Shepherds and shepherding are constant themes throughout the Scriptures, beginning in Genesis (46:32-34, 49:24) and proceeding throughout the New Testament. Joseph’s brothers are shepherds along with his father, Jacob. Moses becomes a shepherd in exile. David is a young shepherd boy who defeats the warrior-giant, Goliath, and later writes the epic Shepherd’s psalm, Psalm 23. Therefore, it is fitting that the good news of our Savior’s birth was first proclaimed by the angelic army of God to shepherds tending to their flocks, while the Good Shepherd was being born so that He might tend to His flock through His life, death, and resurrection.

The love of God is displayed in His care for His people as a shepherd over His flock. He raises up shepherds, stewards over the flock, from amongst His people. Most notable is Moses, but even Moses needed help, and Joshua was commissioned as a fellow shepherd so “that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd.” (Numbers 27:17, KJV). Alas, for most of Israel’s life as a nation it followed after its own ways and was deceived and devoured by wolves. In the words of the prophet Micaiah, “I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd.” (1 Kings 22:17, KJV).

Where streams of living water flow,

my ransomed soul he leadeth,

and where the verdant pastures grow,

with food celestial feedeth.

Truly, the age of the kings over Israel and Judah is a tale of tragedy and sin. Those who wore the crown rarely fulfilled their roles as shepherds of the people. They led their people astray in worshipping the fallen angels, the demons, the false gods, and idols. The prophets were raised up not only to chastise and call the king and people to repentance, but even the priests and Levites who forsook their Lord and instead gave in to the drunken foolery of the nations by worshipping the demonic. Starting with Aaron, the first high priest, and continuing throughout the age of kings, the priests even led the people astray into worshipping the golden calf to Asherah and, worse, Moloch. Isaiah accuses them, telling us, “Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.” (Isaiah 56:11, KJV). Jeremiah prophesied against the leaders of God’s people, dramatically warning:

And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.(Jeremiah 25:33-35, KJV).

Isaiah and Jeremiah reveal the truth of Hebrews 10:31, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (KJV). Micah accuses the fallen shepherds of Israel, “The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.” (Micah 3:11, KJV). Lest we think this no longer applies to the ministers of the new covenant, give heed to St. James, who warns, “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (James 3:1, KJV).

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,

but yet in love he sought me

,and on his shoulder gently laid,

and home, rejoicing, brought me.

Therefore, since ministers are to be judged more strictly, let the laity reexamine the Ordinal and hold ministers accountable for both their own sake and their minister’s sake, and let the ministers study and examine their Ordinal vows and the Scripture so they may, Lord-willing, faithfully execute the vocation of their ministry. May all clergy keep the Lord God’s condemnation of the false shepherds before their eyes and pray that Ezekiel 34 never applies to them. “As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock.” (Ezekiel 34:8, KJV).

Scripture reveals several things to us as the Church. First, we are the Lord’s flock. Second, we love to wander and head towards danger. Third, we need a shepherd to rescue us lost sheep. Fourth, the overseers who are fellow men, are prone to failure and should not be proud, for they are answerable on the Day of Judgment. Fifth, the true Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, calls us by name, and His flock knows Him. Take comfort in that good news.

The Good Shepherd does not abandon us, He seeks us. He

gives His life willingly for us. He sets up shepherds to guide and steer His flock, who are equipped by the Holy Ghost, so long as they in humility seek Him.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill

with thee, dear Lord, beside me;

thy rod and staff my comfort still

,thy cross before to guide me.

The Lord God gave us the One to lead us from the valley of the Shadow of Death. The Father sent His Son to level the valley of sin, separating us from Him. Christ Jesus slayed the giant, binding the strong man, and cleansing His flock forevermore. “As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” (Ezekiel 34:12, KJV). On Easter morning, the One who walked out of the sepulcher is the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy, where God promised, “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.” (Ezekiel 37:23-24, KJV).

Jesus, Son of God, laid down His life for the sheep, because “when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36, KJV). Jesus was sent by “the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” (Hebrews 13:20, KJV). Therefore, Jesus reveals Himself as the loving God, comforting us with the following, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (Gospel lesson, John 10:11, KJV). Unlike the false shepherds, the ones for hire who serve in their vocation because “it’s just a job” or simply “pays the bills,” Jesus reminds His disciples, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” (John 10:14, KJV). Our Lord knows and is known by His flock and will never abandon it, as evidenced by His dying for the flock at the hands of the wolves who seek to devour us.

Do you know the Good Shepherd? Dear flock of God, perhaps you suffer under the ministry of a hireling, who does not shepherd the sheep. However, before you cast the blame for your poor discipleship on the local shepherd of your parish, examine yourself. Are you willing to be led? Are you listening to the Good Shepherd’s voice? Are you convicted of your sin and desiring to be delivered from it? Do you know the sound of His voice through His words, the Scriptures? Or are you hearing the Word of Christ and walking further away from His call to turn and repent? Perhaps, if you are honest, it is not the minister of your parish, but his preaching from Christ’s written word that leads you to look for greener pastures where the wolves lie in wait. Before you accuse another sheep or pastor for failing to follow the Good Shepherd, look hard in the mirror and ask yourself when was the last time you spoke to the Good Shepherd? Pray, and call out to Him earnestly because the Good Shepherd is near and wishes to pull the thorns of the flesh hindering your walk and following after Him. He is seeking you, and where you are lost, you shall be found by Him.

Thou spread’st a table in my sight;

thy unction grace bestoweth;

and oh, what transport of delight

from thy pure chalice floweth!

Be of good cheer because the Father no longer speaks to His people through Urim and Thummim nor prophets of old, but directly through His Son whom the Father “hast given…” “to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life.” (Collect of the Day). Sheep and pastors alike, look and keep your eyes “unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” (Epistle lesson, 1 Peter 2:25, KJV). Christ is the Bishop who oversees us all, clergy and laity alike. Together Church, let us set our living, our thinking, our teaching, and our ministries upon Christ, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21, KJV). Seek to know the Father through the Son and empowered by the Holy Ghost, as we cannot know God without entering into the divine love of the blessed Holy Trinity. What is this love? Christ tells us, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:15, KJV). The Way of God shows us the Love of God when God enfleshed shed His Life so we may understand this Truth. Jesus is the living example of Love that He places and seals in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, because He “who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:22-24, KJV).

Therefore, O Church, clergy and laity alike, let us boldly follow the Good Shepherd and witness to those within the church who are slothful, neglectful hirelings, and to those outside the parish walls about the loving Truth who bled and died for thee. Laity, you have a ministry, a calling, and a vocation like clergy. Suffer nothing foolish from fellow laity, regardless of whether they bear the title of staff member, vestry, etc. Likewise, suffer nothing false or contrary to our Fundamental Declarations from the pulpit, regardless of whether the preacher wears black or purple.

Clergy, guard and examine your heart that you do not drift towards being a hireling and monitor and minister to your parish, and do not allow anyone who is not proficient in our Fundamental Declarations to lead so much as a Sunday School or small group. There are souls at stake, and you are accountable for them to our Master, the Good Shepherd. Therefore, read and take to heart the Lord Jesus’ warning, “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, who’s own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.” (John 10:12-13, KJV). May this warning never apply to you. Remember your ordination vows. May your reminder be plastered onto the walls of your heart, as Bishop J.C. Ryle painted on the wall behind his pulpit: “woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:16, KJV). Sometimes this means reminding those wearing the purple that we must preach the cross that hangs around their necks. Bishops, this means knowing the clergy you have entrusted with your flocks scattered across the diocese. Are they shepherding well? Are they feeding their flock with the doctrine of the Scriptures, the prayer book, the Articles of Religion, the Fundamental Declarations? Or are wolves creeping at the edges of the flock and leading them to death and destruction at the mouth of the world’s zeitgeist?

Clergy and laity – Church catholic – it is costly to be vigilant. Others within the church, from the nominal member to the weak clergy, will simply want to “go along to get along,” but our Savior gave us His teaching, His message, His body and blood, so we can take it to others. Christ is in the business of transforming lives, and it will divide families and those within the Church who are comfortable with their image of Jesus but not His teachings. When you preach and teach the Gospel, it is offensive, even within the Church. Dare I say, especially within the Church? After all, Christ was crucified at the hands of the religious leaders. Therefore, do not be shocked when you seek to advance the Gospel and receive pushback within the local parish, the vestry meeting, the diocesan committee, the next synod, or at a provincial assembly. Keep speaking the truth and remain confidently quoting the Scriptures, citing the Articles of Religion, reminding others of the councils, and work to know not merely what the Fundamental Declarations claim to be our anchor of faith, but to know the sources cited as our fundamental fenceposts and guardrails to protect the sheep from the ravenous wolves of sin, death, and Satan.

Christ called us not to be quiet hirelings to sing “Kumbaya” but bold, prophetic, and above all else faithful voices to His Gospel. Therefore, when you inevitably run into obstacles, dear clergy or laity, remember, “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” (1 Peter 2:19-20, KJV).

There is work to be done, for Jesus tells us, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10:16, KJV). Christ empowered us with His Holy Ghost to seek, find, and call with the voice of the Master those lost sheep to come home into the one fold under the Good Shepherd. Put upon the lips of your mouth, the beat of your heart, and the intent of your soul the weekly collect: “Give us grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavor ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Collect of the Day).

There is coming a day of judgment for the goats who do not hear and heed the Good Shepherd’s call and for the hirelings who neglected their duty in shepherding the flock of God. “And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.” (Matthew 25:32, KJV). Where will you be that Day? Dwell confidently in the gaze of the Good Shepherd, who took on the wolves seeking to devour your soul and who bears the scars of His triumph over the predators of sin, death, and Satan.

And so through all the length of days

thy goodness faileth never:

Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise

within thy house for ever.

Shepherd of the Sheep – The Second Sunday after Easter

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