Easter 3
On this Good Shepherd Sunday the Church once again reminds us of one of the most beautiful and comforting images of our dear Lord, Jesus Christ. What great comfort untold millions of the faithful have received from these words–The Lord is my Shepherd or I am the Good Shepherd! When Jesus tells us I am the Good Shepherd, certainly comes to mind the image of Jesus holding one of the lambs in His arms, while being surrounded by His herd of sheep. While most of us have no inkling what shepherding sheep is all about, we still have the greatest comfort because we see ourselves as that sheep in Jesus’ arms, that lamb that Jesus is so lovingly carrying, that lamb that Jesus is so tenderly looking at. We can and should do that especially when we are going through times of trial and suffering because that is the reality–we are in our dear Savior’s arms; He is lovingly leading us/ carrying us to heaven; in the midst of all sorts of sufferings and trials, even in the midst of attacks from the devil and his allies, we are in our Savior’s arms safe.
Besides this beautiful, comforting image, Good Shepherd Sunday also teaches us who Jesus really is–it is no coincidence that Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd. After all, what does St. David write in the psalm? The Lord is my Shepherd. Who is his shepherd? The Lord! The true God. The very God who provides for him all that he needs physically and spiritually: I shall not want. And then David specifically adds the great spiritual blessings the Lord gives him: He restores my soul, He leads me in the paths of righteousness. And then the scene changes to heaven where David is safe from all spiritual enemies and free from all earthly trial and attacks of the enemy: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. And in summary of his earthly life, St. David says looking back over it: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me and the days of my life; and now, finally in heaven rejoices: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord brought him safely to heaven.
So now with that background, what is Jesus saying when He says [Jn 10.11]: I am the good shepherd? He is saying that He is the Lord, the true God, the Lord who is my Shepherd. And then Jesus right away adds: The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd because He is the true God: The Lord is my Shepherd and He proves that He is the Good Shepherd by giving His life/ laying down His life for the sheep [Jn 10.15]. But what good is a dead shepherd? Won’t the wolves then have complete access to all the rest of the sheep? That’s why Jesus then adds [Jn 10.17]: I lay down My life that I may take it again. Here Jesus talks about His death and resurrection–the Lord/ the true God/ Jesus, the Good Shepherd will die but will rise again. Is it any wonder that we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday in the midst of the Easter season?
Our text today brings us again to the book of Revelation. In today’s reading St. John gives us a glimpse into heaven: After these things I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing in front of the throne and of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. St. John gets a view of the Church Triumphant in heaven; he sees the souls of the entire faithful Church, the souls of our Lord’s dear Christians. What a glorious scene that is! That is some flock of the Good Shepherd! Notice what the Church/ the flock of the Good Shepherd is–it is made up of people from every nation, tribe, people, and language. Only in the Church/ the flock of the Good Shepherd is there such unity of time, place, race, language because Jesus unites. The devil is the one who divides, scatters; Jesus, in His Church gathers, unites and brings together into one. All these things should seemingly divide people–race, language, where they come from and live, etc. But in the Church they do not because the unity of the Church is a unity of faith. That’s why Jesus says [Jn 10.16]: And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one Shepherd. Jesus first spoke these words to the Jews. He was saying His Church/ His flock would be made up of Jews and Gentiles/ non-Jews/ other sheep. And we see the fulfillment of Jesus’ words in St. John’s glimpse into heaven: there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language. It was one faith–faith, that gift of Jesus worked by the Holy Spirit through the word and sacrament–that brought all these different people together and made them one flock with one Shepherd, the Church. What makes the unity of the Church is the unity of that divinely worked faith. Jesus describes that in today’s Gospel: My sheep hear My voice. I know them and they follow Me. Hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd and following Him, His word, putting our trust/ confidence in Him, that is faith. The one and same faith is worked by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of Christians all throughout the world and in every age. So what St. John sees is the flock of Jesus the Good Shepherd: a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing in front of the throne and of the Lamb.
Then notice how they are described: These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation. Here is a scene that is both very troubling and yet comforting. It is troubling because of the great tribulation; and yet very comforting because they are coming out of it, safe and sound into heaven. That is the life of the Christian. Not only do we have the normal struggles and pains of life in a sinful world–sickness, job loss, strife, war, death, etc. –but we also have the attacks and assaults of the devil and his allies trying to get us to despair of/ reject our faith; we have the battles for the faith; we have to be watchful for all the attempts of the devil to lead us into sin and away from faith, away from/ out of that one flock of Christ. Like St. Paul says [Ac 14.22]: We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. The one who wants to enjoy the joy and bliss of heaven/ wants to be part of the flock of the Good Shepherd must fight for the truth of Christ/ stand firm in faith.
But lest we despair and weaken in the process, don’t forget the Good Shepherd, our Lord Jesus. Don’t forget what Jesus says in today’s Gospel: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of My hand. That is His glorious promise to us in our battles for the faith; that is our confidence in the midst of our struggles when we think we can’t any more! Hold on to Jesus and His word and promise– He is the Good Shepherd who is leading you.
And He is leading you to heaven so that you together with all Christians will be standing in front of the throne and of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. The white robes and palm branches are pictures of purity and victory–in fact, with the palm branches in their hands there is the image of victory, the final and complete victory over our enemies–devil and all his host, sin, death, hell. Through faith in Jesus–His victory is ours through faith– we conquer/ have conquered, already now, all enemies in this life; and that victory is complete and final when the Good Shepherd leads us finally one day out of this great tribulation to Himself in heaven.
Then that victory will be for all to see and us to enjoy in its fullness! Then, as the Good Shepherd leads us to heaven, we will be free from the effects of sin; we will no longer have to endure the hardships like we did during our earthly pilgrimage. We live peacefully without the hardships of this fallen world. St. John records in our text: They will never be hungry or thirsty ever again. The sun will never beat upon them, nor will any scorching heat, for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, satisfies our true hunger and thirst–we then will have the fullness and enjoyment of heavenly goods and blessings and we will be completely filled with heavenly joy. –All because the Good Shepherd leads us now and throughout our life. By His gift of faith, we know Him and follow Him.
But notice also that fascinating line with its interesting imagery: the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd. Not only is Jesus our Good Shepherd but He is also the Lamb. The Shepherd is a Lamb? And on top of that we see that the Lamb is at the center of the throne. And like we heard earlier: the saints were standing in front of the throne and of the Lamb. This image of the Lamb is also a powerful image because it is on a throne–it is living and reigning and divine! This Lamb, Jesus, shares the throne with the Father; He shares in His reign. And that’s what Jesus says of Himself in today’s Gospel: I and the Father are one. Jesus, the Son, together with the Holy Spirit are one God with the Father. There are 3 divine Persons but yet one God–the mystery of the Trinity. I and the Father are one.
That image of Jesus as the Lamb is a powerful image because it is the image of sacrifice–the Passover Lamb, the lamb that was killed and its blood smeared on the doorposts to save those inside from the Angel of Death; and the lamb of sacrifice as St. John the Baptizer’s confession of Jesus points out [Jn 1.29]: Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. But again, this Lamb–Jesus–is living and reigning. This is Easter! The Lamb of God who gave up His life on the cross, by His life and blood, paid for the sins of the world. But He took back His life. He rose from the dead. And now the Lamb is at the center of the throne. He is victorious! And through faith in Him His victory is ours! And that’s why St. John describes the Christians in heaven this way: They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The white robes of the Christian in heaven, that image of purity and righteousness, comes about by a washing in blood? –Yes, the blood of the Lamb! The apostle writes [1 Jn 1.7]: the blood of Jesus Christ…cleanses us from all sin. This washing of our robes in the blood of Jesus is a beautiful image of baptism! Baptism is, as St. Paul writes [Ti 3.5], the washing of regeneration and renewing. Baptism is the beginning of the Christian life. Baptism cleanses us and unites us with Jesus; in baptism we are clothed with Jesus [Gl 3.27]. Baptism creates faith and so we are united with Jesus. His perfect righteousness and purity–that holiness that God demands of us if we are to enter heaven–is ours through faith. Notice also: it is a white robe. A robe covers us completely. We are fully and completely forgiven our sins–that’s the washing of baptism, the washing of our robes and making them white in the blood of the Lamb.
With the forgiveness of sin that Baptism offers and gives, with that union with Jesus that Baptism works, we have washed [our] robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. And because of this/ because of the work of Jesus/ because of His sacrifice and death– because of this, St. John records of the souls in heaven, they are in front of the throne of God, and they serve Him day and night in His temple. This is the life of heaven, the blessedness of the saints in heaven–seeing God face to face; His saving look fills them with joy. Life in heaven will be one of beholding God and unending worship. There we will be undisturbed/ uninterrupted by our sinful nature, by sin, by the world, etc. like now–because those things won’t be in heaven! Our whole being will there be consecrated to the service and worship of God. Then we will be complete; then we will finally be content. As heavenly priests, the blessed in heaven praise and thank the Lamb who poured out His blood to save us–that Lamb who is also the Good Shepherd leading us to heaven. What a glorious foretaste of that we get each week in church as we exercise our priestly role praising and thanking the Lamb on the throne. Here in church as we gather for worship, our Good Shepherd and the Lamb leads us to the springs of living water–He Himself in the word and Sacrament. INJ