This Sunday, May 21 is the Seventh Sunday of Easter
Verse of the Season/Month:
Psalm 25:1-2, 4-5
To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
…
4 Make me to know your ways,
O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
This week’s sermon is Guarded and Kept
This week’s readings are:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. – Psalm 23:6
The message of Psalm 23 is so beautiful and comforting
-
Good Shepherd
o
Leads and protects through this life.
o
Leads and protects through death
o Brings you into eternal life.
v. 6 begins with goodness and mercy
Personifications
of attributes of God
God is
good! (All the time!) – (Ps 25, 31, 34, 107, 119, 145 and elsewhere in
scripture!)
Mercy –
chesed – faithfulness, lovingkindness, mercy, love
1
John 4:8 – God is love
Grace
KJV translates “follow” but the word is actually “pursue!” –
I find very comforting
Jesus – leave the 99 to find the 1
John Donne – Batter my heart …
Michael Card – Recapture me!
3rd Article of the Apostles’ Creed – the Holy
Spirit
We will wander … and God pursues us with his love and grace!
Because God comes after us, “I will dwell in the house of
the LORD forever.”
I will
dwell – I will return – because we all like sheep have gone astray and are now
returning to the shepherd and overseer of our souls.
This word is also related to the concept of repentance – turning away from sin and turning to God in response to the new life he has given us.
House of the Lord
Temple
Church –
Word and Sacraments
Heaven – The New Creation where there is no more sickness, sorrow or death, there are no enemies, and there is no lack because we are at the eternal banquet.
I find this image of God as our shepherd to be comforting.
He leads
He tends
He provides
He pursues
– Christ and the Holy Spirit
Ultimately,
he brings us home – one flock.
Comments
Wen Anderson