The people Christ identifies with Himself, and the object of His mercy are the people who are hungry, thirsty, naked, and a stranger. The sick and the imprisoned are there as well.
Here is a wonderful opportunity to teach a deep truth about the love and grace of God amidst a world where people are often abused, misused, and disconnected from the communal life of the Church.
Playing off the absolute ecclesiological familiarity of the image of a shepherd in our text, we will use an Imagistic Structure to highlight the dynamic between the familiar and the unfamiliar in the reading and use a common image to drive our devotional contemplation of what Ezekiel means that God is our shepherd.
We return, once again, to the Central Image Structure. In this arrangement, we are going to use a single image throughout the sermon which is used to foster devotional contemplation of Christ as our Good Shepherd.
Using a classic work of ecclesiastical art like the Good-Shepherd-stained-glass-window, we begin the sermon by describing the image for the hearers. From this image we mine the words from Psalm 23, John 10:1-18, and our primary text from Ezekiel 34. Weaving these words together will form a tapestry in the minds of our hearers which will function as a source for continuing devotional contemplation throughout the sermon together with the image:
“The image serves as a lens through which one views the textual exposition, the theological confession, the evangelical proclamation, and the hearer interpretation of the sermon. Having a single image lends coherence to the sermon.”[1]
With a single focus the image remains the same throughout the sermon. Our single focus will be on the image of the “bummer lamb,” which is central and unchanging to the devotional contemplation.
From this single focus, the sermon can reinforce one theme in a first encounter with the image which will establish the Gospel focus. Then, as the image is applied again and again in the sermon, it locates that theme in relation to the text and, finally, in relation to the hearers.
By focusing on one part of the image (the bummer lamb), which remains in the fore of the minds of the hearers, a fresh approach is then created for the listeners through the image in their mind’s eye. As the preacher, you are:
“Changing how the image is seen, and the hearers are able to track the basic development of a larger theme in the sermon. Each stage of development (like moving from a misconception to a clearer vision or moving from application in terms of one’s relationship to God to application in terms of one’s relationship to others) is captured by preaching the image through a different perspective.”[2]
In order to set up what we are going to do with Ezekiel 34 along with our image of the Good Shepherd, I want to begin by talking about a phenomenon in shepherding that you may or may not be aware of. It is the phenomenon in a flock of sheep called the “bummer lamb.” Here is how you can recognize it. When a lamb is born, sometimes it happens that the newborn lamb is rejected by its mother. She does not allow it to feed. She attempts to smother it. She shoulders it into the fence to drive it away and, worse, she may even sometimes kick it to try and cause it to die. Bummer... I know. All the flock rejects this lamb, except the shepherd. A good shepherd, when they see this happening, takes the little lamb from the flock, holds it in their arms, feeds it from their hand, and lets it sleep on their chest. The lamb is now no longer a “bummer lamb,” it is now the “shepherds lamb.” In fact, later on, when the lamb is strong enough to be re-introduced to the flock, whenever the Shepherd comes to lead the flock the first sheep to greet them is the “Shepherd’s lamb.” The reason is because that specific sheep along with all the rest know his voice, know his words, and know his care (John 10:5 and 10:27).
A good shepherd, when they see this happening, takes the little lamb from the flock, holds it in their arms, feeds it from their hand, and lets it sleep on their chest.
If you think this is too wild to be true, there are numerous articles online about the phenomenon. One rancher explains the amount of care that goes into taking care of the Bummer lamb:
“Bummer lambs create a lot of work for time-pressed farmers with larger flocks and acreage to tend to. They need this care because bummer lambs do not always make it. Bummer lambs are often weak because they have a problem that will prevent them from thriving. Lambs can have birth defects that are impossible to see. Often, sheep do not show any symptoms of a problem until it is too late to deal with it.”[3]
Ask the congregants to picture in their mind’s eye the iconic stained glass window of the Good Shepherd. What does He have in His arms? The bummer lamb! It has been there the whole time. Are we not like the bummer lamb? We are born with the fatal curse of original sin (Psalm 51:5) that prevents us from being accepted by God and others around us (Romans 6:23; 7:19-25)? But before it was too late, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, came and took us in His arms (Romans 5:8-10) and commited to taking the time to save us. It was six hours one Friday, thirty three years on earth, a plan made in time for eternity since our fall all the way back in the garden. But more than that, one glorious resurrection day He will lead His flock called the Church “through the valley of the shadow of death” to eternal life in His Kingdom forever.
The bummer lamb image is good for developing the experience of the hearers and what we get from the Good Shepherd. But there is another perspective to consider here which is clearest in Ezekiel. The perspective of the Shepherd is the viewpoint we get in Ezekiel and it is a fascinating angle to contemplate on. The Good Shepherd is good from His perspective because of what He alone does for the flock, as we also hear Jesus say in John 10:17-18:
“For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.”
As we contemplate this image we look into a window of God’s grace even as we imagine the work of art made from stained glass.
As a preacher, when you listen to our text through this single and central image, think of how each verse connects to the theme of the “bummer lamb.” Tie this in now to the appointed Gospel Lesson for the day from Matthew 25:31-46. The people Christ identifies with Himself, and the object of His mercy are the people who are hungry, thirsty, naked, and a stranger. The sick and the imprisoned are there as well. Namely, they are the people whose life is a bummer. There you will find Christ and Christ will be shepherding us to them and them together with us to the good green land of His provision forever.
Now, return especially to Ezekiel 34:20-24. Anticipate how your hearers can see these texts anew because of this new understanding of the readings. Press into the image of the window as the Son of God shines through it to illuminate and ignite our devotional contemplation on this text of Scripture centered in the Gospel action of our resurrected savior Jesus. Create connections to the other readings from Psalm 23 or John 10:1–10. In this way, you will craft a hearing of the experience of the “bummer lamb” through the image of the classic stained glass window centered in the words of our text from Ezekiel 34:20-24 that will grant a new hearing to a familiar image of God that will magnify the Gospel in your proclamation of the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the benefit of our hearers faith or life.
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Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
[1] https://concordiatheology.org/sermon-structs/dynamic/imagistic-structures/central-image/
[2] https://concordiatheology.org/sermon-structs/dynamic/imagistic-structures/central-image/
