A call to worship:
Listen to the voice that is calling you. Reject the other things calling you away. Follow where Jesus leads. Enter the gateway to new life. Come, live life to the full.
Amen.
StF 186 - Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice;
Tender to me the promise of His Word;
In God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of His name!
Make known His might, the deeds His arm has done;
His mercy sure, from age to age the same;
His holy Name, the Lord, the mighty One.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of His might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by;
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight;
The hungry fed, the humble lifted high.
Tell out, my soul, the glories of His Word!
Firm is His promise, and His mercy sure.
Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord
To children’s children and for evermore!
Bible Readings
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will 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 your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.
John 10:1-10
The good shepherd and his sheep
10 ‘Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger’s voice.’ 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Reflection:
Psalm 23 is a well-known Psalm in the Bible and is often association with comfort and peace, particularly when someone is unwell. It is a psalm of David and portrays God as a loving shepherd who provides, protects, and guides his followers.
The Lord is my Shepherd
Psalm 23:1-2, I shall not be in want means that because God is our provider, protector, and guide. He is like a shepherd who cares for sheep and ensures that they have food, water and safety.
He leads me beside quiet waters highlights that God provides peaceful, places to rest and causes us to stop for rest and renewal when we are too busy, anxious, or exhausted to do so.
Sheep will not lie down to rest unless they are free from fear, free from friction from other sheep or being plagued by flies, parasites or pests and have been fed. Psalm 4 v 8 says in peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
He restores my soul
Psalm 23:3-4, God heals a tired or wandering spirit, restoring inner peace and spiritual strength. As a Shepherd, He rescues believers from exhaustion and restores them. Restoration by seeking God in prayer brings peace and life, hope, and purpose, after loss, or spiritual exhaustion. It is a renewal of strength. This restoration helps the follower to pass through the “valley of the shadow of death” without fear, confident in the Shepherd’s presence and protection.
Trusting God
Psalm 23:5-6 These verses encourage us to continually place our trust in God, knowing that He will walk with us through every season of life, and that His goodness and mercy will be our faithful companion.
Restoration and Renewal
Continuing restoration and renewal comes through three things, firstly through God’s word which uses the words in the Bible to restore the soul. Secondly seeking God through prayer brings peace and finally reading the Bible helps to restore the soul.
Prayer of adoration
Almighty God, in your Son you took on frail flesh
that we might know and understand you better.
God revealed in Christ, we worship and adore you.
Lord Jesus Christ, you humbled yourself to be born
as one of us and called yourself the Good Shepherd.
Jesus, Good Shepherd, we worship and adore you.
Holy Spirit, God sent you to descend upon Jesus as a dove.
Holy Spirit, messenger of God, we worship and adore you.
Amen.
A prayer of confession
Lord, we confess that we are complacent
about our Christian lives.
When things are going well,
we tend to take you for granted.
We bask in the safety and security we enjoy,
and fail to acknowledge the danger lurking all around.
We fail to heed your voice;
perhaps we have forgotten what you sound like.
You, Lord, are the gateway to life,
who leads us to safe pastures, as long as we heed your voice.
We recommit ourselves to listening for you, Lord,
and living in the abundance of your love.
Amen.
Assurance of forgiveness
O Lord, who calls to us always,
you forgive us when distractions drown out your voice.
You forgive us when we are led astray
and wait to welcome us back.
Good Shepherd, we are humbled by your patience
and endless capacity to forgive.
Amen.
Prayer of praise and thanksgiving
Lord, we thank you for calling us here each week,
to this place where we can tune into your voice
and drown out the din of the world’s voices.
We praise you for the deep knowledge we have of you,
the trust of a flock for their Good Shepherd.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for teaching us
to hear your voice in the Gospels
and in the stillness of our personal prayer.
Good Shepherd, may we ever raise our voices in praise,
to the one whose firm, gentle command
is our gateway to life in all its abundant fullness.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
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.
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.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
The Lord’s my Shepherd by Stuart Townend
The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want;
He makes me lie in pastures green.
He leads me by the still, still waters,
His goodness restores my soul.
And I will trust in You alone,
And I will trust in You alone,
For Your endless mercy follows me,
Your goodness will lead me home.
He guides my ways in righteousness,
And He anoints my head with oil,
And my cup, it overflows with joy,
I feast on His pure delights.
And though I walk the darkest path,
I will not fear the evil one,
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know.
A sending out prayer:
Lord, as we leave this place of worship, go before us. Let us hear your voice this week
and lead us through the gate to live an abundant life with you.
Amen.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Amen
