Giving Like the Good Shepherd

March 19th

Sermon 1 of 4: Gifts of Caring and Calling (John 10:1-6; 11-20)

I.     Gifts of Caring

A. The Good Shepherd gets to know and care for the unique value of each individual: "He calls his own by name" (v.3).

1. Small group meetings.

2. Coffee hour - "The 8th Sacrament".

B. The Good Shepherd cares about a group’s well being and acts accordingly: ""he goes on ahead of them" (v. 4).

1. Folks who set tables and brew coffee.

2. Sunday School teachers who prepare lessons.

C. The Good Shepherd cares enough to give sacrificially for others: "I lay down my life for the sheep" (w. 11, 15).

1. Special offerings above regular pledging.

2. Volunteer time and sweat to fix up the building.

II.     Gifts of Calling

A. The Good Shepherd calls with a voice that is trustworthy: "
"the sheep listen to his voice" (v. 3).

1. The Book of Common Prayer.

2. Our "Benedictine" group: modeling Christ-like service.

B. The Good Shepherd calls because he cares: ("They did not understand what he was telling them," so he tried new ways to communicate (vv. 6, 11).

1 Alpha Course.

2. Youth Confirmation using internet lessons.

C. The Good Shepherd calls new people to Come, Grow & Celebrate! : (v. 16).

1. Inactive members "nagged" back to church!

2. Newcomers invited by members.

III.     While other people are free to reject the gifts of Caring and Calling (v 19.), we who belong to the Good Shepherd are called by Jesus to offer his gifts to the world.

March 26

Sermon 2 of 4: Gifts of Compassion and Change (Mark 6:30-44 & Matthew 9:35-10:2)

I.     The Gift of Compassion – Mark 6:34 (& Matthew 9:36) tell how the Good Shepherd looks at us.

A. He knows the demands on us and offers rest (v. 31)

B. He knows our spiritual need and offers teaching (v. 34)

C. He knows our physical needs and responds with

1. provision (vv. 37-44)

2. healing (Matthew 9:35; 10:1)

D. He knows our need for support and creates the church (Matthew 9:37-10:1)

II.     The Gift of Change – The Good Shepherd changes the church to make it more like himself.

A. Mark’s report of the feeding of 5,000 shows how Jesus changed his disciples’ limitations into miracles.

1. He changed worry into service.

2. He changed scarcity into abundance.

3. He changed talking into doing.

B. He changes us by the gift of himself – his life flows through us.

1. He unites us in prayer (Matthew 9:37)

2. He gives us a measure of his power (Mt. 10:1)

3. He changes us from followers (disciples) to ambassadors (apostles) (Mt. 10:1-2)

Come Grow Celebrate! – It’s all about letting the Good Shepherd’s compassion flow through our church and change us to be more like Him!

April 2

Sermon 3 of 4: Gift of Challenge

I.      Matthew 25:31-46.  We must accept The Good Shepherd’s challenge to be chosen for his blessing.

A. “Many are called but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

B. Those who are chosen to share the life of the Good Shepherd have received his gifts and accepted the challenge to use them.

II.      Father Tim’s Testimony

                            A. MY CHOICE was a legal career.

1. To satisfy my self-centered vision of life.

2. To receive esteem from family and friends.

3. To stay in my “comfort zone” – working with my “head” only.

       B. THE GOOD SHEPHERD’S CHALLENGE.

1.  He placed me among people outside of my comfort zone.

2. He challenged my superficial notions of Christian love.

3. He gave me a dream.

4.  He made me look in a mirror.

                          C. THE GOOD SHEPHERD’S CHOICE.

1.   Unlock the “uncomfortable zone” of my heart as well as my head.

2.    Put my “head” gifts to work for His church instead of my own needs.

III.     What’s it been like to open His gift of challenge

       A. Adventure – I have had wonderful experiences I would have missed.

1.  My marriage – I met Melissa in Church!

         2.  My passion and joy for seeing churches grow.

          3.  My journey to Good Shepherd, Sioux Falls!

      B.  Scary

1.  “People work” that has made me feel vulnerable and inadequate.

2.  Financial roller coaster ride (St. Paul described the highs and lows).

3.  Feeling like an “alien” – caring about stuff that nobody else seemed to value sometime

     C.  Surprised – “Greater things than I could have asked or imagined.”

1.People meeting God for the first time.

  *A men’s Bible class

2. People transformed.

  *A non-Christian 7th grader
  *Two alcoholics

3. Churches finding their value to God.

  *St. Alban’s, Yucaipa
  *St. John’s, Rancho Santa Margarita
 *Good Shepherd, Sioux Falls!

IV.      Come Grow Celebrate! – His challenge to us…

    A.  Come into the life of the church, even when other things pull at our time, talent and treasure.

    B.  Grow in Christian knowledge and living, even when the world demands a million other priorities.

    C.  Celebrate the wondrous love of God in Jesus Christ, even when the world tells us that happiness is found elsewhere.

April 9

Sermon 4 of 4:  Palm Sunday: The Gift of Christ’s Life

I.      “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” (Mark 14:27-28)

                        A.  Even when we mean well and know better, we can turn away from Jesus.

1. The crowd cheered for him, then demanded his death.

2. The disciples deserted him when he was arrested.

3. Peter denied knowing him.

4. A church member’s testimony: Larry Weires

                        B.  No church is adequate to the work God gives it, but we can receive miracles through the gift of Christ’s life.

1. Holy Week takes us to the place where our efforts reach their limit and only God’s miracles can make a difference.

                        C.  The Vision of Good Shepherd

1. To Come to the One who gives His life for us.

2. To Grow in reliance on His perfect gift.

3. To Celebrate… with Mary Magdalene and the women, we just stand by the tomb.  Only God can provide “what’s next.”