Welcome to our Sunday Worship on the Fourth Sunday of Easter. Our Church services today are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas'. If you are unable to be with us in person, you can find today's Gospel reading, a reflection and prayers below.
Our first hymn this morning is "Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheep"
Today's Gospel
John 10: 1-10The Parable of the Shepherd
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
We are very blessed to live in such a beautiful area and if, like me, you enjoy walking on the moors you will have seen plenty of sheep. I remember once seeing a sign in a field that said, ‘Beware of the sheep’ It conjured up an image of a mad sheep rampaging to attack with its head down and horns prone. In reality, sheep seldom attack people, if anything, they will ignore you or move away. Even if you call to them they will totally ignore you. Perhaps the sign should have read ‘Be Aware of the sheep’, in other words just let them be.
Sometimes, you will see the farmer delivering feed and see the sheep running towards him as he unloads the sacks into the feeding troughs. I suspect this is more about the desire for food rather than an a deep attachments to the farmer.
However, in Jesus’ time, being a shepherd was a full time job and it still is in many places in the world. It was a solitary role and to all intents and purposes, the flock was the shepherd's family. The flock could be a substantial size, maybe a hundred or so, but he would know every sheep. There would be some that were adventurous and prone to roaming away, some that were timid, and some that were stubborn. Like us, they would all have different personalities.
The shepherd’s role was to protect the sheep from predators and thieves. Also to move them to new pastures when the grass had been eaten and to tend them if they were sick or hurt. As he moved them from place to place, the shepherd would lead them away from distraction and danger, ensuring they didn’t go near cliff edges or unsafe areas. In his lonely existence, the shepherd would no doubt talk to the sheep and they would grow accustomed to his voice. There would be a natural bond of trust and they would follow him instinctively. The shepherd would be there to protect them and save them and also to bring them back when they strayed.
That is exactly what Jesus does for us. He is our shepherd and sticks with us no matter what.. He will find us when we are led astray or lost and fearful. He is committed to caring for us and leading us along the right path. We need to find space to listen to His gentle voice talking to us and become familiar to His voice within our inner self, ignoring some of the myriad distractions in our lives. Jesus is calling us to follow Him through an open gate to life where we too think more about sharing and caring for others than just thinking about ourselves.
Do we have the same strong bond with Jesus as the sheep have with their shepherd? Do we recognise Jesus’ voice when he calls us? Do we listen for his voice? Do we trust that Jesus will protect us at all costs? Paul
Our Prayers
Loving God, we thank you that you love us so deeply.
We thank Jesus for his tender care and protection.
Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may follow the good shepherd along a path of righteousness,
That we may hear His gentle voice and trust in Him instinctively.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Bless the Lord, O My Soul (10,000 Reasons)"
Notices
Next Sunday we will be celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III. Please see the poster below for more information.
