apostle James writes, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” And the author of Hebrews writes, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account” (Hebrews 13:17a).

What is the difference between a false and faithful under-shepherd of Christ? One man speaks the words that tickle the ear and cause him to be showered with the praise and rewards of men, while the other speaks the words he is commanded to speak. The words of Jesus are never popular. They are never happily received by sinful men, or even by the sinful nature within each one of us. But the words of Jesus are the only refuge from the prowling wolf who would snatch and scatter the sheep. The wolf is always coming, and we have no power of our own against him. But where the voice of Jesus is heard, there the flock dwells secure.

When the wolf comes, the hirelings flee. When sin and death come to reap their bitter harvest, the lying words of the false shepherds are no help at all. But Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He does not abandon his sheep to death. Instead, the Good Shepherd abandons his own life for the sake of the sheep. He allows himself to be rent by the teeth of the wolf, so that we might live in safety. On Good Friday we sing, “What punishment so strange is suffered yonder! The Shepherd dies for sheep that loved to wander” (LSB 439). This is the definition of a good shepherd, and there is only one, our Lord Jesus. We are his sheep, we know him, and more importantly, our Shepherd knows us.

Here, within the fold of Christ, the pure words of Jesus can be heard. And wherever that word is preached, there we also find forgiveness, life, and salvation. This is good pasture, indeed. Here, within the one holy Christian Church, Jesus feeds us his own Body and Blood. Here, through his saving Word, our Lord speaks to us, and we hear his voice with gladness. And in his perfect time, our Good Shepherd will lead us from this vale of tears into the green pastures of heaven. Amen.