John 10:27-28 *
Dear Friends in Christ, but especially dear Confirmation Class of 2004:
I don’t have to tell you this is a big day. You’ve been thinking about it, preparing for it, and hopefully praying about it for a long time. Once in your life you’ll have a day like this. Once in your life you’ll wear the white robe. And today is that day.
I’d like to tell you another fact about this day, something you maybe didn’t know. In the church year the fourth Sunday of Easter (or the third Sunday after Easter) is designated as Good Shepherd Sunday. As you were listening to the readings and the Psalm and the hymns so far, you probably picked up on that.
Your confirmation date was not chosen with this in mind, but I believe the two events tie in quite nicely today. Perhaps we can connect these two events with this story…
Some years ago a group of well-educated people were gathered at the home of a friend for a sociable evening. Among them was a popular actor of the day.
During the course of the evening the actor was asked to give a reading, and he obliged by reading the 23rd Psalm. Everyone was impressed by his deep, rich voice, his clear enunciation, and the rhythmic rise and fall of the well-measured tones that came from his lips. All thought to themselves that this indeed was an actor.
After he had finished, the group asked a retired pastor who was also there to read the Psalm. He didn’t want to call attention to himself, so he politely declined. But he did ask permission to explain certain of its verses, both against their historical background and especially in light of their fulfillment in Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
As he began to talk he became more and more absorbed in the message, forgetting himself in the process. And at the end, without even being fully aware of it but with eyes burning with faith and a heart brimming with conviction, he recited the entire Psalm.
When he finished, everyone was quiet. They all knew there had been a difference in the two readings, but they couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Later that evening one of the people put his finger on the difference when he was heard making this observation: “The actor knew the Shepherd’s Psalm, but the pastor knew the Shepherd.”
The reason I tell that story is because the exact same thing can be said of each of you who are being confirmed today. You know the Shepherd. You know Jesus Christ. You know who He is and what He’s done for you. For the last two years you have dedicated yourself to a concentrated study of God’s Word through the catechism, and central to that Word is your Good Shepherd. And in a few minutes you will make a vow of faithfulness to Him…
Yes, you know the Shepherd.
God in his grace has taken care of that for you. Through the waters of baptism you all became
Jesus’ little lambs. Many of you were
baptized right here at
But today marks the fact that both physically and spiritually you are growing up. We might say that with your confirmation today you are moving from being one of Jesus’ little lambs to one of His sheep. So my prayer for you on this, your confirmation day, is that you will not only know your Good Shepherd, but that you will always
STAY CLOSE TO YOUR GOOD SHEPHERD
Listen again to what your Good Shepherd says: 27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they
shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
Jesus says His sheep stay close to Him by listening to His voice. This might raise a question in our minds. When Jesus walked on this earth people could actually hear Him speak and could actually listen to His voice. So the question would be this: where do we hear the voice of Jesus today?
The answer is: In His word. Jesus still speaks to us, but now it is through His Word. That’s why we study the Bible. That’s why we look up those passages in catechism class. Jesus is speaking to us through His Word.
And what does He have to say? Lots of things, but most importantly He tells us about His love for us. And we know how wide and deep and long and strong that love is. One of the passages you memorized from the book of Isaiah says it all and seems quite fitting for this Good Shepherd Sunday: “We all, like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Jesus put it this way earlier in the chapter from which our text is taken when He says: “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” Jesus is talking about what in catechism class we referred to as the “vicarious atonement.” I know you know what this means. It means Jesus Christ as our substitute (that’s what the word “vicar” means) made us at one (we divided the word “atonement” into the three syllables “at-one-ment”) with God through his sacrifice on the cross. Jesus lived, died and rose again so we might be with Him forever.
Think of what this means to you. This means you might have questions about how you’re going to do in high school next year or whether or not you’ll make the team or whether you’ll be in the school play and after that where you want to go to college or if you want to go to college or what you want to be when you fully grow up, etc…
But the one huge question you’ll never have to worry about is where you will spend eternity. Because Jesus has told you. And with thankful hearts we listen to His voice.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd tells also tells us that His sheep “follow Him.” In other words, you can always trust His leadership in your lives. And the reason we can trust his leadership at all times goes back to what we spoke of just a moment ago. If we can trust Jesus the Good Shepherd to meet our greatest need – the forgiveness of our sins that once barred us from heaven – we can trust him for every other need in our life as well.
This is important for us to know. Because troubles do come into our lives. Even young lives, such as yours. And when troubles come along the devil is quick to whisper in our ear, “Why follow Jesus if this is the way He’s going to treat you.”
And along with troubles come temptations. Temptations to not follow Jesus. To not keep the commandments out of love for what Jesus has done for us. Temptations to forsake the truths you have been taught in catechism class. And don’t think they won’t come. Because while everyone in this congregation is very happy for you and supportive of the step you are taking today, Satan is not.
Do you know why you are wearing white robes today? They are a visual symbol of Jesus’ righteousness covering your sin and making you pure in the eyes of God. They mean that you are redeemed by Christ.
But you know what the white robes do for the devil? They identify you as a target. And just as he tempted Adam and Eve, he’ll tempt you. And sometimes, if we choose not to follow the Good Shepherd but rather listen to Satan’s temptations, very tragic and very sad things can happen. I don’t need to give you examples. You know that when Satan calls the shots, it will never be good.
But sad and tragic things can also be avoided by trusting the lead of the Good Shepherd.
So again, we listen to His voice. He tells us that while on earth we may have troubles and He may allow difficulties to come into our lives, but He also tells us that He’ll never leave us or forsake us. He’s always in the lead. He tells us that all things – even the things we may not understand – work for the good of those who love Him. He’s always in the lead even when it seems like He’s not.
Furthermore, He tells us through the Apostle Paul that even the worst things we go through “are not worth comparing with the glory that will be ours” in heaven. And He tells us to stay close to His Word, because it is the weapon that wards off temptations and sends Satan packing.
So we follow Jesus and trust His lead. Because we know exactly where He’s taking us. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.” And we find strength in that and every other promise our Good Shepherd gives to us.
In just a few minutes you will be making some very precious but at the same time very serious vows. Behind those vows is the understanding that, like that retired pastor we mentioned at the beginning of this sermon, you know the Good Shepherd. And you do.
This is now my prayer for you and the prayer of everyone else here today. Do more than know Him. Stay close to your Good Shepherd for the rest of your life. How? By listening to his voice… By trusting his leadership… By finding strength in His promises.
Do these things, and no matter what may come into your lives
in the future, all will go well. This is
your comfort and confidence as sheep of the Good Shepherd. Amen.