21-Apr-24 (John 10:11-18)

Sheep aren't thought of very highly in a lot of studies on the gospel text for today. They're usually called stupid. But that's not the point of what Jesus is saying. He says that the sheep of his flock know his voice and listen to it. That word "listen" means not only to hear but to obey.
So we, who are part of that great flock should also know the voice of Jesus and listen and obey. What does that look like?
It looks like studying the teachings of Jesus and working out how we can do the things he called us to do. It looks like providing for those who are in need, the suffering and those with few resources of their own, just as Jesus did. It looks like working to build the loving community that Jesus worked to bring into the world.
We can do that, by giving of our time, our abilities, and our own resources to support it, here in this congregation, in our community, and in our world.
Let's consider our part as we take up the offering for today.

Prayer:

Please join me in prayer.
God who sent the Good Shepherd to us to lead us and to guide us and to lay down his life for us, help us to take up the work he's called us to do.
Use these gifts that we return to you to support your work in the world and use us as your hands and feet to bring your loving community more into being.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Christ, AMEN.