Sunday Meditation, October 18
Christ, Our Good Shepherd
Scripture for Meditation: Psalm 23:1-4
A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Hymn of Belonging: The King of Love My Shepherd Is
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never,
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.Henry W. Baker, 1821-1877
Hymn of Provision: My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
Hymn of Honor: Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer;
There is no more for heaven now to give.
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom,
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus,
For my life is wholly bound to his.
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.The night is dark but I am not forsaken,
For by my side, the Saviour He will stay;
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing,
For in my need, His power is displayed.To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me;
Through the deepest valley He will lead.
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven;
The future sure, the price it has been paid,
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon.
And He was raised to overthrow the grave.To this I hold, my sin has been defeated;
Jesus now and ever is my plea.
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.With every breath I long to follow Jesus,
For He has said that He will bring me home.
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne.To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus;
All the glory evermore to Him.
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat:
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!
Yet not I, but through Christ in me!Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, Michael Farren. © 2018 CityAlight Music .Used by permission. CCLI #2783020
Transition Inside
Scripture for Meditation: John 10:11-15
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
Prayer of Blessing
Responsive Reading: Ezekiel 34:11-16
“For thus says the Lord God:
Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel.
I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy.
I will feed them in justice.”
Prayer of Corporate Confession
Silence for Personal Confession
Assurance of Pardon: Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Ministry of the Word
*All Scripture, English Standard Version. © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission.