Meditation

The 4^th Sunday of Easter – 04-21-2024

Psalm 23; Acts 4:5-12; 1^st John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18

Beloved this morning Psalm 23 begins by revealing the various ways that God shows His loving kindness and protecting power to those who need Him. Grace is God’s unmerited blessing, freely offered to those who do not deserve it. It expresses confidence that God will help even to the worst of circumstances, including death and evil. His love for us is illustated by His being the “Good Shepherd.” God is the loving Shepherd. Sheep are used to symbolically represent the leadership, guidance and protection that the Shepherd provides. The psalmist affirmed God’s tender presence during some of the most painful event in live. God is revealed here as One who changes bad times, but as the one who remains with His childen throughout the all times.

The captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people and were disturbed because the apostles were teaching he people and proclaiming Jesus the resurrection of the dead! They were seized, and put into jail,because it was evening, until they who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. The next day they were in the presence of Annas the High Priest and Caiaphas and other men of the high priests family, seeking to question them about their authority to speak to people in the manner they were, and Peter responded, filled by the Holy Spirit, saying: If we are being called to to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all people of Israel; it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is ‘The stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. Peter said all of this through the power of the Holy Spirit for he and John were on trial for their faith, the Spirit empowers to them to preach. Jesus had promised that under these circumstances that the Spirit would tell the disciples what to say. As Christians beloved, the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus made salvation possible. We are His witnesses that must lead people to Christ for salvation because salvation is not available in any other place or through any other person. All of this is accomplished by the same Holy Spirit that we received by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and have been baptized into our faith in Him alone.

In our reading from 1^st John it states, (Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” Love of a neighbor is expressed better than in words. God’s love can hardly be at work in and through the life of a person who is not moved with compassion for those in need. A believer of Jesus Christ should love in truth and in deeds. Therefore, true love acts to help the one in need. The Bible repeatedly places great value on gifts to the poor. Jesus emphasized giving as He spoke of he Good Samaritan and of giving a cup of water in His name. Christian love expressed itself in action, not in pious words. All of these things we must do in humility and reverence leads us to act as Jesus would have, and we can be assured that He is with us and knows us (the good and the bad), and when we fall short, we simply confess our sins to Him and received His grace a mercy, which enables us to strive harder to do the good He knows we can do. God’s command is that we believe in His Son. This brings salvation and leads us to love as He loved.

From the Gospel message from John we learn that Eternal life is the life of a heavenly quality and quantity and can never be lost. Christ revealed the heart of God as He identified Himself as the Shepherd Son whose mind and heart were committed to offer love and life for the sake of His charge to us. Jesus loved enough to know His sheep personally.

Jesus is the Shepherd of His sheep—-all those who call on the name of Christ. He knows His sheep and calls them by name. The flock of God is not a large, nameless group of people, rather individuals known of God and called by Him. His people include others who are different in race, nationality, and native religion than those who whom the gospel first came. All these belong to God because Jesus laid down His life for the sheep, all of them. God’s purpose in Christ is to bring all His people together in His service. Spiritual unity under Christ is God’s plan for all His people. Church groups maintain separate identities to accomplish a unique mission, but all have a spiritual relationship to Christ’s larger family.

Simply put the cross revealed God’s supreme love for us and for his Son. The cross did not surprise God. It was part of His plan of revelation, a plan to which Jesus totally committed Himself. The only question that is left is, are you so committed in your life? If not, why not? The words of the 23^rd Psalm at the beginning of this sermon, is to remind one and all that we are not alone, ever. God is always with us, in the good times and the worst of time. He isn’t saying He will change your circumstances, He is saying that He will be with us in those times. This past year, our son passed away from heart disease. Several people asked me the question, “Where was God when your son died? I replied, “He was at the same place when His Son died on the Cross! He was right there and He will be with each of you in your own situations, as well. Amen