The image of our Lord as the Good Shepherd is an enduring one. First Lutheran Church here in Ventura has a beautiful stained-glass window behind the altar of Jesus fulfilling this honored role. He walks with the sheep, leading them, and even tenderly holds one little lamb in His arms. The picture of a shepherd leaving behind the ninety-nine and searching for the one is beautiful to be sure. He comes triumphantly back with the small sheep hoisted on His shoulders, a great reminder of our Lord as one who seeks and saves the lost. But in John 10, the famous “Good Shepherd” discourse, the image which unfolds is slightly different. It is a shepherd who sacrifices himself for his sheep. The thing that makes the shepherd “good” is how he lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus says, “I Am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

Now, the very fact that we have a Good Shepherd, a shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, means such a sacrifice is necessary. The reality of the Good Shepherd means the wolves are real as well, wolves who will snatch and scatter the flock. The Good Shepherd does not just protect the sheep by building a bigger fence around the pen. He also does not ward off the wolves with fear tactics. No, in a shocking way, He sacrifices Himself and gives His own flesh and blood to the devouring wolves. In this offering of Himself, He satisfies the cravings of the wolves and spares His beloved flock.

As followers of this Good Shepherd, as brothers and sisters of Christ, we know full well the reality of wolves. We may think of wolves as simply opposition that comes with faith. To believe this or say yes to this is to condemn that or say no to that. These days, to make a distinction like this is to invite the ire of those who would snatch and scatter the sheep. So, we may think of the wolves as persecutions which come to the Church. But I do not think this really gets to the full weight of our Lord’s words. After all, persecution continues to come even after Jesus’ death and resurrection. In fact, it is by the very confession of His death and resurrection that we experience persecution. No, the wolves are something that is satisfied by His death, something we are delivered from by our Lord’s gracious gift of Himself.

If we think of it this way, then the wolves are those things that attack what our Lord’s death saves us from. So, the wolves are the accusations and condemnation which come from our sins. The wolves can be external or internal. Externally, they are represented in every condemnation of the Law that is spoken into your life. Every time you fall short of the glory of God, every time you fail to live as sheep of the Good Shepherd and there is the condemnation which points to your failure, declaring you have no business being part of this flock, that your sins, your failures are too much. Certainly, your sin, your pride, and your selfishness ought to disqualify you from being part of the Lord’s flock. And the horrible truth is, even if we can escape these voices of accusation and condemnation on our life, an inner voice remains, the subtle wolf lurking deep within. As sheep of His flock, we may well remember our life outside His care. We might recall the times of wandering, rebellion, and flat-out rejection of His voice. As a result, there is this constant second-guessing and doubt regarding His Word and work. These wolves snatch away our assurance, destroy our hope, and send us scattered to our own devices of self-righteousness.

But you are not forgotten and cast to the ravaging wolves. The Good Shepherd gathers you. You are brought together for your protection, your hope, and your eternal security against the wolves. Some of you are gathered here because, well, this is how you grew up. You were raised in the Church, cared for from your earliest memories by the hired hands who have preached to you the Word and taught the faith. The rhythm of confession and absolution, the singing of hymns, and the receiving of the Sacraments are well known rituals and almost taken for granted. Others have come much later in life. You arrived after wandering the hills and feeling the full weight of the wolf’s attacks. Somewhere along the line, you heard the voice of the Good Shepherd, and before you knew it, you found yourself gathered into His sheepfold. And here, alongside people you might have never associated with before, we find a common cause. We discover security and hope in the the care of our Good Shepherd.

Our Lord promises He has other sheep that He will continue to bring in. They will listen to His voice, as you have listened to His voice, and they will be gathered into His care as you have been. Jesus says, “There will be one flock, one Shepherd.” Now, one flock is difficult to imagine, is it not? I mean, the Church is as divided as it can be. There are hundreds of different denominations, thousands upon thousands of congregations, each looking different, each having slightly or, at times, widely different practices. Does any of this look like one flock? Where is the “oneness” when people go church shopping like they are buying a new pair of pants; this one is a little constricting where I do not want it to be, that one seems just too loose overall. Eventually, we find the one we like the best and settle in.

But the reality is there is only one flock. The true Church is one, united thing. It is not connected by denominational boundaries or geographic location. It is united because it listens to the voice of the Good Shepherd. Wherever the Word of God is proclaimed in truth and purity, wherever His gifts are given, there is His flock. It may be hard to see at times. It might be hidden beneath our temporal quarrels and structures, but it does remain. For there is only one Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep, only one who by His sacrifice can turn back the attacks of the wolves, and where His voice goes forth, there He gathers His flock.

This means that what we do here, what our gathering ought to be all about, is making sure the voice of the Good Shepherd is still heard by the flock. This is not about being entertaining or gaining influence in the community. It is also not about influencing a voter base or striving to gain popularity in social media. No, everything we do, from the form of our worship to the structure of our teaching and preaching, is to help the voice of the Good Shepherd break forth. We are to be the location, to be the time and place for the voice to be heard. And we need this. You need this. To know that here, here beneath the forms of our worship and through the administration of the Sacraments, here the flock is being gathered and the voice of our Good Shepherd is heard.

This is everything! Only the Good Shepherd will stop the attacks and devouring teeth of the wolves. So, you come here, feeling the damage of the attacks, you come here knowing you have sinned in thought, word, and deed. You have fallen short of the demands of God’s glory, and the doubts begin to mount up. Perhaps you do not belong. Maybe this is not really your flock. But then you hear His voice, you hear the proclamation of the Good Shepherd. He says to the wolves, “Here, come for Me. Come for My flesh in which My flock’s sin is bound. Come for My blood where their hope rests.” Truly, He lays down His life for His sheep. But His voice is never silenced, because then He says to you, “Know this, you are forgiven. You are safe here among My flock. You will know the green pastures of Paradise.”