CWA - Epistle - Easter 4 - Good Shepherd - KBKuschel
1 Peter 2:19-25
19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
What does a Shepherd do?
Why does Jesus call himself the Good Shepherd?
IA1 As Christians we focus on the sufferings and death of Jesus. Peter reviews that all for us in one phrase – {21}Christ suffered for you.
2 Peter is very careful to remind us why Jesus suffered. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross. Jesus was a real human being. He had a body just as we do. By having a body He was able to take our place, be our Substitute. He was perfect. He never sinned. But He took our sins in his body. That made Him a Substitute sinner for us. So, he was punished for us. That’s why He suffered.
B1 Peter further reminds us that when Jesus died on the cross, He {23}“entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Jesus knew it was God’s plan to have Him die for our sins. He knew God’s punishment against us was carried out on Him when He died. So, He handed himself over to the LORD. Anybody remember the words? Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” He was confident that the outcome was going to be successful. And it was. God raised Him from the dead. God had accepted His payment for our sins. Peter puts it this way: {24}“by his wounds you have been healed.” We are healed from the guilt of our sins. We are healed from the punishment we deserve because Jesus successfully took it on Himself. How do we know it was successful? Jesus rose.
2 Peter writes that Jesus did this {24}so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we are dead to sin. It doesn’t make us guilty before God. It doesn’t burden our consciences. It doesn’t control us. We are freed to live our lives God’s way. We can reflect the righteousness, holiness that God has covered us with because of Jesus.
C1 That is not the way it used to be in our lives. The quote is: 25 For “you were like sheep going astray.” Sheep like to wander. If you let them, they just walk slowly without direction, stick their noses into everything, go from one thing to the next, and ultimately don’t know where they are. They end up away from the flock & the shepherd, isolated, and in danger.
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We are like that on our own. We walk through life without direction. We stick our noses into everything, no matter if it spiritually good or bad for us. We try this and try that to find direction & spiritual meaning. We end up leaving God and His truth out of our lives, isolated from Him and in spiritual danger.
2 But Peter reminds us {25}“but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” At some point in our lives God has turned us back to Himself. Maybe it happened when you were a little one through God’s special washing. Maybe it was as an older child or an adult through the Good News that Jesus lived and died and rose to give you forgiveness, holiness, and eternal life. When God brought us to trust in Jesus our Savior, He brought us back into the flock of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who oversees - watches over- our souls.
D1 How many of you have actually watched a shepherd work? How many of you have seen what a shepherd does on tv or a in movie or read about it in a book? What does a shepherd do? He lived with the sheep. He slept with the sheep. He guided them to food and water. He protected them from danger. He helped with the birth process when necessary. He was the close friend of the sheep. The sheep recognized his voice when they heard it. They trusted him to do all of the above.
2 Why does Jesus call Himself our Good Shepherd? He is with us always even when we are asleep. He provides us with food and water for our bodies through His created universe. He provides us with food and water for our souls, His forgiveness, holiness and eternal life through His Word. He brings us into His flock and keeps us in His flock by sending the Holy Spirit who guides us through His Word. He protects us from the devil and from unbelieving people. Jesus is the Good Shepherd for your salvation.
IIA1 Why do children not fight with brothers and sisters? Because you don’t want to get spanked. Why do adults not break the law? Because we don’t want to go to jail. If children do fight with their brothers and sisters and get spanked, the suffering you have to endure isn’t anything to your credit. It is something you deserve. If you go to jail because you broke the law, it isn’t anything to your credit. It is something we deserve. Peter’s words are: 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?
2 There is another reason for us to avoid sin besides not wanting to be punished. “Christ (was) leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” It is true that Jesus lived as a human being on this earth to be under the demands of God’s law, so that He might keep those laws for us and give us the holiness that we need to be right with God. But, Jesus is also the example of holiness after which we strive for our life style. His perfection is what we are trying to reflect in our lives as our way of thanking the LORD for the salvation which He has given us in Jesus.
B1 Sometimes we don’t suffer as punishment for doing wrong. Sometimes we suffer for doing things God’s way. Peter wrote: 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. {20} But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. Someone shared with me a while back that he was not going to be given any major assignments by his company. That would mean he would gradually fade out of his second level leadership position. Eventually he would be out of a job. Why? He expressed concern that the marketing of a new product was not accurate and would most likely mislead consumers. He was suffering because he was conscious of God.
2 Sometimes we suffer for doing things God’s way. In the state of WI where alcohol use and alcohol abuse lead any other state, what happens when you don’t participate in the alcohol culture because you know your body is a gift from God and you don’t want to put yourself into a situation where you have lost your sense of right and wrong? You know what is said. “What’s the matter, are you a chicken? You’ve go to learn to handle your booze if you want to live in WI. You think you are better than us? Real men drink. If you are just going to sit there and be judgmental, we don’t want you around. What’s the matter with you, don’t you like to have fun?” That is suffering because you are conscious of God.
C1 Why do we try to follow Jesus’ example? Because it is good for us. God made us. He knows what is best for us. He has told us what is best for us in His commandments. When He leads us to realize that, we follow Jesus’ example. Second reason. Jesus gives us forgiveness, righteousness, and eternal life. We thank God for those gifts by doing things that are pleasing to Him. We want Him to be happy with us, since He has made us happy by giving us His gifts.
2 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.” Jesus didn’t deserve to be punished. He didn’t retaliate. He didn’t punish the Roman soldiers or religious authorities for what they did to Him. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. Jesus is our example. Even though we would like to retaliate against people who hurt us, and even though we tell ourselves that it will make us feel better if we do, why don’t we? Because people will be attracted to somebody who wants peace and is willing to suffer and refuses to retaliate in order to have peace. If we live that way in imitation of Jesus, people will come to know Jesus from their contact with us.
3 Even though we would like to retaliate against people who hurt us, and even though we tell ourselves that it will make us feel better if we do, why don’t we? Because people will be attracted to somebody who speaks beneficially rather than destructively, and is even willing to suffer and be ridiculed in order to have a verbally loving atmosphere in place. If we live that way in imitation of Jesus, people will come to know Jesus from their contact with us.
Conc Why does God have us walk on our way following the Good Shepherd? So that we are saved and so He might use us as we imitate Jesus to attract more sheep into His flock. LORD JESUS, please keep me walking on the way of the Good Shepherd.