Worshipping at Home 25th April 2021
Home Worshipping 

Easter Sunday 4                           25th April 2021

The Service

The above video is 17 minutes & 6 seconds long
The First Hymn
Welcome!

We bow before our monarch as a sign of loyalty and commitment. When we kneel in church, we may be wanting to express the same humble faithfulness to God. The extraordinary truth is that in the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd we see his loyalty, commitment and humble faithfulness to us - his sheep. We bow to one another in an overwhelming and true love. 

Psalm 23  

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
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.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
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.

Acclamation

Let us worship our holy God
for he is merciful and kind.
We honour our God
with heart, mind and strength.
Let us seek the presence of the Lord
for he is gracious and forgiving.
Let us delight in the love of our God
for he is gentle and understanding.
May the embrace of our 
God surround us
and fill us with heavenly joy.

The Collect Prayer

Risen Christ, 
faithful shepherd 
of your Father’s sheep: 
teach us to hear your voice 
and to follow your command, 
that all your people 
may be gathered into one flock, 
to the glory of God the Father.
 
Amen.

Sharing the Peace

We are the Family of God;
In the one Spirit we were all baptised
into one body.
Let us then pursue all that makes for peace
and builds up our common life.

(At this point please think of others
and in your heart send them
the message: Peace be with you.)

Bible Reading

John 10:11-18 Jesus the Good Shepherd

 

[Jesus said] "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own 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 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.



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

Thought for the Day

After his resurrection Jesus spent ‘forty’ days – a good length of time - appearing to the disciples and instructing them. He went over his teaching again and helped them remember and understand things he had said. In particular Jesus was keen to show them that his death and resurrection were completely in keeping with his character, his message and God’s plan. There are forty days between Easter and Ascension, and during this good length of time we, also, take another look at key passages in the Gospels. This week it’s Jesus’ claim to be the Good Shepherd.

The theme of God acting as a Good Shepherd appears in many places such as Psalm 23 and Ezekiel 34. In these passages we read of the way a shepherd provides security, pasture and leadership for the sheep. Jesus, however, focusses on a fascinating aspect of shepherding that takes the vocation to a new level. He talks about the Good Shepherd laying down his life for his sheep. I am glad to be revisiting this teaching because there is a detail I had not fully appreciated. Jesus explains the reason why a shepherd might sacrifice himself for his flock. It is to save them from the wolf. Who is the wolf? Anyone who tries to destroy our lives. In John 10:10, Jesus says that he has come that we may have life and to live it in its full abundance. 

This week I would like to share with you a painting of Jesus the Good Shepherd by Philippe de Champaigne, a 17th century French Painter. I was struck by the size of the sheep on Jesus’ shoulders! All the previous pastoral images I had seen were of Jesus holding a little lamb. In this painting the errant sheep is a heavyweight. I love the look on the sheep’s face. Once more it is secure. I also love the look on Jesus’ face. He bears no signs of annoyance or inconvenience. With his head slightly tilted towards the sheep, Jesus seems to be saying, ‘I care.’

The size of the sheep reminds us that it is not just the young who might go astray. That heavyweight creature on Jesus’ shoulders could be me. We are reminded that we can all go astray at times when we need saving from the wolves.

Our Lord is the Good Shepherd. As demonstrated on Good Friday and Easter, he lays down his life for us. He is our eternal security against any wolf that may have an evil eye on us. His desire is that we may enjoy abundant life. Mind you, there’s a warning for us as well: If we frustrate the opportunities for others to share in this abundant life, then we are no better that wolves in sheep’s clothing. May the Good Shepherd never have to save anyone from you or me!

Let us Pray

Mighty God, in whom we know the power of redemption, you stand among us in the shadows of our time. As we move through every sorrow and trial of this life, uphold us with knowledge of the final morning when, in the glorious presence of your risen Son, we will share in his resurrection, redeemed and restored to the fullness of life and forever freed to be your people. Amen.

Good Shepherd, uplifted by the hope we have in you, strengthened by the faith we have in you, and inspired by love we see in you, teach us to follow you - to care for all that are close to us, to protect those who are threatened, to welcome those who are rejected, to forgive those who are burdened by guilt, to heal those who are broken and sick, to share with those who have little or nothing. Amen.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

(Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.)
The Blessing

God the Father, by whose glory Christ was raised from the dead, strengthen you to walk with him in his risen life; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you always.



Amen.

 The Second Hymn

Bible Readings for the Week

Monday: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 1 Peter 5:1-5

Tuesday: 1 Chronicles 11:1-9; Revelation 7:13-17

Wednesday: Micah 7:8-20; Mark 14:26-31

Thursday: Amos 8:1-7; Acts 8:1b-8

Friday: Amos 8:11-13; Acts 8:9-25

Saturday: Amos 9:7-15; Mark 4:30-32

If you have any thoughts, questions or concerns, please contact us

Henley in Arden The incumbent/priest in charge John Ganjavi
telephone 01564 792570 or email Incumbent/ Priest in charge

For a full list of church contact details please click here
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I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you're grateful, you'll see God open up new doors.
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