God of all power, you called from death our Lord Jesus, the
great shepherd of the sheep. Send us as shepherds to rescue the lost,
to heal the injured, and to feed one another with knowledge and
understanding; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
Or
Almighty
God, you show the light of your truth to those in darkness, to lead
them into the way of righteousness. Give strength to all who are
joined in the family of the church, so that they will resolutely
reject what erodes their faith and firmly follow what faith requires;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Acts 4:5-12 {5} The next day their
rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, {6} with
Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were
of the high-priestly family. {7} When they had made the
prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or
by what name did you do this?" {8} Then Peter, filled with
the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,
{9} if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to
someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed,
{10} let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of
Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the
name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised
from the dead. {11} This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected
by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' {12} There
is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given among mortals by which we must be saved."
5. The next day: The day after Peter and John healed a lame
beggar and had been arrested by the Temple authorities. rulers, elders, and scribes: These three groups are
components of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. 6. Annas…Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and all who were of the
high priestly family: Annas was high priest from 6 to 15 a.d. His
son-in-law, Caiaphas, was high priest from 18-36 a.d. He was the high
priest when Jesus was crucified (John 11:51). John (or Jonathan)
succeeded Caiaphas (36-37 a.d.). Alexander is unknown. 7. By what power or by what name did you do this? The question
is not proclaiming the resurrection, which was the excuse for
arresting them (verse 2), but curing a lame beggar. 8-12: Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit and responds to the
question that was asked, "this man is stainding before you in
good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." But he goes
beyond that and identifies Jesus as one crucified by "you,"
raised by God, rejected by "you builders," and the name
"by which we must be saved." the stone that was rejected: Psalm 118:22. See Matthew 21:42
and parallels, 1 Peter 2:7. There is salvation in no one else: "By [salvation Luke]
means deliverance of human beings from evil, whether physical,
political, cataclysmic, moral, or eschatological, and the restoration
of them to a state of wholeness…. Other NT writers make use of it as
well (Paul, John, Hebrews), but only Luke emphasizes the exclusive
nature of this new mode of divine salvation." [1]
Although the reading ends here the appearance before the
Sanhedrin continues. Peter and John are admonished not to teach in the
name of Jesus (4:18). Though they do not agree to obey the order of
the Sanhedrin they are released. This is the first formal opposition
to the apostles’ preaching mentioned in Acts. The opposition rapidly
escalated until there was a severe persecution of the church (8:1).
Psalm 23
{1} The LORD is my
shepherd, I shall not want. {2} He makes me lie down in green
pastures; he leads me beside still waters; {3} he restores my
soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. {4} 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. {5} You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my
head with oil; my cup overflows. {6} 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.
In the Revised Common Lectionary, the
fourth Sunday of Easter is "Good Shepherd Sunday" in all
three years. The Psalm is selected to support the theme of the Gospel.
It also reflects the salvatory power of Jesus which is proclaimed in
Acts 4:12.
1 John 3:16-24
{16} We know love by
this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our
lives for one another. {17} How does God's love abide in anyone
who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet
refuses help? {18} Little children, let us love, not in word or
speech, but in truth and action. {19} And by this we will know
that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him
{20} whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our
hearts, and he knows everything. {21} Beloved, if our hearts do
not condemn us, we have boldness before God; {22} and we
receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and
do what pleases him. {23} And this is his commandment, that we
should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one
another, just as he has commanded us. {24} All who obey his
commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know
that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.
In our society and time the word
"love" has lost a great deal of its meaning. When we deal
with the idea of love in the Bible we really have no analog to help us
understand it. Some point out the various words used in Greek to
express fraternal love (phileo), erotic love (eros), and
God’s love (agape). This reading makes the whole thing quite
simple: "We know love by this, that he laid down his life for
us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another."
If we try to understand the ways of God they, too are
very simple. God assures us of his love, and he expects us to help
those in need. He has commanded us to believe in the name of his Son,
and he has commanded us to love one another. When we obey his
commandments, then the Spirit assures us that we abide in God, and God
abides in us.
John 10:11-18
{11} "I am the good
shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. {12} The
hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees
the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away--and the wolf
snatches them and scatters them. {13} The hired hand runs away
because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. {14} I am the
good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, {15} just as
the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for
the sheep. {16} I have other sheep that do not belong to this
fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So
there will be one flock, one shepherd. {17} For this reason the
Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up
again. {18} No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my
own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it
up again. I have received this command from my Father."
"The point
is that here Jesus is the good shepherd who protects his flock with
the basic guarantees shepherds sought from protective deities:
security, fertility, and provisions. Interestingly, these are the
guarantees ancient peoples sought from their kings. Hence, kings were
readily described with shepherding metaphors, even though the job of
hireling shepherd was considered very low status." [2] Rulers were frequently
assumed to have a relationship similar to that of shepherd and sheep
with their subjects, that is, they were to protect and care for the
people, and even to lay down their life for the sake of them.
"The imagery of a shepherd protecting the flock from
wolves is used elsewhere in the New Testament (Matt. 10:16; Acts
20:28-29). The effect of such language is to warn of dangers and draw
boundaries. Imagery of attack from outsiders is common among socially
estranged groups grappling with maintaining boundaries intact over
against incursions by the surrounding society. Such imagery is
especially common when a group is seeking to keep peripheral members
more closely attached and to guard them from the enticements of rival
groups." [3]
The question that we must ask ourselves is how shall we
understand this imagery when we are a part of the dominent society,
when that society gives at least lip service to Christian values, and
when the estranged are estranged from us? How do we identify
ourselves with those in danger and in need of protection, when we are
often a part of the danger. As Pogo said, "We have met the
enemy, and he is us."
Reflection
Jesus is
our Good Shepherd. How nice it would be just to be sheep. Then Jesus
could take care of us and we would not have to do anything. But that
is not the plan. "Send us as shepherds to rescue the lost,
to heal the injured, and to feed one another with knowledge and
understanding." That is our prayer, and that is God's plan. Jesus
is the cornerstone of our salvation. There is no other name by which
we can be saved. So.... As Jesus has laid down his life for his sheep,
so we are to emulate him.
Those for whom we must act as shepherds are lost and
wayward sheep, as estranged from their surrounding society as we are.
We must guide and guard, protect and defend these sheep. And we must
be ready to do it, as Jesus did, by laying down our life. Are they
worth it? Probably not! But then were we worth Jesus' life? If we
would dare to be more than hirelings who run away when the wolf comes,
if we are to do more than refuse to help those in need, we know that
we ought to lay down our lives for one another.
With One Voice (e.g. 762v), Hymnal Supplement 1991
(e.g. 725s) and LBW (e.g. 32).
E=Entrance; D=Hymn of the Day; I=First Lesson, P=Psalm;
II=Second Lesson; G=Gospel
377 --E--Lift High the
456 --D--The King of
373 --I--Eternal Ruler of
A: As a flock in constant need, we behold our risen Christ
and are quick to pray "Good Shepherd, hear us" and to
respond, C: Good Shepherd, help us.
A: As Christians in this community, there remains a disparate
character in our traditions and practices as Catholic, Protestant, and
Orthodox communions. We ask that the gospel may not be obscured by our
differences or thereby deplored. Good Shepherd, hear us. C: Good
Shepherd, help us.
A: That we may discover the resurrected Christ in life's daily
encounters with others, Good Shepherd, hear us. C: Good Shepherd, help
us.
A: That terrorist activities may be curtailed and that extremist
positions may give way to creative reconciliation. Good Shepherd, hear
us. C: Good Shepherd, help us.
A: That those who have become part of Christ's fold through Holy
Baptism may be drawn to continued inquiry, study, and demonstration of
their faith. Good Shepherd, hear us. C: Good Shepherd, help us. When the Brief Order of Confession and forgiveness is not used, the
following may be said:
A: As parents, grandparents, godparents and friends, we neglect the
spiritual welfare of our children. We fail to articulate our faith in
Christ verbally and in our walk. Forgive us, compassionate Lord, Good
Shepherd, hear us. C: Good Shepherd, help us.
P: The glory alone is yours, O Lord. You seek us before we think of
you. You receive us graciously, when we turn to you. You become the
source of our encouragement. We thank and praise you for your care. C:
Amen.
Presider
or deacon
Gathered in the care of the good shepherd who laid down his life for
the sheep, let us pray to God who knows our every need. Deacon or other leader
For the holy churches in every place, and for the unity of all.
For this holy assembly and for all who gather in the name of the risen
Christ.
For NN and all illumined by the light of Christ.
For N our bishop and the presbyters, the deacons and all who
minister in Christ, and for all the holy people of God.
For the world and its leaders, our nation and its people.
For all those in danger and need, the sick and the suffering, the
strayed and the lost.
For those who walk in death’s dark valley.
For ourselves, our families, and those we love.
Remembering the blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, let us offer
ourselves and one another to the living God through Christ.
To you, O Lord. Presider
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, who soothes our head with oil and
fills our cup with wine. Hear the prayers we offer for every need, and
revive us with your Holy Spirit. Glory to you for ever and ever.
