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ILCW – A Easter 4
John 10:1-10 April 25, 2010
Dear Friends in Christ,
Have you ever seen one of those computer generated pictures that looks like rows and rows of
colors and patterns, but when you stare at it long enough you see another picture? They are truly
amazing. It looks as if there is nothing there but patterns or shapes and colors, then suddenly, as
if by magic, a 3 dimensional picture appears. They often seem so deep and so real that you
should be able to walk right into them. It is as if there is a picture hiding underneath that plain
array of colors and patterns. And when you finally do see them, you wonder why it is that you
did not see them before.
But even as you wonder why it is you did not see it before, you need to realize that not everyone
can see them. There are a lot of people who just can’t seem to find the hidden picture. No matter
how they turn the picture or squint or close one eye, all they see are the colors and patterns. And
this does not mean anything about their IQ or how smart they are, it is just that their eyes don’t
focus on the hidden picture.
The reason for mentioning this is because our text for this morning is like one of those picture
puzzles. As Jesus was here on earth, the sermons that He preached and the examples that He
gave of the Kingdom of God and the work He came to do as the Savior of the world were often
given in parables. And in many ways, the parables of Jesus were like picture puzzles. They were
not as they appeared. When you first heard a parable about fishing or sowing seed or sheep, it
might just sound like someone talking about everyday occurrences. Like with the picture
puzzles, many people did not see anything more to them. Not everyone got them. They didn’t
always make sense at first hearing. But when people finally knew what they meant, it was like a
whole new world was opened up. A whole new message was there hidden in that parable.
As we turn to our text for this morning, Jesus is giving one of those parables to the people. And
the reason for this particular parable centered on the teachings of the group known as the
Pharisees. The Pharisees were church leaders who felt that God had called them to be the
shepherds of God’s people. They viewed all of the Israelites as their congregation. They made all
kinds of rules and regulations for them and they were quick to punish anyone who broke them.
When Jesus came on the scene preaching and gaining a great following of thousands, they
looked at Jesus as someone who was taking away their sheep. They thought Jesus was stealing
away people that belonged to them. The main reason that the Pharisees hated Jesus was because
He was being a shepherd to their sheep. And He was being a better shepherd.
In order to get this point across to the people of Israel , the sheep who needed to be guided to
God’s Word, Jesus spoke the parable that we have for this morning, the parable of the bad
shepherd and the thieves and robbers. The point Jesus was making to the Pharisees was that He
was the shepherd of God’s sheep, and they were the robbers and thieves. In a picture that is plain
to us, we see that Jesus was condemning the Pharisees for the way they watched over God’s
chosen people. But for the Pharisees, St. John comments, “Jesus used this illustration, but they
did not understand the things which He spoke to them.”
Just as it is with those computer generated picture puzzles, the Pharisees were that group of
people who could not see the deeper picture. Though Jesus was making it clear enough for the
people to know what He meant, the Pharisees just didn’t see it. They just didn’t get that deeper
picture, that hidden meaning. And the reason why they did not get it is because they didn’t want
to. They did not want Jesus to be the Messiah and they didn’t want Jesus to be the one who came
to take away the sins of the world. They were happy being in charge and they didn’t want things
to change. So when it came time to hear those parables of Jesus and to understand His deeper
spiritual meaning, their sinful nature wanted nothing to do with it. As the prophet Isaiah
proclaimed about these men, he said that “Hearing they would not hear and seeing they would
not see.” Even though the parables made sense, they did not make sense to the Pharisees.
But they do make sense to us. And even as we can understand the basic message of Jesus that
speaks to us of false shepherds trying their best to steal away God’s people, His sheep, by
misleading them with false doctrine and false teachings, making people think salvation is found
through worshiping saints or through prayer rituals or through offerings made to our ancestors,
Jesus reminds us that He alone is the Shepherd of God’s people. Only Jesus is the Good
Shepherd.
But even as we see that picture of Jesus as the Shepherd of God’s people, the one who guides
and directs us with His word, there is more to this picture. There is that picture within a picture.
For as we have a general theme that is obvious to all, that we “KNOW JESUS IS THE
SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP”, we also want to look deeper and see that I. THE PARABLE
REVEALS JESUS AS THE DOOR of the sheep while the second part is one that II. THE
PARABLE REVEALS JESUS AS THE SHEHERD OF LIFE.
Now as we look at this simple picture of Jesus making the comparison between Himself as a
shepherd and the Pharisees as shepherds, the obvious message is that Jesus did it the right way.
Jesus gathered God’s people together and gave them what they needed, the message of salvation
by Grace alone. He did not try to steal people away just to gain a great following, but He called
those who are His so that He might care for them like a good shepherd cares for his sheep.
But as we look at the picture that Jesus uses, it might be a little different than what you are used
to. For many times when we think of shepherds and sheep, we have this picture of them being
out in the fields, watching over their flocks by night. This is certainly a correct picture to have in
our minds, but only during the summer months. Because it was only in summer that the
shepherds stayed out with their sheep over night. You see, during the colder winter months, the
shepherds brought their sheep to a common sheep pen. This was a large corral with only one
gate. All the sheep would be put in at night and in the morning each shepherd would come and
drive his sheep out of the corral to graze in the pastures.
And as we have Jesus pointing out that good and legitimate shepherds go through the front door
and don’t sneak in over the wall, He also goes on to say, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am
the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep
did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in
and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and destroy.”
Here is where we have that hidden picture. For the message is not just about Jesus being a good
person to follow, a good shepherd to His sheep, but He makes it clear there are no other choices.
He is not just the shepherd, but He is the door. The picture there is that Jesus is the only way to
heaven. Jesus is the only way to God. Jesus is the only way for us to be saved.
And that was the picture the Pharisees didn’t want to see. They didn’t want to see that the only
way to heaven was through Jesus. They wanted to believe that their good works and their good
lifestyles and their offerings and tithing and ceremonial washings were all going to please God
enough to get them into heaven. They wanted to believe that they were going to earn their way to
everlasting life with God.
And even though they are no longer called Pharisees, there are many people who still believe
that lie of Satan. There are many people who think that their own actions, their good deeds and
their kind words will be enough to let them stand before God as one of His sheep. But the
message of Jesus is clear. That hidden picture is sharp and well defined. Jesus is the door to
everlasting life. We do not become a child of God and heir of eternal life except through Christ
and His work. It was His suffering and death that paid for our sins and it was His resurrection
that assures us that we belong to God.
Being sheep of this shepherd, being sheep who have entered through Jesus the door of the sheep
pen also has with a picture that no other shepherd has. For even as there are people who are
Pharisees, who think that they can offer God enough good works to pay for their sins and earn
eternal life, there are pastors and teachers, leaders in churches and in cults, that think they can
offer you what Jesus offers, a life after death.
For as Jesus explains this parable of those false shepherds who come trying to steal people away
from God and the blessings He has in store for them, Jesus makes it clear that all they can offer
you is death. All they can give to you is eternal suffering in Hell. For as false shepherds, they
only come “to steal, and to kill and destroy.” They do not have the power to forgive your sins.
They have not been called by God to be the one mediator between man and God. They do not
have the right to stand before God and declare you innocent of all the things that you have done
wrong in thought, word and action. They have no power because they are no different than you.
All the false leaders of the world, the Jim Joneses, the David Koreshes, the Muhammads and the
Buddahs and all the others who claim to know a better way than Christ, are only going to give
their sheep eternal death and eternal damnation.
But Christ, the shepherd who died and came back to life says, “I have come that they may have
life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The promise is that we who follow Jesus,
who are the sheep of His pasture and the lambs of His flock, we will have life. We will have
everlasting life. We will have abundant life. We will have what the others promise but cannot
give. We will have what God alone can give us.
John 10:1-10 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but
climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls
his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes
before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means
follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who
ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If
anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does
not come except to steal, and to kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that
they may have it more abundantly.
In His Service
Pastor Joseph R. Schlawin
Our Shepherd Ev. Lutheran Church
1515 W. 93rd Ave, Crown Point, IN 46307
(219) 663-5853