The Rev. Dr. John Tamilio III

 © 2023, Dr. Tamilio

If Jesus was physically here today, to whom would he minister, and what would be the subject of his teachings?  In the place and time in which he lived, he spoke about farming and fishing because he ministered to farmers and fishermen.  What would he do today?  Who knows?  He would most likely use technology as a theme because most of us are exposed to such progress and innovations.  It strikes me as funny, though, to try to imagine Jesus saying, “Imagine that someone lost his iPhone.  Would he not search his house diligently to find it?”  There is a reason why he uses a shepherd as an image of a spiritual and even physical caregiver: there were lots of shepherds in his day.  Remember, the “shepherds abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night” were the first people to hear about his birth.

Shepherds were dirty.  They weren’t well educated.  Their job was lonely and tedious.  It was also dangerous.  What if the wolf came by night?  What if it was a pack of wolves?  Jesus distinguished between a shepherd who is a hired hand and one who owns the sheep.  We can relate this to any contemporary situation.  If you are driving a rental car and you hear a strange noise coming from the engine, you do not really care that much.  You’re more than likely to go back to the place where you rented the car and exchange it for another one.  The problem with the engine is not your problem.  You don’t have to fix it or pay for it to be fixed.  You may feel aggravated, but that’s about the extent of your cost.  But if it’s your car, that’s a different story.  You panic.  You hope that it is a minor problem that a quick adjustment will fix.  You dread going to the mechanic and hearing him say, as he winces, “Well, it looks as if you’re your camshaft is dead.  It will cost you anywhere between $1,500 and $3,000 to fix, but I won’t know till I get in there.”  Which really means that it is going to cost $3,000.  They always have to “get in there” first, and they always wince to suggest that they’ve never seen a camshaft as bad as yours.

We are the sheep and Jesus is the shepherd.  He cares about us deeply because we belong to him.  His love for us is beyond comprehension, so it is difficult to even try to capture it in a sermon, but I will try.  It is self-sacrificial love.  It is giving one’s all for the benefit of another.  It is the height of empathy, compassion, and being a genuine, altruistic person.  Maybe we need to look at Psalm 8, verse 2: “Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.”  Maybe children can enlighten us about the love of Christ.  Maybe they can explain what it is like.  Maybe they can put it into words better than I can.[1]

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too.  That’s love.” ~ Rebecca, age 8

“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” ~ Billy, age 4

“Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs.” ~ Chrissie, age 6

“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” ~ Terri, age 4

“Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” ~ Danny, age 7

“If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” ~ Nikka, age 6

“Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.” ~ Noelle, age 7

“Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” ~ Tommy, age 6

“My mommy loves me more than anybody.  You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” ~ Clare, age 6

“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” ~ Elaine, age 5

“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it.  But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.  People forget.” ~ Jessica, age 8

Indeed, out of the mouths of babes.  Children know what love is, in part because their survival depends on it.  Children are vulnerable.  The younger they are, the more vulnerable they are.  They need others to meet their everyday needs.  They need adults to provide them with food, clothing, and shelter.  They need adults to educate them and instill in them a sense of morality — of right and wrong.  They are utterly dependent.

The same is true of all of us.  We are utterly dependent upon God to meet all of our needs.  Be it the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the homes we live in, the fellowship we enjoy at this church, the people that accompany us in this life — all of these, and so much more, are blessings that we have received at the hand of God.  They are not unlike the care a parent offers a child.  It is this sense of care that lies at the heart of today’s theme: the Good Shepherd is the one who cares for the sheep because they belong to him and know him.  The hired hand doesn’t care, because the hired hand does not have a vested interest in the sheep.  He’s only in it for the money.  If trouble or persecution arises, he’ll be out of there before you can say, Jack Robinson.  The hired hand is going to save his own hide.

The Good Shepherd, on the other hand, will give his life for the sheep.  In fact, that is what our Good Shepherd did.  He loves us so much that he took the sting of death.  I once heard it described this way: a father was at the park with his daughter.  All of a sudden he noticed a honeybee flying close to her.  He grabbed the bee and clenched it in his fist allowing it to sting him instead of his daughter.  He took the sting.  He took the pain.

Our Good Shepherd took the sting.  He took the nails.  He rose from the dead and watches over us still.  His love is never-ending, never-faltering, never-failing.  Under his care, we are led to bountiful green pastures where we will never hunger and where we can drink from still waters; he restores our souls when we feel broken and guides us by his Word to seek righteousness; we are led through the valley of the shadow of death — we do not stay there — we are led through it; enemies are made friends; we are anointed; our cup runneth over; and we are given eternal rest in God’s heavenly home.  The Good Shepherd offers us this.  The Good Shepherd offers us his unconditional, unending, incomparable love.  How much does he love us?  [with arms spread wide] THIS MUCH.  Amen.

[1] The following, “Love Described By Children,” is from Ministry 127 (online).