WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.000 Grace, mercy, and peace. 2 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:07.100 Be unto you from God, our savior and our Lord, and Savior, Jesus 3 00:00:07.100 --> 00:00:08.800 Christ, the Good Shepherd. 4 00:00:09.500 --> 00:00:09.900 Amen. 5 00:00:10.900 --> 00:00:13.900 Today's reading is our sermon text. 6 00:00:14.100 --> 00:00:16.300 It's the gospel that we heard before. 7 00:00:17.900 --> 00:00:24.100 And as I considered it, it got me thinking about how animals are often 8 00:00:24.100 --> 00:00:30.500 used to represent humans. Which led me on an interesting journey into 9 00:00:30.700 --> 00:00:34.400 mascotDB.com., You ever been there? 10 00:00:35.800 --> 00:00:42.300 Well, this is a very extensive database that has over 50.000 sports 11 00:00:42.300 --> 00:00:46.800 teams, from high school, to college, to pro, athletes of teams of all 12 00:00:46.800 --> 00:00:47.500 levels. 13 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:53.600 And on this, there are over 3.000 active mascot names. 14 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:54.500 3000. 15 00:00:56.300 --> 00:00:57.800 Most of them are animals. 16 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:02.100 Here are the top five Eagles, 17 00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:05.200 number one, those of you who are eagles 18 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:06.500 maybe you'll relate to that. 19 00:01:07.400 --> 00:01:11.600 1412 teams named Eagles. 20 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:14.400 Second place people from Missouri 21 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:16.500 might like this are the tigers. 22 00:01:16.800 --> 00:01:21.800 There's just over 1000 of those team names. Third place. 23 00:01:21.800 --> 00:01:25.600 There's a tie between bulldogs and panthers at 24 00:01:26.100 --> 00:01:27.900 947. 25 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:33.100 And then the only non optimal representative in the top five are the 26 00:01:33.100 --> 00:01:39.600 Warriors 794. By the way, they have a revision of this list from years 27 00:01:39.600 --> 00:01:43.500 ago to now, and there were different names in the top five in the 28 00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:44.100 past. 29 00:01:44.100 --> 00:01:47.600 But but eight of the top 10 are animals 30 00:01:47.600 --> 00:01:51.700 and throughout this listing this database animals dominate. 31 00:01:52.500 --> 00:01:56.700 Most of them are intimidating names as you would guess, but not all of 32 00:01:56.700 --> 00:01:57.100 them. 33 00:01:57.600 --> 00:02:02.800 There are in fact, some called the ponies or the doves. 34 00:02:04.100 --> 00:02:09.000 Even a couple of deer, mascots only a few of these 35 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:09.600 however. 36 00:02:11.300 --> 00:02:14.200 But what's missing from this list? 37 00:02:14.300 --> 00:02:17.700 If you look at it, you'll notice that there's, there's one animal that 38 00:02:17.700 --> 00:02:18.600 is not there. 39 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:23.700 It's the most represented animal for humans in the Bible. 40 00:02:24.300 --> 00:02:26.000 It is, in fact sheep. 41 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:30.400 There are no teams named the sheep in the entire list. 42 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:34.800 And by the way, there are no that are named Lambs either by the way. 43 00:02:35.100 --> 00:02:38.400 Yeah, there are rams, but we don't even think about those people in 44 00:02:38.400 --> 00:02:38.700 St. 45 00:02:38.700 --> 00:02:38.800 Louis. 46 00:02:39.200 --> 00:02:40.900 Alright. 47 00:02:40.900 --> 00:02:41.500 Enough of that. 48 00:02:43.900 --> 00:02:50.100 But if there can be things like doves and deer and ponies, why not 49 00:02:50.100 --> 00:02:52.100 sheep, which I don't really know. 50 00:02:52.600 --> 00:02:57.900 But I do know that scripture definitely calls us sheep, and it 51 00:02:57.900 --> 00:02:59.500 definitely declares that 52 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:01.600 Jesus is our Shepherd. 53 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:05.700 Well, today's sermon is not going to advocate that 54 00:03:05.700 --> 00:03:10.300 we rename our sports teams, the Concordia Sheep or the Christian 55 00:03:10.300 --> 00:03:12.600 College Lambs or something like that. 56 00:03:13.700 --> 00:03:17.900 But as we ponder today's Gospel, reading my prayer. 57 00:03:19.100 --> 00:03:24.800 Is that we find confidence and rejoice in Jesus as our Good Shepherd 58 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:29.700 and that we embrace in our life of sanctification. 59 00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:34.700 The designation of being his sheep, his lambs. 60 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:41.200 Our Gospel text reveals the heart of the shepherding root metaphor, 61 00:03:41.200 --> 00:03:43.300 that is found throughout scripture. 62 00:03:44.700 --> 00:03:49.800 In John 10, which in which it is contained as perhaps the key 63 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:52.600 biblical passage chapter presenting 64 00:03:52.600 --> 00:03:57.700 this image communicating God in Jesus Christ as our savior. 65 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:04.900 This passage is set in the midst of intense drama between Jesus and 66 00:04:04.900 --> 00:04:06.600 those who sought to kill him. 67 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:10.600 And sometime, I'd encourage you to do it this way. 68 00:04:10.600 --> 00:04:12.600 Play a recording because it's best 69 00:04:12.600 --> 00:04:14.000 if it's heard as a recording. 70 00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:18.100 And we have that access with our Bible apps, starting with around 71 00:04:18.100 --> 00:04:24.700 chapter 7, all the way through chapter 10 and this drama will come out 72 00:04:24.700 --> 00:04:27.100 to you with a lot of force. 73 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:32.900 And when Jesus, makes this claim about being God and about being the 74 00:04:32.900 --> 00:04:36.000 Good Shepherd, it really stands out. 75 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:42.800 You can see why his enemies were offended by this, especially when he 76 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:45.500 called them, sinners and talked about himself 77 00:04:45.700 --> 00:04:49.600 as the Savior. Hear this section that precedes 78 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:54.600 our text Jesus. Well, imagine yourself in the crowd and there's 79 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:58.400 this man looks just like the rest of us standing in front of us, and 80 00:04:58.400 --> 00:05:03.100 he's saying these words. I am the Good Shepherd. 81 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:06.000 I know my own and my own know me. 82 00:05:06.400 --> 00:05:08.300 Just as the Father knows me 83 00:05:08.300 --> 00:05:14.200 and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep. For this 84 00:05:14.200 --> 00:05:14.500 reason 85 00:05:14.500 --> 00:05:18.800 the Father loves me because I lay down my life, that I may take it up 86 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:19.400 again. 87 00:05:20.100 --> 00:05:21.800 No one takes it from me. 88 00:05:22.300 --> 00:05:24.900 But I lay it down of my own accord. 89 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:30.300 I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up 90 00:05:30.300 --> 00:05:34.300 again. This charge I have received from my father. 91 00:05:36.500 --> 00:05:42.500 You can hear in his words, this, this remarkable authority, his 92 00:05:42.500 --> 00:05:48.900 opponents, couldn't bear it, but Jesus asserts it because he is, in 93 00:05:48.900 --> 00:05:54.100 fact, God in the flesh and he did come to save mankind. 94 00:05:55.300 --> 00:05:58.800 So in today's Gospel reading, we hear this from Jesus. 95 00:06:00.400 --> 00:06:04.000 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. 96 00:06:04.400 --> 00:06:07.700 I give them eternal life and they will never perish. 97 00:06:08.200 --> 00:06:11.600 And no one will snatch them out of my hand. 98 00:06:12.200 --> 00:06:17.800 My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all and no one is 99 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:21.000 able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 100 00:06:21.500 --> 00:06:23.600 I and the Father are one. 101 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:34.000 Jesus says here that he is your Good Shepherd and that he rescues and 102 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:35.700 cares for you. 103 00:06:36.500 --> 00:06:42.500 He laid down his life to rescue you his sheep, which he, in fact, did 104 00:06:42.500 --> 00:06:49.200 as predicted on Good Friday. And your Good Shepherd by his authority, 105 00:06:49.200 --> 00:06:52.800 took up his life again on Easter to save you. 106 00:06:53.700 --> 00:06:57.200 And he has given you the promise of eternal life. 107 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:04.300 So he predicted this back then with authority and we today confess 108 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:05.400 that it is true. 109 00:07:05.400 --> 00:07:07.500 Yes Christ is risen. 110 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:10.600 Hallelujah. 111 00:07:11.700 --> 00:07:13.200 So you are his sheep. 112 00:07:14.100 --> 00:07:19.800 He calls his Sheep by name in holy baptism and has baptized people 113 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:21.500 you belong to Jesus. 114 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:24.200 Knowing his voice 115 00:07:24.200 --> 00:07:30.200 now you follow him, trusting his promise, you find confidence in no 116 00:07:30.200 --> 00:07:31.700 one knowing that 117 00:07:31.700 --> 00:07:34.400 no one can snatch you out of his hand. 118 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:41.400 As sheep, you confess this in the church's liturgy in places like 119 00:07:41.400 --> 00:07:42.700 Psalm 23. 120 00:07:42.700 --> 00:07:48.700 The Lord is my shepherd, the most popular Psalm of all. Or as we have 121 00:07:48.700 --> 00:07:53.600 in the in the churches morning Liturgy of Matins from Psalm 95. 122 00:07:53.900 --> 00:07:58.200 We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 123 00:07:58.200 --> 00:07:59.900 The sheep of his hand. 124 00:08:01.300 --> 00:08:02.400 You sing hymns 125 00:08:02.400 --> 00:08:08.600 that identify yourself as his sheep as you just did the King of Love. 126 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:16.700 My Shepherd Is or as we will savior Like a Shepherd lead us. Or with 127 00:08:16.700 --> 00:08:17.700 our children 128 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:19.700 I Am Jesus Little Lamb. 129 00:08:20.900 --> 00:08:21.700 You do this 130 00:08:21.700 --> 00:08:24.200 joyfully and embrace 131 00:08:24.200 --> 00:08:28.500 the fact that you have a good shepherd. A Good Shepherd who lay down 132 00:08:28.500 --> 00:08:31.000 his life for you, who forgives 133 00:08:31.100 --> 00:08:35.799 you who gives you hope and promises you eternal life. 134 00:08:38.600 --> 00:08:42.100 If you do a little study about sheep, which I had to do because unlike 135 00:08:42.100 --> 00:08:42.799 some folks 136 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:45.600 I know I'm was not raised around sheep. 137 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:51.300 Not the literal animal kind. But as I did, there's a couple of very 138 00:08:51.300 --> 00:08:55.700 good reasons that this designation is applied to us as Jesus' 139 00:08:55.700 --> 00:08:56.600 disciples. 140 00:08:58.100 --> 00:08:59.800 One is that sheep are 141 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.500 flocking animals and they have a natural inclination to follow a 142 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:05.000 leader. 143 00:09:06.900 --> 00:09:09.200 This trait actually made them 144 00:09:09.300 --> 00:09:15.400 we think one of the first domesticated animals in history. Sheep can 145 00:09:15.400 --> 00:09:20.000 recognize other sheep and humans, and remember their faces and their 146 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.100 features for years, 147 00:09:22.900 --> 00:09:28.900 many years. Contrary to popular belief, sheep are not stupid animals. 148 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:34.700 In some ways their brains are similar to humans, which supports the 149 00:09:34.700 --> 00:09:37.400 idea of how they bond well with Shepherds. 150 00:09:39.700 --> 00:09:45.700 So these natural traits of flocking and following are why the Sheep 151 00:09:45.700 --> 00:09:51.500 Shepherd metaphor is helpful in thinking of your need, as a believer 152 00:09:51.500 --> 00:09:53.000 to follow Jesus. 153 00:09:53.800 --> 00:09:58.500 We are creatures dependent on our Lord. Which goes to the second 154 00:09:58.500 --> 00:09:58.800 reason 155 00:09:58.800 --> 00:10:05.000 this is such a fitting image. Sheep are dependent upon someone to 156 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:07.400 protect them from predators. 157 00:10:08.700 --> 00:10:12.700 They're one of the most or the most vulnerable domesticated animal. 158 00:10:13.800 --> 00:10:17.700 Along with parasites and diseases, predators are the chief threat to 159 00:10:17.700 --> 00:10:18.800 their survival. 160 00:10:19.800 --> 00:10:25.100 They have little ability to defend themselves and if sheep do survive 161 00:10:25.100 --> 00:10:30.700 an attack by a predator, or if they don't die from their injuries, 162 00:10:31.300 --> 00:10:32.700 they may still die 163 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:35.700 just from the stress of the event. 164 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:43.900 So as we consider our spiritual enemy, the devil and the attacks that 165 00:10:43.900 --> 00:10:49.100 he makes on us, we do well to think of ourselves as needing the 166 00:10:49.100 --> 00:10:51.100 protection of the Good Shepherd. 167 00:10:52.300 --> 00:10:58.200 When the roaring lion seeks to devour Bonhoeffer reminds us flee to 168 00:10:58.200 --> 00:10:59.200 Jesus. 169 00:11:00.100 --> 00:11:01.100 You're a sheep. 170 00:11:01.700 --> 00:11:02.500 Look to Jesus 171 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:04.600 you're a Good Shepherd to protect you. 172 00:11:05.900 --> 00:11:11.800 So, how can we now let this reality seep, more deeply into our 173 00:11:11.800 --> 00:11:13.800 everyday consciousness? 174 00:11:15.900 --> 00:11:19.600 One of the troubles perhaps is that thinking of ourselves as sheep 175 00:11:20.300 --> 00:11:25.000 make us feel more meek and more lowly than we want to. 176 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:31.600 We want to be independent strong able to handle what comes along. 177 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:32.700 Of course 178 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:34.900 we went at beat that other team. 179 00:11:35.700 --> 00:11:38.500 That's why sheep hasn't been a popular mascot, 180 00:11:38.500 --> 00:11:39.100 I think. 181 00:11:40.300 --> 00:11:44.200 But I think the main problem is that while sheep as sheep are not 182 00:11:44.200 --> 00:11:46.100 stupid or dumb. 183 00:11:47.500 --> 00:11:52.000 We often find ourselves being dumb wandering sheep. 184 00:11:52.800 --> 00:11:55.600 Our sinful nature and the sinful World easily 185 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:59.500 lure us away from the flock from our Good Shepard 186 00:12:00.700 --> 00:12:05.500 to where wolves and lions prey upon wandering sheep. 187 00:12:06.900 --> 00:12:08.800 Here's a saying that you could ponder. 188 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:13.900 If you don't pray to God, you are prey for the devil. 189 00:12:16.500 --> 00:12:19.600 So let's think about being good sheep for a minute. 190 00:12:20.800 --> 00:12:25.800 Jesus says, my sheep hear my voice. 191 00:12:26.700 --> 00:12:29.200 I know them and they follow me. 192 00:12:31.100 --> 00:12:32.800 Here's how I see this for me. 193 00:12:34.400 --> 00:12:36.700 I need at least three things here. 194 00:12:37.100 --> 00:12:38.900 I need spiritual habits. 195 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:45.000 I need pastoral voices and I need the fellowship of believers. 196 00:12:46.800 --> 00:12:52.200 I need to be in the paths and pastures where Jesus feeds my spirit and 197 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:53.200 guides my life 198 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:58.000 and for this, I need holy habits to keep me on track. Habits like, 199 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:02.300 weekly worship and daily prayer at certain times, and in certain 200 00:13:02.300 --> 00:13:03.000 places. 201 00:13:04.700 --> 00:13:08.700 And secondly, I need to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd from God's 202 00:13:08.700 --> 00:13:12.200 Word and from an Under Shepherd, my pastor. 203 00:13:13.700 --> 00:13:17.000 And thirdly, I need the fellowship of the flock of Christ. 204 00:13:17.800 --> 00:13:18.800 I need you 205 00:13:18.900 --> 00:13:20.100 my fellow sheep. 206 00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:27.900 Based on God's word, which calls you sheep to and based on what we 207 00:13:27.900 --> 00:13:31.800 know about sheep, you need this as well. 208 00:13:33.900 --> 00:13:38.700 I encourage you to join me in continuing to cultivate spiritual 209 00:13:38.700 --> 00:13:44.800 habits, hearing pastoral voices and having fellowship with believers. 210 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:48.900 Some of you will soon 211 00:13:48.900 --> 00:13:52.800 leave this Seminary where your spiritual enrichment 212 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:58.500 here has been a focus. But where out there in your vocation as a church 213 00:13:58.500 --> 00:13:59.000 worker 214 00:13:59.100 --> 00:14:00.700 it's going to be more about those 215 00:14:00.700 --> 00:14:05.900 you are called to serve then about supporting your own spiritual 216 00:14:05.900 --> 00:14:10.200 well-being and meeting those needs as God's sheep. 217 00:14:11.800 --> 00:14:13.900 So you will need to exercise, 218 00:14:13.900 --> 00:14:16.200 we like to use the word leadership around here. 219 00:14:16.700 --> 00:14:22.100 You will need to exercise personal leadership for your own spiritual 220 00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:22.600 care. 221 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:24.300 Just the way it is. 222 00:14:25.400 --> 00:14:27.600 So, here's some suggestions for you. 223 00:14:29.400 --> 00:14:34.800 Nurture those holy habits to keep you on paths and in pastures with 224 00:14:34.800 --> 00:14:35.600 Jesus. 225 00:14:37.300 --> 00:14:41.200 So have a set time for daily prayer. 226 00:14:42.100 --> 00:14:43.700 Stick to it in your home. 227 00:14:45.400 --> 00:14:51.800 Figure out how Divine Service practice and the receiving of grit gifts 228 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.100 in Jesus can be for you. 229 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:58.900 And by the way, for pastors, preparing and leading worship 230 00:14:58.900 --> 00:14:59.800 be aware 231 00:15:00.700 --> 00:15:05.000 that you are a sheep yourself and you have to find ways so that you 232 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:10.000 can let those words, even the words you speak nurture you as sheep 233 00:15:10.100 --> 00:15:11.400 along with your people. 234 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:17.700 So, holy habits to keep you on paths and in pastures oriented towards 235 00:15:17.700 --> 00:15:19.600 your spiritual well-being. 236 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:25.000 Secondly, you need the authoritative voice of the Good Shepherd spoken 237 00:15:25.400 --> 00:15:28.800 to you, not just from you, to you. 238 00:15:30.400 --> 00:15:36.200 A helpful practice for this is having a Confessor to pronounce 239 00:15:36.300 --> 00:15:38.100 absolution to you. 240 00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:44.600 And again, I'm going to emphasize pastors here who are who are 241 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:47.900 ordained who wants to become a pastor 242 00:15:47.900 --> 00:15:55.500 may no longer have a formally designated Pastor. Seek out a Confessor 243 00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:59.500 to hear private Absolution from that you can 244 00:16:00.900 --> 00:16:03.500 look to as an Under Shepherd. 245 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:06.100 And by the way, it's pretty simple. 246 00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:10.400 There's a great resource for this on page 292 in the hymnal just use 247 00:16:10.400 --> 00:16:10.700 it. 248 00:16:11.300 --> 00:16:16.600 And finally, don't forget that you need to make sure that you are also 249 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:21.900 gathered with the flock, the flock of the Good Shepherd for mutual 250 00:16:21.900 --> 00:16:23.000 consolation. 251 00:16:24.700 --> 00:16:28.700 A great way to do this, is to find a Bible study. 252 00:16:28.700 --> 00:16:32.500 A small group Bible study that you can be a part of that, where they 253 00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:36.900 pray for one another. Or it could be a family setting in your home, 254 00:16:36.900 --> 00:16:42.100 where daily prayer gives you this kind of spiritual support, but but 255 00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:43.800 keep an eye on that as well. 256 00:16:45.100 --> 00:16:49.200 So as I said, you have to exercise personal leadership for this to 257 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:53.700 happen and you need to be intentional about spiritual habits. 258 00:16:54.900 --> 00:16:57.700 Pastoral voices and regular fellowship. 259 00:17:00.900 --> 00:17:05.599 Well, sheep and lambs are not the chosen mascots for sports teams. 260 00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:11.800 I'm okay with that, but they are a great designation for you and me 261 00:17:11.800 --> 00:17:13.500 in our relationship with God. 262 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:18.700 So here one more time this word from your Good Shepherd. 263 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:24.900 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. And I give 264 00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:30.600 them eternal life and they will never perish. And no one will snatch 265 00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:32.400 them out of my hand. 266 00:17:33.100 --> 00:17:37.400 My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all and no one is 267 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:40.000 able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. 268 00:17:41.100 --> 00:17:43.300 I and the Father are one. 269 00:17:44.800 --> 00:17:45.500 Amen! 270 00:17:45.600 --> 00:17:46.600 Fellow Sheep. 271 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:47.500 Amen.