Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Meekness and Majesty"
Today's Gospel
John 10:22-30Jesus the Good Shepherd
At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one."
Reflection
As I start this week’s reflection, the new Pope, Leo XIV has just been elected by the Roman Catholic conclave in Vatican city. So it seems appropriate for me to use a quote from his first address as the new pontiff.
“Allow me to continue that same blessing (as Pope Francis on Easter Day). God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to reach God and his love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.”
He is starting with the statement of our belief as Christians that God loves us all and we are all in His loving hands. His address focusses much on peace and belief.
In today’s short Gospel passage Jesus also draws attention to the importance of belief. "I have told you, and you do not believe.” From the very beginning of John’s version of the Gospel, in the prologue, we hear the words: “He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God." [John 1:11-12]
In the preceding verses of this chapter, Jesus has given the first part of His declaration of His role as the Good Shepherd – the one who will be willing to lay down His life for His flock. It is not long after He has healed a blind man on the sabbath. When He describes Himself as the Good Shepherd there are mixed feelings amongst the Jews. Some believed that He is possessed by demons where others believed He is the Messiah because no one possessed by demons would be capable of opening the eyes of a blind man.
It would be unfair therefore, to generalise that all the Jews who were present rejected Jesus – it was mainly the Jewish leaders and Pharisees who saw Jesus as a threat to their power and wealth. Those who were looking for a way to trap Him and condemn Him for blasphemy and have Jesus stoned.
As the Pope said, “God loves us and we are all in God’s hands.” And John says, “God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him." [John 3:16].
However, He does not compel us to believe in Jesus. God has given man free will to accept or reject His only Son.
When we have faith and truly believe in Jesus and are willing to follow Him and trust in Him we are His flock and He knows who we are. He will love and tend for us and give us eternal life with Him in heaven. When we believe, we have the ultimate promise that no one will be able to snatch us out of his hand.
How reassuring do you find it to know that because you believe in Jesus you are known personally by Him? We all want to be known and recognised by others, and to be acknowledged for who we are. And when we tell Him we accept Him, Jesus offers us that friendship and understanding at the most deep and intimate of levels. How wonderful is that thought?
What’s more, this an unconditional friendship and permanent relationship. The voice of the Good Shepherd is a voice that frees us rather than oppresses us.
It is not reliant on what we have achieved in life, how many good deeds we have done, how rich we are or how much we know about the bible. It is a promise that we have all been given by God to be part of Jesus’s flock and all we have to do for Him to know us is to listen to His voice and believe in Him.
The voice of the good shepherd is a voice of promise — a voice that calls us by name and claims us as God’s own.
In closing, let us pray for Pope Leo XIV in his mission of evangelism and peace, that through him and the work we do in our own parish, that we can show new people the face of the Good Shepherd and help them to hear the voice of Jesus calling. Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
We thank you that you sent your only Son, Jesus Christ.
To be our good shepherd.
To Know each one of us,
And lead us to the eternal glory of heaven
In the promise of everlasting life.
May we have true faith in Him always.
Amen
Our final hymn today is "When I Needed a Neighbour"
Notices
This week is Christian Aid Week, and we will be collecting donations in our churches and around the village. If you would like to add a gift, you can donate using the following link - Paul D Christian Aid Fundraising or this QR Code -
