07/21/2024
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost/Pastor Becker’s Retirement – July 21, 2024
The Shepherd and His Under-Shepherds
Rev. Gregory Becker (SMP)
Text: Mark 6:30-44 (ESV)
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Our Gospel text for today begins with “The Apostles returned to Jesus and told Him all that They had done and taught.” Jesus’ disciples are now called His apostles. A term disciple describes one who follows a teacher to learn from them. The term Apostle is translated from the Greek to mean “sent one” or “ambassador.” Jesus disciples have returned from being sent out by Jesus to call people to repentance and He gave them the authority and power to heal and drive out demons. Now they had returned with great joy to tell Jesus what they had done and taught.
What does Jesus now do? He has them come with Him to a desolate place to rest. That’s where I am today. It’s time for me to depart Grace as your called pastor and to rest from full time ministry, just as Jesus had His apostles take a rest. For me, my ministry journey officially began in 2003, 21 years ago but, actually it began much longer before with parents who brought me to be Baptized, who brought me to church faithfully, to Saturday School and confirmation and the people who taught me. To the Holy Spirit working through the pastors and members of the many churches I attended and was a member of.
Going back to our text, Jesus encounters a large crowd when he and the apostles arrive at their destination. We read that “[Jesus] had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them…” Jesus calls himself a shepherd but, not just any shepherd, in John 10:11 He declares, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”
We need a good shepherd because sheep without a shepherd cannot find their way. Scripture tells us that. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6) Yes, every one of us has gone astray but, not only astray, we are told in Psalm 51 that we are conceived as sinners and in Romans 8 that we are dead because of sin. As spiritually dead sinners, we can do nothing for ourselves. We need a savior, a shepherd to guide us and save us from our sins.
As Jesus had compassion on the crowd who came to him, he has compassion on us. Left to ourselves, we, like sheep get lost in life, Life can be so bewilderingly. We can stand at some cross-roads and not know what way to take. It is only when Jesus leads and we follow that we find the way.
A sheep without a shepherd cannot find its pasture and its food. In this life we seek for sustenance, for nourishment. We need the strength which can keep us going; we need the inspiration which can lift us out of ourselves and above ourselves. When we seek it elsewhere, our minds are still unsatisfied. Our hearts still restless, our souls still unfed. We can gain strength for life only from Jesus who is the Living Bread. (John 6:51)
A sheep without the shepherd has no defense against the dangers which threaten it. A sheep can defend itself neither from the robbers nor the wild beast. If life has taught us one thing it must be that we cannot live it alone. No man can defend himself alone from the temptations which assail him and from the evil of the world which attacks us. Only in the company of Jesus can we walk in this sin broken world. Without Jesus we are defenseless. With Him we are safe.
Jesus, our good shepherd, taught the Apostles and gave them commands to: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20) At the Last Supper Jesu commanded His Apostles to “do this in remembrance of me.” And so, through these Apostles and the work of the Holy Spirit the New Testament Church came to be and The Good Shepherd appointed them to be His Under-shepherds. The Apostles traveled to other towns, cities and regions where they preached the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ alone to all who believe. Those how believed became His church on earth and by the work of the Holy Spirit, men were called to be Jesus’ Under-shepherds who we know as our pastors.
The Apostle Paul, writes in his letters to the early New Testament church the qualifications of their pastors. Luke also writes in the book of Acts: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
As summarized in the Ordination Rites of our church, with the help of the Holy Spirit, pastors are to be a shepherd of the Good Sheperd’s flock, preaching, teaching and administer the Sacraments in conformity with Holy Scripture. To offer prayers for the faithful. To forgive the sins of those who repent, minister faithfully to the sick and dying and demonstrate to the Church a constant and ready ministry centered in the Gospel, admonishing and encouraging the people to a lively confidence in Christ and in holy living.
The pastor’s job is not to make sure the pews are filled, the offering plate is overflowing, and the people are happy. His job is to rightly divide Law and Gospel, to truthfully preach Christ crucified, and to faithfully administer the sacraments.
There is no greater job than serving those who have been “bought with Jesus own blood.”
There is no greater job than being an under-shepherd for the Good Shepherd. What could be better than talking about Jesus every day? Better than offering Christ’s forgiveness to a repentant adulterer? Better than sharing Christ’s comfort with a cancer patient? Better than deepening a man’s faith in his Redeemer? Better than baptizing a baby or praying with an overwhelmed mother or ministering to an out-of-work dad or ushering a saint’s soul to heaven?
Is a pastor’s job a difficult one? You bet. Leading stubborn sheep and guarding against the wolves and chasing down straying lambs is draining. But it is the comfort of God’s gracious Word that calms the pastor’s heart and allows him to close his eyes in peace at night. And the start of every new day begins with the knowledge that your pastor once again gets to be the under-shepherd for his Good Shepherd. That’s his job.
Your pastor does his job, his vocation, with the help of the Holy Spirit. In the explanation of the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed in Luther’s Small Catechism, we are reminded that it is the Holy Spirit who calls gathers and enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church and that includes all of you here today. It’s never easy to say farewell to your pastor but, members of this congregation have done so at least thirteen times since the founding of this congregation in 1922 and I pray that there will be many more to accept the call and that ministry among you will continue for many, many more years. God’s will be done.
And so, I leave you with a few Bible passages of encouragement.
1. Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
This verse reminds us that God has a plan for us, even when we face uncertainty.
2. Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
3. This emphasizes that the presence of God is not dependent on the size of the congregation but on the faith and unity of its members.
4. Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
This verse reassures us that God can bring good out of any situation, even challenging ones.
5. Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
This encourages us to bring our worries to God in prayer and trust in His peace.
6. Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
This verse offers reassurance of God’s support and strength.
God’s work, the work of the Father, the Son and they Holy Spirit goes on. Sometimes, for us, it can be a step towards new beginnings and opportunities for ministry in different ways both for me and for you as a congregation. Always remember, you are God’s children, He loves you, He sent His Son Jesus to die for your sins on the Cross and by believing in Him, you will go to be with Him when you die. To God be the glory. Amen.
