Welcome to Mayfield Chapel virtual PET SERVICE
Thought for Paws.
Sunday June 28th 2020
Sunday June 28th 2020
If you have not read "Thought weekend (1) , Pause for Thought, below, please read it first.
All Bible readings are from The message translation
23rd Psalm
God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.
The Staff.
The staff can be used as a walking aid The long thinner end could be used as a long handled rod
The Crook
The crook can be put round the sheeps neck to pull / lift the animal out of danger.
The Club
The club is used mainly at night to defend the sheep, by clubbing the wild animals that come to kill the sheep and lambs . It can also be used against robbers
A good shepherd
is willing to lay his life down for his sheep.
The King of love my shepherd is.
Thank You, Lord, for this day, for life, and for many blessings. I believe in Your goodness with all my heart. So I am asking You to go before me today, Being my guide should situations make me wonder which way to turn. As each hour passes on this day, Lord, bless me with Your strength and joy. And please keep me under Your watchful eye the entire day, ever ready to help me and to offer me comfort. In Jesus name, Amen.
N T Bible Reading
JOHN 10: 1 – 16
“Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.” Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealer’s, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary. A hired man is not a real shepherd. The sheep mean nothing to him. He sees a wolf come and runs for it, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and scattered by the wolf. He’s only in it for the money. The sheep don’t matter to him. “I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father. I put the sheep before myself, sacrificing myself if necessary. You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd.
The Lord's my shepherd by Stewart Townsend
NT Bible reading
LUKE: 1 – 7
By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.
“Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’
Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
The Ninety and nine
Today farmers use Quad bikes and sheep dogs to round up sheep. Here are two real stories:
story number 1.
High in the mountains of North Wales lives a shepherd named Huw Jones.
He is joined by a black and white sheepdog named Alwyn
Together they move 100 sheep to green pastures, still waters, on right paths, and through dark valleys.
Huw Jones was the master shepherd assisted by Alwyn.
Alwyn is a champion Scottish border collie was in his element
He came from a long line of working dogs; he had sheep herding in his blood.
This is what he was made for; this is what he had been trained to do.
It was a marvelous thing to see Alwyn work:
Circling to the right, circling to the left, barking, crouching, racing along, herding a stray sheep here, nipping at a stubborn sheep there, his eyes always glued to the sheep, his ears listening for the tiny metal whistle from his master.
The whistle was tuned to the dogs ears humans could not hear it.
Their most difficult task was dipping the sheep in antiseptic.
This chore must be done on a regular basis to rid the sheep of pests, parasites, and infections.
The sheep hated this discipline and resisted mightily.
Huw and Alwyn knew that it must be done for sheep to thrive.
Huw and Alwyn moved the 100 sheep to the dipping pens.
When all the sheep had been shut behind the gates, Alwyn tore around the outside of the pens and took up his position at the dipping trough.
Alwyn was frantic with expectation waiting for the chance to leap into action.
One by one Huw seized the rams by their curled horns and hurled them into the antiseptic.
They would struggle to climb out the side but Alwyn would snarl and snap at their faces to force them back in.
Each ram had to be held under the antiseptic ears, eyes, noses for a few seconds.
When the rams had been dipped, Huw and Alwyn had to gather the ewes for the same procedure. Alwyn always had his eyes on the sheep: his body tense, quivering, eyes blazing, but always obedient to the command to stop.
What the shepherd saw the sheepdog could not see: the weak ewe that lagged behind, the ram caught in a bush, the danger that lay ahead, and the lost sheep. Huw Jones was a caring shepherd he loved and cared for Alwyn They were best of friends.
Alwyn In its original English meaning, means “Wise Friend” and the old Teutonic meaning is “Loved By All”.
Story number 2
Zoe was one of those lost sheep. She was raised in the church from her childhood:
But when she turned 13, she ran away from God and the church, and decided that she didn’t need a God that wasn’t real.
Zoe felt that she was smart enough and strong enough to manage her own life: She was on a journey of self-determination.
She did not know the dangers that surrounded her at that time.
Zoe was confident that she could handle them myself. But she was wrong!
The Good Shepherd knew better than she did: he sent out his sheepdogs to find her
Some have called these the hounds of heaven.
They are the faithful sheepdogs that will never quit until a strayed/lost sheep is found.
The hounds of heaven for her were her faithful friends in her youth group: they patiently prayed for her invited , nagged, and put up with her elitism & pride.
They confronted her with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
At the age of 15, she returned to the sheepfold, and discovered the resurrected Jesus: the Good Shepherd.
All Names have been changed in both stories
Watch this Shepherd He is speaking Norwegian. He is saying " come now, come now" over and over. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Coq_grSFlNs
Hark! Tis the Shepherd
Prayer of Thanks
Father God,
Thank you that your ways are far greater than our ways and your thoughts far deeper than our thoughts. Thank you that you had a plan to redeem. Thank you that you make all things new. Thank you that your face is towards the righteous, you are close to the brokenhearted, you hear our prayers, and know our hearts. Thank you for your daily, powerful presence in our lives, that we can be assured, no matter what we’re facing, your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that you surround us with favour as with a shield, and we are safe in your care.
We give you praise and honour for your ways are righteous and true. We give you worship for you are holy and just. We will declare that your love stands firm forever, for your lovingkindness endures forever
your own prayers and needs ;………………..Amen
Shepherd of my soul
Benediction
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, for ever and ever. Amen.
tune has an intoduction. Tenderly guide us,
Tenderly guide us, O Shepherd of love,
To the green pastures and waters above,
Guarding us ever by night and by day,
Never from Thee would we stray.
To the green pastures and waters above,
Guarding us ever by night and by day,
Never from Thee would we stray.
Never! . . . never! . . .
Never! Oh, never! For Thou art the way;
Never! . . . never! . . .
Never from Thee would we stray! . . .
Never! Oh, never! For Thou art the way;
Never! . . . never! . . .
Never from Thee would we stray! . . .
What though the heavens with clouds be o’ercast!-
Fearful the tempest, and bitter the blast!
Still with the light of Thy Word on the way,
Never from Thee would we stray.
Fearful the tempest, and bitter the blast!
Still with the light of Thy Word on the way,
Never from Thee would we stray.
Over our weakness Thy strength has been cast;
Keep us in meekness, Thine own till the last;
Then, safely folded, with joy we shall say,
Never from Thee would we stray.
Keep us in meekness, Thine own till the last;
Then, safely folded, with joy we shall say,
Never from Thee would we stray.
Beautifully song in Malyalam
God Bless Susannah
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