1 Peter 2:19-25
Good Shepherd Sunday
"Jesus the Shepherd and Overseer of Your Souls"
The Fourth Sunday in Easter has become, in recent decades,
“Good Shepherd Sunday”. Taking our cues
from the lectionary, where each year we take this week to focus on the grand
biblical metaphor of shepherd and sheep.
It’s a common enough picture, especially for the pastoral people of
Palestine in biblical times, and really, even today. And it’s a very simply but profound picture
with many points of comparison. And of
course, Jesus is the Good Shepherd to whom we always come back, or rather, who
always seeks his sheep, that is, you and me.
The relationship between shepherd and sheep reaches even
back into the Old Testament. There we
can already see the effects of sin in the very first shepherd – Abel. Already foreshadowing the Christ, who is both
shepherd of sheep and victim of violence, Abel, the one who didn’t deserve to
die is killed by the one who did – Cain.
And yet God shows mercy on Cain, marking him with protection. Abel’s blood for vengeance pleads unto the
skies, but the blood of Jesus, for our pardon cries.
And then you have the patriarchs – also shepherds. Much of the unfolding of God’s plan for
salvation happens in the context of shepherding. Abraham is a generous shepherd, giving the
choice land to nephew Lot. Jacob is a
shrewd shepherd, multiplying his own flock.
And so many more stories of the daily life of our forefathers in the
faith show the place of the shepherd.
And so even we, who live in cities and drive cars, and shop
at Walmart, can learn from the relationship of shepherd and sheep. We can find our place in the flock, under the
watchful rod and staff of the great Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Today, let’s focus especially on the Epistle reading. For here we can mine some more nuggets and
treasures out of the grand metaphor of shepherd and sheep. Here we will find both law and gospel, sin
and grace, rule and comfort.
Peter, in our epistle reading, shows forth some different
aspects of the Good Shepherd you may not hear much about in Lutheran
churches. Christ, in his suffering, is
an example for us. The Good Shepherd
leads the way – yes, even into and through suffering. And Christ brings his straying sheep back,
for he is the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
Now, this is not to say that Jesus is ONLY example, or even
primarily so. We aren’t saying that, and
neither is Peter. He shows that Christ
“himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and
live to righteousness”. He’s not telling
us to bear our own sins or anything like that.
Christ is the savior. We are the
save-ees. That much is clear, both here,
and in all of Scripture.
But this doesn’t negate Peter’s call that we should “Follow
in [Jesus’] steps”.
He committed no sin.
So you, commit no sin. There was
no deceit in his mouth. So let your
mouth also be deceit free. When he was
reviled, he did not revile in return. So
you, also, do not return evil for evil.
And when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting
himself to him who judges justly. So you
also, when you suffer, trust God – the just judge – to get it right, to make it
right.
So often when we suffer we look for justice, or even
revenge. We know, somehow, deep down,
that suffering isn’t right. It’s not
just because it’s unpleasant, but it also shouldn’t be. When someone sins against us, even as a young
child, we demand justice! We want the
scales balanced!
Hypocritically, though, we’re not so concerned with justice
when we suffer for our own sins. Think
of the two robbers on the cross – one had the sense to humbly confess they were
receiving the due punishment for their deeds.
And if you forget that yourself, then our confession of sins does a good
job reminding us – and guiding us to speak the words – we deserve temporal and
eternal punishment. So what credit is it
to you, then, if you suffer what you actually deserve? If you are beaten for you sin, and endure,
Peter asks. Rather, suffer injustice and persecution with patience and
joy. Endure the unjust hardships
following the example of Christ himself.
And a faith that follows Jesus trusts that God will sort it
all out. If we suffer unjustly, God will
make it right. And if we suffer for our own sins, we beg forgiveness and
mercy. No servant is greater than his
master. No sheep is better than the
shepherd. No Christian is above the
Christ.
Die to sin. Now
there’s something. And it likely means
some suffering. When you die to sin you avoid the carnal pleasures of sin, the
siren call of this world’s delights.
Even the satisfaction of revenge is a thrill that Christians put aside,
and rather suffer the injustice of persecution until God makes it right in his
time and way. So Christ the Good
Shepherd showed us, so we the sheep must follow. He died for all sin. You get to die to sin, and live in and to his
righteousness.
By his wounds, you were healed. Never forget the wounds he suffered for
you. Never stray far from those nail
marks, that scourged back, those thorns in his crown, the spear in his
side. Those wounds – from which flowed
the precious blood of Christ. Those
wounds are your healing from sin and death. By his stripes we are healed. In his death, we live.
And now the Good Shepherd part of this passage. You were straying like sheep! Here’s an accusation! Nobody wants to be compared to a dog or a
monkey or some other silly animal. But
being called a sheep is no compliment either!
Even today, we know that sheep have a reputation for empty-headedness. They can wander off if they aren’t looked
after. They need supervision. The lost sheep. Sometimes we speak of this way about a family
member who has always had a hard time in life – difficulties making good
decisions, and always seems to be wandering somewhere without direction.
But we also know that sheep can just as mindlessly follow a
shepherd. And so this can be an insult
of another kind – people who uncritically follow their leaders, who mindlessly
believe whatever is spoon fed them by the media, or some charismatic
charmer. There’s even the word “sheeple”
– people who act like mindless sheep in this way. Don’t be a sheeple, like they are!
But the picture here is different. The wandering sheep is brought back. And it’s not to a mindless following of a
huckster or charlatan. Rather, it is a
faithful trust in the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. We were straying in sin. But now we have returned to him.
And this, not of ourselves, either! The Good Shepherd seeks and saves the
lost. He calls and leads the sheep
back. He even pulls us out of the pit
and carries us to safety. He does it
all.
He’s not just the Shepherd, he’s the Good Shepherd. Good unlike any other. Giving gifts and bestowing grace. Leading where no one else could lead their
sheep – through death and then out on the other side of the grave. Therefore the Valley of the Shadow of Death
brings us no fear of evil. He is with
us. He comforts us. Feeds us.
Makes us lie down in peace.
Just look at this last phrase. A title.
Peter calls Jesus the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. And we’ve
explored the Shepherd part, but what about an overseer? While it seems to have taken on an
unfavorable connotation in our language, an overseer is not a taskmaster or a
vindictive bully in charge of a group of slaves. Even if we translated it as “supervisor”, there
still runs the risk of us calling to mind all the unbearable bosses and tedious
workplace leaders we’ve had to answer to.
But this overseer is different. Just as he’s no ordinary shepherd. He’s the
overseer who’s watching over. He’s the
guardian and protector of your soul, your very life. He’s the one looking out for you. We might call him the “Good Overseer”.
And another translation of that is bishop. Just as another translation of shepherd is
pastor. So too faithful ministers of the
word throughout all generations have sought to follow the example of the Good
Shepherd. A faithful pastor will care
for the sheep and lead in love, not by fear or intimidation. And a faithful pastor will echo the voice of
the Good Shepherd. He will preach the Gospel
of Jesus Christ, and call the straying sheep to repentance and faith and
forgiveness. May God grant it to his church, here, and in all places.
A blessed Good Shepherd Sunday to you, and to all the sheep
in the care of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord. May we both trust in him and follow his
example. May we suffer with endurance,
die to sin, and live to his righteousness.
And may we always follow the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. Amen.
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