New Life's Worship Service on July 21st, 2024, the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

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Before Service Prayer: Jesus, my Good Shepherd who leads me, You know what lies ahead for me today and every day. By Your mighty power and tender love, turn my future, no matter what it is, to my eternal good. Guide me and guard me so that I do not become lost in sin and unbelief. Amen.

Today's Theme JESUS MODELS A COMPASSIONATE SHEPHERD'S HEART: In the ancient Middle East, a shepherd needed certain skills to do his job well: knowledge of edible grasses, ability to trim hooves, capacity to fend off predators, competency to birth lambs. However, the greatest qualification of a shepherd is much simpler. A good shepherd needed to care for his / her sheep. Without that, none of those other skills would be fully utilized.

In Scripture meaningful ministry is often pictured as a compassionate shepherd caring for his sheep: Jesus' care for us; a spiritual leader's care for his "flock." Certainly, gospel ministry requires specific skills: ability to actively listen to people, aptitude for applying the gospel to someone's situation, etc. But ultimately, meaningful ministry requires a compassionate heart - a profound caring for others. An individual might know God's Word backwards and forwards. But if they lack compassion, they will not fully perform meaningful ministry. Today, we ask the Spirit to see how Jesus models a compassionate shepherd's heart so that we might be filled with that same compassion.

Today's Service: "Service of the Word" NPH reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-800156 and under CCLI license #11327771.

Christian hymns preach Jesus Christ: crucified, risen and seated at God's right hand. The hymns in this service are from "Christian Worship: A Lutheran Hymnal" ©2021 Northwestern Publishing House. Used with permission. Additional hymns: "Christian Worship Supplement" ©2008 Northwestern Publishing House. Used with permission.