Scripture Lesson: Psalm 23; John 10:22-30

Sunday Sermon Title: Being God’s Sheep

Mother’s Day

Peace Lutheran Church

5/11/2025

 

Introduction –

 

Following Sunday morning worship, a concerned church member approached the pastor and said:

 “Tom!  This church has been insulting me for years…I didn’t know it until this week!”

Pr. Tom was stunned, “What on earth do you mean?”

“Well…every Sunday morning, the call to worship ends with, ‘We are the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of His hand.”

“I’ve heard ministers say, ‘God’s flock’ too.”  

(It could be worse😊.)

“Then this past week (the man continued) I visited the Chicago stockyards. There I discovered that sheep are just about the dumbest animals God ever created.

They are so stupid that they even follow one another docilely into the slaughterhouse.

Even pigs are smarter than sheep, and I’d be angry if my church called me a pig’ every Sunday morning.

So, I’m not sure I want to come to church and be called a sheep’ any longer…even God’s sheep’.”

 

Okay, Sir, get your frustrations out!

But he has a point.

Do you want to be called, God’s sheep?

 

We’re going to talk about the truth of being God’s sheep soon, but first, (because we’re using animal metaphors today, we need to talk about the white elephant in the room) being naturally sinful, we hate being referred to as sheep.

We do.

We deceive ourselves into thinking that we are tougher, stronger, more entitled, more powerful, so we deserve a powerful name.

 

What sports team wants to be labeled–the sheep?

That’s pathetic!

We want something more fear-based like the Panthers, the Giants, the Bobcats, the Grizzlies…something that’ll devour the weaker prey.

We’re not going to be involved with something that’s docile, forgetful, and susceptible to a hungry predator, like a lowly sheep that lays down when it’s lost and is desperate for its shepherd.  

 

I remember preaching on this topic during my college days.

I was filling the pulpit for my dad when he was gone.

I mentioned some tough, popular mascots—Bears, Tigers, Blue Devils, etc., something that’s intimidating!

 

Following the worship service, a wonderful man of God mentioned, “Andrew, thanks for the sermon.  When I was playing football in high school, we played a team called the Blossoms, and they kicked our behinds!”

 

Okay, so the “tougher named” schools lose badly too.

But you get where I’m going with this.

It’s not just with sports. 

It’s with everything.

The Tower of Babel, the huge, imposing statue of Nebuchadnezzar—our larger than life, self-absorbed, American culture today—the worship of “Me, Myself, and I” remains our golden calf.   

I’m reminded of the Scripture in Ecclesiastes that says this about our self-made, golden calves, “There’s nothing new under the sun!”

No kidding!

 

Regardless of your background—craving to be the ferocious winner/predator—wanting it all and devouring those who get in the way—every generation/society—every sinner—has fallen victim to this false self-centered worship.

 

Last Sunday, Pr. Ed Skutshek compared this false me, myself, and I worship to the various nets (kingdoms of this broken world) that we get caught in.

That’s certainly true!

Having Ed’s sermon in mind, we discussed the following question at Bible study last Tuesday, “What about the bait?”

Fishermen/women use bait to catch fish.

“Do we understand the ‘false bait’ and ‘net’ that–we like fish–are being caught in?”

 

Today’s bait may have intriguing colors, looks, and labels, but don’t be fooled, it’s the same, deceptive “eat you alive” bait that Adam and Eve devoured.  

Lust, greed, pride, revenge, etc., … are enticing, “Your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God knowing the difference between good and evil.”

Translation?

You don’t need God.

You can be the god of your life.

 

 

Ever since that grave sin that Adam and Eve committed—every generation—keeps biting the same deceptive, sinful bait as tough Panthers or Bruins or as Mr./Ms. Powerful.

And if we’re not Mr./Ms. Powerful, we wish we were.

 

Pastor/author Max Lucado wrote a children’s book about a guy named, Ollie. 

Ollie believed he was a nobody especially when he looked around and saw all these “influential people” up high on their own stilts in the popular city of Stiltsville.

The high and mighty ones had their own brand of stilts, standing much taller than Ollie and his small, insignificant people.

Ollie wished so badly that he could have a pair of stilts that would make him taller instead of always wearing raggedy clothes and mismatched socks.

One day, Ollie got his wish.

He got a pair of self-absorbed stilts, but when he stood on them, looking down at everyone else, his people were disgusted.  

He didn’t get the recognition he assumed he would get—and because he tried to be something he wasn’t meant to be—he kept losing his balance and falling.    

 

Stilted Ollie’s problem reminds me of what oil tycoon John D Rockefeller said, “How much money does it take to make a man (woman) happy? Just one more dollar.”

Whether you’re Stilted Ollie or John D Rockefeller—does money or whatever false kingdom fill the void of making you happier, better, stronger, entitled, and so on?

 

Let’s face it, we can’t help but worship ourselves.   

It doesn’t matter if our superficial title is Panther, Bobcat, Grizzly, Captain America, Religious Stalwart, or Stilted Ollie—whatever our flawed human label is—it can’t deliver us from sin and death.

 

In today’s gospel lesson, Jesus says this to the Religious Stalwarts of his day.

After they demand, “Tell us plainly, are you the Messiah or not?”

Jesus responds, “I have told you, but you do not believe me because you are not my sheep.”

 

It’s important to understand the background to this dialogue. 

Before Jesus describes himself as the Door and Good Shepherd of His Sheep—there’s an incredible story where Jesus healed a man blind from birth—on a Sabbath.

Do you remember that story?

I encourage you to read it later in John chapter 9.

 

In that story, the Pharisees were hotter than a tin roof on a mid-summer’s day, “This man cannot be from God because he healed on the Sabbath.”

The healed man couldn’t believe what he was hearing, “Whether this man is from God or not, one thing I know, I was blind but now I see.’”

 

They kept touting their power and demanding his respect, “You are a follower of this man, but we are followers of Moses; we don’t even know where this man comes from.”

“Now that is incredible,” the healed man says, “You don’t even know where this man of God comes from, and He opened my eyes that have never seen before?

If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

 

The Religious Stalwarts had enough.

“How dare you lecture us!”

“You were born into sin…that’s why you were blind…we are the righteous ones!”

They threw him out of that worship place—the very space where Jesus meets us to seek and to save stray sheep/us.  

 

While we wish we were stronger, tougher, better, more entitled, etc., we are naturally stray sheep in a need of a good shepherd. 

Okay, yes, we are like sheep, but why is Jesus Christ the only Good Shepherd?

 

First, in the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah preached, “All we like sheep have gone astray, each to his, her own way, and the LORD placed on Him the iniquities/sins of us all.”   

Did you hear that?

“Even when we were still stray sheep/sinners,”—the Good Shepherd—Jesus Christ—gave His life for the sheep.

The Good Shepherd, “who knew no sin,” willingly took our place on the cross—where every iniquity, trespass, debt, sin was placed on Him “for you”.  

 

On the third day (He is risen!) … (Christ is risen indeed!) … Heaven’s Shepherd/Overseer of your soul (newsflash Peace Lutheran…I’m not the lead pastor here…thank God!) Jesus is the Lead Shepherd/Pastor of your soul—of your purpose—as a restored lamb of His redeeming—just as Jesus’ great, great, great, great…you get the point…grandfather David prayed in Psalm 23:

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

(That’s the reality of this sinful, broken world), but

David/we pray:

I fear no evil. You are with me.

Your rod/staff (Christ’s Living Word) comforts me.

“You prepare a table (the real body and blood of Jesus in the bread and wine) deliver us from our worst enemies—sin, all that’s evil, and death—where “my cup overflows” with God’s eternal promises.

 

Being God’s Sheep isn’t a disgrace; being God’s sheep is the only true grace of God we need daily.

Being redeemed—being restored through Jesus’ anointing when He suffered for us, died, was buried, and was raised to new and eternal life—He secured your dwelling in His Father’s house forever.

Do you believe that you’re a sheep of God’s redeeming?

 

Praise God!

Then, I’m going to share with you what Jesus called Peter to do, “Feed my lambs…take care of my sheep.”

“But, Andrew, I’m not a pastor.”

That doesn’t matter.

Regardless of where God has called you—simply feed others with the same truth that Jesus already gave to you.  

 

Through Jesus—ask the Good Shepherd to help you (I’m asking the Lord to do it in my life too) to see that person, family, neighborhood—even when they’re difficult—as sheep of Jesus’ redeeming.  

Can you imagine?

When they ask you about the hope you have, tell them about the Shepherd and Overseer of your life.

 

Unlike the fallen rulers/kingdoms of this world—God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit—is One—just as Jesus promised.  

I love God’s math! One plus One plus One = One in three persons – blessed Trinity.

Likewise—being various sheep of the One Good Shepherd’s Redeeming—we are many members—but one eternal flock.  

This promise from the Good Shepherd is irrevocable just as Jesus promised: “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

 

Do you remember when I talked about the insignificant guy named Ollie?

There’s more to the story.  

After falling from his false stilts in Stiltsville—when he sat on the ground—defeated—the Good Shepherd—met his stray lamb where he was at—removing the little chip on his shoulder and saying:

“You’re precious my Ollie not too little, not too small…I’ve made you, remember, you’re mine after all.”

Leaving his false stilts behind, Ollie—a new, restored lamb of God—followed the Lord.

 

Peace Lutheran, in the same way, through Jesus’ loving sacrifice and glorious resurrection—you are forgiven—you are God’s—not too little—not too small—you’re Jesus’ sheep after all.

 

Being a well-fed lamb of His flock—the Holy Spirit will call you to feed the insecure, “stilted Ollie’s” of this world who need the Good Shepherd in their lives too.

That’s what being God’s sheep is all about.                        

 

Question of the week – What does it mean to you that Jesus Christ is your Good Shepherd?

Prayer of the week – Jesus thank you for being my Good Shepherd. My cup overflows. My appetite overflows with your eternal promises. Thank you for your forgiveness, your faith, your life.  Amen.