Sermon for Good Shepherd Sunday (The Fourth Sunday of Easter 2025)
preached by Jenny Pittaway, Licensed Lay Minister
Acts 13: 14,43b-52. Revelation 7: 9, 13a, 14b-17. John 10: 27-30.
May I speak in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Jesus said: My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. This image used by Jesus was well known and familiar to his hearers. The sheep know and recognize their shepherd’s voice from other agents. They know that protection, help, safety, and a caring hand are behind that voice.
When Jesus speaks of himself as the Good Shepherd and of those who do and do not belong to his sheep, and then goes on to say that he can grant eternal life to those who follow him, it is clear that he is not only positioning himself in leadership of the people but is also drawing on the Old Testament tradition of God leading his people like a shepherd.
The understanding of God as the Shepherd of Israel forms the backdrop for Jesus’ teaching in the Gospel of John. In the Old Testament, the prophets speak on this theme.
The prophet Ezekiel speaks of the people as sheep in the context of a shepherd who cares for them. (Ez 34:23-26) The prophet Jeremiah predicts that the Messiah will gather up the scattered nation, the sheep, that suffer in captivity and receive the foretelling of freedom (Jer 23:3) The prophet Micah, speaks that the Messiah will walk at the head of His people and open the gates of captivity to them. (Mic 2:12) The predictions of the prophets are perfectly fulfilled in Christ.
In the context of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and his words – I know them, the Hebrew origin means much more.
(Personal and intimate)
Christ, the Good Shepherd has a very close and intimate connection with His flock, the people. Therefore, those who belong to him can follow him. Here another image must also be recalled, and that is from our reading from the Book of Revelation. John writes of Christ who is the Lamb. “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands" ( Rev 7: 9)
In these and other texts in Scripture, gives us the assurance that God wants to save all people. That is why Jesus came into the world to redeem and save us.
My sheep hear my voice, the words at the beginning our gospel reading. What is it about a voice? John Henry Newman in his reflections on the power of personal connection and communication offered this thought. ‘That sometimes a text, a written word can leave us cold. But a voice can melt us.’
In other words, when we read an article, a carefully laid out argument, we might think to ourselves yes, I get this. But when somebody starts speaking to you about the same argument, there is something about the voice that causes the heart to stir. How wonderful that Christianity is not a system of ideas.
But rather it is a religion, a way of salvation, it is about a deep and trusting relationship with someone. Someone who has a voice, someone who speaks. It all began with a small band of people who sat at the feet of Jesus listening to his voice. St. Paul tells us that faith comes from hearing (Romans 10:17)
So important is the voice in the Christian tradition that the Gospel writer John says that Jesus is the Word of God. He is the living eternal Word spoken by the Father. (John 1: 1-5,14)
In this Easter season it is worth remembering that it is in the voice of the risen Lord – when he speaks – that the disciples recognize Jesus. When they hear his voice, they know that their crucified friend and teacher had conquered death.
At the empty tomb he speaks the name Mary. In the upper room Peace, be with you. Last week on the lakeshore, his words to Peter to cast the net on the right side of the boat. It is Jesus speaking- his voice that gives the assurance that. It is the Lord.
These first disciples were privileged to hear the voice of Jesus. But over 2000 years later we are still the sheep of his fold.
We too hear his voice in a number of ways. We hear him in a special way when we hear the scriptures proclaimed. Have you ever wondered why we stand for the Gospel? Why do we process the Gospel Book through the church? Why do we honour it with incense and with a kiss? Because we believe Christ speaks to us through the Gospel. We hear the gospel read; we hear his voice. We also hear Christ speak in the living voice of the Church. This is a constant embodiment of the apostolic faith.
We might also hear the voice of Christ speak to us in good spiritual friends. In those people who comfort us and challenge us and encourage us when we fall. Christ speaks to us. But we must learn to hear him. Sheep as innocent as they are, are still able to distinguish the voice of the shepherd. And so must we. Why are we listening to Christ? Why are we seeking to discern his voice above all others?
In listening to the voice of the Shepherd, and as Jesus tells us in the gospel today, we are led to eternal life. The modern time is faced with many difficulties and challenges in listening and understanding the voice of the Good Shepherd.
The presence and countless number of voices, which often comes in the form of noise or disguised voices, inviting us to different forms of life, has deafened some people that they neither hear nor able to distinguish the voice of the Good Shepherd. This was seen in the group in our first reading from Acts, who prompted by jealousy, used blasphemies and contradicted everything that Paul said.
The voice of the Good Shepherd may be strong and unwavering in the face of danger, but is also gentle. The Good Shepherd calls his sheep to follow, to feed on him and to experience fulness of life. He goes out to find us when we are lost and lays down his life to give us life eternal. In these days of global turmoil, let us take comfort in being shepherded. We have been given Jesus by the Father, and no one can snatch us out of his hand.
Amen
