What Love The Father Has For Us! ~ by Ronnie Archer

All three readings of this Fourth Sunday of Easter are reminding us that Salvation comes to us only through God's Son, Jesus Christ.

In the reading of Acts 4, after being questioned by the angry leaders and elders who wanted to know by what power or name they had healed, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, told them "all of you and the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ, whom you crucified, and whom God raised from the dead."

The second reading, which comes from 1 John 3:1-2, tells of how God loved us so much that He adopted us into His family, we are the children of God. The reason the world doesn't recognize us is that it didn't recognize the Father in the Son. What we will be has not been revealed, but when the divine revelation occurs, "we shall be like Him, because we will see Him as He is."

This Sunday's Gospel from John gives us the story about the Good Shepherd. The role of a shepherd is to guide and protect his flock. One who is merely a hired hand, not a shepherd, shows concern only for himself in danger.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He laid down His life for the love of us. No one took His life from Him; He gave it up freely. From the Father, He received the power to lay it down and take it up again.

We are privileged to be the children of God. Reflect on the importance of the role of the Good Shepherd. We are also called to be a Shepherd. Everyone who is responsible is called to be a Shepherd.

Put His Word into your life... and put it into action, going forward in the role of a Good Shepherd.

Fill us Holy Spirit, so we can witness the presence of God in our lives.


~ Fourth Sunday of Easter ~

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