The Lost Sheep

a Short address for Late Evening Office - St Columba's Sunday 13th March 2011

If I had to pick one reading which excites me from the Bible, a reading which sums up the gospel in a nut shell it has to be our reading this evening ... The Lost sheep.

It speaks of the shepherd who is concerned with the individual as well as the group, concerned with the outsider, the one who for whatever reason has wandered away, who may be hurt, who may be thinking that they are a failure, the one who is hungry, who feels that they have been neglected, the one who is struggling.

The shepherd goes to great lengths to reassure, to seek out, to find his precious sheep.

It is a nice story with a happy ending. A story for us today as we begin Lent.

I believe it has an enormous amount to say to us -

Firstly linked to our two initatives which we are running in Lent -

Rediscover the Joy of church. There are so many people across our parish which need to know that the church, and God through this church is reaching out to them, that they do have a place to belong to, that we are missing them.

The the diocesan shopping trolley initiative - of doing something practical for those who are suffering poverty in our community - reaching out and finding people who need to know that there are people who they can turn to for practical help.

Secondly, there is a need to reach out beyond the bounds of this parish, every single one of us knows people who have become disillusioned with church, turned off God for one reason or another. But they may want to chat, they may confide in us that they feel like a lost sheep. We need to realise that God might be putting us in a position where we can help bring the harassed and helpless back to the shepherd.

In a nation which is undergoing major budget cuts, big questions are being asked about purpose, meaning and God. Each one of us are called to be lights in the darkness, we are called to search out those who are hurting. To do what we can where we are. Who this week can you and I encourage

Finally and most importantly, we need to know that we all - each of us -need the good shepherd in our lives, without him we cannot do anything - without him we are lost sheep struggling around on our own - without purpose, without meaning.

We are at the beginning of Lent - a time traditionally when Christians take a look at the important things of Life. On Friday Night, in our youth Group we had a visit from Julie Currie, our diocesan youth worker - She brought down seven pictures which she asked the group to rank from 1 to 10 of wether we could give them up for lent. where 1 was not a problem and 10 was couldn’t do with out it at all.

Things like crisps, chocolate, Television, Computers, Mobile Phones - nothing bad about them at all but she went on to describe that sometimes things like TV could be a distraction from God, and time spent with him.

I wonder do we realise the enormous privilege it is to be Sheep and to have a shepherd who cares for us.

As a reflection and a prayer I would like to read for you a letter which someone has prepared, they have taken various promises found in the pages of Scripture and put them together in what they describe as a love letter from God.

My Child ~
I know when you sit down and when you rise up ~ Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways ~ Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered ~ Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image ~ Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being ~ Acts 17:28
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book ~ Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live ~ Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made ~ Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb ~ Psalm 139:13
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love ~ 1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you ~ 1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your father ~ 1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could ~ Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father ~ Matthew 5:48
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs ~ Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope ~ Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love ~ Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore ~ Psalm 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing ~ Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you ~ Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession ~ Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul ~ Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things ~ Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me ~ Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart ~ Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires ~ Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine ~ Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you ~ Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart ~ Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes ~ Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth ~ Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus ~ John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed ~ John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being ~ Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you ~ Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you ~ 1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love ~ Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me ~ 1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again ~ Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen ~ Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father ~ Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is ~ Will you be my child? ~ John 1:12-13 Love, Your Dad, Almighty God