April 26, 2015

Breaking Open the Scripture Scripture for April 26th: Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23; 1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18 Theme: Good Shepherd Sunday Song: 407 Close to thee Acts: When I was a little girl, my aunt told me that if I didn’t remember anything else about faith, to remember that salvation was in the name of Jesus, and Jesus alone. She told me to make sure that I was not baptized in the name of the father, son and holy spirit, but in Jesus name alone. She, like many people believed that there was power in the name of Jesus. She told me to always refer to this scripture about the power in one name alone. Jesus. There is power in one act alone – that is resurrection. Peter is being questioned by the authorities as he is preaching the gospel. Who gave you authority to speak to the people and to do these acts? By what authority do you speak? They were witnesses to God’s power in Jesus Christ, that is all that was needed to make a difference. Jesus gives us the power to witness to his goodness today. We have the authority to speak in Jesus name! John: This is the week when we remember what it means for Jesus to be the good shepherd. What does it mean that Jesus will take care of you? What does it mean for you to be a sheep in need of a shepherd? We are always in need of guidance. It can become so easy for us to become caught up in life and to see nothing else in front of our noses. And we need someone to guide us to the right places, sometimes in spite of ourselves. Jesus says that we don’t have to think in order to truly hear his voice in our lives. We automatically respond to his command. Even in the midst of other voices that call out and try to lead us astray- God’s sheep still follow their shepherd. It takes a special person to be God’s shepherd, and that special person has a special name – Jesus Christ. Questions: What power does Jesus have in your life? How do you tell others about the power of Jesus name? Is Jesus the ultimate authority in the world today? Why or why not? How do you recognize Jesus voice? What other voices compete for your attention in your life? Where is Jesus leading you right now? Is it peaceful? Is it to a better place than you are now?