09/05/2026
The St. John’s stained glass window we’d like to highlight this week is our other main window to the right of the pulpit.
This window depicts Jesus as a Shepherd carrying a lamb in his arm, while others surround him. At the bottom of the window are two verses from John 10, “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me. I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:14–15
Elements of the Window:
Jesus, the Good Shepherd
At the center is Jesus holding a lamb, with His shepherd's staff in His hand. This comes directly from Jesus' words in John 10, where He describes Himself as the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep, cares for them, and ultimately lays down His life for them.
The lamb in Jesus' arms is especially meaningful. It shows the personal nature of Christ's love. He doesn't simply care for a flock as a whole. He cares for each individual sheep.
The red cloak is also significant. Red is commonly associated with sacrifice, suffering, and Christ's blood, pointing toward Jesus' words that He gives His life for His sheep.
The Sheep
There are sheep throughout the entire scene, some close to Jesus and others spread out across the landscape.
They represent God's people. The image reminds us that Christians are the sheep of Christ's flock. Some are right beside the Shepherd, while others are farther away, but the Shepherd watches over them all.
The little lamb Jesus is carrying makes the picture particularly tender: when one of His sheep is weak, lost, or in need, the Shepherd comes to its aid. This connects the viewer with Jesus' parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15.
A further connection can be made to Jesus concern and care even for little children. When Jesus asked Peter in John 21, “Do you love me?” He didn’t just respond, “Feed me sheep,” but also “feed my lambs”, indicating his concern for even young sheep, the lambs. This coincides with what Jesus instructs his disciples, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
The Landscape
The green pasture, trees, water, and mountains create a peaceful scene, but also connect the viewer with other portions of Scripture.
Green Pasture and Water
The green pasture and water connects the viewer to the words of Psalm 23, where David describes God as a shepherd, and himself as a sheep under God’s care: “The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He causes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters.” (Psalm 23:1-2)
The water flowing through the landscape can also remind us of the “quiet waters” of Psalm 23 and Jesus' promise to His people of life-giving water for all eternity. (Isaiah 55:1, John 4, Revelations 22:17)
So the window brings together Psalm 23 and John 10—two of the Bible's most beautiful descriptions of God's care for His people.
The Mountains
The mountains in the background add another biblical layer. Mountains frequently appear in Scripture as places where God reveals Himself and where Jesus teaches and prays. They also give the scene a sense of God's vast creation surrounding the Shepherd and His flock.
The Flowers
The flowering branches along the bottom and sides add beauty and life to the scene. They can naturally be seen as part of the flourishing creation over which God watches. They also remind us of Jesus promise of God’s providence from Matthew 6:28-29, “Why do you worry about clothing? Consider how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin, but I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these.”
The Blue Glass Border
The viewer will also notice that there is a large amount of deep blue glass surrounding the central scene. Blue is frequently used in Christian stained glass to suggest Heaven, faithfulness, peace, and the majesty of God. Here, it almost creates a heavenly frame around the earthly scene of Christ and His sheep, reminding the viewer of Jesus words not just to provide for his sheep here on earth, but “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.” (John 10:28)
Scripture
The two Bible verses chosen by the artist are meant to emphasize these points especially: 1) Jesus, is our Good Shepherd. He is the one who takes care of his sheep both physically and spiritually. 2) Jesus knows his sheep. He doesn’t just know people in general, but he knows us whom he has made his own in Holy Baptism and whom he has given the new life of faith.
We know him. We as his sheep, know our Shepherd’s voice, he hear it as he speaks to us through his Word, every Sunday. Jesus lays down his life for us. As a good shepherd would put himself in harms way to care for the sheep and protect them against the wolves. He has laid down his life on the cross to protect us now and forever from sin, death, and hell.
The overarching message
What makes this window particularly powerful is that Jesus isn't simply pictured as a shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd.
As the Good Shepherd he protects his sheep.
As the Good Shepherd he searches for his sheep.
As the Good Shepherd he feeds his sheep.
As the Good Shepherd knows his sheep.
And greatest of all, as the Good Shepherd, He lays down His life for His sheep.
