“Happy Sheep”

John 10:11-18

May 3, 2009 – ©Rev. Dr. Linnea E. Carnes

Introduction

On April 8^th a high-seas drama occurred when an unarmed American crew encountered a group of Somali pirates. Captain Richard Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates to secure the safety of the crew. He offered himself as the hostage. A family member of Capt. Phillips said, “That is what he would do. It’s just who he is and his responsibility as a captain.” [WLWT.com, “Family Says Captain Surrendered To Ensure Crew’s Safety,” by Katharine Houreld, Assoc. Press Writer, April 8, 2009].

Fortunately, Capt. Phillips was rescued safely several days later. His courageous act probably saved the lives of many of his crew.

Jesus Died for Us

The scriptures this morning tell us that Jesus offered himself so that we could be safe and set free from sin and death. Paul wrote in Romans 5:6-8:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In John 10:11-14, Jesus spoke of giving himself up for his “sheep.” He said,

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. … he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd.” [John 10:11-12, 13b-14a].

Jesus willingly surrendered himself so that we could be free. He paid with his life so we could have life.

Jesus is the good shepherd. He protects and cares for his sheep. He will never abandon them. He will always watch over them and guide them. The sheep that belong to Jesus know Jesus’ voice and listen to his voice.

We Are Sheep

Why do sheep need shepherds? Because the nature of sheep is to stray and get themselves into dangerous situations. Shepherds use dogs, a staff, and fences to keep their sheep safe.

One modern type of fence is a metal, hoof-proof grid that is built into the ground around the sheep’s territory. The sheep can’t walk over the 8-foot-wide grid. But in 2006, shepherds in Yorkshire, England, had a sheep that figured out a way to stray beyond the boundary: it laid down and rolled over the grid. The other sheep in the herd followed the example of the straying leader. Soon they were into people’s gardens and flower beds. They were in danger of getting hit by cars or attacked by dogs. Finally the shepherds figured out how they were getting out and how to keep them from straying.

[PreachingToday.com, “Straying Sheep Endanger Themselves” (Jason Bellows, “The Great Sheep Escape,” BBC online, 1/30/06)].

In Turkey, shepherds were surprised to see one sheep jump off a nearby cliff and fall to its death. They were stunned, however, when the rest of the nearly 1,500 sheep in the herd followed, each leaping off the same cliff. [PreachingToday.com, “450 Sheep Jump to Their Deaths” (washingtonpost.com, 7/8/06)].

In Isaiah 53:6 it says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

We are all like sheep. We all stray. We go our own way. We follow others who are also going astray. We don’t listen to our Shepherd. We end up in trouble. We end up separated from our Shepherd.

Don’t believe that? More Christians are divorcing each year. The husband or wife look around and think someone else looks better. That’s what everyone on TV or in the movies does. That’s not what Jesus says they should do, but they aren’t listening to Jesus. They’re listening to the world.

Young people go off to college and suddenly begin to do things that they know are wrong. Their parents taught them what was right, but their parents aren’t there now. They are listening to the voices of new friends—who seem to be having lots of fun. Why not join in and follow them?

Or take the problem of spending. People in this country are struggling with rising debt. It’s not because we really need all the things we spend money on. It’s because we believe the advertisements and commercials. These ads are created by people getting paid to convince us we need their products, that we should buy what they’re selling. And if that’s not enough, we see what other people have, and we think we have to have it too.

We have problems because we are not listening to the right voice. We’re not listening to the good shepherd.

Jesus Is the Good Shepherd

Now I’m quite sure that those sheep didn’t decide to wander or leap off the cliff because they didn’t have enough to eat or drink, or because they didn’t like the pasture or the shepherd. Sheep just wander.

Most people today don’t stray from what they know is right because they are unhappy with what they have. They don’t just one day decide to start listening to other voices. They just wander.

It’s in our nature to wander, to go our own way, to follow the crowd. From the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, humans have been straying from God. Adam and Eve listened to the wrong voice and separated themselves from God.

We have to choose to listen to the right voice, the voice of Jesus. We need to know the Good Shepherd and follow him.

Why? Because Jesus wants to provide the best for us. And Jesus can provide the best for us.

Psalm 23:1-3 (NLT) says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

With Jesus as our Shepherd we have all we need, we have good things, and he will always be with us. Romans 8:32 says, “Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?” God will provide.

There is one aspect of this story that we tend to ignore. Jesus said in John 10:16, I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

We get comfortable thinking it’s just Jesus and me. Then we find out that we are part of a flock. We start to get comfortable in our flock. As long as it’s just Jesus and me and these others, I’m okay. However, Jesus says that there are other flocks. Jesus intends to bring all his people together into only one flock.

This is enough to make some of God’s people wander off and look for their own pasture, or start their own flock. After all, who needs a shepherd?

Churches today reflect this problem. People look for a church that makes them comfortable. They want to worship with people just like them. When new people come into their church they aren’t sure they want to welcome them. They want their church to stay the same.

This church has undergone a major shift from being all Swedish to now being multinational, multiethnic, and multicultural. That isn’t very comfortable for some. However, God has brought us together. God is showing us how to be his people. We are learning how to show people what it means to be one flock.

Jesus isn’t just my shepherd, or your shepherd. Jesus is the shepherd of all those who believe in him and trust him. We can’t have a “Jesus and me” relationship and exclude everyone else. You and I and all people in this world who are Christians are a part of Jesus’ flock.

Jesus laid down his life for the sheep – all his sheep. He gave his life for each of us so that we can have life in his name. “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” [Rom.5:8].

Conclusion

So, if we know Jesus died for our sins, died so we could live, why aren’t we happy sheep? Why aren’t we content to listen to Jesus voice and follow only him? Why do we continually stray and go our own way?

It would seem to me that we should be happy sheep – people who celebrate what Jesus has given us and done for us. We are forgiven and we are loved. We have been welcomed into God’s family. And we have been promised an inheritance that awaits us in heaven, where we will be with Jesus forever.

We should be happy and celebrate because Jesus, our Shepherd loves us. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” [Jn.3:16]. That’s why we can celebrate Holy Communion.

In his sermon “The Sinner’s Feast,” Lee Eclov describes what should be the celebrative side of Communion:

This table is different. This table of the Lord isn’t where sinners find Christ but where sinners celebrate being found. …

Maybe some morning, instead of solemnly passing these trays, we should dance for joy. Maybe we should sing every born-again song we know. Maybe we should tell our “homecoming” stories and laugh like people who no longer fear death. Maybe we should ask if anyone wants seconds and hold our little cups high to toast lost sisters found and dead brothers alive.” [PreachingToday.com, “A More Celebrative Communion (Lee Eclov, “The Sinner’s Feast”)].

Friends, as you come to the Lord’s Table this morning, rejoice!

Give your problems, struggles, and disappointments to Jesus. Come and remember what Jesus has done for you. Jesus died to save you. Jesus loves you. Jesus wants to bless you.

There are no strangers here, for all who know Jesus as the Lord and Savior are our brothers and sisters. Rejoice that God is at work drawing all people to himself.

Come as happy sheep – rejoice in Jesus!!

Come and remember that our daily struggles are temporary, but life with Jesus Christ is eternal.

Come and remember that Jesus is our Good Shepherd.

Finally, if you are one of God’s happy sheep, say “Amen!”

If are truly happy and grateful for what Jesus has done for you, stand up and shout: Hallelujah!! Amen.

Return to the Sermons Page

Return to the Immanuel Home Page

To email Pastor Carnes or Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church office@immanuelcov.org

This sermon is copyright ©2009 by Rev. Dr. Linnea E. Carnes, Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church, Chicago, Illinois.