Christians continue to their Eastertide observance by celebrating Christ the Good Shepherd Sunday. As we consider the Lord Jesus Christ as our Shepherd, many comforting images come to mind. We can all think of the picture of Jesus holding a sheep close to his chest, smiling and taking care of it. In addition to the comforting image of Jesus on the cross, dying to take away the sin of the world, this image of the Shepherd is very comforting to us. Jesus has promised: “I AM the Good Shepherd; and I know my sheep, and am known by my own…I lay down my life for the sheep” (Jn. 10:11-16). So, the image of Christ on the cross and as a Shepherd really are one in the same. Christ lays down his life for the sheep and the lambs to keep them in his safety eternally.

The prophet Isaiah tell us “He (Jesus) shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather together the lambs with his arm, and shall take them up in his bosom, and he himself shall carry them that are with young.”(Isaiah 40: 11) Like a good shepherd, Jesus takes care of his people. King David tells us that our Shepherd’s weapons are “his rod and his staff they comfort me.” He uses the rod to guard and protect his sheep, also to guide them in the paths of righteous (God’s Law) and his staff to save them from danger and comfort them (God’s Gospel).

I was a fifth- grader in Mt. Calvary Christian Day School’s choir; when I first sang a hymn entitled “I am Jesus’ Little Lamb” at the funeral service of Penny, a third-grader in my school, who died suddenly from a brain injury she received while riding on our school bus. The sanctuary was filled with standing room only as we sang this hymn. This comforting hymn was given to us by Henriette Louise von Hayn in 1778 when she wrote this famous hymn.

In her hymn, Henriette beautifully connects the pastoral imagery of John 10, where Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd, and Psalm 23 … though Jesus has many sheep, he calls each one by name. We have the comfort that he knows all our needs and well provides for them (stanza 1) … His protection and love is extended to us no matter where life may lead us.

When we thirst, Jesus satisfies us physically and spiritually. He provides for all our needs of body, but especially of soul; giving us his Word — sacred Scripture and his sacraments of baptism and communion to quench our thirst and strengthen us for whatever we may encounter in life (stanza 2). But all that he gives us in this life pales in comparison to the joy that awaits. Our happiness will be complete in heaven when, “by his angel host attended, he shall fold me to his breast, safe within his arms to rest” (stanza 3). What comfort our Good Shepherd gives us, for this life and our eternity in heaven.

Thus we joyfully and confidently sing “I am Jesus’ little lamb … Who so happy as I am, even now the Shepherd’s lamb? And when my short life is ended, by his angel host attended, he shall fold me to his breast, there within his arms to rest. Amen