This chapter that is our sermon text today – John chapter 10 – is called the “Good Shepherd chapter.” He is the shepherd that leads His sheep – you and me. He gives this parable of sorts – an illustration to make this point to the disciples. He calls Himself the Good Shepherd (in the text for today). He also calls Himself “The Gate” or “The Way.” Only by and through Him do we have this gift as He leads us down the path of life.

THE Way is what Jesus talks about in the sermon text. Jesus says in John chapter 10, right before the text appointed for this 3rd Sunday of Easter, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” The gate is “The Way.” The sheep go through the gate. Like I just mentioned the gate is Christ Himself. Through Christ is the way we go – everywhere we go. Jesus says in verse 1, “…the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” The robber or the thief go over the fence or comes in to steel the sheep by some other way. “The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.” That’s what verse 2 in our text says. I’m convinced of something -- the gate that we go through as our Lord’s sheep is put there out of love. He put the easy way there – He put “the Way” there because He loves us so much. He shows us that love through what He did. He died on the cross for our sins. He rose from the dead to show our new life in Him. He is the King of Love. The King of Love My Shepherd Is. That’s the title of the sermon hymn for today. If you would, please, turn to hymn 709 of your hymnal and read with me these words of verse one of our hymn: “The King of love my shepherd is, whose goodness faileth never ; I nothing lack if I am His and He is mine forever.” Goodness never fails with Christ. His is The Way to all goodness.

In verses three and four of our text it says, “The Watchmen opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow because they know his voice.”

There’s a story that has been told many times that I’m sure you have heard before. A traveler relates that one day he came to a well at the time when the shepherds watered their flocks. Many different flocks came there at the same time. The sheep of the various flocks mingled, and no attempt was made to keep them separated. The traveler thought that the shepherds would have a tedious and difficult job separating them. But when the time came, each shepherd went his way calling his sheep, and every sheep followed its shepherd.

This is true of the sheep of Christ our Good Shepherd. We hear His voice and we follow His Words. Why do we follow? Because that’s what someone says we are suppose to do? That’s what others are doing – I might as well do it? No, because this is the voice that leads us to the water of life. This is the voice that leads us to the food which gives us sustenance to keep us going spiritually today and forever more into eternity. Like the sheep in the story – the shepherd leads his flock to the water so they can drink. Like in our text, the Good Shepherd’s sheep follow the voice of Christ our Shepherd because He leads us to what we need. What we need is living water. Let’s look at verse two of our hymn on page 709. “Where streams of living water flow, my ransomed soul He leadeth. And, where the verdant pastures grow, with food celestial feedeth.”

The text for this morning’s sermon tells us in verses 7 and 8 that Jesus says again, “I am the gate for the sheep. All that came before me were thieves and robbers but the sheep do not listen to them.” God’s sheep follow the voice of the Good Shepherd and go through Him who is the gate. However, I know that sometimes we don’t always do a good job at following the voice of the shepherd. We go our own way. We mark our own path. In other words, we stray. God has given me the example and the way to be the best friend – yet I spoke harshly to that friend and didn’t include him in my activities. God gave me the way to the best husband – yet there are times when my wife comes second or third or forth or even fifth to so many other things when she needed me the most. God gave me the way to be the best father but yet I fell short of that too. I’m not the best father. I’m sometimes preoccupied. I’m sometimes careless regarding their feelings. I should be more considerate at times. God gave me the way to be the best pastor, and to be the best son for my mother. Yet, I have not lived up to those expectations as well.

This is me – but it’s not just me. It’s you as well. Your priorities are out of whack. Your consideration has not reached out far enough. Your laziness, your ingratitude, your slander, your selfishness. It’s you and it’s me. It’s all of us. We are foolish – we are perverse. Sometimes we are more apt to follow those thieves and robbers that enter the sheep pen by another way. We want to see what that “other way” is all about so we follow that path. Sometimes we do so because it looks more attractive. Sometimes we are just curious. But when it’s not “God’s Way” then it’s the path that leads to nothing more than destruction, hurt, heartache and sometimes disaster.

But that’s not where we end things with our sin. Because Jesus our Way and Good Shepherd seeks out the lost sheep. In His love He sought me. In His love He sought you. Verse three of the sermon hymn says, “Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, but yet in love he sought me. And on His shoulder gently laid and home rejoicing brought me.” I most enjoy the picture of our Good Shepherd carrying His lost sheep on His shoulders. That’s me. That’s you. And He rejoices that He has you.

“I am the gate,” says the Lord. “Whoever enters through me will be saved... “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Thank God we are not left to revel in our sin. We have the gate, who is our Lord, that is our way, truth and life. Brothers and sisters in Christ our Lord, this is where we stand in the Easter glow. We stand redeemed by the work of Christ on that cross. We stand before our brothers and sisters who know Christ as fellow redeemed rejoicing in all that we have together in the kingdom of heaven. We stand here today – in this corner of God’s vineyard that He placed us in as witnesses to those who don’t know Him. And we are led by our Good Shepherd to serve as an example to others. We are led by our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ to live eternally in heaven.

We need a shepherd. You know what they say about sheep? Sheep aren’t too bright. Some have even said, down right ignorant of anything in anyway for themselves. I feel like this sometimes. We all feel like this. We get lost on our own. In our grief we get lost – because in grief we often take it alone. In pain we get lost because with pain we often carry it alone. In trials and temptations, in hardships and fear – the same thing – we get lost because we attempt to do it all alone.

As we take a look at the fourth verse of our hymn listen how our Good Shepherd remains with us in the midst of our fears and how he remains beside us. The Good Shepherd guides us with His rod and staff – He leads us to comfort truth and life. Let’s read together verse four of our hymn: “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.”

These beautiful hymns share with us God’s message of life and salvation. That’s why they are so important to us. They bring out the text and give us a meaningful message that is for all time. And there is nothing that is more for all time than what our Lord is for us – the way, the gate – the life – our Good Shepherd who leads us when we want to go astray on our own. He leads us by His Word – He has given us His cross and His life so that we never are left alone and wondering like sheep without a shepherd. He will always be the Good Shepherd – Because He is alive. Amen

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.