"The Marks of Christ's Sheep" (John 10:22-30)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Jesus said: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28).

 

How good are you at listening? According to Psychology Today, in one survey, 96 percent of respondents said they were always or sometimes good listeners. Would you consider yourself to be a good listener? However, another study found that we only retain about half of what people say to us. And that is directly after they say it. So maybe you aren’t as good of a listener as you may think.

 

Now, as you are acutely aware, men and women are different. Even if the fallen world attempts to erase the fact that men and women are different, how is it that one sex is significantly better at listening than the other sex? And in case you aren’t sure which sex is typically the better listener, well, it’s female. You may have already known that. And there are always exceptions to every rule. So, there are occasions when the male is a better listener than the female, but typically, the female is the better listener.

 

In today’s Gospel text, Jesus says: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).

 

Do you know who your Shepherd is? Do you know what He is saying to you? Do you know His voice?

 

Sheep always recognize their shepherd’s voice. They listen for their shepherd’s voice. If they hear another’s voice, they flee. They flee, because voices are unique. Voices can identify people much like fingerprints. Restless babies settle down when they hear their mother’s or father’s voice. 

 

Today’s text tells us about the familiar voice of the Good Shepherd, who is Jesus Christ. But how do we identify His voice?

 

You and I hear many voices. Persistently and in many ways, the voices of the world – those “strangers,” “thieves,” and “robbers” – approach us. 

§  They call us to disobey the voice of Jesus by rejecting or evading His commands. 

§  They call on us to subvert His inerrant Word. 

§  They call us to ignore Jesus, so that we would get caught in false teachings. 

§  They call us to remain busy in this life so that we don’t have time to hear God’s Word and receive His Sacraments weekly in this place. 

§  They call on us to abandon our faithfulness to Christ. 

§  They call on us to isolate ourselves apart from Christ and this congregation. 

§  They call on us to not support the work our gracious Lord has given for us to do here, by supporting this congregation with our time, our talents and our treasures that Christ alone gives to us.

 

After Christ ascended into heaven to receive all power and all authority in heaven and on Earth, it appears that He has abandoned us. But He hasn’t. He is still speaking. He speaks to us in the Scriptures. He speaks to us through right preaching. But are you listening?

 

The Good Shepherd is speaking as He carries His rod and a staff (Psalm 23:4) and by this, He directs and guides us. He speaks to us the word of the Law – the rod, as He lets us know how much we have sinned and deserve nothing but eternal wrath apart from Him. He also speaks to us the word of the Gospel – the staff, as He forgives our sins, giving us salvation and opening for us eternal life. His word of Law and Gospel is His unique voice.

 

For the Jewish authorities who were at the temple colonnade and interrogated Jesus, which led to Jesus to say, “My sheep hear My voice,” they were wondering just who Jesus was. It was winter and Jesus was at the temple for the feast of dedication, which may be better known as Hannukah. 

 

So, the Jewish authorities asked Jesus, “How long will you keep us in suspense?” (John 10:24a), or more literally, “How long do you take away our life?” This is what they were asking. So, for these Jewish authorities, knowing who Jesus was is a life-or-death issue. They want to know if Jesus is the Messiah or not. So, Jesus answers them, saying, “I told you, and you do not believe” (John 10:25).

 

What Jesus is saying is this, “You will not understand, since you don’t understand anything I have said, because you are not of My flock. You don’t know the Shepherd’s voice. If you did, you would know. You would realize who it is Who is speaking to you.” You see, knowing the voice of Jesus is a life-or-death issue for you and me. 

 

For if you do not know His voice, you only receive judgment. The marker of unbelief is that those who oppose Jesus are not of His sheep. If they were His sheep, they would follow Him. If they were His sheep, they would become His disciples. If they were His sheep, they would be given them eternal life. For Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

 

For everyone who hears the voice of the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd knows them, and they follow Him. And He gives those who listen to His voice: eternal life.

 

This is Christ’s guarantee for you. All those who listen to His voice and follow Him receive eternal life. And in His hand and His Father’s hand, He says that no one will ever snatch you.

 

But what’s to guarantee that we will receive eternal life that Jesus says is ours as His sheep? Afterall, there are so many kinds of strangers, thieves and robbers just waiting to steal us away from God. And because we live in America, our First Amendment allows for so many false teachers who wear sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. They preach what our itching ears want to hear rather than what we need to hear. 

 

We are called sheep, because sheep are pretty stupid. Sheep are easy prey. If everything was up to the sheep, just up to you and me, we’d all be dead. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against cosmic powers over this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

 

This is what we are all up against. We are all facing increasing opposition against the Church. And not only that, the media and culture are bent against the Church. We have so many spiritual forces arrayed against us. And it gets worse. We have ourselves to contend with. We have our own sinful nature. It’s a never-ending battle. 

 

But Jesus says, “No one can snatch those who listen to My voice and follow Me.” Now, the fallen world, our own sinful nature, and Satan himself are sure trying. Who is going to protect me and you from ourselves, the fallen world, and the devil? These are our wolves!

 

But that’s the beauty of today’s text on this Good Shepherd Sunday! It’s not up to us – you and me. So, for us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven. He saw our hopeless situation. He saw how hopeless we were. We were like sheep without a shepherd. 

 

So, He came down. He came down to do something about our hopeless situation. You see, for the Good Shepherd, He doesn’t see us as just sheep to Him. For He calls us His brothers and sisters. He calls us children of God by grace through faith in Him. He went so far as to lay down His life for us – you and me – to give us His atoning blood which covers yours and my sins.

 

And in this constant battle, this daily battle against cosmic powers, spiritual forces of evil, and ourselves, Jesus gives us His medicine of immortality. He gives us a blood transfusion every week, so that we have the same blood type as He does. So, when you partake of Christ’s true body and His true blood, Christ’s perfect blood is coursing through your veins. And when we hear His voice, we listen. When we hear His voice, we participate in the life of Christ given by Him.

 

It is here, in the Divine Service, that the Good Shepherd teaches us His voice. It is here where the Holy Spirit records Christ’s voice of Law and Gospel within us as He writes it on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:34). And having the Good Shepherd’s voice recorded in our hearts means that we are able to hear Him, believe in Him, abide in His Word, and follow Him.

 

So, wherever and whenever the Good Shepherd speaks, we are attracted to His sweet words and we listen. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life.”Have you ever noticed that those four statements of our Good Shepherd’s voice intertwine? “Theyhear – I know – they follow – I give.” In these four short master strokes, the relation between the shepherd and the sheep is pictured. All four of these statements are simultaneous.

 

When we hear our Good Shepherd’s voice, He knows, we follow, and He gives. He gives His sheep eternal life, so that we would never perish. He gives us protection so that no one could ever snatch us out of His hand.

Yet, the wolves are always out there. Those strangers, thieves, and robbers. But we have the promise. We have Christ’s promise. We have the Good Shepherd’s promise that no one can ever snatch you away from Him.

 

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Amen!

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Easter 4: "The Lord is My Shepherd" (Psalm 23)

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Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

 

“The Lord is my Shepherd…” (Psalm 23:1a)

 

Psalm 23 is the most familiar psalm. It is familiar to us. It is familiar to the fallen world.  Psalm 23 is like an old friend that many of us have known from childhood. We hear it spoken in movies and television shows as the actor preacher stands in the rain reciting Psalm 23 as the casket is lowered into the ground. We hear it spoken even by non-Christians. Psalm 23 is among the most well-known chapters in all of Scripture, right along with John 3 and John 10.

 

Among Christians and non-Christians, Psalm 23 is what we want to hear when we are stricken with grief. This is the psalm that we want to hear when our bodies fail us. We welcome it from our hospital bed. We lean on it when we stand at the grave.

 

But Psalm 23 isn’t just about death, it is also about life. In fact, Psalm 23 is about our life now as we live in this valley of sorrows with sin and death surrounding us, and Psalm 23 is, indeed, about our future life in the Church Triumphant.

 

Whether it be now, or in the future, we depend on Psalm 23 because of what those Words of God give us: strength to go forward by propping up our weak faith. Those words of Psalm 23 remind us that the path we are walking now while following Christ is sure and certain. “He leads [us] in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3b). This path, led by the Good Shepherd, is a path without visible road signs, but this path is certain, because He leads. It is our Shepherd’s path, along which we are being led.

 

Sheep need shepherds. Sheep without a shepherd are doomed. They scatter and are picked off one by one by wolves and other predators. We, too, are like sheep, as without a shepherd, we would wander off into false worship, which leads to eternal death.

 

If we would remain in our trespasses and sins, we would be doomed, but for us and for our salvation, the Good Shepherd rescued us wandering sheep as He laid down His life for you to only take it up again (John 10:18). The Good Shepherd came down from heaven to save us. The Good Shepherd doesn’t cut and run in order to save His own skin when the fight to save you gets tough. He doesn’t let Satan and his demonic wolves sink their teeth into His sheep. Instead, the Good Shepherd suffers for us. He purposely was betrayed, mocked, cursed, crucified, and damned. He presented Himself as a Lamb going uncomplaining forth to suffer the guilt of sinners in our place (LSB 438).

 

Psalm 23 is the story of Jesus, our faithful Shepherd, who leads His people out of the land of death – our life now – and through His death and bodily resurrection, He leads us into life everlasting. 

 

The first four verses of Psalm 23 describe our present experience:

¹       The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. 
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

 

Our whole life here on earth is lived under the shadow of our enemy: death. Certainly, our life has its joys and celebrations. Yet, our life is also lived under a shadow, an overcast sky that won’t go away even as we celebrate and laugh. This shadow of death is the sad reality we have since Man’s Fall into sin.

 

This journey through the valley of the shadow of death can seem like a lonely walk that only ends in defeat. But we who are in Christ have the Good Shepherd’s promise that we do not walk alone. With us walks the Shepherd who has trod this same path before us. This Shepherd is Jesus who stands beside us today in our griefs to give us guidance and direction. But how does the Good Shepherd give us guidance and direction? The Good Shepherd calls His sheep and they follow His voice.

Sheep have impeccable hearing. Multiple flocks can be merged together at night and then separated in the morning, simply by their shepherd’s calling. This is what Jesus says of us earlier in John 10: “The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice”(John 10:3-4).

 

Fellow sheep, Jesus leads you by His voice. Jesus first tenderly taught you to recognize His voice at your Baptism, and through Word and Sacraments, He continues to teach you and lead you through this fallen world with His voice. But we must all learn to distinguish His voice – the Word of Scripture – from the loud and alluring voices of our day. His voice calls you to repentance. His voice calls you to remember your Baptism. His voice calls you to feed on the lush pastures of His Word, His two-edged sword of Law and Gospel. His voice calls you to His Table as He gives you His life-giving flesh and blood spread before you, even while Satan, sin, and death still surround you.

 

But take notice: all the important actions in Psalm 23 happen by the Good Shepherd’s work, not yours. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads. He restores. He leads.

 

So, we must watch out as we live in this valley, 

§  for there are wolves and thieves aplenty who would rather teach you that Holy Baptism is your work, instead of the work of God – something you do to show yourself to be a sheep rather than the brand the Good Shepherd puts on you to make you as His own. As if a sheep could brand itself. 

§  There are those who want to teach you that the Lord’s Supper is not the table of the Good Shepherd’s body and blood, but only a symbolic supper as we remember fondly what Jesus did for us. As if a sheep could feed itself. 

§  There are those who would turn you inward to your wants, your beliefs, your feelings, to your self-centered desires, your pride, and away from Jesus and His blood-bought gifts. As if a sheep could shepherd itself.

 

Jesus says, “Flee from them!” (John 10:5). So, we must flee from anyone who would turn us away from the Good Shepherd! Instead, we must all give careful attention to the voice of the Good Shepherd, and gladly hear them, read, mark, learn, and take His Words to heart, so that He feeds us, directs us, leads us, and comforts us.

 

The last two verses of Psalm 23 focus both on the now and on the promise of the age to come.

In these verses, the Good Shepherd prepares a table before us. He is hospitable to His sheep. The Good Shepherd not only gives us our daily bread – all the needs of our body, such as food, clothing and shelter – but He gives us the gift of His very Body and very Blood in the Lord’s Supper for the forgiveness of our sins and to strengthen our weak faith.

 

The cup that overflows is the grace that we have received by faith in Jesus Christ. For although we were dead in sin, Jesus took upon Himself the death we deserve upon the cross, so that we would be made righteous by grace through faith in Him. So, when we repent and confess our sins to God, our sins are wiped away. We are forgiven. The Good Shepherd gives all who believe in Him this goodness and mercy all their lives, including into the Church Triumphant, as He never forsakes His flock.

 

Now, there are times when you might feel abandoned. There may be times that you think God may be punishing you. There may be times that you think God doesn’t care for you. But what does God say in Psalm 23? You are not alone. He cares for you. He will never forsake His sheep. Jesus is your Good Shepherd, who comforts you, who cares for you. He sends goodness and mercy. He leads you right into His house here today and will keep you who follow Him in His house forever.

 

Again, sheep that are separated from the flock are easy pickings for the wolves. So, Christians do not – and cannot – go it alone, for that would be going against the very voice of the Good Shepherd. Those who call themselves Christians without attending the Divine Service tend to believe in a little bit of everything, and in time will wind up believing nothing at all. So, sheep who don’t learn the voice of their Shepherd will soon follow any voice. Outside the Good Shepherd’s Word and Sacraments is only a world that is cold and deadly, where there is neither forgiveness nor life.

 

But here in the Lord’s house, He restores the joy of salvation to your soul! Here, the Good Shepherd guides us to safety while we live in this dark valley. Here and now, the Good Shepherd gives to you the gift of forgiveness! Here, the Good Shepherd gives the foretaste of the heavenly feast as He serves you forgiveness, life, and salvation through His body and blood under the bread and wine. Here, the Good Shepherd fills our cups to overflowing with His grace and mercy, so that we may dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

 

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Funeral Sermon: "Following the Shepherd" (Psalm 23; Revelation 7:9-17)

Lyle, Mark and Marilyn, family and friends of Glenda:

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

 

[Resting From Her Labors]

 

All throughout Glenda’s life, the Triune God – the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – provided for all of her needs of body and soul. The Lord gave her faith at the waters of Holy Baptism, and the Lord sustained that faith. Today, Glenda is now resting from her labors.

 

As you may know, Glenda was a twin – and despite being the smaller of the two – she survived, but her twin sister died shortly after birth. She and Lyle also experienced the loss of their son Michael when he was 12 years old. In life, she certainly experienced her share of heartache. God gives and He takes away. We – on this side of heaven – don’t know why He does the things He does and we are free to question Him, but His will is always good. But also as is life, Glenda experienced so many celebrations. She enjoyed traveling. She especially enjoyed her travels to Europe and Alaska, but also those weekend trips through the mountains of Colorado.

Glenda was devout to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Here at Prince of Peace, she was one to get involved in various activities, such as altar guild and Bible studies. However, to many at Prince of Peace, Glenda and the church kitchen were synonymous. For some reason, when discussing anything about the church kitchen, Glenda’s name always seems to come up.

 

Throughout her life, Glenda was blessed by God. She was blessed to be a wife and mother. She was blessed to be a grandmother and great-grandmother. Among these blessings, she cherished every moment of family time. On occasion, she would ask, “Have you heard anything from the boys?” The boys being her grandsons. She thoroughly enjoyed hearing the latest from her grandsons. But her greatest blessing is receiving the gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone!

 

Today, Glenda is resting from her labors as she has received the promise of eternal life as she has joined the Church Triumphant in heaven! As Glenda experienced loss during her earthly life, today, we are also experiencing loss. With any separation, we come to a time of mourning. We mourn because death is not natural. Now, some mourn publicly, while others mourn privately. But we all mourn. You see, humanity was not created to die. But due to our first parents – Adam and Eve – we all die, because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). And, so we mourn. But mourning is a good and godly work. Why’s that? Well, Jesus wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. Jesus wept because He loved His friend, so weeping and mourning the death of any loved one is a good work.

 

We Christians mourn the reality of death. We mourn because we were never intended to die and should live forever. But we do not mourn as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We mourn, but our mourning is mixed with hope. Our tears are mixed with faith. Our sadness is mixed with joy in the Lord’s promises. So, what are the Lord’s promises? Well, our Scripture readings are just that! Psalm 23 portrays our life here on earth “now”. Revelation 7 points to the “not yet” that Glenda is now experiencing in heaven.

 

[The Valley]

 

Our whole life here on earth is lived under the shadow of our enemy: death. Certainly, our life has its joys and celebrations. Yet our life is also lived under a shadow, an overcast sky that won’t go away even as we celebrate and laugh. This shadow of death is the sad reality we have since the Fall into sin.

 

This journey through the valley of the shadow of death can seem like a lonely walk that ends in defeat. But we who are in Christ have the Good Shepherd’s promise that we do not walk alone. With us walks the Shepherd who has trod this same path before us. This Shepherd is Jesus who stands beside us today in our grief to give us guidance and direction.

 

This Shepherd is who walked into the valley of the shadow of death. He left the brilliance of heaven, descended to earth, was conceived by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and took upon Himself our human flesh and became one of us, though without sin. His perfect life was a display of God’s merciful love and care for all people. He used His power to forgive sin and overcome death, disease, and the devil. He healed the sick, raised the dead, and cast out demons. But all the while, His ministry had one direction as He was led to the cross. There, the sinless Lamb of God was made to be sin for us – as He took upon Himself all our sins. He died in our place as the atoning sacrifice and rose from the dead for our justification. Through His death and resurrection, the Good Shepherd brought us grace.

 

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is the One who walks through the valley with us. With Him by our side, He gives us rest in “green pastures.” With Him by our side, He raises us from death to life through the “still waters” of Baptism. With Him by our side, He “restoreth my soul.” With Him by our side, He leads us on the right path, because Jesus is the righteous path.

 

We are never alone as we travel in the valley of the shadow of death in our life now. The Lord Jesus has walked it before and He is walking it with us today and every day.

 

Throughout our life, Jesus is walking with us. He is right at our side leading. For everyone in Christ, He calls us His friends (John 15:15). Now, what does Jesus mean here by “friend”? Is He just a buddy? No, much more than that! The hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” was one of Glenda’s favorites. Through our singing, Jesus invites us to stand in awe and gratitude that He who reigns over all creation now treats His people – who were once His enemies, due to sin – as His friends.

 

Throughout the hymn, God invites us to pray. Oh, and this is a peace we often forfeit when we decline the invitation to pray. Throughout this hymn, we are reminded of the everyday difficulties, which are sometimes faith-challenging trials, but no matter what while we live in the shadow of death now, we have a Friend who is always faithful and He always fulfills His promises. And, He always knows the best answer to our prayers.

 

[The Mountaintop]

 

In this valley, Jesus leads us and answers our prayers. From the valley of this life, we will one day come to the mountaintop. We heard of this mountaintop in Revelation 7. Upon this mountaintop, we see “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes” (Revelation 7:9).

 

So, who are these people “clothed in white robes?” Well, these people are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation – that is, out of the valley of the shadow of death. Among this Church Triumphant is Glenda. She and all the faithful are now standing before the throne, because their robes have been made white through the blood of the Lamb. Jesus died in the valley, so that all by grace through faith in Him might live on the mountain.

 

Glenda is now arrayed in white among the faithful in heaven. She is there because she believed in Jesus as the only Savior from sin. Upon her death, Glenda came out of the valley of the shadow of death and is now singing on the mountaintop with her fellow saints. They sing because they are free from all pain and sorrow, because in the presence of the Good Shepherd, sin has no power over them. Jesus has wiped away ever tear from their eyes as they hunger no more, neither thirst anymore. Glenda and her fellow saints are completely satisfied!

 

Glenda heard the Shepherd’s voice and followed Him while in the valley (John 10:27) and she is now with Him on the mountaintop. By God’s grace, we may one day join her. By grace through faith in Jesus, our destination is with the saints arrayed in white!

 

But heaven is not the end! There is more to come! Paul writes: “Behold! I tell you a mystery … In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ... For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51,52). You see, death does not have the final say. Life has the final say. Since Christ has been raised from the dead, we too, will also be raised on that glorious resurrection day! Amen.

 

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Glenda Marie Anderson Obituary:

 https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/glenda-anderson-obituary?id=36543160

Funeral Sermon: "God's Grace Is Always Runneth Over" (Psalm 23)

Family and friends of Delores:

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

 

Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and my own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15).

 

Delores knew the Good Shepherd and the Good Shepherd knew her. Throughout her earthly life, Jesus – the Good Shepherd – provided for Delores. Today, this same Good Shepherd continues to provide all of Delores’ needs.

 

In her earthly life, Delores was known for her hospitality. She was one who found enjoyment in caring for other people. With her hospitality, she was a fabulous cook and a cheerful giver. One thing she thoroughly enjoyed was socializing with people. From what I learned, she really enjoyed talking. She enjoyed talking so much that she received a nickname: Windy. She could talk with just about anyone and about anything.

 

Here at Prince of Peace, Delores served her Lord in various vocations, including teaching Sunday School and singing in the choir.

 

All throughout her life, the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – certainly blessed Delores. The Lord provided her with a loving husband David; two children: Jeff and __; grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But most importantly, the Lord provided her with the gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

 

Today, Delores is resting from her labors as she has received the promise of eternal life. She no longer suffers the effects of sin. She is at peace as she has joined the Church Triumphant with all the saints in heaven!

 

But for us here this morning, we are experiencing a loss. With any separation, we come to a time of mourning. We mourn because death is not natural. You see, humanity was not created to die. But due to our first parents – Adam and Eve – we all die, because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). And so, we mourn. But mourning is a good and godly work. Your see, Jesus wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. He wept because He loved His friend, so weeping and mourning the death of any loved one is a good work.

 

Christians mourn at the reality of death. Christians mourn because we were never intended to die and we should live forever. But Christians do not mourn as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We mourn, but our mourning is mixed with hope. Our tears are mixed with faith. Our sadness is mixed with joy, since despite the wages of sin being death, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b).

 

Today, through her death as a believer in Christ, sin has no more power over Delores. She has a clear mind, and she has no more pain, no more hunger, no more thirst. For us, on this side of heaven, we hear about God’s encouraging Word as our Good Shepherd.

 

[The Lord Leads Us]

 

For us here this morning, we can only imagine what Delores is witnessing and receiving from her Lord. But let us not forget, our Lord is caring for us now just as He is caring for Delores in heaven. God teaches us this fact in Psalm 23.

 

“The Lord is my shepherd; 
         I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
         He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
         He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).

 

In the first three verses of Psalm 23, we hear how the Good Shepherd leads us. The Good Shepherd cares for all the needs of His flock. In doing so, He cares for every human need: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

 

Under the care of the Good Shepherd, we shall not want. Now this doesn’t mean that we will never have any desires. Certainly, we still have wants. But, in Christ, all of our needs are met. The Good Shepherd supplies the basics through His daily bread: food, drink, and protection.

 

Each day of our life – and in the life to come – God provides for us abundantly. He leads us to “lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2a). Now, these green pastures are His Means of Grace – Word and Sacrament. In these “green pastures,” we are fed and strengthened, preserved from error, comforted in all temptations, protected against the devil’s power, and saved from all need.

 

The Good Shepherd also “restores our soul” (Psalm 23:3a). Christ teaches us saying, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). We are Christ’s sheep, because He has made us His own. You see, Christ restores our soul through His bloody sacrifice and death for His sheep – you and me. Through Christ’s death, we are restored in the eyes of God the Father and all by faith in His Son.

 

The Good Shepherd also leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. This path of righteousness is “the right path.” You see, Jesus will never lead us to a place of slaughter. He leads us to eternal life and salvation. Along the way, He leads us along safe paths to heaven through His Word. He leads us to heaven, for the Good Shepherd is the only Way (John 14:6) to travel the righteous path.

 

[The Lord is Present]

 

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
         Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

 

Even in the most frightening situation in our life, the Good Shepherd is present. So, we can always be confident of God’s guiding presence. Valleys on the way to the high pastureland often have the best grass, but valleys can also be places of hidden danger for the sheep. Even so, as we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” the Good Shepherd is with us. He is always present with us. The Good Shepherd never sends His sheep into places He will not go. He is always with us in our lives today and in the life to come!

 

[The Lord Provides Forever]

 

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
         Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
         and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5-6).

 

These verses tell how the Good Shepherd always provides for His sheep.

 

He prepares a table before us. This shows how the Good Shepherd is hospitable to His sheep. The Good Shepherd not only gives us our daily bread – all the needs of our body, such as food, clothing and shelter – but He gives us the gift of His very Body and very Blood in the Lord’s Supper for the forgiveness of our sins and to strengthen our weak faith.

 

The “cup runneth over” is the grace that we have received by faith in Jesus Christ. For although we were dead in sin, Jesus took upon Himself the death we deserve upon the cross, so that we would be made righteous by grace through faith in Him. For although we sin much in thought, word and deed, God’s grace is the cup that is always runneth over. So, when we repent and confess our sins to God, our sins are wiped clean. We are forgiven.

 

The Good Shepherd gives all who believe in Him this goodness and mercy all their lives.

 

[Dwelling in the House of the Lord Forever]

For everyone who dies in Christ, they experience the ending of Psalm 23: “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6b).

 

As soon as those who know the Good Shepherd enter heaven, they are no longer sinners, but only saints. For Delores and her fellow saints, they “hunger no more, neither thirst anymore” (Revelation 7:16a), since they are in the presence of the Good Shepherd. While in heaven, the Good Shepherd continues to provide.

 

Today, it is only through Christ’s work that Delores is now resting from her labors, as Jesus has accomplished salvation for her and for you and me! By grace through faith in Christ, death is but a portal, since “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b).

 

Delores has joined the Church Triumphant in heaven as she has left the great tribulation of this life now. She is clothed in Christ’s Robe of Righteousness as she is before the throne of God where she hungers no more, neither thirst anymore as she is in the presence of the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ (Revelation 7:14-17). Today, Delores and her fellow saints are free from sin and its power.

 

But heaven is not the end. For all the faithful, there is still something more on the horizon. “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). You see, death does not have the final say. Life has the final say. Since Christ has been raised from the dead, we too, will also be raised. So, Delores’ grave will be as empty as the grave of Jesus! This body buried will be the body raised on that glorious resurrection day!

 

May we follow Delores’ example of faith in the Good Shepherd and receive the free gift of His grace that is always runneth over. Amen!

 

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Delores Taylor's Obituary: http://jandtfredrickson.com/obituaries/index.php?id=2456