I AM, The Good Shepherd

[John Reilly]

For the fourth Sunday of Easter, in "Ashes to Fire" Dr. Jan Lanham, Chair of the Graduate Program at Eastern Nazarene, has done an excellent job writing the devotional for Good Shepherd Sunday. She focuses on three point, Intimacy, Security, The "I AM" For the Season of Easter, The Good Shepherd, as the I AM helps us to remember that the Resurrection means That Jesus, The I AM, is a constant companion for our spiritual journeys.

John 10:11-18
10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

10:12 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.

10:13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.

10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.

10:16 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.

10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

10:18 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."

[Jim Chabot]

Put together the music this afternoon.

I had asked folks last week if they would let me know of songs that have special meaning to them.

So we are starting with The Old Rugged Cross

We are ending with the third verse which gives me a chance to tie intimacy in with pardon and "sanctify"

Next is Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Us, then the chorus of Family of God to lead into the greeting.

Announcements and Offering, singing I Love You Lord over the offering.

After the offering is Tomlin's Beautiful One, I'll be reading John 10:11-14 during the intro and verse 15 at the closing.

Last is All Hail The Power of Jesus Name from the Ashes to Fire music collection. I'll be reading Phillipians 2:10-11 during the intro and John 15:26 at the close.

[David Snodgrass]

We'll open the service with Paul Baloche's "Our God Saves." After announcements and child dedications we will sing "who can satisfy," "Amazing Love," and "Gentle Shepherd."

Looking forward to preaching this passage. My introduction begins with a reference to Psalm 23 and how this week we are taking a break from the chronological events after the resurrection and exploring the identity of our Lord.

I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow.

[Susan Unger]

We'll have a video of Steve Green singing Great is thy faithfulness in a field filled with lambs. I'll be preaching on 1 John 3: 11 - 24.

[Doug Kitchen]

For the fourth Sunday of Easter, in "Ashes to Fire" Dr. Jan Lanham, Chair of the Graduate Program at Eastern Nazarene, has done an excellent job writing the devotional for Good Shepherd Sunday. She focuses on three point, Intimacy, Security, The "I AM" For the Season of Easter, The Good Shepherd, as the I AM helps us to remember that the Resurrection means That Jesus, The I AM, is a constant companion for our spiritual journeys.

John 10:11-18
10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

10:12 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.

10:13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.

10:14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.

10:16 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.

10:17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

10:18 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."

After reading Psalm 23 we sang Matt Redman's "Oh no you never let go"



We drop it down a couple of steps which makes it more powerful (at least I think so). Our church (all ages) seems to really love this song.

[Rich Schmidt]

We did that, too, Doug. Our order of service:

Welcome & brief prayer
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Psalm 23 (read together)
You Never Let Go
His Eye Is on the Sparrow
Brief prayer & passing the peace
Announcements
Scripture readings
Message
Prayer & Lord's Prayer
Communion while singing All Who Are Thirsty
Brief prayer

[John Kennedy]

Sounds thematically similar to our Order of Service:

INTROIT - "Bless the Lord, O my soul....."
CALL TO CELEBRATION
HYMN OF ADORATION - "I sing the almighty power of God..."
THE PASSING OF THE PEACE
A TIME FOR CHILDREN
THE PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND DECLARATION OF PARDON
ANTHEM "All night, all day...."
THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON - Psalm 23
THE GLORIA PATRI
SHARING OF JOYS AND CONCERNS, PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD'S PRAYER
WORSHIP THROUGH GIVING AND DOXOLOGY
THE NEW TESTAMENT LESSON - John 10:11-18
SERMON
HYMN OF TRUST - "Savior, like a shepherd lead us......."
BENEDICTION AND CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE
"Share peace, dear friends.....God's peace."