Collect

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever.  Amen

Acts 2:42-47 . . .  The new community of believers in the resurrected Jesus devote themselves to teaching and fellowship, to sharing in eucharistic meals, and to the prayers.

Psalm 23 . . . “A Song from the Flock of God:” a personal and individual expressed sense of human life in response to the divine Presence, which serves as guide and guard

1 Peter 2:19-25 . . . disciples are called to bear undeserved suffering with patience, even as Christ has set an example for us, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.

John 10:1-10 . . . two related images in which Jesus is first the shepherd in charge of the sheep and then the gate through which the sheep enter.

Sermon

Ryan Ahlgrim, pastor of First Mennonite Church, Richmond, Virginia, begins by sharing how he was zealous for trying to convert people as a teenager. However, when asked how many he had converted, he was embarrassed because the answer was none. As he has grown older and gained more experiences, he now says that he thinks, “maybe this is the way it is supposed to be.” In Acts 2:42-47, we learn that we are not converted by a sermon, but by the Spirit of God, as it animates and empowers the church of Jesus Christ