Croeso and welcome to our worship this fourth Sunday of Easter.
+ In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit AMEN
Alleluia! Christ is risen,
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Our opening hymn today is Faithful Shepherd feed me.
Heavenly Father, all hearts are open to you.
No secrets are hidden from you.
Purify us with the love of your Holy Spirit
That we may love and worship you faithfully,
through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen
Lord, have mercy Lord, have Mercy
Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy
Heavenly Father,
we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and have failed to do
what we ought to have done.
We are sorry and truly repent.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ
who died for us, forgive us all that is past,
and lead us in his way
to walk as children of light. AMEN
May God our Father,
who by the Lord Jesus Christ
has reconciled the world to himself
and forgives the sins of all who truly repent,
pardon and deliver us from all our sins,
and grant us the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
The Gloria.
The Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life: raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. AMEN
Reading
John 10:1-10 (NRSV)
10 “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. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
This week we are delighted to have another Reader, Penny and member of our Ministry Team sharing her reflection. Thank you Penny.
There are so many ways that Jesus is described in The Bible - the light of the world, the vine, the bread of life, the way, the truth and the light. But here in this gospel passage he describes himself as a gate. Now that is different and unexpected.
Specifically it’s the gate to a sheepfold, which was a large enclosed or fenced area in which sheep could spend the night safely. We still have these in some of our villages today. The sheep would enter and leave by a gate or a door.
During the night a guard watched the sheep in the sheepfold and protected them and often would lie across the entrance as a human barrier. A sheepfold would usually provide shelter for many flocks belonging to different shepherds and remarkably the sheep would know the voice of their shepherd and follow only him.
Jesus here in this reading depicts himself as the shepherd. He calls his 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.
We have here a picture of total security, really a New Testament version of Psalm 23, where the sheep wants for absolutely nothing, and who is followed, for its whole life, by goodness and mercy.
The message of this parable is that Jesus is the true shepherd who was willing to die and did die for those who put their faith in Him. This is a powerful message and image for us, especially at this present moment in time. Gates have certainly shut in our faces in the last few weeks and we might feel contained and probably stressed but we can be encouraged in the knowledge that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares, watches, and protects those who believe in him and that through this truth a gate can open for us to follow in security and each one of us known by name.
There is a lovely phrase, found only in John's gospel, that Jesus 'has come so that we might have life and have it to the full',
Prayers of intercession
Let us pray for the needs of the world, the needs of others and ourselves.
Let us remember that Jesus was the gate to the sheepfold.
We bring before you people who themselves have become like gates, controlling other peoples in's and out's, negatively, as well as positively. Governments in controlling movement during the pandemic.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.
We pray for the work of the NHS and return thanks for it. Also we pray for the keyworkers who enable us to live as normally as possible with food, warmth and shelter.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
We pray, even though that the gates of our churches remain shut, for the people who desperately feel barred from God. Let them know the love of Christ who cares, protects, watches and loves them, even though they do not recognise it.
We pray for our Bishop June, the Ministry Team here in the Parish, for Edwin, Craig Jude Marc Rhian, Keith, Penny Sue and Bill. We pray for the congregations of our churches and where they are today, in their homes.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
We remember all those held behind gates in our prisons and for those who care for them. For our justice system and those caught up in promoting law and order in challenging times.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.
We pray for those behind gates in their homes and that in this time of isolation they will be able to access the things which may help them. We bring before you. those who are lonely, the neglected, the forgotten, the abused and those in poverty.
We pray for those who are ill, in mind, body and spirit. That they will know God's peace and strength around them and within them. We bring before you Stephen, Jack, Mike and John.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
We remember those who have died from Covid-19, or from other causes. I ask your prayers for Ian, Gerald, Ken, Leslie and any known to you.
For those who mourn, and those who have their anniversaries at this time and remember Roger on his anniversary and all those who died for our freedom in World War 2. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
Merciful Father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Hymn Forth in the peace of Christ we go.
The Lord's Prayer
The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and ever more. AMEN
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
An encouraging thought for today. How we need to put our trust in the one who is our Shepherd to bring us through these uncertain days.