In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

     At times, one can find scholars, and writers, and yes, even preachers who lament the fact that Jesus lived in a culture that was largely agrarian, so that his examples often had to do with the sowing of seeds, harvest time, planting and caring for vineyards, and yes, sheep and shepherding. And these agricultural illustrations are lamented, today, because they are thought to be foreign to most of us, distant from our modern, urban and suburban existence, hard for people today to relate to, unless they are those few who happened to grow up, or live in or around farms, ranches, or livestock. There are many today who question the value of such rural images, for civilized city-folk, like us. And yet, there are others who suggest that it is just such earthy, simple images which speak to the hearts of those of us who are surrounded by the world and rampant worldliness-and desire, deep in our hearts, what these illustrations describe about God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Take sheep and shepherds, for example.

     Today, Jesus speaks about life in the world and life in the kingdom of God, using sheep and shepherds as illustrative of what this life is like, and what this life should be like. He connects with his first century listeners, by pointing to the fact, well known by all, that there are many dangers which surround sheep, which are by nature, innocent, vulnerable, and unable-to-defend themselves. And what Jesus says, about these dangers, is that while all are aware of the danger presented by wolves and natural pitfalls, the greatest of dangers to sheep, are the two legged kind-the thieves and bandits who would try, not just to grab and make off with a single lamb, but those who would try to lure away an entire flock! Interestingly, Jesus is speaking about these things to his disciples, but also to the Pharisees and religious leaders who had just been challenging him about his authority. So that this discussion of the faithful and true shepherd who loves and cares for his sheep, is contrasted with those who come only to steal and kill and destroy the sheep-which clearly, is a metaphorical way of pointing out that He, Jesus is the faithful and true shepherd, while the Pharisees and religious leaders are the thieves and bandits! And while this would have offended the Pharisees and religious leaders, it would have spoken deeply to the hearts and lives of the disciples, and every average, ordinary person who felt that they were indeed, at times, threatened, persecuted, endangered by these thieves and bandits, masquerading as religious persons, but who were in reality, interested only in stealing and killing and destroying-the flock. And in spite of the fact that many of us have not grown up around sheep or shepherds; in spite of the fact that probably only very few of us were raised on a farm or a ranch-don't the words of Jesus, and the illustration he lays out in our gospel text, speak to our lives, and reach deep into our hearts, to touch us in those places where we, too, are afraid and anxious about the dangers and threats that surround us? We have to say that we, too, are challenged in our faith, by the thousands of religious organizations and leaders and quasi-religions all trying to lure us into some new spirituality or expression which promise to make us more spiritual, more aware, more in touch with deeply meaningful things. Whether it's new age religion, or secular humanism, or eastern spiritual traditions promising enlightenment and nirvana; whether it's the church growth movement, or those who suggest that the key to success for Lutherans is to be less than distinctively Lutheran; whether it's the tempters who want to lure us away from traditional Christian doctrine and teaching, to politically correct adaptations which are grounded in society and culture, rather than Scripture; whether it's those religious figures who want to take us away from the one true God, to false gods-or those who want to simply reshape the one true God into a god more palatable and in line with current trends and thinking-we, sheep, are truly beset and battered by thieves and bandits all working to lead the flock astray and steal sheep away from, the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. And at the same time, together with the false shepherds and pastors, who are in truth, crooks and liars-there are other thieves and bandits who would rob us of life and health and security. All around us, there are charlatans and con-men and women, who are at work to trick us, and mislead us, and steal from us, our money, our homes and families, our financial well-being. All around us are those who would like to take from us whatever they can get, and leave us with nothing. And sometimes these thieves and bandits are waiting for us, literally on the street, or in dark parking lots at the mall-while other times they are lurking on the internet; while still others are hidden in financial institutions, and investment companies. And yes, there are some thieves and bandits in the companies we work for, and some in our families-waiting to take advantage of us-waiting to lead us astray, so that they can pounce. Without a doubt, there are all kinds of thieves and bandits in our world, hoping to prey on innocent, unsuspecting sheep, like us. But, whatever unsavory characters we face in life, the desire for a true shepherd, a good shepherd, hits home for most of us, so that we hear Jesus' words and yearn for just such a faithful and trustworthy shepherd! We don't have to have grown up in Wyoming on a sheep ranch, to understand and wish with all our hearts, for a good shepherd! The desire for a Savior who will care for us, and watch out for us, and feed us, and deliver us-is universal! It transcends cultures and nations and backgrounds. If it wasn't before, it is now a universal image, that speaks to the heart of people who are lost and alone and in need, of a shepherd, in life. And Jesus proclaims, Jesus affirms, Jesus says that He is that shepherd! Jesus goes on in the very next verses after our gospel lesson to say, "I am the Good Shepherd-the Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." And the Good Shepherd is also the gate for the sheep, because in biblical times, the sheep-fold was a circle of rocks built up into a wall, with a small opening through which the sheep could enter. And the shepherd, himself, would lay down across the opening, to become a living gate, so that no one could get in or out, without having to deal with the shepherd. Which, of course, also reminds us that if the sheep-fold is the church, and we are the sheep, no one enters the church, but by Jesus! And similarly, none of the sheep are to leave the sheep-fold, unless they hear the shepherd's voice, and follow him. When we leave the church and go out into the world, the only way that we can be protected and secure, is by following Jesus, and only by following Jesus. To run away from Him, to stray from the Good Shepherd, is to put our very lives in danger. To listen to his voice, and to follow Him always, is not just to have life, but to have it abundantly! Which is why the Christian life, the life of being a sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd, implies a way of life-implies, not just laying fat and sassy in the sheep-fold all our lives, but following the Shepherd along the way-staying close to Him, following Him this way and that-doing what He does, heeding His voice. St. Gregory of Nyssa expresses this wonderfully when he talks about this way of following, saying, "to the one who asks about everlasting life, the Lord answered. 'Come, follow me!' But remember, whoever follows sees the back of the one he follows. Even Moses who demands to see God, is allowed only to see, not the face of God, but His back. To follow God wherever he leads, is to see God in this way." And that's what it means for us to follow our Good Shepherd. We see God, as we follow the Good Shepherd. We learn the way of Christ, by following His voice and keeping Him in sight, all our days. And what is the way of Christ? What is this path that He leads us on? St. Luke tells us, in our reading from Acts, that those first Christians followed Jesus by devoting themselves to the apostle's teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. They had all things in common, and sold their possessions and distributed the proceeds to those in need. Day by day, they spent time together in the temple, broke bread at home, and ate their food with generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all people. This is the way we are to live, as we follow Jesus. This is how Christians live, to have not just life, but life that is abundant! We devote ourselves to the apostle's teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. We give of ourselves for the sake of those in need, and gather in the temple regularly. And then, we eat our food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all people.

     As Easter people, as people who live the resurrection of our Lord every day, as people, set free from sins, as Peter writes, so that we might live for righteousness-this is what it means to live for righteousness-we follow Jesus our Good Shepherd, worshiping God, breaking bread in the temple, praying, giving self-lessly for others, as we keep our Good Shepherd ever before us. That's what it means to have a Shepherd-and that's what it means to be His sheep-we follow Him-we trust Him to protect and care for us-and, we remain with the flock-day by day, worshiping God, breaking bread in the temple, praying and giving of ourselves, as sheep of the Good Shepherd!

     In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.