Jesus, the Good Shepherd
This is the sermon I preached on Sumday, April 21 at St. Timothy Lutheran Church . The text was J ohn 10:11-18 . I like sheep. They’re so cute and warm and fuzzy. And in the Holy Land, they come in different colors! A bird's-eye view of a flock will reveal blue, red, or another hue on the sheep's back. This way they can be identified. Today’s reading from the gospels says that Jesus is the good shepherd. The I AM Jesus is using is emphatic and could be translated as, “I, I am” (Rob Myallis, lectionarygreek.blogspot.com). Throughout John’s gospel, Jesus identifies himself as many things: 6:35 I am the bread of life 8:12 I am the light of the world 8:58 I am that I am 10:7 I am the door for the sheep (10:9 I am the door) 10:11 I am the good shepherd; lays down life; know voice 11:25 I am the resurrection and life 14:6 I am the way, truth and life 15:1 I am the true vine (15:5 vine) (Rob Myallis). In each instance, he uses “I, I am,” for emphasis. It’s interesting that Jesus