Thursday, April 30, 2015
John 10:12-13 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
NOT ALL SHEPHERDS ARE GOOD
Here Jesus contrasts Himself with shepherds that aren't good. He speaks about the hired hand who doesn't own the sheep, who abandons them when the going gets rough, because he has no true concern for the sheep. Jesus was speaking here with reference to the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees and scribes, who did not care about the eternal well-being of the people they served. They did not speak to them the words of eternal life. They did not speak to them about their sins and God's grace in the Messiah. They were motivated by self-interest and greed.
Today there are leaders of religion who are mainly concerned about the earthly fame and fortune they derive from their position. They don't care about the eternal welfare of God's people. How many are the false prophets who come (as Jesus warned) in sheep-clothes but inwardly are vicious wolves. They may even appear at our front door with smiling faces to share their false (and spiritually lethal!) religious views, speaking about Jesus in a friendly way but denying who He is (God's Son, the eternal I AM) and all that He in love accomplished for us by His death and resurrection.
But how blessed we are to have a true Shepherd who cares about us genuinely (He views us the same way He did the people of His day, see Mark 6:34), who provides the Bread of Life we need for our soul's eternal welfare and the daily bread we need for our temporary earthly lives. We can count on Him to keep the lovely promise He made through Jeremiah: "'I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,' declares the LORD" (23:3-4).
Though great our sins, yet greater still Is God's abundant favor;
His hand of mercy never will Abandon us, nor waver.
Our shepherd good and true is He,
Who will at last His Israel free From all their sin and sorrow.
(Lutheran Service Book, 607:5)
