Hey, Good Shepherd, Are We Going the Wrong Way?

Welcome to the teaching ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church. Kungsvinger is a beacon for the gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone.

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John 10 and the Voice of the Good Shepherd

From Pastor Chris Roseberg. The Holy Gospel according to St. John the 10th chapter. Jesus said, truly truly I say to you he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way that man is a thief and a robber.

But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep to him the gatekeeper opens. 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.

A stranger they will not follow but they will flee from him for they do not know the voice of strangers. This figure of speech Jesus used with them but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them truly truly I say to you I am the door of the sheep all who came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not listen to them I am the door. If anyone enters by me he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

The thief comes only to steal to kill and to destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. This is the gospel of the Lord in the name of Jesus. All right so it's it's no mystery I enjoy a good James Bond movie or something like that.

The Good Shepherd Leads Through the Valley of Death

You know I'm talking about the James Bond this is the guy who like you know he can get into any situation any scrape and find a way out of it and the one thing I've always liked about Daniel Craig's version of of James Bond is that he bleeds right he he's he's not the kind of person that's invincible he's not Superman.

He gets himself into real dangerous scrapes and comes this close to dying like all the time but over and again when you kind of think of heroes like James Bond and the kind of the way the movie trope works you know there's there's one thing is I love about these movies is there's always like a travelogue bit to it you're going to exotic locations places you haven't traveled to before and and so this is where James Bond is doing his surreptitious spying kind of thing always on a mission and of course the bad guys detect him and next thing you know he's like racing motorcycles across the tops of roofs and turkey and stuff like this right and so what ends up happening is he just escapes by this much and is picked up by an operative and is finally safely inside of a vehicle and they're heading to get out of harm's way and next thing you know James Bond notices that the person driving has made a turn that doesn't make any sense this isn't going the way it's supposed to go and it says hey say wait you just missed that turn.

And next thing you know the locks go down and now the next round of drama begins. Right. I like I like to think of Good Shepherd Sunday like this again you'll note that I always like to take swipes at like the these like almost ridiculously idyllic pictures of Jesus that take out any danger as it relates to the life of a Christian.

So we've all seen these beautiful pictures of Jesus holding that beautiful little lamb and we want to just hold on to that image and just kind of think of Jesus like a good cup of chamomile tea on a slightly rainy day while snuggling up on your couch.

And it's this is what Christianity is all about. Right. It's it's all about that warm fuzzy safe feeling. But I would note that is not what Good Shepherd Sunday is about and I love our epistle text because of it.

But let me let me help you out. The assigned psalm for today is Psalm 23. And I've noted in the past that when I am visiting people on their deathbeds this is a psalm that they want to hear and and there's comfort for them as they are drawing near the end of their journey.

But for we who still have a few days left in our journey have you listened to this thing. Have you stopped and say wait a second Jesus where are you taking me. Okay this is a good shepherd who takes us through some pretty weird terrain.

If all you think that Christianity is is about fluffiness and in experiencing the abundant beautiful blessed life. Now in fact listen to with the way it goes the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures he leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. So far so good. Right. And boy it'd be great if it like stopped right here. Okay. But then it takes a really dark turn even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Wait the what that there's a huh yeah the valley of the shadow of death. You're taking us through there Jesus. Have you ever thought Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He's leading his sheep. But where does he take him through the valley of the shadow of death.

As one of my pastors used to say Jesus doesn't save us from death. He saves us through it. Jesus doesn't save us from suffering. He saves us through suffering. And if you have this idyllic picture of Christianity that somehow being a Christian if I if I just put out the right amount of money into the plate every week if I just make sure that I obey the commandments the right amount because obviously I can't keep him perfectly but I mean God knows the intentions of my heart.

If I just try really hard to be the best Christian that I possibly can and love my Good Shepherd Jesus then the abundant life that Jesus is talking about is going to make me healthy wealthy influential wise and all those other things.

It's kind of a form of the prosperity gospel. Right. But here the scriptures are clear that our Good Shepherd leads us through the valley of the shadow of death. All of a sudden you recognize the Good Shepherd Jesus has taken a wrong turn.

Didn't expect that. Where are we going. Jesus. And as soon as we ask the questions the locks go down and we are in for well the right of our lives. Right. But you'll note the psalmist says even though I walk to the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil.

That's a pretty dicey neighborhood that shadow of death by the way. And it's not a place you want to live. But some of us have to sojourn through there yet. So when you're in the midst of that neighborhood no you do not need to fear any evil.

Because you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me. The disciplining actions of a shepherd. Yeah you know by hook or by crook. If a sheep is not going to obey and not going to listen to the Good Shepherd well then the shepherd can grab the hook and just put them on the right path.

And if they're being stubborn and obstinate we could just break a leg and you know and wound them just enough so that they'll get the point and do the right thing. Hook or by crook your rod and your staff they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me again. Notice this valley of the shadow of death. Dicey neighborhood. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. What kind of picture is this sheep having a meal while the wolves are kind of circling around.

That's the Christian life. Is it. Not. It is. But you anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows and surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will in the future dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The Early Church Was Not a Utopian Paradise

Another way to think of it is this is that it always cracks me up when you see a Marxist trying to exegete Acts chapter 2 our text today Marxists are all about creating that utopian workers paradise here on earth and never works out.

Because you'll note that that's that's just these ideologies are contrary to reality itself. But they'll sit there and go. Well take a look at this. Isn't this what Christianity is supposed to be. Right after after Pentecost Sunday.

You have all these newly baptized Christians. Their ears are still wet behind them and they now listen to what it says. They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching in the fellowship to the breaking of bread and prayers.

And the Lutheran sits there and goes yeah that's all you need for church. You need God's Word. You need fellowship the Lord's Supper and to pray. You have that. And you have the church. And that is portable anywhere.

You can take it into the catacombs. You can take it into the forest. You can do it here in a beautiful building like this. But you can do it on the run while being chased by wolves. There's all kinds of places you can do this and you don't even need a building.

And we would note that's the case. But note it then says. And all came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were being done through the Apostles. Any our folks need to pay attention to that. Not every Christian can perform signs and wonders.

But all who believe were together and they had all things in common. And here it is. Here we got Marxist communism right there in the text. They had all things in common and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need.

And day by day attending the temple together breaking bread in their homes. They received their food with glad and generous hearts praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to their number day by day those who are being saved.

What a beautiful picture. They had everything in common. People were selling their possessions giving to the poor. Nobody was in need. Therefore communism. It's the workers paradise here on earth. I would note this.

And they did this out of generosity fruit of the Holy Spirit caring for each other's needs. They didn't do this at the point of a gun. You'll note that's kind of the big difference between the two. There's a difference between voluntary generosity and love for neighbor and trying to save your own skin by not being well murdered by your own government for not going along with the regime.

There's a big difference between the two. But you'll note that this is an incomplete picture of what happened in the early church. Because yes it's true this is how things started off. But does that mean the church didn't have problems moving forward that their faith had to.

They had to walk out by faith. Of course they had problems. Don't you love it. Like when you spend time working on a project in your home right. Maybe you've got a bathroom that needs to be redone. Or maybe you got to paint your house over again.

Right. Yeah things like this. And and you know what after you're done with the project it looks beautiful. Right. And then the first winter comes and then the next year comes. And what was so wonderful to behold it was so clean and new.

You recognize. You're gonna have to do the whole thing over again this year. Right. Because that second law of thermodynamics is really fun to work with. Right. But the idea here is this is that this idyllic picture is not where Christianity stops.

In fact Christianity has to go forward. And you note in the chapters that follow there was legitimate murderous persecution that the Christians had to face. They had turmoil and discord among themselves that had to be dealt with in faith.

They were made to suffer. They had to scatter and leave their homes in order to not be arrested and rounded up. There's all kinds of troubles that they had to face. So it is an incomplete picture of Christianity.

If you just kind of stop here at where things started and you'll note that we too are called to then walk out our faith with Christ beside us our Good Shepherd leading us. And here's where we then should pay attention to our epistle text.

Called to Suffer for Doing Good

Because our epistle text gives us a far more accurate picture of what it is that we are and listen to the word called to do all. Right. I note that there are a lot of people out there they want to know what God's will is.

What are we called to do. What's our purpose. Why are we here. Well you're not gonna like this text because what it says is not gonna make you feel good about and safe and comfortable. Instead it might actually convince you that there's a cost to being a Christian.

And you'll note Christianity our faith our salvation is free by grace through faith because Christ has bled and died for our sins. But that doesn't promise us easy living here on earth. And if that's what your expectation of Christ is you've got the wrong Jesus.

So listen to this epistle text. This is a gracious thing when mindful of God one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. Now just think about that sentence for a second. Isn't that exactly what happened to Jesus.

How many sins did Jesus commit. Zero. How many crimes did he commit. Zero. How did he end up dead on a cross executed. Right. So you'll note that Jesus is quite the exemplar of those who suffer unjustly.

And indeed he did suffer unjustly except for this one little fact God laid on him the iniquity of us all so that we can be forgiven and pardoned of our sins. You'll note that oftentimes one of the impetuses behind people in gauging in criminal activity is this this belief that somehow they're entitled to things and people have stuff that they shouldn't have that really belongs to me.

But they found a way to rig the system so that it ended up with them rather than me. So they justify their actions and as a result of it they commit crimes and things like this. People who are caught for committing such crimes are truly beaten and have to endure those beatings.

But they are not suffering unjustly. They are suffering justly. This is why Peter goes on to say what credit is it if when you sin and you are beaten for it and you endure. I assure you when I was a kid and my parents spanked me.

Now thankfully they stopped spanking me when I was at a particular age they were pretty reasonable in that regard. I hated being spanked but at no point when I would receive a good lashing from my dad.

When my dad say you know son I'm very impressed how well you endured under that particular spanking. You know and you know yes you deserved it just like anybody else. But you really did a good job of being spanked.

Well no I remember memories as a kid going to bed after having being spanked. And there's a weird cry that you do when you have when you when when this happens. And you know I'm talking about and the aftermath of it like lasts forever.

Where like yeah you are you're sitting. And even though you've stopped crying you're gonna go. You still go like this you go. It's a terrible experience altogether. But you'll note that nobody is given credit when they have justice done to them because they have done wrong.

But note then the text it is a gracious thing in the eyes of God when you do good and you suffer for it and you endure. There's a phrase that we've all heard before no good deed goes unpunished. That's that's a reality of our world.

And the scripture says that when you suffer for doing good this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. And dare I say it that this is part of what the neighborhood of the valley of the shadow of death is all about.

You live in that neighborhood. You've been dwelling in that zip code all of your life. It's a bad neighborhood. And people who do good in that neighborhood are singled out to be made to suffer. And this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

And verse 21 let these words sink in for to this. Y 'all have been called. Wait. What. Yeah this is your calling. Yeah there's no way around it. So if I were to stand up in the pulpit weeks from now maybe I've lost my mind.

I'm clearly I mean I'm not keeping step with things like I used to. Right. And I start sitting there talking about rainbows and unicorns and how Jesus just wants to bless you in Candyland and Candy Crush.

Okay. And all this kind of weird stuff. Right. Okay you've known you at this point you know it's time to take Pastor Rose bro and put him in a home and forget another pastor. Because I'm not telling you the truth.

I'm telling you something different. We are called to suffer. And how many of us want to do that. Ooh please sign me up for it. Okay. I've got great news for you. You don't even have to sign up. Your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Good news. That's part of the program. Our Good Shepherd leads us through the valley of the shadow of death and we are called to suffer. To this you have been called and here's the reason why. Because Christ also suffered for you he has now left you an example so that you might follow in his steps.

What I find fascinating is is that in charismatic circles. Right. They all claim that we need to follow the example of Jesus in performing miracles. We need to do signs and wonders and things like this.

Go for it dude. You know I remember on Friday I asked Brandon Kimbrand that you've been doing these American Gospel docuseries for a while. They were up to number three. Right. And I said in all of your and all of the time that you've been doing this have you ever been given legitimate evidence of true miracles that are really happening by these people who say that we as Christians need to do them.

In short his answer was no. And he kind of chuckled at the thought. Right. You'd think with all these charismatics knowing leaders and NAR leaders knowing that Brandon Kimbrand is putting out an entire docuseries about holy fire and stuff like this and talking about their movement they would have said this is the time this is what we need.

We're gonna give Brandon Kimbrand all the evidence that we need that with that to prove that we're we're following Jesus example and we're performing miracles. And they couldn't do it. Not a single one of them again all of their miracles kind of come down to this.

Hey take a look. Isn't that neat. Right. That's the miracle we're talking about. But you're gonna note what we are called to the example that we are called to emulate to look to Christ and say that's what we're supposed to follow him in doing.

It's following him in his suffering. Christ suffered for you leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin. Neither was deceit found in his mouth when he was reviled.

He did not revile in return. When he suffered he did not threaten but continued in trusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness by his wounds.

You have been healed for you were straying like sheep. But you have now returned to the shepherd and the overseer of your souls have. Do you notice how first Peter to our epistle text talking about the shepherd and overseer of our souls is as David says leading us through the valley of the shadow of death.

He's leading us through suffering. And you're going to note we as Christians. It's easy to loathe this idea. It's a load the idea. Well I I don't want to suffer. I don't want to be unpopular. I don't want people to hate me.

I don't want to be canceled. I I don't want to bear the reproach of Christ. I want to be liked by the people in my neighborhood. It's easy to think this way right. But you'll note that when we think this way we are rebuffing the very thing that scripture says that we're called to do.

It's a form of idolatry self-idolatry self-preservation. The one who tries to save his life. Scripture says well what. Lose it. And so note brothers and sisters this is the kind of stuff that challenges us on the level that is hard for us all.

And it calls us all out. It accuses us in ways that we are all found guilty. It is true. We don't like to suffer. We would prefer to get along. But that's not the idea here now we don't suffer for suffering's sake.

That that makes no sense. You know I'm gonna set out to suffer. No we have to suffer for doing good which requires us to do what. To love neighbor. To love neighbor enough to tell neighbor the truth. To love neighbor enough to help neighbor.

And to help neighbors that other people say you can't help because they're they're not worthy of being treated as neighbors. Okay. There's a whole that's a whole other sermon. Right. And when you do such things you'll note that there's a really good chance especially in the world that's going crazier by the minute that you will be made to suffer as a result of doing good.

And when that happens we need to recognize that we are truly blessed. But this also then requires us to be in the word and to help us. The Holy Spirit has to guide us through the word to adopt this mindset.

So rather than seeing suffering as a burden seeing it as something that is necessary something that we are called to Christ left us an example that we would follow in his steps. Hmm. So where is Jesus leading us.

You'll note the suffering isn't the terminus it's just the thing you're passing through. You're passing through the valley of the shadow of death. He'll get you to the other side. And so day by day what do we need to do.

Repent. Repent of our selfishness red. Repent of our arrogance. Repent of our belief that we are important. Repent of the belief that we are self-sufficient that we have the strength to get through. And instead adopt this mentality that we are dumb sheep.

We don't know the way that we're supposed to go left to our own. We're going to be eaten by ravenous wolves. Stay close to Jesus continue to come to church hear his word confess your sins be forgiven rejoice in the forgiveness that you have and let him guide you day by day through this very dicey neighborhood where we suffer.

And when that suffering kind of hits its heightened points along the way which it will do then stay close to Christ. He hasn't left you. He's right there beside you. And he will get you through using his strength his wisdom his guidance.

He knows the way he's brought many sheep through. If you were to think of this world kind of like that underground railroad where slaves were being brought from the south and being brought to freedom in the north.

Okay. It's a good picture here. The dominion of darkness is a lot like that in Christ is the one running the underground railroad taking these slaves people who were born under slavery and bringing them to freedom.

But in order to do that it's a dicey and dangerous road. Freedom is on the other side of your death. Or the resurrection of that comes when Christ returns. So in the meantime keep your head down. He knows what he's doing.

I understand the meals are weird. Because we're eating in front of our enemies. It's a dangerous neighborhood. There's lots of suffering biting and terrible things that happen. But our Jesus does get sheep through he will get you through.

So repent. Believe in Christ our Good Shepherd he's got you in the name.

Of Jesus amen. If you would like to support the.

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