Jesu Juva
“A New Reality, A New Life”
Text: John 10:11-18; 1 John 3:16-24; Acts 4:1-12
Alleluia! Christ is risen! [He is risen indeed! Alleluia!] Alleluia.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Often times, when Jesus taught and preached, the people did not understand Him. Sometimes it was because He often spoke in parables, but even when He didn’t, what He said was so different than their teachers and what they were saying that the people didn’t understand. Not at first. And what Jesus said today is one of those times.
Now, that may surprise you to hear me say that. Because you understand what Jesus is saying today. You who live on this side of Jesus’ resurrection. You who have all the teachings of Jesus in the Scriptures and the teaching of the Apostles He sent out to preach all that He said and did. So what Jesus said today, that He is the Good Shepherd, is not only known to you, but well-known and deeply loved. So much so that just as at Christmas we want to sing Joy to the World, and just as at Easter we want to sing Jesus Christ Is Risen Today, so in the hospital or at funerals or other challenging and difficult times, you want to hear the 23rd Psalm. You want to hear about the Good Shepherd. You want, you need, that comfort and assurance.
But in first century Israel, a shepherd who died for his sheep was not a good shepherd, but a stupid one! Sheep were a commodity. A valuable one, perhaps. But still, a commodity. Sheep were sheared for their wool. Sheep were sacrificed and eaten for the Passover. So when the wolf comes, a shepherd would do his or her best to defend the sheep, but die for them? That’s insane. The only result of that is a now undefended flock and a family in mourning. So not only does it make sense for a hired shepherd to flee, I imagine even the owner of the sheep would, too. Better to go home with a few less sheep than not to go home at all.
And that the people did not understand and some considered Jesus insane is, in fact, what John tells us in the verses around the ones we heard today. Right before it says: This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them (v. 6). And right after we hear: There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?” [But] Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind” (v. 19-21)?
For that’s what Jesus had just done - opened the eyes of a man blind from birth. To heal someone who had lost their vision was one thing; but to give sight to someone who never had it . . . that was unprecedented. And it was starting to open the eyes of those who could see, to see Jesus in a new way. Which made those who thought Jesus demon possessed and insane (like the Pharisees) even more determined in their opposition, so that if anyone dared to say that Jesus was the Christ, they would be expelled from the synagogue (John 9:22). Excommunicated. And you thought cancel culture was a new thing . . .
You see, the Pharisees were the ones treating the people like commodities. Shearing them for profit. Devouring widows’ houses (Mark 12:40). And that was Jesus’ word, not mine. Devouring. Preying upon even poor widows. They didn’t care for the people but for themselves. They weren’t even hirelings, but wolves in hirelings’ clothing.
But what if the sheep weren’t treated like commodities, but like children? And what if the group of sheep wasn’t just a herd, but a family? And what if there was a shepherd saw them like that? Because your family is worth sacrificing yourself for.
Now take that to the next level: What if there was a God who treated people not like commodities, or servants, or peons, but like children? And what if there was a God who looked at people not just as part of creation, but as family? What if there was a God so utterly and completely different from anything in this world, that He doesn’t look for anything from us because He doesn’t need anything from us, but does everything for us? Wouldn’t that be something? A game changer? What would such a God look like? What would such a God do?
You know. He looks like Jesus on the cross. Because when the satanic wolf came for His children, He did not flee. When the satanic wolf came and insisted that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that therefore he had a right to devour us all, Jesus said: Devour me instead. Devour the one who made them. Devour their Shepherd. Devour their God. It was an offer satan couldn’t refuse. Because it was insane! Devour the shepherd and the flock is left undefended. Satan always knew God was stupid . . . People aren’t worth it. They treat each other like animals! This was confirmation to satan that he was right to rebel against such a stupid God. Now he could finish the job . . .
But Christ is risen! [He is risen indeed! Alleluia!] For the Good Shepherd doesn’t just have the authority, the authorization, the mission, to lay down His life, but it take it up again - that is, to rise from the dead. And He did. For yes, satan, you are right: the wages of sin is death. But what if sin was taken away? What if sin was atoned for? Then death would lose its power, wouldn’t it? Death would be forced to give up the dead. And all the people you think are just tasty treats would be children who live forever.
And that is our joy this Easter season. Not chocolate and peeps, but forgiveness and life. That because Jesus rose from death to life again, we know that we will, too. It is the promise He gives us in Baptism: forgiveness and life. He applies His death and life to us; we die and rise with Him; we are sheep in His flock; children of God. Which means that the resurrection isn’t just something that happened some 2,000 years ago, and eternal life isn’t just something that will happen who knows how many years from now - these are our reality already now. Don’t think of them in relation to time, but about who you are. Who you are now, and who you will be forever. A forgiven child of God, who has a life not even death can end. That is our joy this Easter season. A new reality. A new life to live.
Which those who are living the same old life, and all they can see is the same old life, think is insane. So we heard in the reading from Acts that Peter and John were arrested for healing a man lame from birth and preaching that Jesus was risen from the dead. Why would you risk your lives for some useless lame man? And for people who are never going to amount to anything? Be reasonable! Stop this and save yourselves! But they didn’t have to save themselves. They’d already been saved from death, by the one who rose from the dead. So to stop wouldn’t be to save themselves, but actually the opposite - it would be to sacrifice the life they had been given and die. So no, thank you. For die now and live forever . . . or live now and die forever . . . not a hard choice, though sometimes hard to do.
And we heard of this new life also in the reading from First John: By this we know love, that [Jesus] laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. We who live in this new reality and have this new life . . . ought to. We ought not treat each other like animals. We ought not see others as commodities. We ought not value what we have or what we can gain or our own pleasure or how we can increase and move up in the world more than we value those for whom Jesus died. We ought not . . . but sometimes do. We sometimes fail to live the new reality, the new life, we have been given.
The good news is that, as John went on to say, whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. He knows everything. Which not only means He knows what we’ve done . . . He does, of course. All our living the old life, the old reality; all our sins, no matter how big or small. He not only knows all that, but if He knows it all, it means He put it all on Jesus on the cross. Not one of your sins left out or forgotten or unatoned for. They’re all on Jesus and so not on you. They’ve all been paid for, atoned for, taken away, forgiven.
So that’s what Jesus tells you here every week. Forgiveness isn’t just for one day a week, or course. But you get to hear these words here every week! Proclaimed to you, spoken to you. Words we need to hear every week and can never hear enough: I forgive you all your sins. And then shortly after that, we sing - we sing in joy This is the feast of victory for our God! His blood set us free to be people of God. The Lamb who was slain has begun His reign. That’s your new reality, your new life. It’s how Jesus sees you, as someone worth laying down His life for. And how you can now see others, as people worth laying down your life for.
Not that it’s easy! Of course, it’s not. It wasn’t easy for Jesus either. Or for Peter and John. And on your own, you could never do it. Not even one little bit. So you’re not on your own. Jesus gives you His Spirit. He gives you His Body and Blood. That His new reality, His new life, be not just something you live in, but that lives in you. He gives it to you, so it can now flow out from you. And it does, though not perfectly. Some days more than others. Some days you completely fall on your face. Which is why your Good Shepherd is still your Good Shepherd. Still feeding, still leading, still guiding, still forgiving, still giving you His gifts and all you need. Making His reality your reality, and His life your life.
And if the world thinks you insane for how you live, that’s okay. It’s even good. It’s God’s good living in you. Testimony that this old world and life is not all there is. Your eyes have been opened, and others will, too. Maybe because of you. For I have other sheep that are not of this fold, Jesus said. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. And we could add to that: one family, one Father, one Saviour, one Spirit.
What if there was a God who treated people like children? What it there was a God who looked at people as His family? What if there was a God who was completely consumed with love for us? A God who serves, a God who lays down His life for us? Wouldn’t that be something? A game changer? Change how we live. Change how we die. Change how we view world events. Change how we react to good news and bad news, joys and pandemics?
What would such a Christian look like? What would such a Christian do? A Christian shaped by such love. A Christian defined by forgiveness - received and given. A baptized Christian. A Body- and Blood-ed Christian.
It’s who you are, child of God! That’s your reality, your life. In Christ, your Good Shepherd. Christ, your risen Shepherd!
For Christ is risen! [He is risen indeed! Alleluia!]
And He has given you a new life to live.
In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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