The Lord Is Brian's Shepherd

Text: Psalm 23

In the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Psalm 23 is one of the most famous psalms in the Bible.  It starts by saying, 

“The Lord is my Shepherd.”

Now, this opening is such a familiar saying that we can quickly let it pass by. But hear it again, slowly:   

“The Lord is my Shepherd.”    

Indeed, the Lord is Brian’s Shepherd.  

Now, notice how I did not say, “The Lord was Brian’s Shepherd”? Notice how I did not say that in the past tense. In other words, even though death stung Brian this past July 29th, that does not change the fact that Jesus is Brian’s Shepherd right now in the present.  

You see, one would think that death would end Jesus’ ongoing shepherd-like care for Brian.  But dear friends, you would be wrong to consider such a thing.  In other words, when Brian was baptized in the holy waters of Baptism, he gained a Shepherd who would oversee him, care for him, protect him, and love him.  And that shepherd-like care continued for 50 years.  But then again, death stung Brian on Monday, July 29th.  And so it would be easy to think that Jesus became a past-tense shepherd.  But again, that would be wrong.  

Today, Jesus is Brian’s shepherd. Indeed, Jesus is Brian’s shepherd right now, just as much as He was Brian’s shepherd at that baptismal font on February 27th, 1974, and at that deathbed on July 29th, 2024.  Death cannot and does not stop the shepherd-like care of Jesus.  In life, Brian was one of Jesus’ sheep, and in death, Brian continues to be one of Jesus’ beloved sheep because Jesus is greater than death itself.  Yes, Jesus is greater than sin, death, and the devil, which means that there is no chance for Brian to ever get away from the Good Shepherd.  No one can take Brian away from the Good Shepherd.  And so, the Lord ‘is’ Brian’s Shepherd right now.  

David, Betty, Paula, Scott, Beth, Lisa, Connor, Laura, Family, and Friends, fear not, for Christ is with Brian, and Brian is with the Good Shepherd. Death has made no interruption of Christ’s shepherd-like care of Brian. How could death disrupt this at all, for nothing—not even death itself—can rip us out of the Savior’s nailed-marked hands!  Brian continues to have a Good Shepherd, just like you and just like me.  Whether living or dead, we all have one Good Shepherd – Jesus, the Christ.  

Consider that opening phrase once more. Notice how the Psalmist says, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Yes, he says, “my Shepherd.”  Even though it is a tiny word, the word ‘my’ carries a lot of meaning. It is a possessive pronoun used to indicate ownership. It denotes that someone belongs to or relates to the one who is speaking.  As a sheep, Jesus belongs to Brian.  Jesus is Brian’s Shepherd – there is a possessive quality.  But again, we may question this when death stings.  In other words, we could all agree that in life, Jesus was Brian’s Shepherd; after all, Brian clearly clung to Jesus as he confessed Christ, sang about Christ and rejoiced in Christ Jesus, the Shepherd of His soul.  But again, what about death?  When life left the body of Brian, did Jesus stop being Brian’s Shepherd because Brian was unable to cling to Jesus?

Dear friends, I cannot stress this enough to you today! The reason why Jesus is Brian’s shepherd has more to do with Jesus than it does with Brian. You see, if Jesus was nothing more than a lame hired hand, on July 29th, Jesus would’ve seen the wolf of death coming and would’ve run for the hills to protect His own skin.  In fact, if Jesus was nothing more than a lame hired hand, Jesus would’ve avoided Calvary’s Cross in the first place.  But He didn’t.  Jesus is not in this whole Shepherding business for the money, as if the sheep do not matter to Him.  Instead, He is the Good Shepherd who puts His sheep before His life so that sheep – like Brian – can have real and eternal life, better than they could ever dream of. And so, at Mount Calvary, Jesus willingly and intentionally went to the cross to suffer for the sins of the world – He went to that cross to specifically bleed for Brian.  Christ freely laid down His life for Brian so that Brian could be His very own possession.  

And so, does the Good Shepherd possessively belong to you, me, and Brian?  Absolutely!  The reason is that Jesus chose Brian – and He chooses you – to be His very own. Throughout Brian’s 50 years, Jesus belonged to Brian precisely because Brian belonged to Jesus.  And in death?  Nothing changes at all.  Not a single thing changes.  Jesus belongs to Brian right now, just as much as He belonged to Brian last year and the year before.  Death cannot weaken the grasp of the Shepherd’s hand for His sheep, Brian. 

And so today, we can confess with boldness, confidence, and a bit of tenacity, 

“The Lord is Brian’s Shepherd, and Brian is one of the Lord’s very own sheep. Jesus belongs to Brian; Brian belongs to Jesus—and sin, death, and the devil have nothing to say about this and cannot change it.”    

And so today, in this funeral service, our hearts that grieve so very deeply for the loss of Brian can be comforted, knowing that Brian and all of us have the same present-tense Shepherd who cares for us.  Together, with Brian, we can know that Jesus is ‘our’ Shepherd – we possess Jesus, and He possesses us, so that neither life, nor death, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the Shepherd-like care of God in Christ Jesus our Good Shepherd!  

Baptized Saints, nothing can drive a wedge between Brian and Christ’s love for him.  There is no way!  No trouble, no hard times, no hatred, no hunger, not even the worst of sins listed in Scripture can separate the Good Shepherd’s tight grasp around Brian and you, for Jesus is not a half-baked hired hand or some weekend savior that is only in this for a cheap buck.  Instead, this Good Shepherd purchased Brian, not with gold or silver, but with His precious and powerful blood on a sin-stained cross so that Brian could be His very own sheep in life, especially in death. 

The Lord is Brian’s shepherd; Brian shall not want.

He made Brian lie down in green pastures.

He led Brian beside still waters.

He restored Brian’s soul. He led Brian in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Even though Brian walked through the valley of the shadow of death, Brian feared no evil, for the Good Shepherd was with Brian; the Good Shepherd’s rod and staff comforted Brian.

The Good Shepherd prepares a table before Brian in the presence of his enemies; the Good Shepherd anointed Brian’s head with oil; Brian’s cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy have followed Brian all the days of his life, and Brian shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.