On
Point
If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for
the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is
since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have
become so ineffective in this.
~C.S.
Lewis
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and
bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in
government.
Thomas
Jefferson– American patriot and president
Men
must be governed by God, or they will be ruled by tyrants.
William
Penn– 17th century founder of the British colony of Pennsylvania
Propers
The Propers for today are found
on Page 171-172, with the Collect first:
The
Second Sunday after Easter.
The
Collect.
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LMIGHTY God, who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both
a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we
may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily
endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through
the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Dru Arnold read this morning’s
Epistle from the First Epistle of St. Peter, beginning at the Nineteenth Verse
of the Second Chapter. The Epistle reminds us that Christ, who was completely
without sin or guile, not only died for our sins, but suffered humiliation and
torture without complaint for us.
Thus, if we, because we believe in God and our Lord Jesus, are subjected
to unfavorable comment, criticism or even persecution, we should bear this
gladly, as our Lord gave us his example.
If we want to benefit from the Lord’s sacrifice, then we need to try to
follow in his footsteps. We need
to look to His example to live our lives.
We are as sheep going astray who
have been returned to the flock by our Lord, the Shepherd and Bishop of our
souls.
We were asked the question, who
is this man Jesus? We answered, he
is the Son of God; are we following him?
In this Epistle again, we are admonished to follow our Lord.
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HIS is thankworthy, if a man for
conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it,
if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if,
when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable
with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that
judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the
tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned
unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Hap Arnold read today’s Gospel which
started in the Tenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. John beginning at
the Eleventh Verse. Using the words that give this Sunday its name, Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” He goes on to say He is not a hireling
who cares not for the flock, but rather the shepherd himself. He understands his job and puts it
first, before his desires. Jesus
knows each of His sheep and they know Him, even as He knows His Father and His
Father knows Him. Because we are
His sheep, He willingly laid down His life that we might live. Jesus also points out He is not here to
shepherd only the Jews, but all men, “And there are other sheep I have, which
are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and
there shall be one flock, and one shepherd.”
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ESUS said, I am the good
shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an
hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf
coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and
scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and
careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and know my sheep, and am
known of mine, even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay
down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one
flock, and one shepherd.
Sermon – Time
and Action
Today’s sermon brought the Collect, Epistle and
Gospel together and is partly contained in the forewords above.
We are in the Easter Season which consists of Easter
and the following four Sundays, until we get to Rogation Sunday. This is a time we should work on
centering our lives on the central figure in our religion, Jesus Christ.
Consider these words from the
Collect:
… who
hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an
ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we may always most thankfully
receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily endeavour ourselves to
follow the blessed steps of his most holy life …
God sent Jesus to be The
Christ, The Messiah, The Savior, The Lamb to be sacrificed for our sin. He gave His earthly Life, He went down
into Hell, that we might be justified before God at our accounting. Not that we might be perfect, but that
we might be accounted perfect at our judgment day. Yet we are not made perfect. Thus we need an example to follow, a pattern for our
lives. God gave us that in His
Son. Jesus leads us towards
God. But, we have a hard time
following Him. Thus, God sent us
the Holy Ghost to enter in to our hearts, to make our eyes see The Way, to let
our ears hear the directions to The Path.
Peter notes that throughout His
Life, our Lord gave nothing but good. He was not accepting of evil, but when He
was ill treated, He gave not venom, but healing in return. Through His sacrifice, we are accounted
as perfect, thus we need try our best to be perfect following His Example. Will we fail? That is certain.
Should we thus be inclined to just give in to evil? NEVER. To quote Winston Churchill, “Never give in--never, never,
never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except
to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to
the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”[1]
Jesus gave His Life for us because
we are HIS. He made it very clear
that while He was sent to the Jews, God’s chosen people, His mission was not to
them only. Recall, He told them, “And
other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and
they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one flock, and one shepherd.” He was there not only to bring them
everlasting eternal life and salvation, but to others also.
To US.
We are of His Flock, we are not
strangers to Him nor Him to us. If
God cared enough to send His Son to give His Life to protect us from certain
death, do we care enough for Him to follow His Directions?
We have One Leader. He leads One Flock. His Way may not always seem the
easiest, but in the end it is for certain eternity. He came to earth to save our lost souls. If we listen to the clear guidance of
the Holy Ghost, to each of who are “as sheep going astray; but are now returned
unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls,” we will gain both happiness here
on earth and eternal life.
But, there is more than just saying you believe. You must act on those beliefs to make
them real. Things are getting
tough here on earth. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5.8)
And, I might add he holds sway in a lot of public offices. Things are going to get worse. You will need to act for God or for
that lion.
When the time comes, how will you ACT?
It is by our actions we are known.
Be of God - Live of God - Act of God
Bishop Ogles’
Sermon
We are oft fortunate to get
copies of Bishop Jerry’s sermon notes.
Today is one of those Sundays.
Today’s sermon starts off with the collect, and like always, it will
give you a lot to consider in your heart.
Sermon Notes
Second Sunday
after Easter
14 April 2013,
Anno Domini
The
Second Sunday after Easter.
The
Collect.
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LMIGHTY God, who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both
a sacrifice for sin, and also an ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we
may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and also daily
endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy life; through
the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by
the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a
thief and a robber. 2 But
he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the
sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them
out. 4 And when he
putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him:
for they know his voice. 5 And
a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the
voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto
them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and
robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall
be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and
to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly. (John 10:1-10)
Sheep and children are closely related in character. We often refer to innocent
children as “little lambs,’ and certainly they are, not having carnal
knowledge. If the Federal Department of Education has its way, they shall
attain that knowledge as early as Kindergarten! What a disgrace to inflict such
immoral training on little children. If we trained little lambs to believe that
they were wolves, how long would they fend for themselves in the wilds? Lambs
must be provided food and shelter by their shepherd. Children must be provided
the same by loving parents. Lambs have vision that is limited to only a few
feet before them – so it is with little children as to insight and wisdom. The
wolves are forever trying to separate out the most vulnerable lamb to satisfy
an insatiable appetite. So do the wolves of the world seek out the children to
corrupt and indoctrinate against the Moral Law of God.
But, as we have discussed in many devotions, Christ is our Good Shepherd and He
brings us to safe lodging in protected folds. In fact, He is the very Door of
the Fold through which no one can enter without Him. We never mature, as
Christians, to a point in which we are mature in Christ. We may study Holy Writ
10 hours per day, and every day of our lives, but, yet, never gain a full
comprehension of all that it contains of the Bread of Heaven and the Water of
Life. If you did gain such a full comprehension of all that God has said in His
Book, where could we go for more Bread and more Water?
Jesus said to His late night guest, Nicodemus: “Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) Have we deeply considered the
significance of that counsel of the Lord to the proud Pharisee? Is this
counsel of Jesus not closely related to that which He gave in the Gospel of St
Matthew? Verily I say unto you, Except ye be
converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom
of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such
little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these
little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were
hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Matt 18:3-6) Are we not physically born into this world as little children?
The same is true of the Spirit rebirth. Christ did not mean that we should be
born again in the same way as our first birth, but that we become new creatures
in Christ through a re-birth of our spirit. We are then as little children in
the eyes of God. Even the sage theologian who loves, and has made the study of,
God’s Word a lifetime endeavor will also be simply as a little child in the
eyes of God. You may look long and far to find such a theologian in our day.
Do not children know and understand the voice of the parent? So do the sheep
know the voice of the Shepherd. Do not we hold the hand of our little children
when we lead them across streets and in public places? Does the Shepherd not
likewise lead His sheep tenderly along the mountain trails? Dow we not teach
our children to disregard following the voice of a stranger? So the sheep
follow only the voice of their Shepherd. Does not the parent plan for the
future of his child and do all he can to make his lifelong and healthy? Does
not the Good Shepherd offer life, and that more abundantly? So Jesus uses
things that we know of, and to which we can relate, to teach of higher truths
that are presently beyond our understanding. Poor Nicodemus could not separate
the symbolism from that being symbolized (at least at first). But Nicodemus never
came to Christ under cover of darkness again, but publicly and openly.
How are Christian saints like children? 1) Children are heirs of all that the
fathers possess: “….if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also
glorified together.” (Romans 8:17) 2) Trusting in our
Father as the lambs trust in their shepherd, we are made children of God: For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal
3:26) 30 Children follow parents as lambs the shepherd: Be ye
therefore followers of God, as dear children (Eph 5:1)
Sheep are not born of the Shepherd, but of other sheep. But those choice lambs,
purchased by the Shepherd, become His charges even more than their natural
parents who cannot provide for them as can the Shepherd. It is the sheep of the
church that reproduce more sheep, and the Shepherd cares for them as His own.
Children are begotten of parents. Saints are begotten of God.
Children inherit physical and mental traits of parents. Saints are endowed with
the likeness and character of their God.
Children are given the ‘family’ name of the parent. Saints are called
‘Christian’ after Christ their Good Shepherd.
Children are not in every detail alike just as the children of God are not all
alike in every detail. Each is given at least one talent with which to invest
His labors for the Kingdom, but not the SAME talent!
The list of comparisons is limitless. We are all in Christ as children leaning
on every word of the counsel of God with a due reverence. We are just as the
lambs awaiting the Shepherds call to proceed or to stand fast; to enter the
fold, or to remain without.
If we are yoked with spiritual pride, we are no longer children, and if not
children, hold no part with Christ. We all, alike, must become as little
children from the moment of our salvation until the closing of the long dark
night of this life.
God has blessed me with so many children under my preaching in St Andrews
Parish. It was EXACTLY that for which I craved. I LOVE children and find it so
easy to train them up in the way that they should go. When I think back on
those shiny little eyes listening attentively to my long sermons, I am amazed
that they continued to return Sunday after Sunday. They had not complaint in
singing the classical hymns of the church, or in reading from the King James
Bible though, for most, English was their second language. What an amazing gift
God gave me for more than fifteen years. I could never have brought such a
lovely congregation together on my own efforts – it was the Good shepherd who
opened the Door and invited them in. How much I thank Him for the privilege. Regardless
of their ages, those children will ALWAYS be MY children in love.
Have
you followed the Counsel given by Jesus and become (and remained) as a little
child?
Bishop
Dennis Campbell’s Sermon
Bishop Dennis is a brilliant
speaker. He is able to take
biblical precepts and make them perfectly understandable, even to me. Oft he provides the text of his sermons
and I take the utmost pleasure in passing them on:
Conversion
Psalm 23, 1 Peter
2:19-25, John 10:11-16
Second Sunday after Easter
April 14, 2013
I love the ancient creeds of the Church, because they
summarise the primary and essential doctrines of the faith once delivered unto
the saints. The Nicene Creed for example, summarises what the Bible
teaches about God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It also ventures into
such things as Church, forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and
life everlasting. These are the foundational doctrines of the
Bible. To deny them is to deny the faith, to deny Christ Himself.
To deny them is to declare yourself an unbeliever.
It is no accident that the Creed begins with the
doctrine of God as He is revealed in Scripture, as Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. The vast majority of the Creed focuses on these teachings, because
without them we have no right understanding of God, and right understanding of
God is the foundation of all right belief. It is certainly the foundation
of the Biblical, Christian faith.
Yet the knowledge of God profits us nothing unless we
act on it in faith. As James 2:19 tells us, even devils know about God,
but are lost for eternity. Devils "believe and tremble."
So the Bible does not just teach an intellectual assent to doctrine; it teaches
right doctrine accompanied by the response of faith. Today I want to look
at the response of faith, and I want to address this vast, and many faceted
subject under the heading of conversion, because it doesn't matter what you
believe about God if your lifestyle and life orientation is still one of going
astray from God.
For some, the word, "conversion" recalls
images of tent meetings and evangelistic crusades, and going forward at an
invitation to accept Christ. Many even think the act act of going forward
is conversion. But it is possible to go forward at a thousand such meetings,
yet not really be converted, for to convert is to change, not just go
forward. Of course, some have been truly converted in such meetings, in a
dramatic and seemingly sudden event. For others, conversion was a much
slower process. This is especially true of people raised in the Church
and Godly homes. Such people may kind of grow into Christ in such a way
that they cannot name a date and time and place in which they were
converted, yet they are converted. For conversion means to have a change
of life based upon the revelation of God in Scripture. The Apostle Peter,
in the Epistle for today calls it being returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop
of your soul, which is God. Peter uses the familiar image of sheep going
astray. We can imagine an ancient shepherd leading his flock; some sheep
following him closely, but many are going their own way, and running away until
they are finally lost and die in the wilderness.
To be converted is to be returned to the
Shepherd. It means to change the direction of life, and it especially
refers to a change in the direction of our relationships. Take for
example our human relationships. We are sinners who regularly rupture our human
relationships, especially those that are most important, such as those with
family and church members, and we need a conversion in these relationships so
that we begin to to do the things that build them up, rather than tear them
down. Luke 1:17 is part of the angel's words about John the Baptist, and
it says he will go before the Messiah and "turn the hearts of the fathers
to the children." In this verse Luke used the same Greek. word Peter
used in 1 Peter 2:25, and we easily see the relational meaning of the
word.
Conversion especially refers to our relationship with
God. Returning to Luke 1 again, verse 16 says, "many of the
children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God." Again Luke
and Peter use the same word, "turn," and, again, the word is
relational. It is a conversion of relationships meaning to adopt a lifestyle of
continually restructuring the relationship with with God.
It is important to stress here that those who are
converted have, at some point in their lives, come to realise that they are
trusting God to forgive their sins and receive them into Heaven because, and
only because, Jesus Christ, "bare [their] sins in his own body of the
tree," as Peter wrote in our Epistle. That verse is 1 Peter 2:24,
and I humbly ask you to look it up and ponder it this afternoon. And then
I ask you to humbly look at yourself and answer this question, "Am I
trusting Jesus, and only Jesus to forgive my sin and receive me into
Heaven? And, if you are not, or are not sure, call me and I will explain
this more fully.
There is something else that must be stressed today,
and it goes back to that change in relationship I was talking about a few
minutes ago. Conversion means to have a changed relationship with God
through Christ. It means you stop going astray and return to the Great
Shepherd. and Bishop of your soul, Jesus Christ. It means you now intend
to stop living the lifestyle of straying, and begin living the lifestyle of
returning. We could say, you
decide to stop living apart from God as though you are divorced from Him, and
start living in love and fidelity with Him as though you are part of the Church
and the Bride of Christ. Again I invite you to ask yourself if this
describes your relationship with God, and if the answer is "no," or,
"I'm not sure," talk to me, for your soul is in danger.
All true Christians have made the decision to be a
returner, not a strayer. Peter portrays this change in very graphic
terms. He tells us "that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness." This is what we prayed for in the Collect for the
Second Sunday after Easter. Asking that we might receive the inestimable
benefit of the sacrifice of Christ, and that we might follow His example of a
holy life, we prayed:
"Almighty God, who hast given thine only Son to
be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life; Give us
grace that we may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit,
and also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his most holy
life; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
--
+Dennis
Campbell
Bishop,
Anglican Orthodox Church Diocese of Virginia
Rector, Holy
Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
Powhatan,
Virginia
Rev
Bryan Dabney of Saint John’s Sunday Sermon
We are fortunate to
have Bryan’s Sunday Sermon. If you
want people to come to The Truth, you have to speak the truth, expouse the
truth and live the truth. This is really a good piece and I
commend it to your careful reading.
Second Sunday after Easter
When we hear the words of the gospel message today (St. John 10:11),
what sorts of images come to mind? Unless one has an agricultural background,
one will have but a vague grasp of what our Lord had said. But the Jews of
Christ’s earthly ministry were entirely familiar with what he was describing
save one exception. For while it is true that those people understood the
particulars of herding goats and sheep; they hardly understood that our Lord 's
allusion to himself as the good shepherd was, in fact, pointing to his true
nature: that of the Messiah who would shepherd his people.
In the 23rd Psalm, David gives us the sense of what our Lord
had mentioned in John's gospel. The LORD is my shepherd...he maketh me to lie
down in green pastures...he leadeth me beside the still waters... These
comforting words were reinforced by our Lord's remarks to his disciples on the
night before his crucifixion as found in St. John 14:1-3: Let not your heart be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many
mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for
you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
And further on in that same chapter our Lord said, ...I will pray the
Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you
forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it
seeth him not, neither knoweth him; for he dwelleth with you and shall be in
you. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you( vv.16-18).
The Good Shepherd has sent his most holy Spirit to guide, comfort and
indwell all who are his elect and beloved until he comes again. Therefore, the
Holy Ghost does not stand apart from us, but actually resides within every
regenerated believer, speaking to us the deep things which God through Christ
would have us know for our edification. And it is by virtue of the Spirit of
God that select men are called into the ministry for the purpose of shepherding
the various flocks of our Lord which are scattered across the world.
Additionally, our Lord has warned us about Satan’s counterfeit
shepherds— mere hirelings, or grievous wolves— who will hide their true natures
behind a sheepskin of godliness, all the while denying the power thereof (II
St. Timothy 3:5). Look again at the text of our gospel lesson today and notice
how our Lord described these persons. A hireling is one who is supposed to
watch the sheep, but has no great love for them apart from his paid position.
As the sheep are not his own, he does not exercise due diligence in the
maintenance of the sheepfold. And if faced with a dangerous predator, he will
run away, leaving the sheep open to being despoiled.
And such accurately describes the state of the ministry today as a host
of churches have fallen under the influence and control of these hirelings and
wolves. Without a doubt, there are those who have sought their pastoral
positions for profit and little else. On this account, they have labored to
increase the membership of their respective churches, not for God’s glory, but
for their well-being in both the eyes of men as well as for their own pecuniary
interests. Ergo, they have made merchandise of the souls over which they have
been given charge by church boards and vestries. Sadly, the majority of those
hold membership in said governing bodies are utterly clueless in many cases to
the truth of God’s word written. These supposedly upstanding folk have often
gleefully opened their church doors to hirelings and wolves when they should
have exercised godly discernment and kept them out. For once those miscreants
have entered, they will weaken the church with their pernicious false gospel
and destroy the faith of many.
But, such is not the case with the good shepherd. Our Lord said, ...the
good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Examine Article XIX of our
Anglican Articles of Religion (Book of Common Prayer, p. 606): “The visible
Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure Word
of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered according to Christ’s
ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.”
That is the acid test in Anglicanism, but it should be so in all churches.
The Good Shepherd came to establish his church and create, via the new
covenant, a more perfect relationship between God and mankind. The church is
the fold of Christ, a haven from the world, a place of sanctuary, and a place
of sanctity. It is a place where God’s peace is shared by those who are born
again of the Spirit and have faith in the promises of God. It is a place where
God’s word written is respected as the whole truth against all else to the
contrary. It is a place where healing can be sought and where the penitent can
be restored to fellowship by those possessed of a forgiving spirit. It is a
place where those who are members realize that their Master has paid their debt
of sin and that they are renewed in their minds and hearts, readily confessing
their sins to him in both their private devotions, as well as in their worship
time together. It is a place of joy and rejoicing in the power of the Holy
Ghost with such being set forth in both the spoken word, and in songs which
lift up the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. St. John’s is just such
a church and fold of Christ. But we are not alone as there are many others that
are scattered across the earth whose members are worshipping and praising the
Godhead as we are doing at this present. And while there are many folds, they
all possess one door, and that is Jesus Christ. They may speak different
languages, and use differing forms of worship, but they are, nevertheless, our
brothers and sisters.
One day, the many folds shall be one as we heard in our gospel lesson.
The Lord Jesus will return and take his own to be with him. In the Book of
Revelation (3:9, 10), Jesus said: To the angel of the Church of Philadelphia
write:...I have set before thee an open door...Because thou hast kept the word
of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall
come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth... Our Lord has
promised to come again and take us to live with him forever in God's kingdom.
As the 100th Psalm so states, ...we are his people and the sheep of his
pasture. So let us then live in humble expectation of that august promise as
noted in First Thessalonians 4:16-18: For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these
words. Therefore lift up your voices in joyful praise to our heavenly Father, and
thank him for his wonderful gift which he has provided for all who believe on
him through our Good Shepherd, even Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Let us pray,
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ather God, keep us steadfast as we watch for the
coming of thine only begotten Son, that by the indwelling of thy most holy
Spirit we might be kept safe from all wolves in sheep’s clothing and all
hirelings; for this we ask in the name of him who is the Good Shepherd, even
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Have a blessed week, Bryan+
