Fourth Sunday of Easter
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1 Peter 2:21 – “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”
Our heavenly Father wants us to grow into the image of His Son and to follow in His steps. Jesus suffered for us not only to redeem us, but also to show us what love looks like and to leave us an example of self-giving, sacrificial generosity.
“Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow His example pure.”
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Fourth Sunday of Easter
Acts 2:42–47; 1 Peter 2:19–25; John 10:1–10
The Crucified and Risen Lord Jesus Christ Is Our Good Shepherd
Although we “were straying like sheep,” the Lord Jesus Christ has willingly suffered and died for us, bearing our sins “in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24–25). We are healed by His wounds (1 Peter 2:24), and in His resurrection He gathers us to Himself as our Good Shepherd, by whose righteousness we “have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
Now through other shepherds whom He calls and sends in His name, He guards and keeps us in the green pastures of His Church, leading us beside the quiet waters of our Baptism and spreading the feast of His table before us. Since He has called us by the Gospel to be His own dear sheep, we also “hear his voice” and “know his voice” (John 10:3–4) in the faithful preaching of His Gospel, and we follow Him by faith.
When we receive His Gospel, we have the abundant life and common unity of the entire flock under one Good Shepherd, in “the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship” and in “the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
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Life Thoughts for the Week
Fourth Sunday of Easter – The first generation of Christians were “selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (Acts 2:45). They did this because they recognized that the Gospel of Jesus grants worth and dignity to every person.
This doesn’t mean that each Christian needs to sell all they have. But it does mean that we would “die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24), loving the poor and needy as well as the unborn, the sick, and the dying.
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Lectionary Series – Sunday’s Scripture Readings © The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 800-248-1930, Ext. 1265 • worship@lcms.org • lcms.org/worship. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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