GOOD SHEPHERDS

 

I spoke about sheep and goats before, but today I am going to talk about people who take care of sheep. We call them shepherds. I have seen plenty of sheep, but never met a real shepherd.

In today’s Gospel Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd because he will do anything to save his sheep, even give up his own life for them. Do you know who Jesus means when he talks about his sheep? He means you and me and everyone who follows him.

Jesus was inspired or got his idea about the Good Shepherd from another shepherd. That shepherd is King David. Before he was King David, he was a military leader. Before that he was an actual shepherd.

After he became a king, David wrote the Psalms. One of everybody’s favorite Psalms is the one we heard today, Psalm 23. It begins with the words, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

There was something King David wanted to do while he was shepherding God’s people. He wanted to build God a house, but God told David that he did not want him to build a house or a temple for him. His son, Solomon, would build a temple for God.

Today, we are worshipping in a new house of God. It is new for us. Still God is here with us. Wherever we gather in prayer, God is with us. Wherever we worship God will be our Good Shepherd. Wherever we hear God’s Word and celebrate His Sacraments, our Good Shepherd will care for us and love us.

With that, let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.