The document is a summary of the scripture readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter. It discusses how Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares for his flock, laying down his life for them. The readings portray God's care and protection of his people, his faithfulness even in times of suffering, and how through Christ our sorrow will be turned to joy. Believers are called to submit to authorities and live honorable lives as they await the return of their Shepherd.

1. Third Sunday of Easter (Misericordias Domini)
The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep
Ezekiel 34:11–16; 1 Peter 2:21–25; John 10:11–16; Psalm 23
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Memorization Verses:
Ezek 34:16 16 I will seek the lost, and I will the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the John 10:14-15 I am the good shepherd. I
injured, and I will strengthen the weak. know my own and my own know me, 15 just
1 Peter 2:24-25 He himself bore our sins in as the Father knows me and I know the
his body on the tree, that we might die to sin Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
and live to righteousness. By his wounds Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I
you have been healed. 25 For you were shall not want.
straying like sheep, but have now returned to

2. How is Jesus like a
shepherd? How are we
like sheep?
How can we shepherd our
flock? And “Search for the
lost,” Ezekiel 34:16 ?

3. 1. Let us pray for the whole beset by fears. Set them free and
Christian Church, here and bring them into the joyous fellowship
throughout the world, that God will of Your Son, adopting them as Your
grant her strength and boldness in own children; through the same,
proclaiming His word of truth and Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
 Use your prayer notes. salvation. 4. Let us pray for peace in our day,
 Use a verse from the 2.Almighty and everlasting God, You begging God to send His Spirit of
sanctified the Church in the truth, for peace upon this earth, joining brother
bible to reflect on.
Your Word is truth, and You have to brother, and parent to child,
 Pray about Christ‘s revealed Your glory in Your Son, our according to His gracious will.
care for us. great Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Open/silent prayer. Merciful
 P raise Give to Your Church on earth Father, Lord of all, from the first
R epentance boldness and confidence to proclaim spilling of Abel‘s blood, the blood of
A ppreciation His Gospel purely and protect her our brothers has continued to call out
Y ou from the assaults of the evil one; to You from the ground. Grant to our
through the same, Jesus Christ, our fallen world the wisdom from above
E veryone
Lord. Amen. that is pure, peaceable, gentle and
R esolve
3. Let us pray for all who wander, open to reason. Raise up
lost in sin, that they may hear and peacemakers to sow peace and turn
heed the all to repentance and faith. our swords into ploughshares, our
Open/silent prayer. O God, spears into pruning hooks, to reap
heavenly Father, You desire all Your harvest of righteousness;
people to be saved, to come to know through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
the truth, to feast with You in Your Amen.
kingdom. Hear our prayer for all who
wander in darkness, enslaved by evil,

4. 5. Let us pray for good government, infirm [especially . . .], the mourning
just laws and a peaceful society. and the lonely, and all whose ability to
Open/silent prayer. Almighty God, participate in our common life is
Author of all earthly power and diminished. Open/silent prayer.
authority, grant wisdom and Heavenly Father, Lord of Life, our
 Use your prayer notes. temperance to our elected officials, Great Physician, grant comfort and
judges and all in positions of public healing, according to Your will, to all
 Use a verse from the trust, that we may live peaceably with our sisters and brothers who are
bible to reflect on. our fellow man. Where injustice or burdened with illness, frailty or grief.
 Pray about Christ‘s oppression is found, work for its May they know by Your Spirit the
removal and guard Your children as comfort of their Shepherd‘s unfailing
care for us. they entrust their lives to you; through presence even in the valley of the
 P raise Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. shadow of death; through the same,
R epentance 6. Let us pray for the tempted, that Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
A ppreciation God would send them His Holy Spirit 8. Finally, let us pray for all who will
Y ou to strengthen and guide them. commune this week. Open/silent
Open/silent prayer. Almighty Father, prayer. Almighty, all-loving Father,
E veryone
everlasting God, You always have remember Your children who gather at
R esolve mercy on Your people. Defend us all Your Son‘s invitation at His table to
from the schemes of the evil one, and feast on His true body and blood, the
grant us to trust Your promise that we table set before us in the presence of
shall not be tempted beyond our ability sin, death and Satan, our enemies.
but that You will always provide the Grant all who commune today
way of escape. Lead us in the paths of repentant faith to receive with joy the
righteousness for Your name‘s sake, gift of the Savior‘s forgiveness and
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. salvation, through the same, Jesus
7. Let us pray for the sick and the Christ, our Lord. Amen.

5. 1 Lord of our life and God of our 3 Lord, be our light when worldly
salvation, darkness veils us;
Star of our night and Hope of ev'ry Lord, be our shield when earthly armor
nation: fails us;
Hear and receive Your Church's And in the day when hell itself assails
supplication, us,
Lord God Almighty. Grant us Your peace, Lord:
2 See round Your ark the hungry 4 Peace in our hearts, where sinful
billows curling; thoughts are raging,
See how Your foes their banners are Peace in Your Church, our troubled
unfurling. souls assuaging,
And with great spite their fiery darts arePeace when the world its endless war is
hurling, waging,
O Lord, preserve us. Peace in Your heaven.

7. The Good Shepherd Cares
for His Sheep
 Meet w/teams
3-5 min per box
 What are the major points of your text?
 How does your topic fit the pericope
theme?
 How does it connect to the other texts?
How is it unique?

8. Ezekiel 34:11-16 grazing land. There they shall lie down
The Lord GOD Will Seek Them Out in good grazing land, and on rich pasture
11 ―For thus says the Lord GOD: they shall feed on the mountains of
Behold, I, I myself will search for my Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd
sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a of my sheep, and I myself will make
shepherd seeks out his flock when he is them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.
among his sheep that have been 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring
scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, back the strayed, and I will bind up the
and I will rescue them from all places injured, and I will strengthen the weak,
where they have been scattered on a day and the fat and the strong I will destroy.
of clouds and thick darkness.13 And I I will feed them in justice.
will bring them out from the peoples and
gather them from the countries, and will
bring them into their own land. And I
will feed them on the mountains of
Israel, by the ravines, and in all the
inhabited places of the country. 14 I will
feed them with good pasture, and on the
mountain heights of Israel shall be their

9. 1 Peter 2:21-25 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.22 He
committed no sin, neither was deceit
found in his mouth.23 When he was
reviled, he did not revile in return; when
he suffered, he did not threaten, but
continued entrusting himself to him who
judges justly. 24 He himself bore our
sins in his body on the tree, that we
might die to sin and live to
righteousness. By his wounds you have
been healed. 25 For you were straying
like sheep, but have now returned to the
Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

10. John 10:11-16 11 I am the good
shepherd. The good shepherd lays
down his life for the sheep. 12 He who
is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who
does not own the sheep, sees the wolf
coming and leaves the sheep and flees,
and the wolf snatches them and scatters
them.13 He flees because he is a hired
hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my
own and my own know me, 15 just as
the Father knows me and I know the
Father; and I lay down my life for the
sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that
are not of this fold. I must bring them
also, and they will listen to my voice.
So there will be one flock, one
shepherd.

11. Psalm 23 you anoint my head with oil;
The LORD Is My Shepherd my cup overflows.
A Psalm of David. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall follow me
notwant. all the days of my life,
2 He makes me lie down in and I shall dwell in the house of the
greenpastures.He leads me beside still LORD
waters. forever.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,
I will 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;

12. THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER (Misericordias Domini)
Ezekiel 34:11–16
1 Peter 2:21–25
John 10:11–16
The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep
Our Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11–16). He is not like the hireling, who
cares nothing for the sheep and only for himself, who flees when he sees the wolf coming.
Rather, Jesus is the Good Shepherd who seeks out His scattered sheep to deliver them
(Ezek. 34:11–16). He gathers them and feeds them in rich pasture. He binds up the broken
and strengthens the sick. He lays down His life for wandering and wayward sheep. On the
cross, Christ bore in His body the attacks of the predators of sin and death and the devil for
you that you might be saved. He now lives to restore your soul in the still waters of
baptism, to lead you in the paths of righteousness by the voice of His Gospel, to prepare
the table of His holy supper before you, that you may dwell in the house of the Lord
forever (Psalm 23). ―For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the
Shepherd and Overseer of your souls‖ (1 Peter 2:25).

13.  The Lord is my Shepherd,
I‘ll walk with Him always.
Always, always,
I‘ll walk with Him always.
Always, always,
I‘ll walk with Him always.
 He is the Good Shepherd,
I‘ll walk with Him always.
 He‘ll love me forever,
I‘ll walk with Him always.
 He lives in my heart,
I‘ll walk with Him always.
 He leads me through green pastures…
I‘ll walk with Him always.
 He leads me by still waters…
I‘ll walk with Him always.

14.  Fourth S. of Easter (Jubilate):
Those Who Wait on the Lord
Shall Rejoice
 Is. 40:25-31 The Greatness of
God
 or Lam. 3:22-33 Great Is Your
Faithfulness
 1 Peter 2:11-20 Submission to
Authority
 or 1 John 3:1-3 Children of God
 John 16:16-22 Your Sorrow Will
Turn to Joy
 Psalm 147:1-11 He Heals the
Brokenhearted

15. Is. 40:25-31; Lam. 3:22-33; 1 Peter 2:11-20; 1 John 3:1-3; and let him be filled with insults. asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‗A little while and
John 16:16-22 ; Psalm 147:1-11 31 For the Lord will not you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see
cast off forever, me‘? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament,
Isaiah 40:25-31 32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your
25 To whom then will you compare me, according to the abundance of his steadfast love; sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she
that I should be like him? says the Holy One. 33 for he does not afflict from his heart has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: or grieve the children of men. delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for
who created these? 1 Peter 2:11-20 joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also
He who brings out their host by number, 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exilesto abstain from you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts
calling them all by name, the passions of the flesh,which wage war against your soul. 12 will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
by the greatness of his might, Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when
and because he is strong in power they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good Psalm 147:1-11
not one is missing. deeds and glorify God onthe day of visitation. He Heals the Brokenhearted
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, Submission to Authority 147 Praise the LORD!
and speak, O Israel, 13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, For it is good to sing praises to our God;
―My way is hidden from the LORD, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
and my right is disregarded by my God‖? sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those 2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
The LORD is the everlasting God, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.16 3 He heals the brokenhearted
the Creator of the ends of the earth. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover- and binds up their wounds.
He does not faint or grow weary; up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. 4 He determines the number of the stars;
his understanding is unsearchable. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. he gives to all of them their names.
29 He gives power to the faint, 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not 5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
and to him who has no might he increases strength. only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is his understanding is beyond measure.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows 6 The LORD lifts up the humble;
and young men shall fall exhausted; while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you he casts the wicked to the ground.
31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good 7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles; and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight make melody to our God on the lyre!
they shall run and not be weary; of God. 8 He covers the heavens with clouds;
they shall walk and not faint. he prepares rain for the earth;
1 John 3:1-3 he makes grass grow on the hills.
Lamentations 3:22-33 3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we 9 He gives to the beasts their food,
22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason and to the young ravens that cry.
his mercies never come to an end; why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2 10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
23 they are new every morning; Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
great is your faithfulness. not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall 11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
24 ―The LORD is my portion,‖ says my soul, be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone in those who hope in his steadfast love.
―therefore I will hope in him.‖ who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him. John 16:16-22
26 It is good that one should wait quietly Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
for the salvation of the LORD. 16 ―A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a
27 It is good for a man that he bear little while, and you will see me.‖ 17 So some of his disciples
the yoke in his youth. said to one another, ―What is this that he says to us,‗A little
28 Let him sit alone in silence while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you
when it is laid on him; will see me‘; and,‗because I am going to the Father‘?‖ 18 So
29 let him put his mouth in the dust— they were saying, ―What does he mean by ‗a little while‘? We
there may yet be hope; do not know what he is talking about.‖ 19 Jesus knew that they
30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ―Is this what you are