The Lamb is My Shepherd – May 17, 2019

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
Revelation 7:17

The Lamb is My Shepherd

The headlines on Easter Sunday were a harsh reminder of life in this sinful world.

Half a world away, in Sri Lanka, over 300 people died or were injured by bombs detonated by an extremist Islamic group. Moments before the blasts, the Sunday school children of Zion Church in Batticaloa all professed their undying faith in Jesus Christ.

On the same day, newspapers ran an article about the death of the Christian faith. According to a recent poll, church membership in the United States has hit an all-time low.

Do such stories surprise us? As the psalmist says, even the best of our days is struggle and sorrow. We have all our hearts broken or our dreams shattered. It’s a good reminder for us not to build our hopes on them.

Don’t dream about what your life on earth could be; and don’t despair of what it isn’t. Put your hope in the Lamb and focus on where he is leading you. Look at the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He went uncomplaining forth to death to open the way to eternal life. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarded its shame, and sat down on God’s throne.

From there, the Lamb shepherds us through death to life. He leads us to the living water of Word and sacrament and invites us to drink deeply. He connects us to his death and resurrection in baptism’s water so we too may live. He gives us forgiveness in the Lord’s Supper to assure us that we shall not perish but have eternal life.

This life will inevitably bring broken hearts and shattered dreams. But because the Lamb is your Shepherd, you can leave your water bottles and tissue boxes here on earth. He is leading you to a paradise were sin and all its problems are a thing of the past.

Prayer:
Christ be my Savior in calm as in strife; death cannot hold me, for he is the life. Nor darkness nor doubting nor sin and its stain can touch my salvation: with Jesus I reign. Amen.