Description
John 10:22-30
The Jews asked Jesus if He was the Messiah during the Feast of Dedication. Jesus wasn’t keeping His identity a secret; in fact, Jesus told them plainly that He and His Father were one, but the people did not believe and chose to eventually crucify Him. Jesus protects His people from eternal danger just like a shepherd protects his sheep. Believers will suffer on earth, but Satan cannot harm their souls or steal their eternal life with God.
We Lift Our Hearts in Worship
[Preservice options include video countdowns, worship song videos, welcomes), CDs, or live music.]
Welcome & Time of Greeting
Time of Praise and Worship
He Shall Reign Forevermore
Chris Tomlin | Matt Maher, © 2015 S. D. G. Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing), Sixsteps Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing), Worship Together Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing), Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC), I Am A Pilgrim Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
My Redeemer Lives
Reuben Morgan, ©1998 Hillsong Publishing (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)
From The Inside Out
Joel Houston, ©2005 Hillsong Publishing
[Traditional Options]
The King Of Love My Shepherd Is
BH 75 215; CH 683; EH 645/646; ELW 502; HWC 468; HLC 46; LBW 456; LSB 709; LW 412; NCH 248; PH 171/174; UMH 138; WIS 425
Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me
ELW 767; LBW 333; LSB 722; LW 512
The Day of Resurrection
BH 91 164; EH 210; ELW 361; HWC 226; HLC 168; LBW 141; LSB 478; LW 133; NCH 245; PH 118; WC 247; UMH 303; WAR 298; WHM 261
Invocation
Pastor Listen! Do you hear the voice of the Great Shepherd calling His sheep?
ALL We are the sheep, the sheep of His pasture.
Pastor Christ is our sufficient shepherd. There’s nothing we want or need, for eternal life is found in Him alone.
ALL We are the sheep, the sheep of His pasture.
Pastor No one can snatch us from the hand of our Shepherd.
ALL We are the sheep, the sheep of His pasture.
Opening Prayer / Theme Introduction
Pastor/Worship Leader speaks
Pastor Father, we long to hear Your voice leading us through Your gates and calling us home.
While we are here on earth, we pray for strength, endurance, and guidance to go to the
dark places and bring Your light. You don’t promise us easy lives; in fact, you warn us of
suffering for Your name. But you promise us eternal protection and peace. Lord, no one
can snatch us from your palm, and we are so incredibly grateful to You.
ALL All honor, glory, power, worship, and praise be to the Lord Almighty- the
Good Shepherd. Amen!
Time of Confession and Forgiveness
[Alternate location: following Message]
Pastor Jesus, You say that Your sheep hear Your voice and listen. We confess that we ignore
Your voice. We fill our days with busyness instead of solitude, work instead of Sabbath,
and our own checklists instead of time asking You to use us as Your servants.
ALL We repent, Lord.
Pastor And while we are foolish, going in our own paths, and chasing our desires, You still love
and call us by name. Just like the shepherd left his flock of 99 sheep to find the lost 1,
You died to save us and forgive us.
ALL We don’t deserve Your love.
Pastor We thank you for your reckless love that fights for us, redeems us, and ultimately saves
us from sin.
ALL In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
We Hear God’s Word
[Read aloud both the introduction and Scripture]
First Reading Acts 20:17-35
Paul did not give up serving, even with tears, when situations became difficult when sharing the Gospel with others. He knew that the message of Christ crucified and resurrected was the most important thing in life and nothing else could compare.
But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him. 18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me,23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. 25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know. 28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following. 31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you. 32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself. 33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me. 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
