Emphasis Preaching Journal

For April 22, 2018:

• Good Shepherds? by Chris Keating -- Chris explores the ways our world clamors after shepherds whom we hope will be good shepherds.
• I Loved 'em, Everyone by Tom Willadsen -- Tom focuses on Jesus' capacity to love everyone.

Contents
“Living Without Fear” by Keith Wagner
“Healing the Sick” by Keith Wagner
“Actions and Truth” by John Fitzgerald


Living Without Fear
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 23

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (v. 11)

Good morning boys and girls,

Have you ever seen a sheep? (children answer) What do sheep look like?

Have you ever seen or touched a little lamb? How does if feel? (children answer)

When Jesus was a little boy, and also when he was an adult, there were many flocks of

Acts 4:5-12
“You’re not the boss of me,” is a catchphrase that many learned from the song recorded by the group They Might Be Giants, which was the theme for the popular TV series “Malcolm in the Middle.” It’s something children say to their parents, grandparents, baby sitter, older siblings, and anyone who actually is supposed to be their boss. And it feels sort of modern.

Yet a check of the internet suggests the phrase goes back to 19th century Great Britain!

The after-Easter scriptures are wonderful to preach. They concentrate on the love of God, manifested in the Resurrection. They invite us to impress on our listeners that while God has made the ultimate sacrifice quite willingly, we cannot kill God. God laughs in the face of our attempts to remove him from our world, and overcomes our desire to push the holy out of our lives. God will not leave us alone. God’s love pursues us relentlessly, in ways we cannot foretell or evade.

Winston was determined to win the race. It was partly because he wanted to be a fast runner, and partly because with a name like Winston you felt you ought to win something. Winston had never won anything in his life, but he thought he might have the chance in the school sports. Every day after school for months, he practised running. And after that, he did some weight lifting and circuit training, just to make sure he was in the peak of fitness.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away -- and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care 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. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.