April 26, 2026
Easter 4 YrA 2026 Sermon; John 10:1-11, Psalm 23; Acts 2:42-47; 1 Peter 2:19-25
There is a deep, almost instinctive comfort that rises in us
when we hear the words from the first verse of Psalm 23, “The
Lord is my Shepherd.” It’s a metaphor. In ancient times
a shepherd cared for sheep—guiding them, protecting them, and
making sure they had food and safety.
So when David (the writer of the psalm) calls God his
Shepherd, he’s saying:
- God guides him in life
- God protects him from harm
- God cares for his needs personally
It shows a close, trusting relationship—like sheep trusting their
Shepherd.
Therefore, we are invited by the Gospel today to recognize
that we are sheep of his fold, lambs of his own flock, and sinners
of his own redeeming. This is more than a sentimental image,
but a profound truth about who Jesus is and who we are as his
beloved and redeemed people. For “He calls his own sheep by
name and leads them out.”1 The God who shaped the galaxies
knows your name — knows your wounds, your fears, your
wandering, your longing. And He leads us still, not pushing
from behind, but going before us into every valley, every
uncertainty, every new beginning. Our Lord is the Good
Shepherd because when danger draws near, He does not
abandon or forget us. Whatever we face — peace or conflict,
hope or dread, life or death, joy or sorrow — God remains with
us.
Moreover, Jesus unveils the tenderness of God’s care, as he
declares, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be
saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”2 In a first
century sheepfold, the Shepherd literally became the door. At
night he would lie across the opening so that:
- no sheep could wander out unprotected,
- no predator could enter unnoticed.
By him we are saved, meaning that we are: - rescued from danger,
- delivered from sin and death,
- and brought into a secure relationship with God.
When he tells us that we can “come in and go out,” it evokes a
picture of one who is: - safe enough to rest,
- free enough to graze,
- confident enough to move without fear.
One of my favorite pictures of Jesus shows him gently
holding a lamb in his arms. It is an image that was presented to
many of us when we were children. It evokes feelings that our
Lord cares for us and protects us. He knows us intimately, and
we are his.
The difficulty modern culture has with news like this is that
it suggests human beings are like sheep—dependent, vulnerable,
and unable to flourish without a shepherd. We resist that image.
We do not want to see ourselves as that needy, that limited, or
that dependent on anyone outside ourselves.
When I first began my Christian journey, I quickly
discovered that spiritual discernment does not come naturally or
easily. I wanted to discover God’s will for my life, but I needed
time to grow and learn God’s ways. I met people who were
passionate and persuasive, yet the fruit of their ministries often
produced confusion, spiritual distortion, and even bondage. In
those early days, I found myself praying words very close to
those of our opening collect. In my own language, I said, Good
Shepherd of my soul, please lead me, guide me, protect me, and
show me the truth.”
On the Episcopal Church’s Sermons That Work website,
Michael Toy observes, “Like sheep, humans can be led astray.
Humans like to follow others.” And like sheep, we can also be
unaware of the dangers around us. He notes that these are not
flaws or failures—they are simply human qualities.
When I lived in Northern Virginia, a parishioner who had
grown up on a sheep farm once told me that if one sheep got
frightened and jumped a fence, the rest would follow without
hesitation. She laughed and said, “Caring for such dumb animals
was a piece of work.” Then she further commented, many
creatures can survive in the wild—wild horses, wild cats, wild
dogs—but there are no wild sheep. And the reason is simple: left
to themselves, sheep inevitably wander into perilous danger, and
without a shepherd, they do not survive.
It has been observed that if you do not find Jesus as the
great Shepherd, you will inevitably seek that shepherding—this
deep care, guidance, and protection—from some human being or
institution. Or you will try to shoulder it yourself. Either way,
you will eventually run into your own limits and grow
hopelessly depressed and cynical. Yet despite our carelessness
and wandering hearts, the Good Shepherd remains unwavering
in His love. He never turns away. Instead, He leads His beloved
into the very life for which we were created — a life full and
abundant.
In Scripture, the word abundant calls to mind a river
swollen by heavy rains, spilling over its banks. That is the
picture Jesus offers us. The abundant life is one in which we rest
secure, trusting that God’s grace is more than enough for every
need, that nothing can diminish it, and that His favor toward us
never runs dry.
Psalm 23 paints this abundance most strikingly. Its
portrayal of the relationship between the Shepherd and His
sheep is deeply personal and profoundly intimate. In fact, it
contains more first-person pronouns—“I,” “me,” “my,” and
“mine”—than any other psalm. The entire psalm is framed as a
testimony of a soul who knows the Shepherd not from a
distance, but from within the closeness of His care. In it, he
declares:
The Lord is my Shepherd
That’s a Relationship based on his every present care!
I shall not want
That’s Supply! This doesn’t mean “I’ll never desire
anything.” It means: - I won’t lack what I truly need
- God will provide enough—physically,
emotionally, and spiritually
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
That’s Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters
That’s Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul.
That’s Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
That’s Guidance!
For His name’s sake
That’s Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death
That’s honesty about life’s harsh realities.
I will fear no evil
That’s Protection!
For Thou art with me
That’s Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me
That’s Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine
enemies
That’s Hope!
Thou annointest my head with oil.
That consecration sets us apart for service!
My cup runneth over
That’s Abundance!
Moreover, Psalm 23 was written by David from the vantage
point of a life seasoned by years and a faith tempered through
many trials. After recounting all the Shepherd’s provisions,
David adds one final blessing that surpasses them all: he lacks
nothing because he has a home with God. He is blessed in this
life, but his experience of God’s goodness does not end here. It
stretches into eternity. And so he concludes with confidence,
“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my
life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps.
23:6).
St. Augustine was right when he said, “Thou hast made us
for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless till they find their
rest in thee.” Amen.
Grace Episcopal Church 