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SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
May 15, 2022
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                  
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by those not vaccinated  as well as social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke, Harlan Marx ,Lois Seger, Jon Ryner, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Werner& Kelly Families, Avis Severson (Kolleen’s Mom) Ukraine, Arlene Pawlik, Angela and Tristan ,and Karla Singer (Rich Lewis Niece)
 
PRELUDE
 
*WORDS OF WORSHIP   from Psalm 67
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us.
May our ways be known on earth, our salvation among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
May our worship be acceptable in your sight, O God.
 
 
*GATHERING PRAYER
Dear Lord, as we continue in this season of Easter, we remember your gift of grace to the world through Christ. We remember your gift of grace to us. As we sing our praise and learn from your word, we ask that you would inspire our faith. Help us to continue to walk in the footsteps of Jesus until that day we join with all the saints before your throne. Amen
*HYMN                            Blessed Assurance”                                                                        # 341
 
Call to Confession
Together, let us confess our sins to the Lord.
O God of all that is good, we come to you knowing our need for your forgiveness. We acknowledge our self-centeredness at times, our pride, our lack of trust, our unwillingness to hear another’s thoughts or see their pain. Even as you forgive us, help us to empathize more and judge less, and to offer grace as you have done for us. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen .
 
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
The Apostle John assures us: If we confess our sins to the Lord, God is faithful            and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
           Thanks be to God, amen.
 
PASSING THE PEACE (facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
 
OFFERTORY PRAYER
  Our Lord, we know that all that we have is from your hand. We now offer a        portion of your blessing as an act of worship. We pray that you will guide      us to  use it to further your good news and ministry of love to others from this place. Lev.19:13
Amen.
 
INTERLUDE
 
Prayer of Illumination
     Loving God, as we hear your word, we ask you open our eyes that we may see                  
      Jesus in them, and that our faith may be strengthened by their truth. Amen.
 
Word
 
SCRIPTURES   
Revelation 21:1-6
21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth, “for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
 
John 13:33-35
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another.As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
1 John 5:1-13
5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
 
SERMON The Marks of Genuine Faith
One of our exercises in Philosophy 101 in college was to prove that the school desk in front of us was real. Our senses told us it was, but could we trust our senses? Could another trust our senses? Does the desk know that it exists? Or my sofa? Or a fish? What is real? Am I real? How do we know? How do we prove it? Well, Rene DesCartes came up with his “proof.” Cogito ergo sum. “I think. Therefore I am.” But does my sofa think? Does your goldfish? And are they therefore not real?
Silly as these questions seem they do help us wrestle with the not so obvious, the question of the reality of things we can’t see or touch. For example, does God really exist, or is it simply a concept to help us get by in life? Does worship matter to God? Or, is worship only a ritual we humans perform to help us cope with what we think is real in life?
As he writes, the Apostle John is by now and old man exiled to the rocky, barren Isle of Patmos off the coast of modern-day Turkey. (I’ve been to the cave where he lived. It is a bleak place.) John writes to the churches of Asia Minor (Turkey) over which he had been bishop. And in this, his first letter, he has set out to tell his flock not to listen to the heretics in their midst who were trying to lead them astray from pure faith in Christ. John writes, “These have the spirit of the antichrist. Beware of their false teachings.” But, these self-proclaimed teachers were clever and there was not yet a New Testament as a standard of truth.
1 John 5:13 says, “These things [in this letter] I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God in order that you may know that you have eternal life.” Do we know we have eternal life? It’s not bragging to say so, because we know it is the gift of God’s grace, not our achievement. But, I still run into folks who “hope” they are good enough to go to heaven after death.
Verse 13 again: “…so that you may know that you have eternal life” is the theme of this epistle. Throughout this letter John lays out several “proofs” of what is true of true Christians. In the text we just read in chapter 5, he repeats them. John wants his readers to know what to look for in themselves to be sure, and also in those who are claiming to be their leaders. So, for example, as we see those who write books on faith, or preach on TV, or start their own churches, or lead rallies for this or that cause, or run for office—we have a duty to look for the things John lists in this letter to let us know if the faith that is proclaimed is genuinely of Christ. We are not making a judgment of their final destiny—we leave that in the Lord’s hands—but, we are being wise as to whom we wish to follow in this faith journey.
These marks of genuine faith also help us to look at ourselves. Is our faith genuine, or are we deluding ourselves? So let’s look briefly at 5 marks of genuine faith given to us in 1 John:
Belief in Christ: John writes, v. 1, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah, Savior) has been born of God.” Faith in God through Christ is a spiritual birth whereby we confess our need for forgiveness and receive the forgiving grace of God. We can’t earn it by our own goodness. This is our belief, our faith. “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.”
 
Affection for God and other believers:  Also v. 1, “Everyone who loves the parent loves the child.” One characteristic of genuine faith is that we love not only God, but also fellow Christians. V. 2, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.” Haven’t we all met Christians, or seen them in the news, touting their obedience to God’s commandments, but seem devoid of love for their brothers and sisters in Christ who may not see things exactly as they do? Such so-called Christianity is know more for its judgment than for its love.
 
Confession of sin:  This is implied throughout chapter 5 but stated clearly in other chapters. Face it, our love for God and others falls short, and we need a continual outpouring of the grace of God. In chapter 1 we read, “If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Which leads to the next mark of genuine faith in chapter 5…
 
Deeds of righteousness:  V. 3, “For the love of God is this, that we obey God’s commandments. And God’s commandments are not burdensome…” Other religions tell us to do thus and so and we will gain God’s favor. Our faith tells us that God loves us and has shown his favor, divine grace. And so we obey God, not to earn God’s love, but in response to God’s love for us. When people live in obvious sin, they are not very convincing that they are true believers. When they chafe at the commandments about worship, or giving, or serving others, or being honest, or morally pure, or loving one’s enemies—and instead delight to be self-centered or dishonest or lustful or hateful—it doesn’t matter how much they say they believe. Bottom line is, those who love God love God’s commandments and it shows. Jesus said, “You shall know them by their fruits.”
 
Eternal perspective:  V. 4, “For whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” I take this statement to mean that I can either become so captivated by the world that I become obedient to it, or I become so overwhelmed that I become fearful. For example, when the world tells us that riches matter most, or that beauty is defined this way, or that whatever feels good, is good, and so forth, let’s not be sucked in. In 1 John 2:15-17 we read, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world. For all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from God but from the world. And the world and its desire is passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.
 
Likewise, an eternal perspective is needed when the weight of all the sadness becomes overwhelming. Let’s remember to whom we belong. Our faith gives us wings to soar like eagles, we are told. Jesus said we are IN the world but not OF it. We are here to do what good we can, to share the love of God. Our ultimate hope is eternal.
 
And how do we know all this is real? V. 6, “the Spirit is that one that testifies, for the Spirit is truth.” Vv. 10-12, “those who believe in the Son of God have the witness within themselves. And this is the testimony of the Spirit. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has the life….” We cannot prove these things through our five senses, nor through Cartesian reason, “I think, therefore I am,” and “what I think is true must be true!” No, God’s Spirit speaks to our spirits to reveal divine truth.
So here are these five marks of genuine faith again, in alphabetical order!
Affection for God and for fellow believers. (5:1, 3:14)
 Belief in Jesus Christ as Savior. (5:1, 10-13)
Confession of sin (implied in ch. 5, highlighted in ch. 1)
Deeds of righteousness, obedience to the Lord’s commands. (5:3)
Eternal perspective, a conquering over rather than a captivation by the world and the things of the world. (5:4, 2:15-17)
My Philosophy 101 class was not much help for my assurance of spiritual truth. But, I’m pretty sure this pulpit exists. It just doesn’t know it!
Prayer: Eternal God of love and grace, help us be discerning so as not to be swept away by false hope or ingenuine teaching. Strengthen our faith so that our affection for you and others grows, and our belief strengthens, and we remain humble and ready to confess our sin and need of your forgiveness. May our deeds be loving and helpful as we follow your Spirit’s leading. And may our eternal perspective help us to recognize that we do have a purpose during our sojourn on this earth.  We pray through Christ our Lord. We trust in your Spirit’s work within and through us. And we do all for your glory, O God. Amen.
 
 
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH   1 Corinthians 15:19-22
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
 
 
 
*HYMN                            God of Grace and God of Glory” verses 1 & 5          #420
 
 
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever."      -- Amen.
 
 
   *Hymn:                          Be Thou My Vision                                                           #339
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING             
           The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed!
           May you be strong in faith as you walk in the footsteps of Jesus.
May the peace of God, the inner strength of the Holy Spirit, and Christ’s love be with you all. Go in hope, serve in grace.
 
*POSTLUDE
 
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation

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May 8, 2022
Mothers Day
Gathering
MUSICAL OFFERING
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Let me remind you quickly of our protocols for everyone’s safety.                  
·  Attendance was taken by Ushers as you entered.
·   masks are required by those not vaccinated  as well as social distancing
· Offerings may be placed in the plate by the doors.
· Please write your prayer request on the Yellow cards.  An usher will pick them up during the 1st hymn.
· Please join us after service for fellowship in Calvin Hall
 
PRAYER REQUESTS
Gary Iverson, Bob Bock, Joan Boyd, Wanda Hirl, Marilyn Neymeyer, Joan Pinkston, Maxine Wagner, Annette Conzett,  Jo Lefleur,  Dr Dyke, Harlan Marx ,Lois Seger, Jon Ryner, Abagail Niles, Helanah Niles, Werner& Kelly Families, Avis Severson (Kolleen’s Mom) Ukraine, Arlene Pawlik, Angela and Tristan ,Jake Pinkston and Karla Singer (Rich Lewis Niece)
 
PRELUDE
 
*CALL TO WORSHIP Adapted from Revelations 7:11, 12
L:  With the angels and elders, heavenly beings and a multitude of saints let us sing our praise.
Men:  Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Women:  Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
ALL:  Be to our God forever and ever!  Amen
 
*GATHERING PRAYER
We come to worship this morning, Lord, asking the question that so many have pondered.  Who are you in our lives?  Help us, this day to hear your voice calling to us.  Allow us to catch glimpses of your claim upon our hearts.  Give us the words to sing praises to your glory.  Amen.
 
*HYMN                            Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee                                     # 464
 
Call to Confession
“I am the Good Shepherd,” Jesus proclaimed.  He invites us to bring our true selves into his care, to confess our failings that he might lead us into new life. Let us consider our lives against the Psalmist’s words and confess our shortcomings before our Savior.
 
Prayer of Confession
L:  The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
P:  But Lord, we do want.  We want more and more.  Forgive our constant       striving and our ever present hunger for things which do not enrich       our lives.
L:  He makes me lie down in green pastures.
P:  But we don’t have time to lie down.  We are constantly moving and      working.  Forgive our failure, O Lord, to heed your command for            Sabbath rest.
L:  He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
P:  Drama seems to be forever at our door, and our souls feel bruised and      worn.  Forgive us, Lord for engaging in petty disputes.
L:  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.
P:  In the darkness of the valley we are so terribly afraid.  Forgive us for doubting your presence and your care for us.
L:  Lord we seek your table of abundance.  We want to dwell in your house our whole lives long.
P: Help us, Lord.  Amen
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
All along the way our Good Shepherd seeks to guide us.  When we are lost and bewildered, we need only listen for the voice that calls us home.  Let us lie down in green pastures and walk beside the still waters. Christ’s gift upon the cross has washed away our sins, opening paths of abundant new life. I declare to you, in Jesus our Lord, you are forgiven.
 
PASSING THE PEACE (facing those across the aisle from you)
Left: May the peace of Christ be with you.
Right: And also with you. May the peace of Christ be with you.
Left: And also with you.
 
 
INTERLUDE
 
Prayer of Illumination
God of Love and Life, we want to be the sheep of your fold, the lambs of your keeping.  Help us to listen for your voice as scripture is read and proclaimed.  Allow us to hear that which will settle our hearts and our souls into your keeping
 
 
Word
SCRIPTURES
 Psalm 23
1The 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,[a]
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
    forever.
 
John 10: 22-30
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
 
SERMON When the Shepherd Calls
Sheep, I believe, are one of the most vulnerable of God’s creatures.  A sheep has this heavy coat of wool which one might imagine protects it, and I guess it does offer protection from cold and certain insects.  But that wool also weighs them down so they can’t run from predators like wolves or coyote.  If the wool gets wet—as in they fall into a river or lake, it will drag them down.  Swimming is not a sheep skill!  In addition, sheep panic easily, probably because they are so vulnerable and then they and run—OK, not fast enough to evade most predators, but enough so they can get lost serious very fast!
On the farm where I grew up, we had a few sheep at different times.  They did a good job of keeping a pasture trimmed down easily.  Sheep often stray away from the flock, AND when a sheep gets sick or injured, that injury needs to be addressed quickly because sheep don’t have very good immune systems.  A minor illness or injury can get very
.  But it was essential that they be brought into the barn at night.  We accomplished that with a bucket of oats –lamb candy, if you will.  As the sun started to dip to the, the sheep would cluster at the gate because they knew oats were waiting for them.  There might be some stragglers who had found a patch of especially sweet grass, but they came running when they heard us call.  My call was usually “Come and get it!”  Then just open the gate—get out of the way, and down the lane and into the barn they would fly—each racing the others to get to those oats first.  Then we would close the gate, shut and latch the barn door, and that chore was accomplished for the day.  The next morning they were happy to find grass again.
I think of those sheep when I read our passages for today.  We weren’t shepherds like Biblical times.  We didn’t stay out in the pasture with our sheep.  That’s what fences were good for.  But just like our sheep on the farm, those ancient wooly creatures listened for the voice calling them, and in the process they were kept safe.
Our passage for today uses the metaphor of sheep and Shepherd to teach us something about God, and most especially about Jesus.
It was so effective because the people of ancient Israel were very familiar with sheep and shepherds.  The 23rd Psalm, still one of our favorites today, was used to both instruct and to offer praise to God.  God’s people were the sheep—led to sweet grass and a safe place to lie down, protected from predators.  They were led by still waters where they could get a good, long, refreshing drink of water where they weren’t at risk of being caught up in a fast current.  They were led through valleys where the light of day couldn’t penetrate, and they were kept safe even in those moments of danger.  Comforted and guided and accompanied. The sheep knew who to trust and who to obey.
But it seems the Shepherd metaphor wasn’t quite sufficient because in the next verses of the Psalm, God becomes a generous host who offers a banquet to that person who sits below him on the social ladder, and he does it in full view of that person’s adversary as a way of saying, “This individual has my protection—hands off!’
The gratitude of the psalmist is clear as he speaks of this host anointing him with oil, “My cup overflows,” he proclaims.  “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.”
It’s a song that speaks of our rightful place as the sheep who rely upon the Shepherd-- of the lowly serf who is the loyal servant of an incredibly generous and powerful land owner.  It resonates with us, showing a God who cares for us, provides for us, protects us and guides us along life’s ways.
In the early church people sang this psalm as they emerged from the waters of baptism and went into receive the Lord’s Supper for the first time.  It lifted the perfect note of devotion, dependence, gratitude and pledge of obedience.
But then arrives our gospel lesson.  Jesus is in conflict with the Jewish authorities.  In one form or another they are asking, “WHO ARE YOU?”  Some are saying he is the Messiah, that one who was sent by God to address the problems of the world.  But the authorities have a problem with him.  He has no formal education.  He teaches some rather unorthodox ideas.  He doesn’t seek out their endorsement. They know from where he originated and they know his family.  (Surely one with such average, earthly upbringing could not possibly be the Anointed of God!)   And the final straw that breaks the camel’s back for them is that he does his works, healings and exorcisms, on the Sabbath in clear disobedience to God’s law.  How can he possibly be the Exalted One whom God sends?
It’s kind of like saying that the pimply teen who grew up next door and who used to play his music too loud and steal apples from your tree is the Messiah—NO Way!
But Jesus has a following.  People flock to him.  They hang on his every word.  They seek out his healings.  They give up their day jobs to follow him, to help provide for him and his disciples.  These authorities are in a pickle.  They have to be careful not to antagonize the crowds of followers.  They need to challenge Jesus in a way that makes clear to all that he is a charlatan.
But so far it’s not worked. He keeps doing these amazing healings!  And now.  Now he’s using the ancient imagery of the 23rd Psalm to make a claim about his identity, and he’s doing it in a way that amplifies that claim many times over.  I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD!  If we say it in English, it doesn’t raise any flags, but in Hebrew, suddenly, it does.  “Ego Ami.”……. “ I AM” the Hebrew says.
“So what?” we might ask.  But look at the story of Moses at the burning bush.  Do you remember one of Moses objections when God told him that he was to lead his people out of slavery?  “I don’t even know your name,”  Moses said, “What will I tell the Hebrew people when they ask who sent me?”  And God responds, “Ego Ami.  I AM.  Tell them that I AM sent you.”
And now here is Jesus using the exact name of God to tell the people who he is and what he’s all about.  “I AM the Good Shepherd.”  Same words.  I AM—the name of God.  And in case you miss it—Good Shepherd like in the 23rd Psalm!
Jesus is making a claim about who he is.  It’s a bold claim. It’s a claim that is thinly veiled but which his followers fully get.  But not those who are so skeptical.  They want to know, “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”  They might also add, “tell us, so we can arrest you.”
Jesus responds that he HAS told them, but they can’t believe.  They can’t believe because they are not among those to whom God has given the ability to hear and understand.  Jesus’ followers—they get it. They hear his voice and they follow, and in the process Jesus will give them eternal life such that they will never perish.  “I and the Father are One.”  Jesus says.
I and the Father are One.  That could mean several things.  They are of the same mind.  They have the same plans.  They are made of the same spiritual substance or as we have come to proclaim, The Father IS the Son in human form.   The Son and the Father share the same identity.
This passage brings us to the question—Do we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling?  Do we offer our allegiance and devotion to Jesus?  Do we trust and rely upon him, allowing him to lead us where we need to go?  Do we know who he is in our hearts and in our lives?
And how do we open our ears so we CAN hear his voice calling us?  How do we discern that the voice we think we hear belongs to Jesus, and not merely to our own wishes or wants or hopes?  It’s a question of calling, of being open and available to being called, of discerning the identity of the voice that is rattling in our heads.
Here’s where I’m suppose to say something profound.  Here’s where you’re waiting for a formula or a litmus test or a recipe to claim this amazing faith.-----I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t really have a lots of answers. But here is what I do believe.
To ask the question—sincerely, deeply.  To seek the answer is a really good start.  To pray it is an even better start.  Because to ask means we’re open to the answer.  To ask means we have a deep desire to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling to us.  We desire the guidance, accompaniment and support that only God can offer.  Do you remember that verse that says “Seek and you will find.  Knock and the door will be opened to you.”?
Those who feel like they have everything under control don’t ask those questions.  Those who believe they are fully capable of handling anything that comes their way don’t seek assistance.  Those who are fully confident that their avenue is the right one, their goals, the appropriate ones, their answers to the problems they face, sufficient—they don’t bother to ask for ears that can hear the Shepherd’s voice.
God gives to those who seek.  God bends low to touch the hearts and the minds of those who reach up to feel his touch.  God offers his gifts to those willing to receive them.  These are the things I believe.
The Authorities in Jesus’ day didn’t want Jesus to proclaim himself Messiah so they could bow down and worship him.  They had no intention of following where that voice directed them.  They believed they had the answers, and that was good enough.
Do we have the answers?  Are we so arrogant as to believe that we can navigate without the guidance of a wise and loving Shepherd?  If we think that, then of course we won’t bother to ask for ears to hear and the ability to discern.  If we think that we’re like those very vulnerable sheep who are the latest snack for wolves and coyotes.
The Good Shepherd comes for those who recognize their own vulnerability and who have the courage to seek God.  In other words, the Good Shepherd finds us when we know we need him.  Isn’t that why we’re here this morning—to seek and to listen, to find pathways of life and to let go of our sins.  The Good Shepherd offers all of that, but only to those who recognize that they need it—and to those lucky souls, he gives eternal life which is defined as knowing Jesus in a deep and abiding way, walking in his ways for life and for joy and for meaning and hope—now and forever.
When the Shepherd calls, listen, come, obey, be guided and know the goodness of our God.  For the Lord is our Shepherd.  We shall not want.  He makes us to lie down in green pastures and leads us beside the still waters.  He restores our souls and leads us in right paths for his name sake.  Even though we walk through the darkest valley, we fear no evil for God is with us.  His rod and his staff comforts us.
Thank you, Good Shepherd Lord.  Amen.
 
*HYMN                             Like a Shepherd Lead Us                                             #387
 
 
PASTORAL PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
           Our Father which art in heaven,
           Hallowed be thy name,
           Thy kingdom come,
           Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
           Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever."      -- Amen.
 
*AFFIRMATION Apostle’s Creed (Ecumenical) p. 14
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
 
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again.
He ascended into heaven
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
And He will come to judge the living and the dead.
 
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
 
 
   *Prayer of Dedication:
Thank you, Good Shepherd, that in the quiet of our hearts we can hear your call and feel your grace.  It compels us to generosity and sharing.  It lifts in us a compassionate caring for others.  May the gifts that we dedicate today offer your love and grace to those in need.  Thank you, Lord.  Amen.
 
*Hymn:  Be Thou My Vision  #339
 
*CHARGE & BLESSING
Let us go forth from this place listening, calming our hearts to hear the voice of our Good Shepherd. May we be led to lie down in green pastures, to drink deeply of still waters, knowing that when darkness does descend, we will be accompanied and loved. Let us dwell in the house of the Lord our whole lives long.  Alleluia!  Amen.
 
*POSTLUDE
 
* Sections of the service preceded with * are times to stand if you are able to do so.
Bold text is to be read together aloud as a congregation.