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THE FOURTH SUNDAY
OF EASTER
Year A
May 7, 2017
Volume 21, Number 39
ISSN 1071-9962
CONTENTS:
A Thought on Preaching
Title
Sermon in a Sentence
Scripture
Biblical Commentary
Children's Sermon
Sermon
More Sermons on this Text
Thought Provokers
Hymns & Hymn Story
Bibliography
A THOUGHT ON PREACHING: No one can do the work of God until he has the Holy
Spirit and is endured with power. It is impossible to preach the Gospel save in the power
of the Spirit. (G. Campbell Morgan)
TITLE: The Good Shepherd
SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Christ, the Good Shepherd, calls us in a very personal
way––calls us by name to very specific discipleship responsibilities.
SCRIPTURE: John 10:1-10
BIBLICAL COMMENTARY:
JOHN 9:41 - 10:22. THE CONTEXT
Biblical manuscripts don't include chapter or verse divisions. The chapter-break between
9:41 and 10:1, which separates the discourse (10:1-18) from the story of the man born
blind (9:1-41), was not present in the original. This discourse grows out of that story.
The Jews (this Gospel's term for Jewish leaders who seek to discredit Jesus) "agreed that
if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue" (9:22).
Excommunication isolated a person, not only religiously, but in every way. It was such a
frightening prospect that the parents of the man born blind dodged the questions of the
Jewish leaders––referring them to their son. The son not only refused to agree that Jesus
was a sinner, but also challenged the Pharisees with provocative answers. The Jews
responded by driving him out (9:34)––presumably meaning excommunication. This sort
of uncaring action is characteristic, not of a shepherd, but of a thief or a bandit who cares
nothing for the sheep.
John 2-11 includes seven great signs or miracles (2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-9; 6:1-14, 15-25;
9:1-8; 11:1-45) and is often therefore referred to as "The Book of Signs." The Good
Shepherd Discourse falls between the last two of these signs, the healing of the man born
blind and the raising of Lazarus. The irony is that the religious leaders, who think that
they understand everything, fail to see the significance of these signs. Their hearts are
closed to Jesus, so they miss the plain-as-day truth right in front of their eyes.
"At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem" (10:22). While
this verse is not included in the Gospel lesson, it helps us to identify time and place. The
festival of Dedication is Hanukkah, which takes place in December and commemorates
"the purification and reconstruction of the Jerusalem temple and the dedication of the
new altar by Judas Maccabeus in 165-164 B.C. ...after Antiochus IV Epiphanes had
desecrated it by decreeing pagan sacrifices there (1 Macc. 4:52-59; 2 Macc. 10:5)"
(Myers, 276).
JOHN 10:1-10. AN OVERVIEW
Jesus uses two metaphors for himself in this passage. He is the shepherd who enters by
the gate which the gatekeeper opens for him (v. 2-6), and he is the gate (or door) by
which the sheep enter into salvation and go out to find pasture (v. 7-9).
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Jesus says that thieves and bandits enter the sheepfold by another way (v. 1). The thieves
and bandits are "all who came before me" (v. 8), and the thief who "comes to steal, kill,
and destroy" (v. 10).
These metaphors are confusing if we treat them as allegory and try to assign precise
meanings. If Jesus is the shepherd who enters by the gate, how can he also be the gate?
If the thieves and robbers are Pharisees, are there also other thieves and robbers? We
must accept a bit of ambiguity here. Jesus is the shepherd––that is a valid image––but he
is also the gate––another valid image. We gain nothing by forcing the images together.
The Pharisees are thieves and robbers, but hardly the only ones. There were other thieves
and robbers in the church when this Gospel was written at the end of the first century––
and there are other thieves and robbers in the church today.
We sometimes refer to ordained clergy as pastors or shepherds. There are other passages
that support such terminology (John 21:15-19; Acts 20:28-29; 1 Peter 5:2-3) but John 10
does not. Verses 11-18, which go beyond this Gospel lesson, emphasize the
Christological nature of this passage and the inappropriateness of applying its imagery to
anyone but Christ.
JOHN 10:1-6. JESUS AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD
1"Most
certainly, (Greek: amen amen) I tell you, one who doesn't enter by the door into
the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But one
who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for
him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them
out. 4Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow
him, for they know his voice. 5They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from
him; for they don't know the voice of strangers." 6Jesus spoke this parable (Greek:
paroimian) to them, but they didn't understand what he was telling them.
"Most certainly, (amen amen) I tell you" (v. 1a). Amen expresses strong affirmation of
that which is being said. In the Gospel of John Jesus uses the double amen 23 times for
emphasis (in the Synoptics, Jesus always uses a singular amen). In this Gospel, the
double amen "never begins a discourse but always follows up some previous teaching. It
indicates that the following statement is important, but also that it has a connection with
the preceding. This passage, then, must be understood in the closest of connections with
the story of the blind man given sight" (Morris, 446).
"one who doesn't enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other
way, the same is a thief and a robber" (v. 1b). "Thieves would primarily have been
thought of as those who broke into homes and bandits as itinerant robbers" (Lincoln,
293).
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This brings to mind Ezekiel 34:11, 15-16, in which God rebuked the shepherds of Israel
(religious leaders) who fed themselves rather than their flocks. God stopped their
exploitation and took on the role of shepherd. Jeremiah 23:1-4 has much the same
emphasis. The Old Testament includes a number of references to God as shepherd and
the people as flock (Psalm 23:1; 77:20; 79:13; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3; Isaiah 40:11).
Much of Judea is poor, rocky soil, better suited for grazing than cultivation, so
shepherding was a common occupation. The collection of wool is important, so
shepherds sometimes work with the same sheep for a number of years, developing a
strong relationship.
"But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper
opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice" (vv. 2-3a). A solitary
shepherd watching over a small flock would not encounter a gatekeeper. What is being
pictured here is apparently a large sheepfold capable of accommodating several flocks.
The gatekeeper recognizes the shepherd and opens the gate for him. The shepherd would
use a distinctive call to call his sheep, and they would recognize his call and gather
around him.
"He calls his own sheep by name" (v. 3b). "His own" reflects the personal nature of the
relationship between shepherd and sheep. Shepherding is not just a job for this shepherd,
and the sheep are more than an asset.
"The concept of naming was extremely important to the biblical writers because names
were declarations of the nature of living creatures. When Adam named the creatures and
even Eve, he identified each one's nature (Gen 2:18-23). Moreover, shifts in names such
as from Abram to Abraham and from Jacob to Israel were identifications of shifts in the
nature or the circumstances of a person (cf. Gen 17:4-7; 32:26-30)" (Borchert).
It is noteworthy that Mary Magdalene will recognize the risen Christ only when he calls
her by name (20:16).
G. A. Smith tells of watching shepherds in Judea. "Sometimes we enjoyed our noonday
rest beside one of those Judean wells to which three or four shepherds come down with
their flocks. The flocks mixed with each other, and we wondered how each shepherd
would get his own again. But after the watering and the playing were over the shepherds
one by one went up different sides of the valley, and each called out his peculiar call; and
the sheep of each drew out of the crowd to their own shepherd" (G. A. Smith, Historical
Geography of the Holy Land, 210-11, quoted in Beasley-Murray, 168).
"and leads them out" (v. 3c). While inside the sheepfold, the sheep have the protection
of its walls. When the shepherd leads them out of the sheepfold, the shepherd is their
only protection––and all the protection that they need if he is a good shepherd.
"Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow
him, for they know his voice" (v. 4). Once the sheep have recognized the shepherd's
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call and have separated themselves from the other flocks and gathered around the
shepherd, the shepherd leads them out of the sheepfold to pasture and water. He leads
rather than drives them––goes ahead to insure that the path is safe. He repeats his call
periodically to keep the sheep together. The sheep recognize his voice and follow him.
"They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don't
know the voice of strangers" (v. 5). The sheep know their shepherd's voice and follow
him willingly, but will not follow a stranger whose voice they do not recognize. They
have learned to trust their shepherd, but have not learned to trust the stranger. We see
something similar with babies who readily accept their mother or father but reject being
held by strangers.
"Jesus spoke this parable (Greek: paroimian) to them" (v. 6a). Paroimian can be
translated "figure of speech" or "proverb" or "parable" (O'Day, 667-668).
"but they didn't understand what he was telling them" (v. 6b). To whom does "they"
refer? The Pharisees? The disciples? Probably the Pharisees, given that Jesus is
addressing them in 9:41––although "Usually the role of misunderstanding in John is
reserved for the disciples" (Johnston, 525).
The Pharisees could not understand, because they thought of themselves as good
shepherds. It would have been nearly impossible for them to imagine that Jesus would
portray them as bad shepherds––as thieves and robbers.
JOHN 10:7-10. JESUS AS THE DOOR
7Jesus
therefore said to them again, "Most certainly, I tell you, I am (Greek: ego eimi) the
sheep's door. (Greek: thura––gate or door) 8All who came before me are thieves and
robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he
will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. 10The thief only comes to
steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly"
(Greek: perisson).
"Most certainly, I tell you, I am (ego eimi) the sheep's door" (thura––gate or door) (v.
7). Jesus changes the metaphor. He was the shepherd, but is now the gate. Bruce sees
the gate metaphor as a short parable inserted into the longer shepherd parable (Bruce,
225).
"I am" (ego eimi––God's name––see Exodus 3:14-15) the thura (door or gate––the latter
translation better fits a sheepfold, which typically has either a hinged gate or simply an
opening). In this Gospel, Jesus will use "I am" to identify himself as "the bread of life"
(6:35)––"the living bread" (6:51)––"the light of the world" (8:12; 9:5)––"the son of God"
(10:36)––"the resurrection and the life" (11:25)––"the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6)–
–and the "true vine" (15:1).
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Villages often have a large communal sheepfold with a strong door. In the hinterlands,
however, sheepfolds are much less grand. Instead of a well-made door, they have only an
opening. The shepherd makes his bed in the opening––blocks the opening with his
body––protects the sheep with his life. "In the most literal sense the shepherd was the
door; there was no access to the sheep-fold except through him" (Barclay, 67).
"All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to
them" (v. 8). Of whom does Jesus speak? Surely not the great historical figures of the
faith! In this Gospel, Jesus speaks positively of Moses (5:45-46) and Abraham (8:56)
and negatively of Jewish religious leaders (5:39-40, 47). It is the latter––the Pharisees
who excommunicated the formerly blind man in chapter 9 and wealthy Sadducees––who
are the thieves and bandits. Jesus' words "might also bring to mind the example of the
bad high priests of Maccabean times" who acquiesced to the Syrian desecration of the
Holy Place (Brown, 389, 392).
"I am the door" (thura––gate or door) (v. 9a). "The repetition of the phrase 'I am the
gate' (10:7, 9) places emphasis on the exclusiveness of Jesus as the way to eternal life. It
is a prominent motif in the Fourth Gospel, and no doubt helped to establish the peculiar
identity of the Johannine community in distinction from the synagogue" (Brueggemann,
289). It is popular today to believe that there are many equally valid doors that lead to
God. This verse suggests otherwise. While many Christians reject any hint of
exclusivism, others find motivation for evangelism in verses such as this.
Quite apart from issues of world religions, we are tempted to seek salvation from
psychiatry, free enterprise, education, or science and technology. "Most of these
institutions...have been around long enough to be evaluated as salvational systems. They
flunk" (Snow & Furnish, 30-31). Each produces fruits both good and evil––i.e.,
technology makes it easier both to save lives and to kill––education makes us smarter but
cannot insure that we will not turn our knowledge to evil ends.
"If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved" (v. 9b). That is the purpose of the
sheepfold––a safe haven in a dangerous world. It protects sheep from thieves and
predators and saves them from their own foolishness.
"and will go in and go out, and will find pasture" (v. 9c). That is in keeping with
Jesus' earlier words that he offers "living water"––"a well of water springing up to eternal
life" (4:10, 14) and "food which remains to eternal life" (6:27). Finding food is the
purpose of leaving the fold. Sheep in the fold eat hay––last year's crop––dry and
tasteless. To find succulent green pasture and cool running water, they must leave the
sheepfold. The Jesus-gate leads to good pastures.
"The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy" (v. 10a). The thief focuses only on
satisfying his own needs, and cares little about the welfare of others.
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"Phony grace and false security and make-believe shepherds abound, and so do
misleading doorways" (Marty, 427). The Pharisees of 9:41 are one example of thieves
and bandits, but there is no lack of others. Jesus warns of false prophets (Matt 7:15-23).
When this Gospel was written, late in the first century, the church was struggling with
antichrists (1 John 2:18-22) and false prophets (1 John 4:1-6). Acts 20:29-35 warns of
savage wolves who will not spare the flock. Philippians 3:18-19 warns of many––some
who are church members––who live "as the enemies of the cross of Christ." 1 Peter 5:15 exhorts elders, "Shepherd the flock...not for dishonest gain but willingly."
We do not lack for examples of thieves and bandits in the church today. The church
suffers from televangelists who promise wealth for the sheep but reap wealth for
themselves. A friend of mine dishonored himself and injured his congregation by
engaging in an illicit sexual relationship. The Catholic Church has suffered because of
the sins of a few rogue priests. Every preacher is tempted to pack the pews by telling
people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear. All these are "thieves
and robbers" who "steal, kill, and destroy"––who steal that which does not belong to
them––who kill the trust of those who believed them––who destroy faith.
We who are entrusted with Word and Sacrament need always to remember that the devil,
whom Jesus calls a murderer (8:44), works especially hard to bring us down. Nothing
serves Satan's purposes better than rogue clergy. We must be always on guard against
temptation lest we find ourselves numbered among the thieves and bandits.
"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (perisson) (v. 10b). Unlike
the thief, Jesus is focused on the welfare of the sheep. Coming or going, Jesus' sheep are
safe and well fed. They have life, and have it abundantly (perisson). "The Greek
perisson means 'that which goes way beyond necessity.' John wanted all his readers to
know that the gift of Jesus is life beyond our wildest dreams" (Borchert).
If we want to experience life at its fullest, we will ask, WWJD? ––"What would Jesus
do?" What would Jesus have me to do? How can I be more faithful to Jesus? How can I
be more like Jesus? As we bring our lives into compliance with Jesus' will, he blesses us
with abundant life. That does not necessarily mean health or wealth. It means abundance,
which has more to do with what is in our hearts than with what is in our hands.
CHILDREN'S SERMON: Recognize the Voice
By Lois Parker Edstrom
There are many types of voices in the world. Think about the voices you hear as you go
about your day. We become very familiar with our parents' voices. From the time we are
babies our parents speak to us, sing to us, and read to us. We can tell who is calling us to
come in for dinner just by listening to the voice.
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Animals have distinct voices. A cow's voice sounds different from a cat's voice. The
voice of a wild goose is unlike that of a songbird. A pig's voice is very unusual; it is
different from any other animal's voice and may even make us laugh.
In the Holy Land shepherds, caregivers of sheep, bring their flocks to a place where the
animals can drink water. Several flocks of sheep mix together. When it is time to leave
the area the shepherd goes to a hill and calls his sheep. They recognize his voice, separate
out from the other flocks, and follow him.
Jesus uses this example as a way to describe himself. He says, "He calls his own sheep
by name, and leads them out" (10:3). "Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes
before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice" (10:4).
Jesus tells us that he is the good shepherd. He is our caregiver. We hear the voice of Jesus
through his words which are recorded in the Bible. Although we may not be able to hear
the sound of his voice in our ears, as we study the Bible and become more familiar with
what Jesus said, we can recognize and know the truth of his words in our hearts.
SERMON:
A minister, arriving at a new pastorate, was invited to join a civic club. Introducing him,
the speaker facetiously said that they were electing him "chief hog caller" for the club.
The minister said, "Gentlemen, I appreciate the great honor that you have conferred on
me. When I came to this community, I expected to be the shepherd of the flock––but, of
course, you know your crowd better than I do."
Our text from John reminds us that Jesus is the great shepherd of the flock. I like that,
because shepherds take care of sheep. The shepherd:
• Leads the sheep,
• Provides food for them,
• Finds them safe lodging,
• Searches for them when they are lost,
• Tends their wounds when they are hurt,
• And protects them from wild animals.
People didn't think very highly of shepherds in Jesus' day.
• Shepherds sometimes allowed their sheep to graze on other people's land.
• Shepherds were here today and gone tomorrow, moving from pasture to pasture.
Sometimes they left town without paying their bills.
• Sometimes people found prized possessions missing after a shepherd had moved on.
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• Shepherds lived lonely, isolated lives. They seldom developed much in the way of
social graces.
• Shepherds were sometimes not allowed to appear as witnesses in court, because people
didn't trust them.
But Jesus called himself "the good shepherd" (John 10:11). He was glad to identify with
shepherds in spite of the shepherd's humble status––or, perhaps, because of their humble
status. Jesus had plenty of pride, but none of it was false. He could identify with
shepherds, because shepherds nurtured and protected their sheep. That is what Jesus
came to do.
Jesus said that the shepherd "calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out" (v. 3).
Day in and day out, Jesus calls us. A shepherd does that constantly. He calls sheep that
have wandered away so that they might return to his protection. Fanny Crosby captured
the image well in her old gospel song:
Jesus is tenderly calling you home––
Calling today, calling today....
Jesus is pleading, O hear now his voice––
Hear him today, hear him today.
When Jesus calls us, he calls us by name. Our names are important, because they identify
us personally. A church bulletin board read, "Everybody welcome!" That sounds
friendly, but the Good Shepherd doesn't say, "Everybody welcome!" The Good Shepherd
"calls his own sheep by name." Jesus says, "Sam, follow me! Jack, follow me! Sharon,
follow me! Sue, follow me! Carol, follow me!" He knows us personally, and calls us by
name.
Jesus not only calls us by name, but also calls us to great responsibilities––great lives.
Some years ago, a large oil company needed a public relations officer in the Far East.
They needed someone familiar with the language and customs; they needed someone
who knew the local people. In those days, not many Americans knew the Orient, but the
company located an American missionary who seemed perfect. They offered him the
job, and named a salary several times his missionary pay. He turned them down. They
increased the offer, but still he declined. "What's wrong?" they asked. "Isn't the salary
big enough?" The missionary thought for a moment, and then responded, "The salary is
big enough, but the job isn't!"
When Christ calls us, he calls us to more than a large salary. He calls us to large lives.
Today, many seminarians are people in their 30s or 40s or even older. Many of them
determined that their lives had been too small, so they answered Christ's call to a larger
life. Some have made great sacrifices to do so.
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Whenever my wife and I visit New York City, we worship in the church where we were
married. During one such visit, they had a guest preacher––a man from the congregation
who had been recently ordained. Christ had called him to ministry, and he had quit his
job to attend seminary. By the time we heard him preach, he had completed his studies
and was preparing to take a church. He preached a good sermon.
After the services were over, the minister took us aside to tell us the man's story. The
man had been a corporate lawyer on Wall Street, earning a six-figure salary. Six figures
is a lot of money––somewhere between a hundred thousand dollars and a million dollars.
Not many ministers make six figures––and this man had the potential to earn millions as
a Wall Street lawyer. But, at some point, he said, "Can I spend the rest of my life
worrying about the wording of debentures?" After much soul-searching, he quit his job
and enrolled in seminary. Christ had called him from a great salary to a great life.
Christ doesn't call all of us to study for the ministry, but he calls all of us to ministry of
one sort or another. It is not important whether he calls us to things great or small,
because he enlarges everything that he touches.
• God called a widow to put her last penny in the collection plate. Jesus pointed her out
to his disciples, and said that people would remember her for the rest of time.
• Christ called a boy to give five loaves and two fishes. When they boy obeyed, Jesus
used the child's lunch to feed five thousand people.
• Christ called a man to use his gift of hospitality. That man put two extra plates on his
table every Sunday, and invited two young people from a nearby school to share his
Sunday dinner. He did this for many years, and in the process led many young people to
Christ. When he died the funeral home ran out of space, because so many people came to
honor the man who had honored Christ with an extra plate.
• Christ calls each of us to some sort of service. David McKenna, in his book, Love Your
Work, tells of a tombstone in a village graveyard. The epitaph read:
Thomas Cobb,
Who mended shoes in this village
For forty years
To the glory of God!
Imagine that! If you needed a pair of shoes mended––or a car repaired––or a house
built––or your plumbing unstopped––wouldn't you like to meet a cobbler––or a
mechanic––or a carpenter––or a plumber––whom Christ had called to practice their trade
to the glory of God! I have known people like that. It's a joy to work with them.
• Just think of the many acts of Christian service to which Christ calls people every week
in this church. People prepare and serve communion, cook dinners for homeless people,
sing in the choir, plant flowers, pay bills, pull weeds, clean toilets, attend meetings, type
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minutes of meetings, and a perform a host of other duties for the glory of God. (NOTE
TO THE PREACHER: Tailor this list to fit your congregation.)
• Each of these small duties might seem inconsequential by itself but, woven together,
they become a chorus of praise. Jakob Boehme put it this way. He said:
We are all strings
in the concert of God's joy.
And so we are. Choir members know how important it is that each voice be precise in
pitch and timing. One person's hesitancy muddies the whole line. And so it is important
that each of us answers Christ's call as exactly as possible––to be in perfect harmony with
his will. George Eliot wrote a poem about the great violinmaker, Antonio Stradivari.
God had called Stradivari to craft fine instruments. Eliot put these words in his mouth:
If my hand slacked I should rob God;
God could not make Antonio Stradivari's violins
without Antonio.
Jesus says that the shepherd "calls his own sheep by name." He calls us, each of us, to
use who we are and what we have to bring glory to his name. He calls us to obey him––
to go where he calls––to follow him faithfully––even foolishly.
What has God called you to do for him? (NOTE: Tailor this list for your congregation.)
• Has he called you to serve as a deacon or an elder?
• Has he called you to serve on the church board?
• Has he called you to cook for a church dinner or for the homeless?
• Has he called you to keep the financial records or to fold the bulletins?
• Has he called you to teach a Sunday school class or to sponsor a youth group?
God calls each of us to some sort of Christian service. But first, he calls us to receive his
transforming love into our lives and to love him in return. First, he calls us to let him be
Lord of our lives.
Today, Christ is calling you! He is calling you by name! He is calling you to love him
and to serve him. Listen carefully! Listen prayerfully! And answer his call today.
FOR MORE SERMONS ON THIS TEXT:
Go to https://www.sermonwriter.com/sermon/
THOUGHT PROVOKERS:
Christ is no Moses, no exactor, no giver of laws,
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but a giver of grace, a Savior;
he is infinite mercy and goodness,
freely and bountifully giving to us.
Martin Luther
* * * * * * * * * *
Reflecting on Jesus' parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15), Albert Schweitzer observed:
"In the parable of Jesus,
the shepherd saves not merely the soul of the lost sheep
but the whole animal."
* * * * * * * * * *
Souls are not saved in bundles.
The Spirit says to us,
"How is it with thee?
Thee personally?
Is it well, is it ill?"
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Worship
* * * * * * * * * *
Jesus Christ is God's everything
for our total need.
Richard Halverson
* * * * * * * * * *
Two men were watching a man drive a herd of sheep
through the main street of a small town.
"I thought shepherds led sheep," remarked the first man.
"I didn't know they drive them with a whip."
"They do," the other fellow replied.
"That's not a shepherd.
That's the village butcher."
R. Robert Cueni
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* * * * * * * * * *
HYMNS:
Baptist Hymnal (BH)
Chalice Hymnal (CH)
Collegeville Hymnal (CO)
Common Praise (CP)
Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW)
Gather Comprehensive (GC)
JourneySongs (JS)
Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW)
Lutheran Service Book (LSB)
Lutheran Worship (LW)
Presbyterian Hymnal (PH)
The Faith We Sing (TFWS)
The Hymnal 1982 (TH)
The New Century Hymnal (TNCH)
United Methodist Hymnal (UMH)
Voices United (VU)
With One Voice (WOV)
Wonder Love and Praise (WLP)
Worship & Rejoice (WR)
GATHERING:
Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim (BH #589; CO #519; CP #93; ELW #825;
LBW #252; PH #477; TH #535; TNCH #305; UMH #181; VU #342; WR #112)
Also known as You Servants of the Lord
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us (BH #61; CH #558; ELW #789; LBW #48; LSB #711;
PH #387; TH #708; TNCH #252; UMH #381; WR #440)
PROCLAIMING:
Dear Lord, Lead Me Day by Day (BH #459; UMH #411; VU #568)
Give me the Faith Which Can Remove (UMH #650)
Hark, A Thrilling Voice is Sounding (CO #176; ELW #246; LBW #37; LSB #345; LW
#18; TH #59)
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Also known as Hark! A Herald Voice is Calling
Hark the Voice of Jesus Calling (BH #591; LBW #381; LSB #827; LW #318)
He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought (BH #52; CH #545; LBW #501; UMH #128; VU
#657; WR #499)
His Name is Wonderful (BH #203; UMH #174; WR #102)
I Hear Thy Welcome Voice (BH #302)
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (BH #551; CO #453; CP #508; ELW #332, 611; GC
#646; JS #476; LBW #497; LSB #699; LW #348; TH #692; TNCH #489; VU #626)
Jesus, Shepherd of Our Souls (GC #725)
Lamb Of God (CP #270; ELW #336; LBW #111; LSB #550; LW #208; TFWS #2113;
WOV #620-622; WR #281)
My Shepherd, Lord (JS #423)
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need (CH #80; CO #458; PH #172; TH #664, TNCH
#247)
Also known as My Shepherd, You Supply My Need
Near to the Heart of God (BH #295; CH #581; PH #527; UMH #472)
O Thou, In Whose Presence (UMH #518)
Precious Lord, Take My Hand (BH #456; CH #628; CP #509; ELW #773; JS #572; LSB
#739; PH #404; TNCH #472; UMH #474; VU #670; WLP #800; WOV #731; WR #500)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (CO #460; CP #520; ELW #502; GC #635; JS #461;
LBW #456; LSB #709; LW #412; PH #171; TH #645, 646; TNCH #248; UMH #138;
VU #273)
The Lord's My Shepherd (CH #78; CO #479; CP #519; ELW #778; GC #32, 643; JS
#128; LBW #451; LSB #710; LW #416; PH #170; UMH #136; VU #747; WR #86)
The Voice of God is Calling (CH #666; UMH #436)
There's a Wideness in God's Mercy (BH #25; CH #73; CO #535; CP #606; ELW #587,
588; GC #626; JS #432; LBW #290; PH #298; TH #469, 470; TNCH #23; UMH #121;
VU #271; WR #61)
You are Mine (TFWS #2218)
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You Satisfy the Hungry Heart (CH #429; CO #389; ELW #484; GC #815; LSB #641; PH
#521; UMH #629; VU #478; WOV #711; WR #705)
Also known as Gift of Finest Wheat
SENDING:
I Have Decided to Follow Jesus (BH #305; CH #344, TFWS #2129; WR #344)
Lead Me, Guide Me (CH #553; ELW #768; GC #574; LSB #721; TFWS #2214; WLP
#756; WR #498)
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go (BH #292; CH #540; LBW #324; PH #384; TNCH
#485; UMH #480; VU #658; WR #446)
HYMN STORY: The King of Love My Shepherd Is
This hymn, written by the English musician, Sir Henry Baker, paraphrases Psalm 23 ––
without question the most beloved of the psalms and one of the most beloved of all
scriptures. Families often request the reading of the 23rd Psalm at funerals, because its
words offer so much comfort –– but they strengthen us also in happier moments.
"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."
These words comfort and strengthen us because they remind us that we serve a Lord who
loves us –– who cares about our welfare –– who provides for our needs. We need that
reminder, because life is not always gentle. In life's less gentle moments, Psalm 23
reminds us that God is still at work in our lives and that we have nothing to fear.
FOR MORE HYMN STORIES, go to
https://www.sermonwriter.com/hymn-stories/
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright)
modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard
Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text
New Testament. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good
translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc.), which the WEB has updated.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
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Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The
Saint Andrew Press, 1955)
Beasley-Murray, George R., Word Biblical Commentary: John (Nashville: Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1999)
Bergent, Dianne and Fragomeni, Richard, Preaching the New Lectionary, Year A
(Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2001)
Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A (Nashville:
Broadman Press, 1996)
Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden City:
Doubleday, 1966)
Bruce, F.F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1983)
Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D.,
Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV• Year A (Louisville:
Westminster John Knox Press, 1995)
Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching
Through the Christian Year A (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1992)
Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8
(Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)
Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical
Discipleship (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2001)
Johnston, Scott Black, in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary:
Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)
Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John
(Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)
Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to
John (London: Continuum, 2005)
Madsen, George H. O., Lectionary Bible Studies: The Year of Matthew, Lent-Easter,
Study Book (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977)
Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The Liturgical
Press, 1998)
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Marty, Peter W., "The Door to Abundant Life," The Christian Century, April 17, 1996
Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel
According to John (Revised) (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
1995)
Myers, Allen C., The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1987)
O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)
Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological
Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)
Sloyan, Gerald, Interpretation: John (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)
Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville:
Abingdon, 1999)
Snow, John H. and Furnish, Victor P., Proclamation: Easter Series A (Philadelphia:
Fortress Press, 1974)
Vawter, Bruce, and Carl, William J. III, Proclamation 2: Easter, Series A (Philadelphia:
Fortress Press, 1981)
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