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 11.15 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 "Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep"
Today's Gospel
John 10:1-10 The Shepherd and His Flock
Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.
They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Reflection
In various translations of John 10 we may read about sheep pens, rather than folds. For many, this conjures up the image of the type of sheep pens we often see in the UK which are used for temporarily restraining small numbers of sheep before they are sheared.
If you walk along the hills above Oldham you will invariably see sheep roaming the fields and moorland day and night and they are seldom locked up.
Part of the reason for that is that we have very few predators such as wolves who would attack and kill them.
So, like me, you might find it hard to visualise what a sheep pen or sheepfold looks like. In the picture above, is a typical example of a sheepfold from ancient Israel which would not be dissimilar from those in biblical times when Jesus was alive. They were often built of stone and sometimes topped with thorns to deter thieves and predators. Shelters like this would vary in size and were usually built in a valley or on the sunny side of hill where there was protection form cold winds. In smaller folds like the one above, a watchman or shepherd would sleep at the gate or entrance overnight and act as a human gate.
The presence of a large number of sheep in the Holy Land was significant, as both Jews and Arabs relied on them for their livelihood, which is one of the reasons sheep are referred to so much throughout the Bible.
The shepherd would lead the sheep out to pasture every morning and would look after them, making sure they are well and not lame. I suspect most of us have never worked on a farm but it is not difficult to appreciate that over a short period of time the shepherd gets to know his sheep well, their habits, idiosyncrasies and behaviours very well. If you’ve ever had pets I’m sure you will be able to relate this. Similarly the animals get to know and trust the shepherd and they are wary of strangers. You can see this if you go for a walk in fields - sheep will always run away, but when the farmer comes along they run towards him or her.
So it was in the scenario Jesus outlines. The sheep would recognise the shepherd and be happy to follow him out of the fold to graze, knowing that he would lead them to good pasture where they would be safe. But if a stranger tries to entice them out they would be reluctant. Perhaps they remember past times when they were led out by a stranger and were separated from each other and their lambs were taken. Or they were abandoned in a place where there was little pasture to graze on.
Jesus says, “they will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” John points out that some did not understand Jesus, so Jesus clarifies that the point of the parable is not about the shepherd – it’s about the gate. A closed gate serves to keep the sheep in safety within the fold, but an open gate is the way to a source of life giving food and sustenance. To find that source of abundance of life we must go through the gate and follow the one that we can trust.
We are invited through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross to walk through the ultimate gateway – because what God has given us through Jesus is ultimate security in the knowledge that we are forgiven people. We are free to wander in God’s unending pasture as His children and help one another flourish. We are free to put aside our fears and uncertainties to embrace the grace of God. We are free to live as God wanted us to live when He created humankind - loving caring people being what he intended us to be.
Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
You call us by name and know every one of us.
When we are tempted to stray, guide us by your voice.
You are the gate that leads to eternal life,
strengthen our faith to trust in you
and guide us into the pasture of everlasting peace.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "All People that on Earth do Dwell"
