Chebeague Community Church
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Mission and Values
    • Leadership
    • History
    • Reports
    • Disaffiliation
  • COMMUNITY KITCHEN
  • Calendar
    • Events Calendar
  • Our Community
    • Music
  • Journey of Faith
    • Worship
    • Membership
    • Submit a Prayer Request
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Spirit on the Waters

2021.05.02 - Psalm 23 and the Good Shepherd

5/4/2021

0 Comments

 
Scripture - John 10:11-18, Psalm 23
 
John 10:11-18 (New Revised Standard Version)
11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The 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. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
 
Psalm 23 (New Revised Standard Version)
1 
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 
    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 
    he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
    I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff--
    they comfort me.
5 
You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.
 
Response
 
A couple weeks ago, this video was making the rounds on the internet:
 
[show sheep video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLZW-kWr1F4]
 
I mean, how many of us can identify a bit with the sheep? Just absolutely stuck, caught in a rut, totally trapped by our circumstances and surrounding -- and just when we get bailed out, somehow find ourselves back in a similar place? I mean - we are just a people who sometimes can’t seem to get out of our own way - thank goodness for Jesus as a shepherd who is there to pull us out again and again and again!
 
This passage from John of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is paired with Psalm 23 in the lectionary - in the first passage, Jesus himself shares about the relationship between himself, the sheep, the hired hand, the wolf that comes to scatter -- how the shepherd lays down his life for his flock. In Psalm 23, the relationship becomes personal, as the psalmist gives life and imagery to God’s provision, protection, and guidance throughout all of life.
 
The assumption can be made that hearers of Jesus’s words would be familiar with the psalms - as the Psalms were the prayer book of our ancestors in faith. The Psalms aren’t teachings or law or stories like other parts of Scripture - the psalms is a collection of prayers. Poems. Words that reveal the depth of the human condition and give full expression to human emotion - words that contain praises to God, anger at God, fear in the face of foes, condemnation of others -- if it’s an emotion, it’s in there. The Psalms lend themselves so well to being pondered and reflected upon - as they touch places and feelings in our own lives and experiences.
 
Above all, they are meant to convey intimacy with God. From UCC WorshipWays, “Some are prayerful pleadings for God to act. Some are simply are prayerful reflections on how grief was transformed into trust, fear was transformed into faith, joy shared, contentment cultivated, and praise unrelentingly released. All of them are prayers meant to speak to experience and to give people words to pray when we need the voice of experience and wisdom, or somewhere outside ourselves to turn.”
 
This morning - I invite us to consider our own relationship with Jesus as shepherd - and we’ll use Psalm 23 as inspiration for us to write honestly about our own experience and connection with God. We’ll each rewrite Psalm 23 in our own prayer words. Here’s how we’ll do that:
 
  • Read the psalm one phrase at a time. Write down the meaning of each phrase in a way that makes sense to you.
  • Go on to the next phrase, until you’ve worked through it all.
  • When you are finished, read the whole passage that you interpreted.
  • Allow yourself to experience any thoughts or feelings that come up during this time, trusting there is wisdom to be gleaned from them and Spirit at work.
  • ​We will share our own versions of Psalm 23 by either using the chat box or reading them aloud!

Here are a few personal rewrites from Sunday!

Psalm 23 - Gloria Brown
Jesus, my shepherd, you provide everything I need.

You give me rest and calm my spirit.
You are my source of courage to continue in your mission.
When darkness comes, you cast out its evil and help me go on.
You provide abundantly and hold me up above my enemies.
When I am with you, I feel blessed and gifted.
My hopes are in a long life under your direction and protection on earth and then in heaven.

Psalm 23 - Lola Armstrong
God is my internet search app.
God has answers to all my wonderings.

God makes me pause pulling me away from the hectic virtual world of more questions than answers to the calm outside of cyberspace.

He sends me outside to streams and meadows.
His reality restores my body and mind.

He leads me away from the virtual to the suffering of others
To offer help and comfort in his name.

Sometimes on a hazardous path, I’m afraid
 but holding his hand, I know I am not alone and continue on.

God, you feed me — bless me— I have more than I need.
So while I will live in comfort in your house,
I will share what I have in this your world
Where there is cruelty, hunger, and thirst.

Psalm 23 - Melissa Yosua-Davis
Jesus shepherds me - I have everything I need.
I find places of rest and grace and abundance, and again my spirit is renewed.
His voice calls to me through the Spirit, leading me to wherever he is present.
In hard and difficult times, You are close by my side, acknowledging my fears and helping me be brave.
Those who would oppose me have no bearing on my place in your great love, for nothing can take that away.
I am forever your child, in this life and beyond.



0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Pastor Melissa Yosua-Davis has been serving the community of Chebeague and its church since July 2015. She currently lives on the island with her husband and five year old son and 2 year old daughter, along with their yellow lab. Read here recent sermon excerpts, thoughts on life and faith, and current announcements for the church community. She also blogs at Going on to Perfection.

    Archives

    December 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    November 2015

    Categories

    All
    Sermon

    RSS Feed

Chebeague Community Church


Address

258 North Road
Chebeague Island, ME 04017

​Office Hours

Mondays, 10am-4pm

Office Contact

Phone: 207-846-6987
​Email: 
[email protected]

Chaplain, Victor Diaz, Contact

Cell Phone: 915.588.4716
Parsonage: 207.846.4106
Email: [email protected]
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Mission and Values
    • Leadership
    • History
    • Reports
    • Disaffiliation
  • COMMUNITY KITCHEN
  • Calendar
    • Events Calendar
  • Our Community
    • Music
  • Journey of Faith
    • Worship
    • Membership
    • Submit a Prayer Request
  • Donate
  • Contact Us