---

Sentence

The Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:17

---

Collect  

Gracious God,

you sent Jesus, the good shepherd,

to gather us together:

may we not wander from his flock,

but follow wherever he leads us,

listening for his voice and staying near him,

until we are safely in your fold,

to live with you for ever;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Readings

• Acts 9:36-43
• Psalm 23
• Revelation 7:9-17
• John 10:22-30

next week

• Acts 11:1-18
• Psalm 148
• Revelation 21:1-16
• John 13:31-35

---

A Thought to Ponder

Easter 4 – John 10:22-30

“My sheep hear my voice …”

Today’s brief Gospel is the conclusion of the Good Shepherd discourse in Chapter 10 of John’s Gospel. Yahweh, the eternal shepherd of Israel (cf. Ezekiel 34), has raised up his own Son as the Good Shepherd to guide the new Israel of the Church to eternal life. In listening to the voice of Jesus the Good Shepherd, the “flock” finds its way to the Father.

Christ the Good Shepherd calls us to listen consciously, deliberately, wisely for his voice in the depths of our hearts, to listen for his voice in the love and joy, the pain and anguish, the cries for mercy and justice of those around us; Christ the Son of God assures us we are always safe and accepted in the loving embrace of his Father.

Christ speaks in many voices — including our own. We can be the “voice” of Christ’s compassion, comfort, forgiveness and peace in even our smallest and simplest words and acts of kindness and generosity.

Jesus calls each one of us to take on the role of “shepherd”: to walk and lead one another through the steep paths and dangerous ridges we all must walk, not diminishing the danger or pain but helping one another make our way through it. The challenge of taking up the Good Shepherd’s staff is to face the truth despite our own fears, to search for God’s light (if only a flicker) in the midst of overwhelming darkness, to reach out to grab another despite our own tenuous grasp.

                                                           © Connections/MediaWorks. All rights reserve

Sermon

You can read the Pew Sheet here

Easter-4-C