From the PASTOR
The gospel reading for the first Sunday after Easter each year is always the story of the women who came to the tomb, found the stone rolled away and met the risen Lord Jesus; they go and tell the others.
The gospel reading for the second Sunday after Easter is always the story of the eleven men locked in a room without Thomas and Jesus appears to them; they go and tell Thomas who wanted to have a peek and a poke at Jesus.
The gospel reading for the third Sunday after Easter is always the story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus talking with the disciples who didn’t recognise him until Jesus reveals himself in the scriptures and in the breaking of bread.
The gospel reading for the fourth Sunday each year is always from John chapter 10; Easter 4 is known as Good Shepherd Sunday; Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
A gift the congregation gave me when I arrived at Sutherland was a beautiful plaque with a scripture verse from Psalm 23:1-3. This plaque has three features on it, just like our church logo, and the three main features the eyes are drawn to are the shepherd, the staff and the sheep. In biblical times, a shepherd always carried a staff.
The staff had many uses providing comfort and assurance for the sheep. It was used to count the sheep as they went in or out of the fold; each sheepwas counted and known by name! When we think of ourselves as God’s loved sheep, what a great comfort and assurance this brings us; our Good Shepherd loves us and knows each one of us by name.
The staff was also used to help sheep that strayed off track; the curved handle was designed to help a sheep who was too weak get itself stuck in the mud, or too weak to cross a small creek. The staff was also used to ward off wild animals attacking his sheep. For us? Well there are spiritual enemies wanting to destroy our relationship with God. That enemy? Anything that leads us astray and is contrary to God’s word and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We cling on to Jesus word who says: I am the Good Shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know me – my sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:14,27,28). The image of the Good Shepherd Jesus is dearly loved and close to our hearts. Jesus loves us and cares for us so much that he gave up his life for us, so we can have eternal life with our great shepherd. What a great reason to stay in the flock, not stray from the flock! I’ll conclude on a blessing:
Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Heb 13:20-21).
The gospel reading for the second Sunday after Easter is always the story of the eleven men locked in a room without Thomas and Jesus appears to them; they go and tell Thomas who wanted to have a peek and a poke at Jesus.
The gospel reading for the third Sunday after Easter is always the story of Jesus on the road to Emmaus talking with the disciples who didn’t recognise him until Jesus reveals himself in the scriptures and in the breaking of bread.
The gospel reading for the fourth Sunday each year is always from John chapter 10; Easter 4 is known as Good Shepherd Sunday; Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
A gift the congregation gave me when I arrived at Sutherland was a beautiful plaque with a scripture verse from Psalm 23:1-3. This plaque has three features on it, just like our church logo, and the three main features the eyes are drawn to are the shepherd, the staff and the sheep. In biblical times, a shepherd always carried a staff.
The staff had many uses providing comfort and assurance for the sheep. It was used to count the sheep as they went in or out of the fold; each sheepwas counted and known by name! When we think of ourselves as God’s loved sheep, what a great comfort and assurance this brings us; our Good Shepherd loves us and knows each one of us by name.
The staff was also used to help sheep that strayed off track; the curved handle was designed to help a sheep who was too weak get itself stuck in the mud, or too weak to cross a small creek. The staff was also used to ward off wild animals attacking his sheep. For us? Well there are spiritual enemies wanting to destroy our relationship with God. That enemy? Anything that leads us astray and is contrary to God’s word and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We cling on to Jesus word who says: I am the Good Shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know me – my sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:14,27,28). The image of the Good Shepherd Jesus is dearly loved and close to our hearts. Jesus loves us and cares for us so much that he gave up his life for us, so we can have eternal life with our great shepherd. What a great reason to stay in the flock, not stray from the flock! I’ll conclude on a blessing:
Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Heb 13:20-21).