READ

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

READ

Ruth 2:8-12

Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.” Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?” But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. May the Lord reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!”

Ruth 4:13-17

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighbourhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

DISCUSS

1. How has your week been?

2. How have you seen God at work in your life this week?

3. Read the passages again.

4. Ruth’s life reflects the green pastures, and the dark valleys and comes to the feast. Which part of this journey do you feel your life is at?

5. What do these passages tell us about God?

6. What do the passages tell us about our relationship with God?

7. What is challenging in these passages?

8. Is there anything else the passages are saying to me?

9. What am I going to do about it?

10. Who am I going to share it with?

11. Be prepared to share back next week.

PRAY

Lord of the 23rd Psalm,

I have known death,

and you have refreshed my soul.

I have known fear,

and you have comforted me.

I have known hunger,

and you have set a feast before me.

In the darkest valley

no calamity of humankind or nature has separated us.

Teach me to walk as you walk

Beside those in mourning

so that they will know joy,

Beside those in fear

that they will know comfort,

Beside those in hunger

that they will feast until their cup overflows.

As your goodness and love follow me,

May mine follow my neighbour

That the threat of the worst terrors

May turn to the knowledge of the comforts of

the house of the Lord,

Where you have invited us to dwell forever.

And so let me strive to help build on earth

What you have promised us in heaven.

In the face of all calamity, present and yet to come,

Let me lead my neighbour beside quiet waters,

The quiet waters of the Good Shepherd.

AMEN

Connect with the Sermon and our Worship Service on our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3FKu0AdcO-Y4nR_BgxZC4A/

Did you know that if we get a few more subscribers to our YouTube channel we could rename it? What does that mean?

It means that it would be easier to find us.

Why not subscribe today? Thank you

READ  

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Exodus 13:17-22

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer; for God thought, “If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.” So, God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt prepared for battle. And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph who had required a solemn oath of the Israelites, saying, “God will surely take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones with you from here.” They set out from Succoth, and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

DISCUSS

- How has your week been?

- How have you seen God at work in your life this week?

- Read the passages again.

- Where are you at the moment? In green pastures or in dark valleys?

- Does God feel close or far away?

- What would help make it closer?

- What do the passages tell us about our relationship with God?

- What is challenging in these passages?

- Is there anything else the passages are saying to me?

- What am I going to do about it?

- Who am I going to share it with?

- Be prepared to share back next week.

PRAY 

Lord of the 23rd Psalm,

I have known death,

and you have refreshed my soul.

I have known fear,

and you have comforted me.

I have known hunger,

and you have set a feast before me.

In the darkest valley

no calamity of humankind or nature has separated us.

Teach me to walk as you walk

Beside those in mourning

so that they will know joy,

Beside those in fear

that they will know comfort,

Beside those in hunger

that they will feast until their cup overflows.

As your goodness and love follow me,

May mine follow my neighbour

That the threat of the worst terrors

May turn to the knowledge of the comforts of

the house of the Lord,

Where you have invited us to dwell forever.

And so let me strive to help build on earth

What you have promised us in heaven.

In the face of all calamity, present and yet to come,

Let me lead my neighbour beside quiet waters,

The quiet waters of the Good Shepherd.

AMEN

Connect with the Sermon and our Worship Service on our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3FKu0AdcO-Y4nR_BgxZC4A/

Did you know that if we get a few more subscribers to our YouTube channel we could rename it? What does that mean?

It means that it would be easier to find us.

Why not subscribe today? Thank you

READ

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

DISCUSS

- How has your week been?

- How have you seen God at work in your life this week?

- Read the passages again.

- What do the words I am the good shepherd mean to you?

- What does this tell us about God?

- What do the passages tell us about our relationship with God?

- What is challenging in these passages?

- Is there anything else the passages are saying to me?

- What am I going to do about it?

- Who am I going to share it with?

- Be prepared to share back next week.

PRAY

Lord of the 23rd Psalm,

I have known death,

and you have refreshed my soul.

I have known fear,

and you have comforted me.

I have known hunger,

and you have set a feast before me.

In the darkest valley

no calamity of humankind or nature has separated us.

Teach me to walk as you walk

Beside those in mourning

so that they will know joy,

Beside those in fear

that they will know comfort,

Beside those in hunger

that they will feast until their cup overflows.

As your goodness and love follow me,

May mine follow my neighbour

That the threat of the worst terrors

May turn to the knowledge of the comforts of

the house of the Lord,

Where you have invited us to dwell forever.

And so let me strive to help build on earth

What you have promised us in heaven.

In the face of all calamity, present and yet to come,

Let me lead my neighbour beside quiet waters,

The quiet waters of the Good Shepherd.

AMEN

Connect with the Sermon and our Worship Service on our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3FKu0AdcO-Y4nR_BgxZC4A/

Did you know that if we get a few more subscribers to our YouTube channel we could rename it? What does that mean?

It means that it would be easier to find us.

Why not subscribe today? Thank you