November 27, 2023

Today's Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Daily Lectionary: Jeremiah 22:1-23, Matthew 25:1-13

For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. (Ezekiel 34:11)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Every now and then, you hear a song on the radio or Spotify and think to yourself, “This song sounds so familiar.” There’s a reason for that. Musicians call it sampling, when you take a bit of an old song and put it in a new song so it reminds you of that old song. 

The same happens all over God’s Word as well. It’s no accident that Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, and looks at the crowds like sheep without a shepherd, and is identified by John as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is the New Testament’s way of sampling the Old Testament promises of God. The new song of salvation sounds a lot like the old songs of salvation from the prophets. 

Ezekiel 34 is one of those memorable chapters in the prophets, full of the promises of God to be the shepherd of his people Israel. God’s people were lost in idolatry, God promised to seek them out and save them. God’s people were scattered in exile, God promised to bring them home and rescue them. God’s people were injured, weak, and hungry, and God promised to bind their wounds, give them his strength, and feed them in rich pastures. In the Old Testament, that’s the refrain of God’s song of salvation: God the Lord is the shepherd of Israel and he alone seeks them out, saves, and rescues them.

When we turn the pages of the Scriptures to the New Testament our Lord is playing the same old song but with something new. God the Shepherd has become one of his sheep in his incarnation and has become one with his sheep in our humanity. Jesus is the Good Shepherd of God in human flesh. He came to seek and save us in our lostness. He came to bind up our wounds by his wounds on the cross. He came to rescue us from sin, death, and the devil, by his redemption. He came to feed us with the rich pastures of his word and sacraments.

All the promises that the prophets foretold, all the songs of salvation they sang, find their fulfillment and joyful crescendo in Jesus crucified and risen. For Jesus is the Good Shepherd who seeks, saves, rescues, feeds, and forgives you.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

The King of love my shepherd is, Whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am His And He is mine forever. (LSB 709:1)

-Pastor Samuel Schuldheisz is pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.