The fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday. Here is what Martin Luther has to say about Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

“When he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” Luke 15:5 There is scarcely any more precious illustration in the whole Gospel than when the Lord Christ compares himself to a shepherd carrying back to the flock, on his shoulders, the sheep which was lost. He is still carrying to this day. The sum of the Gospel is this: the kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of grace and mercy, in which there is never anything but carrying. Christ bears our griefs and infirmities. He takes our sins upon himself and is patient when we fall. We always rest on his shoulders, and he never tires of carrying us, which should be the greatest  comfort to us when we are tempted to sin. Preachers in this kingdom should comfort the consciences, and deal kindly with them, and feed them with the Gospel. They should carry the weak, heal the sick and know how to minster the Word to each man according to his need.