Fourth Sunday of Easter.
Liturgy facilitated by Skype at 7pm from Winmalee.
Good Shepherd Sunday.
Conversation had by Parishioners on Psalm 23 and John 10.1-10
Presider Br. Luke Winmalee, deacon Br. Andrew Maroubra
Did you know?… Jesus was called the good shepherd because of his great love for His people. Jesus spent his ministry teaching, healing and helping others. He lead His people to do what was right. He lead his people like a shepherd leads his sheep. Jesus was called good because He was perfect.
Readings
Biblical
Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Crimond Cliff Richard | 23rd Psalm |
We considered the Shepherd and his rod and staff and the function of each, the rod or crook to rescue the sheep from harm and the crook to encourage them on their way. That this Psalm is an analogy for the relationship between Our Father in heaven and us, the sheep of his Pasture. Though most of our reflection centred around the actual actions of the Shepherd and the Sheep, of Christ and his flock.
This Psalm also brings us to reflect on the lost sheep, the one for whom the Shepherd would leave the whole rlock to seek and find. That a single one of us is so precious in God’s sight.
Crimond was our final hymn because Br. Andrew mentioned that it was his favourite version.
Text:
John 10.1-10
Jesus the Good Shepherd
‘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.
Here is another analogy, this time of the joint fold and of the individual shepherd whose sheep know his voice.
There is a proper way into the fold and any who do not enter that way are thieves, or would be because there is a Gatekeeper and any rightful Shepherd enters by the Sheep Gate to call His flock out. And they know his name. Sheep are not as stupid as we think since they can remember a face for 5 years, so the sheep follow the voice of the one who knows them and whom they know.
The Gatekeeper is the forerunner, John the Baptist who opens the gate for Christ the Good Shepherd to enter and call out those whom are his. Since Jesus was misunderstood by his disciples He became more specific. John’s work had ended and now Jesus is the gatekeeper who guards the flock and all who enter through Him will be saved and may come and go as they please, to find pasture. all who came before Him where thieves /daemons who came to kill and destroy the flock.
WE noted that Jesus is ‘the Good Shepherd’ because Shepherds were considered the lowest form of life and could not give testimony in a court, whose word was not taken. Therefore Jesus is the Good shepherd of the Sheep, who seeks all who are lost and brings them back to the fold.
The Good Shepherd – Fernando Ortega + Lyrics
-
Crimond
Category Entertainment
License Standard YouTube License
Music “23rd Psalm (Crimond) (2002 Remastered Version)” Listen ad-free with YouTube Red
- The Good Shepherd – Fernando Ortega + Lyrics
Published on Apr 20, 2012
There is but one, who gave up His life so that we would have a door to eternal life – if we chose to enter. Gentle, reflective. A beautiful voice and beautiful lyrics. JESUS is The Good Shepherd, He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him.
franciscansonthemountains 