2nd Sunday after Easter
Misericordia Sonntag (Domini) or Shepherd (Good Shepherd) Sunday
“I am the good shepherd….My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life.” John 10:11, 27-28
Theme/ Focus of the week: “The Good Shepherd”
Psalms for the week: 23 and 33
Sunday Lessons:
O.T. Lesson: Ezek. 34:1-16 or Jer. 23:1-8
Epistle Lesson: 1 Peter 2:21b - 25
Gospel Lesson: John 10: 11-16
M. Eph. 2:4-10 John 10:1-11
T. Matt. 26:31-35 Matt. 14:23-33
W. John 21: 15 -19 Matt. 18:10-14
T. 1 Peter 5:1 - 4 Ezek. 34:23 - 31
F. John 18:1 - 9 Heb. 13: 12 - 21
S. Acts 20: 28 -32 John 10: 27 - 30
Prayer for the Week
“O Savior Christ, who dost lead to immortal blessedness those who commit themselves to thee: Grant that we, being weak, presume not to trust in ourselves but may always have thee before our eyes, to follow thee, our guide; that thou who only knows the way, mayest lead us to our heavenly desires, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be glory for ever. Amen.
Saturday of Misericordia Sonntag/ Goodness of the Lord Shepherd Week May 2, 2020
Texts for the day: Acts 20:28-32 and John 10:27-30
In Acts the Overseers have been made such by the Holy Spirit. And this office of “Overseer” is for the purpose of caring for the church of God.
An overseer is to pay careful attention to self and to the whole flock.
“The church of God has been obtained with his own blood. “
Paul is speaking here to the Ephesian Elders (Presbyters, Pastors) And he reminds them that it is Jesus who purchased the flock of God with his own blood. The Overseers didn’t purchase the Flock (the church of God). The…
Friday of Misericordia Sonntag/ Goodness of the Lord Shepherd Week May 1, 2020
Texts for the day: John 18:1-9 and Hebrews 13:12-21
The John Text is the account of the Arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. In connection with the Misericordia Sonntag theme of the Good Shepherd we especially hear the emphasis at the conclusion of the Text that all of this was a fulfillment of the word which He (Jesus) had spoken “of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”That is a reference to the Words of the Prayer to the Father by Jesus set forth in Chapter 17 where Jesus prays that the Holy Father keep those given to him i…
Thursday of Misericordia Sonntag/ Goodness of the Lord Shepherd Week April 30, 2020
Texts for our reflection: Ezekiel 34:23-31 and 1 Peter 5:1-4
In Ezekiel, which like all of the Old Testament in our Confessional and Biblical Lutheran understanding is pointing to Jesus not only as the descendant of David but as the Son of God, In Vs 22 God declares through the Prophet: “I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey” Then in our Text for today comes the declaration by God: “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.”
Well David had crossed into…
Wednesday of Misericordia Sonntag/ Goodness of the Lord Shepherd Week April 29, 2020
Texts: Matthew 18:10-14 and John 21:15-19
In the Matthew text for this day the “Little Ones” of God - The believers - are likened to little children. “New born babes desiring the sincere milk of the Word” was the description in the theme for last week. But in this Text the move is made from “little ones” to Sheep that get lost.
The owner of the sheep (who in this case is The Good Shepherd) leaves the 99 and searches for the one who is lost. Here in the Matthew Account the wording is that “If he finds it” there is rejoicing. In th…
Tuesday of Misericordia Sonntag/ Goodness of the Lord Shepherd Week April 28, 2020
Texts: Matthew 26:31-35 and Matthew 14:23-33
In the first of the texts from Matthew - Jesus not only foretells Peter’s Denial but also is referring to himself as the fulfillment of the Old Testament proclamation that he is the Shepherd of the sheep who will be struck down with the result that the flock of believers will be scattered.
Clearly he knows that he is “The Good Shepherd” of the Sheep and that he will lay down his life for the Sheep - even for three times denier, Peter.
“But after I am raised up I will go before you….”
And so…