Sunday Worship

Good Shepherd Sunday

Sheep and shepherds were a common sight in ancient Judea. Sheep were an invaluable source of clothing and food. but they were hard to keep. Judah’s sparse grasslands are intermixed with desert. Food was sparse, but predators were plenteous. The survival of sheep was dependent on their shepherd. There he was: Weather-beaten. Sleepless. Armed. In the dusk, he scans the land, counting his sheep, making sure they are all accounted for, every one of them on his heart. You see why Jesus chose the shepherd to illustrate how he cares for us. He feeds us with his Word. He protects us from that roaring lion, Satan. Jesus is leading us into the green pasture of eternal life. For centuries, the Church has observed this Fourth Sunday of Easter to celebrate that he lives to be our Good Shepherd.