Resurrection Reality – Good Shepherd is the theme for the 4th Sunday in Easter. Our sermon series takes us down a path of how Easter changes our reality. On Good Shepherd Sunday we take advantage of all of the imagery of sheep and how they are completely dependent on their shepherd.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. After offering this bad example Jesus says, 14 “I am the good shepherd;
There was a man who witnessed his faith in the Middle East. He was talking to a Bedouin shepherd, a nomadic herdsman. The Christian told the Bedouin the story of the Good Shepherd who left his 99 sheep and went after the one lost sheep. The Bedouin said that the Shepherd wasn’t good, he was stupid and that if that one sheep was his, not only wouldn’t he go after it, but he would kill it if it came back. In horror the Christian asked why. The Bedouin replied, “By saving that sheep, the shepherd accomplished nothing. He’ll probably have to rescue the sheep again and again. He’s wasting time and effort on a beast too stupid to even appreciate it.”
That man obvious doesn’t care about his sheep. They are meaningless to him. Even if the Bedouin sheepherder has a logical argument, I’m thrilled that this is NOT how my Good Shepherd treats me. And yet that’s maybe how we deserve to be treated. Wouldn’t it be easier for God to get rid of us instead of watching over us, protecting us, calling to us with his Gospel, forgiving us for his Son’s sake? I know that I don’t always appreciate what God does for me; no instead I run away to some sin again.
This might not be a good time to remind you that the Good Shepherd knows you. He doesn’t recoil in horror at the thought of you by his side. He picks you up and carries you through every trial and danger you will ever see in this life.
Want to hear more? Watch this week’s message taken from John 10 – Resurrection Reality – Good Shepherd.
Book(s): John
Series: Resurrection Reality
Tag(s): Good Shepherd
Speaker(s): Fred Guldberg