Printed Service for 21st April 2024

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Printed Service – Sunday 21st April 2024
Prepared by Rev. Steve Mann.
The Lord’s my shepherd

This week’s service includes several hymns based upon Psalm 23, which is one of the set lectionary readings. For the most part, we are using more modern settings in order that we might focus on the words with a fresh eye and ear rather than with the familiarity to which we are normally accustomed. If, however, you would prefer to use more traditional settings, these can be found here:
The Lord’s my Shepherd – Watch here
The King of Love my Shepherd Is – Watch here

Preparation for Worship: The Lord is my shepherd – Watch Here

The Lord is my shepherd
There’s nothing I need
You lead me to the safest places
You lead me to the safest places
To walk in the meadow
And lie by the stream
You meet me in the quiet places
You meet me in the quiet places

Your goodness and Your mercy
Will follow me
All the days of my life
All the days of my life
And I’ll dwell in Your house
For eternity
I’ll be there by Your side
I’ll be there by Your side

Though I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death
I don’t have to fear no evil
For I know that You are with me
With oil of blessing
You cover my head
You fill me to overflowing
My cup is overflowing

And Your goodness and Your mercy
Will follow me
All the days of my life
All the days of my life
And I’ll dwell in Your house
For eternity
I’ll be there by Your side
I’ll be there by Your side
All the days of my life
All the days of my life

You prepare a table before me
Right in front of my enemies
You’re the shepherd of my soul
You lead me in the right direction
My comfort and my protection
You’re the shepherd of my soul

Call to Worship:
Good shepherd of the sheep, Help us to hear your voice more clearly;
Help us to follow you with greater trust and obedience;
Help us to look to you and you alone for our provision and protection.

Reading: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will 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 your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Hymn: STF 481 The Lord’s my Shepherd

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The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me lie in pastures green.
He leads me by the still, still waters,
His goodness restores my soul.

And I will trust in You alone,
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.

He guides my ways in righteousness,
And He anoints my head with oil,
And my cup, it overflows with joy,
I feast on His pure delights.

And though I walk the darkest path,
I will not fear the evil one,
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,

When I picture the green pastures and still waters, I give thanks for your creation all around me and that not one thing was created except through you.

When I picture the prepared table and oil of anointing, I give thanks for your great love for me and your constant provision. Morning by morning new mercies I see.

When I picture the valley of the shadow of death and the shepherd’s rod and staff that provide protection and safety, I give thanks for your cross that offers me protection and safety in face of the dangers of sin and death and that you were prepared to endure that suffering for my sake.

When I picture the House of the Lord in which the psalmist looks forward to living out his days, then I give thanks for the wonder of eternal life made possible by your death and resurrection. As we die with you, so shall we be raised with you.

Yet, I must also picture the sheep that was lost and wandered away from the security of its master’s voice. I acknowledge the times when I have become too distracted; or fearful; or proud or just wilfully obstinate, and have ignored your words spoken to me. Forgive me the wrong things I have done as a result and restore me to the paths of righteousness and your direction. Amen.

Hymn: Surely Goodness, Love and Mercy

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Oh Lord, You’re my Shepherd
You make me lie in fields of green
You lead me by the still waters
You restore righteousness to me
Though I walk through the valley
I will fear no evil thing
For You are with me
And You comfort me

Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go
Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go
Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go

Oh Lord, You’re my Shepherd
You make me lie in fields of green
You lead me by the still waters
You restore righteousness to me
Though I walk through the valley
I will fear no evil thing
For You are with me, God
And You comfort me, You comfort me

Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go
Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go
Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go
Oh yeah, wherever I go, wherever I go

Surely goodness, love and mercy
I’m gonna dwell in the house of the Lord forever
I said I’m gonna dwell in the house of the Lord forever
Sing it with me one time
I’m gonna dwell in the house of the Lord forever
Yes, I will
I’m gonna dwell in the house of the Lord forever
Wherever I go

Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go
Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go
Surely goodness, love and mercy
Will follow wherever I go

Reading: John 10 v. 11-18

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Message:

Jesus declares himself to be the good shepherd so it doesn’t seem an unreasonable question to ask ‘What makes a good shepherd?’. What are the skills and abilities required to do well in shepherding?

We could start with the picture of shepherding given us in Psalm 23. There, the shepherd leads the flock along the right paths. They are led to where they can find food and water and rest. They are protected in the face of danger. Everything they need is provided for them. There is provision, protection and the promise of that continuing all the days of a sheep’s life.

Then again, we could look at something more contemporary. Here is a list of suggested shepherding skills taken from the website of someone who offers private coaching and mentoring for shepherds.

Must be tough at heart. Shepherding is not just about sweet lambs and bucolic pastures with sheep grazing. It is about the survival of the fittest. It is about making life and death decisions that will tear your heart apart.

Must be willing to do hard work.
Must be willing to be humbled daily.
Must not be afraid to learn new things.
Must have great endurance.
Must exhibit ability to observe.
Must have the patience of a saint.

Nowhere in that list – nor in Psalm 23 – does it suggest that dying for your flock is recommended shepherding practice. In fact, the first point on the list was about having to be tough and make life and death decisions that would tear your heart apart. Any cost-benefit analysis would say that it’s far better for the shepherd to remain alive even if that means losing a few of the sheep.

It makes absolutely no sense for a lone shepherd to die protecting his flock because when that happens the flock is left completely vulnerable and so nothing is gained. Wild animals will still come in and do what they like with them.

And the nonsense of the situation gets even worse when you realise that the shepherd Jesus portrays isn’t even a hired hand with a contractual responsibility to protect the flock. This is the owner who typically would be playing his part as part of a family concern. Not only is he now dying a probably pointless death but he is also going to leave his family grieving and all for the sake of a few of their sheep. It’s a crazy notion and little wonder that afterwards it had people questioning Jesus’ sanity.

So, assuming that Jesus was perfectly sane and knew perfectly well what he was saying, what is he trying to communicate to us.

Firstly, I believe, he is emphasising the fact that he is sent from God as the Messiah. To see that we need to look back to the book of Zechariah which includes parts that look forward to the coming of God’s Messiah. One section talks about God sending a bad shepherd to Israel (Zechariah 11), allowing them to be governed by leadership that will have no concern for them whatsoever.

I am going to raise up a shepherd over the land who will not care for the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of the choice sheep, tearing off their hooves.

Jesus, by contrast, is the exact opposite, sent from God as the good shepherd rather than a bad one. He knows his sheep and his sheep know him. They respond to his voice. He has such a caring relationship with them that he is prepared to even give up his life for them. That may overstretch the shepherding illustration but it points to Jesus’ complete selflessness in his mission.

And, of course, the illustration makes much more sense when we see it in the light of Jesus’ death and resurrection. He really did give up his life for his sheep – for us – in order to preserve not our life in this world but our life through all eternity. He really was prepared to suffer and die for our sakes.

There is, though, one other dimension to Jesus describing himself as the good shepherd. The Greek word ‘kalos’ literally means good but it could also be used to suggest something that is noble and beautiful and an uplifting example to the world. Used this way the good shepherd Jesus describes isn’t necessarily intended to be seen as a great example of practical shepherding but as a supreme example of selfless love. It is an example for people to try to emulate, even if we know we are more likely to end up behaving like the hired hands who give up when the pressure gets too much.

We know that Jesus intends it to be an example to us because he specifically says so:

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15: 12-13)

Don’t worry, though, if that seems an impossibly high bar to you. It is that ‘kalos’ example – the noble, beautiful and uplifting illustration. We see it in Jesus in supreme, selfless form and it is something that we should strive for but recognising that nobody can love as completely as Jesus did.

So what are our takeaways for today?

Know that Jesus is your good shepherd. Listen for his voice and let him lead and guide you where he will.
Give thanks that Jesus was prepared to give up his life for you. It has been said, with good reason I believe, that were you or I the only person on earth, Jesus would still have died for either of us. Hallelujah!
Seek to live by his example. Let his example of sacrificial love always be an inspiration to you. What does it mean in your life to ‘love each other as I have loved you’? How can you be more selfless in your attitudes and behaviour? Jesus doesn’t call us to be doormats that everyone walks all over but he does call us to follow in his footsteps.

Hymn: King of Love

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The king of love my Shepherd is
Whose goodness faileth never
I nothing lack if I am his
And He is mine forever
And He is mine forever

Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth
And where the verdant pastures grow
With food celestial feedeth

Never-failing Ruler of my heart
Everlasting Lover of my soul
On the mountain high or in the valley low
The King of love my Shepherd is
The King of love my Shepherd is

Lost and foolish off I strayed
But yet in love He sought me
And on His shoulder gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me

In death’s dark veil, I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me
Thy rod and staff my comfort still
Thy cross before to guide me

Never-failing Ruler of my heart
Everlasting Lover of my soul
On the mountain high or in the valley low
The King of love my Shepherd is
The King of love my Shepherd is

Oh, hallelujah, hallelujah
Oh, hallelujah, hallelujah

Never failing, Ruler of my heart
Everlasting Lover of my soul
On the mountain high or in the valley low
The King of love my Shepherd is

Never-failing Ruler of my heart
Everlasting Lover of my soul
On the mountain high or in the valley low
The King of love my Shepherd is
The King of love my Shepherd is

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never
Good Shepherd, may I sing Your praise
Within Your house forever
Within Your house forever

Songwriters: Stuart Garrard / Jonathan Lindley Smith / Adam Palmer / Matthew Hein / Stephanie Kulla

King of Love lyrics © Sony/atv Tree Publishing, Stugio Music Publishing, Sony/atv Timber Publishing, Sony/atv Cross Keys Publishing, Jingram Music Publishing, I Am They Publishing

Prayer

Lord, we ask for the courage of the Good Shepherd,
who lays down his life for his sheep.

We pray for those prepared to suffer
and even to die for what they believe in.

We pray for those whose lives and rights are sacrificed
in the name of power and greed.

We pray for those who risk themselves
by accompanying others along paths of deep suffering,
through valleys of fear and despair.

Lord we ask for the compassion of the good shepherd
who leads his sheep to safe pasture.

We pray for those who work to feed and shelter and educate
the poor peoples of our world.

We pray for those skilled at nursing and healing
those who are suffering or ill In body, mind or spirit.

We pray for those who care, for the victims of our society,
those unable to cope with life, the neglected, the abused.

Lord, we ask for the love of the Good Shepherd
who knows his sheep by name.

We pray for our church, for minister and office bearers,
for its preachers and teachers and all engaged in pastoral care.

We pray for those we know,
relatives or friends who are facing difficult times.

(Silence)

We pray for ourselves
that we might hear the call from our Good Shepherd
and follow his way of love.

We make all our prayers in Christ’s name. Amen.

— from Companion to the Lectionary, Volume 4, by Christine Odell. Posted on the http://pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au/ website.

The Lord’s Prayer

Hymn: STF 736 In Heavenly Love Abiding

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In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?

Wherever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack:
his wisdom ever waketh,
his sight is never dim,
he knows the way he taketh,
and I will walk with him.

Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen;
bright skies will soon be o’er me,
where darkest clouds have been;
my hope I cannot measure,
my path to life is free;
my Saviour has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.

Printed Service – Sunday 21st April 2024Prepared by Rev. Steve Mann.The Lord’s my shepherd

Printed Service – Sunday 21st April 2024
Prepared by Rev. Steve Mann.
The Lord’s my shepherd