Podcasts about Good Shepherd Sunday

Fourth Sunday of Easter - "Why do we call Jesus our Good Shepherd, who are our good shepherds, and how can we be good shepherds?"

Homily given at St. Thomas à Becket on the 4th Sunday of Easter (and Good Shepherd Sunday and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations)(April 26. 2026).

Scripture Readings: Nehemiah 9:6-15; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:13-25; John 10:1-10

Fr. Billy Swan presents from Casa Santa Marta — his new address inside the Vatican walls — on the feast of St Catherine of Siena. He opens with Pope Leo XIV's letter for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, drawing out three themes from the Good Shepherd Sunday gospel: pause, listen, and entrust yourself […] L'articolo RM Breakfast Show – Catherine of Siena and the Vocations Crisis – Fr Billy Swan proviene da Radio Maria.

Good Shepherd Sunday is a day to pray for vocations in a special way. Father Ivan elaborates here on the vocation of the priesthood, its importance, and its challenges.

Given at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Cottage Grove, Oregon.

Message for Good Shepherd Sunday. Based on John 10:1-10.

April 26, 2026. Fr. Tyler's homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday. We're thankful for our good shepherd here at Carroll College--enjoy! Gospel John 10:1-10 Jesus said: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

On this "Good Shepherd Sunday" we hear Jesus explain to us the difference between good shepherds and bad shepherds, which Jesus calls "thieves and robbers". We have this difference too in the priesthood! The good shepherd/priest goes through the gate, which is Christ, and is completely oriented towards him. His priesthood is based on Christ. But the bad shepherd is in it for himself, not for Christ, and his ministry is not for the sake of service but for his own self-aggrandizement. Let us pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood, and may our present and future priests be oriented towards Christ so that through their ministry we can hear the voice of Christ, our Good Shepherd.

Listen to the sermon from the Rev. Ryan Fleenor on Sunday, April 26th, 2026 - The Fourth Sunday of Easter and Good Shepherd Sunday. For more information on all Saint Luke's has to offer, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org. 

In this homily on April 26, 2026 (Good Shepherd Sunday), Fr Mathias preaches on Psalm 23 and applies it to Jesus being our Good Shepherd. We really can trust in Jesus as our Good Shepherd to give us peace, rest, refreshment, protection, and guidance. Father then outlines various aspects of the Devil's psyops campaign to get us to not follow Jesus the Good Shepherd.   To access the presentations on prayer referenced at end of Mass on how to hear God's voice spoken of in the homily please go here (and scroll down to 2024). https://www.stpatrickcatholicparish.org/parish-mission-2024

Fourth Sunday in EasterAs the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday, it is important to take the time to reflect upon your calling or vocation. Vocation (Vocare) means a call or summons. In John 10, Jesus says, " My sheep hear my voice...and they follow me."Life in Christ is not an escape from suffering. It is a transformation of suffering. The easy road avoids suffering whereas the Shepherd leads us through it to freedom. The wide road is easy to walk-but it never leads you home. Only the voice you follow will decide the man or woman you become. Scripture Reading for April 26, 2026Acts 2:14, 36-41Psalm 23: 1-61 Peter 2:20-25John 10:1-10

Sunday, April 26, 2026 ~ Sermon by Deacon Michael GrubeGeneral podcast introduction using "Be Thou My Vision." General podcast outro using "Be Thou My Vision."

IntroductionToday is sometimes called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Jesus is called the“gate” of the sheep in today's gospel. The risen Christ opens the way toabundant life. He anoints our heads with oil and guides us beside the stillwaters of our baptism. Each Sunday he spreads a feast before us amid theworld's violence and war. We go forth to be signs of the resurrection andextend God's tender care to all creation. Readings1 Peter 2:19-25, John 10:1-10 

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, we read Psalm 23 which reminds us that life with Jesus is abundant. Fr. David Trautman also draws our attention to the Gospel where Jesus himself declares that scarcity isn't our norm.If you like what you hear, we hope you'll join us in person if you're in the area. Learn more about us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.servantsanglican.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This is Wade's sermon at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI for Easter 4. We'd love to have you join us at Resurrection for a Sunday Divine Service sometime at 9am. As always, if you are enjoying the show, please subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or TuneIn Radio. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  And, of course, share us with a friend or two! If you'd like to contact us we can be reached at podcast@LetTheBirdFly.com, or visit our website at www.LetTheBirdFly.com.

Prayer for Good Shepherd SundayO Jesus, our Good Shepherd,you know each of us by name and call us to follow you.You lead us with love, protect us from harm,and lay down your life so that we may have life in abundance.We thank you for your constant care and faithful presence.When we are lost, you seek us;when we are weak, you carry us;when we are afraid, you guide us with your gentle voice.Help us to listen more closely to you each day,to trust in your guidance,and to follow wherever you lead.Teach us to reflect your loveby caring for others with compassion and kindness.We pray especially for our shepherds in the Church—for the Pope, bishops, and priests—that they may lead with wisdom, humility, and courage.Strengthen all who are called to serve,and inspire new vocations to the priesthood and religious life.O Good Shepherd, keep us always in your care,gather us into one flock,and lead us safely to the joy of eternal life.Amen.

Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is when the Universal Church celebrates our shepherds, the priests, bishops, and pope who all act in the person of the One Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. God the Father knew we would need Shepherds like Jesus and His priests in order to help us get to heaven.

In order to follow someone you need to trust them...Jesus, I trust in you!

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, Pastor Michelle explains that when Jesus describes himself as a shepherd, he means for us to follow him. She goes on to explain that there are many false shepherds, we need to be wary of them. Just like a sheep knows the voice of his shepherd, we need to know the voice of Jesus

Good Shepherd Sunday Recorded live at our regular Sunday worship service at the Vel Phillips Memorial High School auditorium, Madison, WI.

Homily given at St. Thomas More in Troy, MI.

Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is when the Universal Church celebrates our shepherds, the priests, bishops, and pope who all act in the person of the One Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. God the Father knew we would need Shepherds like Jesus and His priests in order to help us get to heaven.

Is Jesus a good shepherd?   Not just an average shepherd. Not just an okay shepherd.   But truly good… loving, faithful, merciful, and trustworthy.   In today's Rise Up reflection for Good Shepherd Sunday, Fr. Jonathan Meyer invites us to ask an honest question:   Do I really believe, deep in my heart, that Jesus is good?   Sometimes life brings pain, disappointment, fear, or confusion. We may wonder if God has forgotten us or let us down.   But Jesus says:   “I am the good shepherd.”   Today, take time in prayer to proclaim:   ➡️ Jesus, You are good. ➡️ Jesus, I trust in You. ➡️ Jesus, cast out my fear and doubt.   We are His sheep. We are His beloved. And we have nothing to fear.   Happy Easter. Rejoice in the Good Shepherd.   #RiseUp #Catholic #GoodShepherdSunday #Jesus #Faith #Trust #Prayer #Easter

On the 4th Sunday of Easter, also known as "Good Shepherd Sunday", it's the annual World Day For Vocations. What is an essential ingredient for vocations to the priesthood and religious life? Fr. Kubicki informs us on today's reflection.

Ken Wilgus - Fourth Sunday of Easter (Good Shepherd Sunday), 2026

Deacon Dan Diesel proclaims the Gospel (John 10:1-10) and breaks open the word on Good Shepherd Sunday. Words for your Way from Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church in Lake Forest, California.

Eastertide 2026

Good Shepherd Sunday

Rev'd Dr. David Glade April 26, 2026

25 April 2026

Subscribe to the Better Part podcast today! Gospel reflection for 9-12 year olds for Good Shepherd Sunday, year A.

Father Steven Weller, Vocations Director for the Diocese of La Crosse, speaks with Bishop Gerard Battersby about the World Day of Prayer for Vocations on Good Shepherd Sunday, focusing on Christ's invitation for all the baptized to share in his mission. They discuss humility, sinfulness, and the need for a Savior, emphasizing that God wants […]

For the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on recognizing the voice of Jesus Christ in the midst of other voices. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

For the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Good Shepherd Sunday, Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on recognizing the voice of Jesus Christ in the midst of other voices. Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources. Listen to Fr. Frank's more of weekly reflections and recent blogcasts.

Dr. Scott Powell and Kate Olivera look ahead to the readings for Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter.This episode of Sunday School is brought to you by The Secret of the Goldfish, a warm, faith-filled middle-grade mystery for curious Catholic kids, coming to you from Our Sunday Visitor.To learn more, visit GloriaBook.com/SundaySchool- Already read the readings? Skip ahead to 8:40Reading 1 - Acts 2:14a, 36-41Psalm 23: 1-6Reading 2 - 1 Peter 2:20b-25Gospel - John 10: 1-10-Show notes:Christ in the Psalms by Patrick Henry Reardon This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pillarcatholic.com/subscribe

Notes John 10:1-10 Acts 2:42-47 Summary Exploring the rich metaphors of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the Gate in John 10, and their implications for inclusive community and spiritual life. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Good Shepherd Sunday 02:51 Exploring John 10: The Gate and the Shepherd 05:45 Contextualizing the Text: Inclusivity vs Exclusivity 09:07 The Role of the Shepherd in Caring for the Community 11:56 Understanding the Gate: Pathways to Abundant Life 15:08 The Thief vs The Good Shepherd 18:06 Living a Meaningful Life vs Material Abundance 21:10 The Call to Follow Jesus' Voice 24:04 Contemporary Applications of the Text 26:56 Exploring the Concept of Peace 28:11 Acts 2: The Early Church Community 29:23 Radical Transformation and Community Dynamics 31:24 Salvation Through Community 34:43 The Four Pillars of Community 38:10 The Role of Food in Building Community 40:45 Radical Reshaping of Enough 42:00 The Community Beyond Believers 46:27 Closing Thoughts and Community Engagement  

Fourth Sunday of Easter • April 26, 2026 • Year AIntroductionWe begin with the four Revised Common Lectionary readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A (April 26, 2026). This Sunday is sometimes called Good Shepherd Sunday because of the Gospel reading from John 10, and the theme of shepherding runs through all four texts in different ways — care, guidance, the cost of protecting others, and what it looks like to belong to someone who truly looks after you.Photo credit Good Shepherd Catholic ParishThe ReadingsActs 2:42–47The First Lesson — Life in the Early ChurchSUMMARYThis short passage describes what the church looked like in the days right after Pentecost. The new community devoted itself to four things: learning from the apostles, sharing meals and life together, breaking bread, and praying. A sense of awe settled over everyone, and the apostles were doing remarkable things among the people. Those who believed held everything in common — selling what they owned to make sure no one went without. They met daily, ate together with joy, praised God, and were well regarded by their neighbors. Each day, more people joined them.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* This passage is often read as a picture of what the church is supposed to look like. That can be inspiring, but it can also be crushing if a congregation feels they fall short. A better approach might be to ask: which of these four practices is most alive in our community right now, and which one needs the most attention?* The sharing of possessions is described matter-of-factly, not as a heroic sacrifice. It simply made sense to them given what they had experienced. Preachers can explore what that kind of practical generosity looks like when it comes from genuine gratitude rather than obligation.* The word ‘devoted' appears at the start and shapes everything that follows. These people were not dabbling. What does it mean to be devoted — not just interested — in the life of faith? That question is worth opening up for a congregation.* Glad and generous hearts are named as the interior quality beneath all the external practices. The community was not running programs — they were living out of a particular emotional and spiritual posture. What produces that posture, and how does a congregation cultivate it?SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* Be careful about holding up this passage as ‘the early church was perfect.' Acts itself shows conflict, deception, and failure arriving very quickly after this moment (see chapter 5). This is a picture of a community at its best, not a permanent state they maintained.* The communal sharing of property has sometimes been read as a biblical case for a particular economic or political system. The text is not making a policy argument. It is describing what love looked like in a specific community at a specific moment. Preachers should resist turning it into a platform for contemporary political positions from either direction.* The rapid daily growth can make congregations who are not growing feel like failures. Be thoughtful about how you use the phrase ‘the Lord added to their number.' The text is descriptive, not prescriptive — it tells what happened, not what must happen in every time and place.Psalm 23The Psalm — The Lord Is My ShepherdSUMMARYOne of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture, Psalm 23 moves through a series of images describing God's care. The Lord as shepherd provides rest, leads to water, and restores the soul. Even in the darkest places, the presence of God brings comfort. The image then shifts: God becomes a host who sets a table, anoints with oil, and fills the cup. The psalm ends with confidence — goodness and mercy will follow all the days of life, and the speaker will dwell in God's house forever.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* Because this psalm is so familiar, many people hear it without actually listening. One of the most useful things a preacher can do with Psalm 23 is slow it down and let people encounter it as if for the first time. What does it feel like to have someone else take responsibility for your wellbeing? That is the posture the psalm invites.* The dark valley in verse 4 is easy to rush past on the way to the green pastures. But the psalm does not skip it — it walks straight through it. Preachers can offer this as honest pastoral care: the life of faith does not avoid hard places; it travels through them with company.* The shift from shepherd to host midway through the psalm is striking. God is not only the one who guides from ahead but the one who welcomes and feeds. Both images together give a fuller picture of what divine care looks like.In the Easter season, this psalm takes on additional resonance. The table spread in the presence of enemies, the overflowing cup — these images land differently after the resurrection. The congregation is living the reality the psalm describes: walking through a world where death is present but defeated, sitting at a table prepared by the risen Christ, drinking from a cup that overflows with resurrection life. We can draw that connection without forcing it.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The familiarity of this psalm cuts both ways. It is beloved precisely because it has been a comfort in grief and crisis for countless people. Do not treat it as too simple or obvious — for many in the congregation, these words have carried them through the hardest moments of their lives.* Avoid using this psalm to suggest that faith means nothing bad will happen. The dark valley is in the psalm, not as something to be explained away, but as something to be walked through. The comfort is in the presence, not the absence of difficulty.* The phrase ‘green pastures' and ‘still waters' can sound like a promise of ease and prosperity. That reading flattens the psalm. The rest and restoration described here come after real depletion — this is a psalm for tired people, not comfortable ones.1 Peter 2:19–25The Epistle — Suffering UnjustlySUMMARYThis passage addresses people who are suffering — specifically, those who are doing right and being mistreated for it. The letter does not pretend this is easy or that it makes sense from a human point of view. Instead, it points to Christ as the one who walked this road before them. He did not sin, did not threaten or retaliate when he was abused, but entrusted himself to the God who judges justly. He bore what he bore in his body so that those who were lost might find their way back. The image at the end is of sheep who had wandered returning to the shepherd who watches over them.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* This is a hard text to preach because it can sound like an endorsement of passivity in the face of injustice. But the key phrase is ‘endure when you do right and suffer for it.' This is not about accepting all suffering quietly — it is about the specific situation of doing good and still being mistreated. Naming that distinction carefully matters.* Christ is held up not as a distant ideal but as someone who actually went through this. The passage is saying: you are not the first, and the one who went before you knows what it costs. That is genuine solidarity, and it can be a rich vein to mine for people in real pain.* The image of wandering sheep returning to a shepherd at the end of the passage is worth dwelling on. It is gentle and without accusation. The return is not a march of shame — it is a homecoming. This can speak to people who feel they have drifted and wonder if there is a way back.* The phrase ‘entrusted himself to the one who judges justly' is quietly powerful. When there is no human court that will hear your case, the text says there is still a court that matters. This can be a word of real hope for people who have experienced injustice with no recourse.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* This passage has been used harmfully to tell people — especially women, enslaved people, or those in abusive situations — that they must endure mistreatment without resistance. That is a serious misreading. The text is not a command for victims to remain in danger. Preach it with this history in mind and be explicit that it does not apply that way.* The call to follow Christ's example in suffering can romanticize pain if not handled carefully. Suffering is not good in itself. The text is not saying that being mistreated makes you holy — it is saying that when you cannot avoid it, you are not alone in it.* The phrase ‘leaving you an example' should not be used to pressure people into silence about legitimate grievances. An example is something to learn from, not a rule that overrides common sense, safety, or the pursuit of justice.John 10:1–10The Gospel — The Gate and the ShepherdSUMMARYJesus uses a picture from everyday life — a sheep pen, a shepherd, and a gatekeeper — to describe his relationship with his followers. The one who enters through the gate is the true shepherd; those who try to climb in another way are up to no good. The sheep know the shepherd's voice and follow him because they trust it; they run from strangers because that voice is unfamiliar. The religious leaders who are listening do not understand what Jesus is saying, so he makes it plainer: he is the gate. Anyone who comes through him will be safe, free to come and go, and well-fed. Thieves come to take; he came so that people might have life — life that is full and overflowing.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* The detail that the sheep know the voice of the shepherd is one of the most relatable images in the Gospel of John. Most people have some experience of recognizing a voice they trust — a parent, a friend, someone who has looked out for them. Preachers can use that instinct to open up what it means to learn to recognize God's voice.* Jesus describes himself as the gate, not just a gate. This is a strong claim, but it is worth noticing what he says those who enter through the gate find: safety, freedom to move in and out, and pasture. The emphasis is on abundance and access, not restriction.* The thief comes to steal and destroy; Jesus came so that people might have life and have it fully. That contrast is one of the clearest statements in the Gospels about what Jesus understands his own purpose to be. A sermon could spend significant time on what ‘life in its fullness' actually looks and feels like in practice.* The phrase ‘the sheep hear his voice' assumes a relationship that has developed over time. Recognizing a voice is not automatic — it comes from familiarity. This is an opportunity to reflect on what it looks like to spend enough time in prayer, Scripture, and community that God's voice becomes recognizable.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The line ‘all who came before me are thieves and bandits' is jarring and should not be used to dismiss the whole of the Hebrew prophetic tradition or Jewish leadership in general. Read in context, Jesus is contrasting himself with those who exploit the flock, not with all prior religious figures or Judaism as a whole.* The gate image has sometimes been used to draw sharp lines about who is ‘in' and who is ‘out' of salvation. The text's own emphasis falls on what the sheep find once they enter — safety, nourishment, freedom — not on who gets excluded. Let the text lead with welcome rather than boundary.* The image of sheep following a voice can be used to encourage uncritical obedience to religious authorities. The passage itself guards against this by emphasizing that the sheep run from voices they do not recognize. Discernment, not blind following, is the point.Thematic ConnectionsAll four readings this week describe what it looks like to be genuinely cared for — and what it costs the one doing the caring. Acts shows a community that took care of each other with glad hearts. Psalm 23 pictures God as the one who leads, feeds, and stays close through the darkest stretches. First Peter points to Christ absorbing the cost of others' wandering so they could find their way home. And John 10 names Jesus as the gate through which people find safety, freedom, and full life.A preacher could anchor the week anywhere in these texts. John 10 is the natural center given the day's traditional focus on the Good Shepherd. But Acts 2 offers a concrete, practical angle — what does shepherd-like care look like when an entire community practices it together? And First Peter raises the hardest question of all: what do you do when doing right still leads to suffering? These texts can hold that tension without resolving it cheaply.Narrative LectionaryThe primary text is from Acts 16, where Paul and Silas end up in prison in Philippi — not because they did anything wrong, but because setting a slave girl free cost her owners money. The supplemental verses from Luke 6 set the stage: Jesus came to heal and free, and the people who followed him knew what it was to be pushed to the margins. Together these texts ask a pointed question: when following Jesus disrupts the status quo, what happens next?The ReadingActs 16:16–34The Primary Text — Paul and Silas in Prison at PhilippiSUMMARYPaul and Silas are in Philippi, a Roman colony and a city where status and economic power matter a great deal. They keep running into a slave girl who has a spirit that allows her to predict the future — something her owners have been making money from. She follows Paul around for days, shouting that these men are servants of the Most High God who are proclaiming a way of salvation. Paul, eventually exasperated, turns and commands the spirit to leave her. It does. Her owners, furious that their source of income has disappeared, drag Paul and Silas before the city magistrates, accusing them of causing trouble and promoting foreign customs.The crowd joins in the attack. Paul and Silas are stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into the inner cell of the prison, with their feet locked in stocks. Around midnight they are praying and singing hymns, and the other prisoners are listening. Then a violent earthquake shakes the foundations, every door flies open, and every chain falls loose. The jailer wakes up, sees the open doors, and draws his sword to kill himself — assuming the prisoners have escaped and knowing what fate awaits him. Paul calls out to stop him: everyone is still there. The jailer falls before Paul and Silas and asks the question that echoes through the whole passage: ‘What must I do to be saved?' They tell him to trust in the Lord Jesus, and he and his whole household will be saved. He takes them home, cleans their wounds, and is baptized with his family that same night. He brings them a meal and celebrates with his whole household, now that he has come to believe in God.Image courtesy UnsplashKEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* The slave girl is the most overlooked person in this story, and she deserves more attention than she usually gets. She was being exploited for profit, day after day. When Paul frees her, he disrupts an economic arrangement — and he pays for it. The text does not follow up on what happens to her after the spirit leaves. Preachers can acknowledge that gap honestly and invite the congregation to sit with the fact that doing good for someone vulnerable can set off serious consequences.* Paul and Silas are singing at midnight in a jail cell, bleeding from a beating they did not deserve. Whatever that is, it is not forced positivity or denial. It is something that runs deeper than their circumstances. Proclamation can open up the question of what produces that kind of resilience — not as a formula to copy, but as a reality worth wondering about.* The earthquake opens every door and loosens every chain — but no one runs. That is an extraordinary detail. The prisoners stay. Paul calls out to the jailer before the man can hurt himself. This is a moment of genuine human care in an unexpected place, and it is what opens the door to the jailer's question. Preachers can draw a direct line: sometimes witness is not a prepared speech but a decision not to take the exit when it opens.* The jailer's question — ‘What must I do to be saved?' — comes out of genuine crisis. He is a man at the end of his rope, not someone sitting in a pew considering his options. The answer Paul gives is simple: trust in the Lord Jesus. What follows is immediate and whole-household — washing wounds, being baptized, eating together, rejoicing. Salvation in this passage is not a private transaction; it reshapes a family and produces a meal.* This story takes place in a Roman colony where power and status are everything. Paul and Silas are stripped of all social standing, beaten publicly, and imprisoned. Yet by morning the jailer is washing their wounds and feeding them breakfast. The power dynamics have completely reversed, and it happened through an earthquake and a decision to stay. We can ask what it means that the Gospel keeps showing up in these kinds of inversions.SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The slave girl's liberation is real, but she disappears from the narrative. The text does not tie things up neatly for her. Preachers who skip past her too quickly risk reinforcing the pattern of treating vulnerable people as props in someone else's story.* The midnight worship in prison is powerful, but preachers should not use it to suggest that the right response to suffering or injustice is always to sing and wait. Paul and Silas did not engineer the earthquake; they did not escape when they could have. This is a specific story, not a universal template for how Christians should respond to being mistreated.* The ‘whole household' baptism raises real questions about consent — were children and servants included without much say? The text does not address this, and we preachers do not need to resolve it from the pulpit. But it is worth being aware of, especially in congregations that practice only adult or believer's baptism, where someone may push back.* The jailer's story is moving, but do not let it overshadow the injustice that put Paul and Silas there in the first place. The authorities who beat them without a trial are not held to account in this passage. The text is not saying the system was fine — it is showing what happened inside it.Luke 6:18–19, 22–23The Supplemental Text — Healing and Blessing the ExcludedSUMMARYThese verses come from the opening of Luke's version of the Sermon on the Plain/Mount. A crowd has gathered from all over — some sick, some tormented — and Jesus heals them. Power is going out from him and everyone is trying to touch him. Then come the beatitudes: blessed are you who are poor, hungry, weeping, and hated. When people exclude you and mock you because of the Son of Man, leap for joy — your reward in heaven is great, and the prophets who came before you were treated the same way.KEY IDEAS FOR PREACHING* Paired with Acts 16, these verses establish that the pattern goes all the way back to Jesus. He drew in the sick, the outcast, and the struggling — and so did Paul and Silas. The supplemental reading gives the Acts story a longer arc: this is what the ministry of Jesus looked like, and the early church was continuing it.* The beatitudes in Luke are addressed directly in the second person: ‘Blessed are you.' This is not a general principle — it is a word spoken to specific people in the crowd. Preachers can use this to help congregations hear it personally, especially those who feel excluded, overlooked, or pushed to the edge. It is the equivalent of the Southern saying, “All y'all are in on this… in a good way.”SIGNIFICANT CAUTIONS* The promise that those who are excluded should ‘leap for joy' needs to be handled with care. It is not telling people their pain does not matter or that they should pretend to be happy. It is pointing toward a bigger picture — one that most people in genuine suffering cannot see on their own. Preach it with gentleness, not as a demand.* The comparison to the prophets who were mistreated can make suffering sound heroic or inevitable. Not all suffering is meaningful, and not all exclusion is persecution. Preachers should be specific about what kind of exclusion Jesus is naming here — exclusion for following him — rather than letting the verse be applied loosely to any difficult experience.Thematic ConnectionsBoth texts this week show what happens when the work of God runs into opposition from people who benefit from things staying the way they are. Jesus heals and blesses the excluded; a slave girl is freed; Paul and Silas are thrown in prison for it. The people who get hurt in both texts are the ones doing good. The supplemental verses from Luke say that this is not a surprise — it follows a pattern that goes back to the prophets. And the Acts story shows that even inside that opposition, something keeps breaking through: a midnight song, an open door, a jailer asking the right question.TIf you want a single focus, you would do well to stay with the jail scene and the question ‘What must I do to be saved?' — exploring what prompted it, what the answer meant, and what happened next. But the slave girl at the beginning is an equally powerful, and less-traveled, starting point. A sermon that begins with her and follows her thread through the whole story could be especially fresh. This is a public episode. 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We call today “Good Shepherd Sunday” because of the Gospel where Our Lord compares Himself to a shepherd. It is traditional today to speak of the question of vocations, because of the fact that a priest is a shepherd of souls.The question of a vocation is a crucial one because it concerns God's plan for our life. As Catholics, we believe that God has created each one of us for Himself, for us to dwell with Him forever in Heaven.Meanwhile, God creates us and places us on this earth, asking us to serve Him during this life. If we do that, He will give us the eternal reward of Heaven once this life is over.God has established two main paths to serve Him in during this life: the married life, and the religious life or priesthood.It is so important that young people take the time to ask themselves which of these two states of life would be better for them to choose. Both of them are good, and so it is never sinful to choose marriage instead of a vocation. But the vocation is a higher choice, because it is a higher way to serve God.Everyone in this chapel who has entered into their state of life had to, at one time, ask themselves these important questions: what should my future be? What choice should I make of my state of life? This is as much true of myself as everyone else.In today's sermon, I want to explain two important differences between choosing a vocation and choosing the married life.

This weekend is the Second Sunday after Easter, which is known as "Good Shepherd Sunday." There are some beautiful and rich connections to Jesus the Good Shepherd and the Season of Easter. For example Jesus says: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. 17 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:11-18)  During Lent we focused on the willingness of Jesus to "lay down His life" for His sheep. During Easter we focus on His power to "take it again." He is risen! He has power over sin, death and even Satan himself. With that confidence in Jesus' victory and power we proclaim “none can take us from Your hand” (783:2). This hymn, which was written by Irish Presbyterian, Henry Cooke, also emphasizes that we are saved by God's grace, not our own doing. The phrases "By Your life salvation wrought" (v.3) and "Father, draw us to Your Son" (v.4) especially emphasize God's grace which saves us. We are the sheep of His pasture. It is His love, His power that redeems and calls us, and which protects us. Thanks be to our Good Shepherd! May the LORD bless your worship this weekend, as we rejoice in the life that is ours because of Jesus, our Good Shepherd!

Today on the Christian History Almanac, we head to the mailbag to answer a question about Psalm 23 and "Good Shepherd Sunday." Show Notes: Germany / Switzerland - Study Tour  Support 1517 Podcast Network 1517 Podcasts 1517 on YouTube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: 1517 Youtube: How God Still Speaks Today Being Family by Dr. Scott Keith A Reasoned Defense of the Faith by Adam Francisco Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life by Dr. Christopher Richmann The Essential Nestingen: Essays on Preaching, Catechism, and the Reformation Philip Melanchthon's Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Translated by Dr. Derek Cooper More from the hosts: Dan van Voorhis SHOW TRANSCRIPTS are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (outerrimterritories.com).

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday, but in Year A, the primary image isn't the shepherd. It's the door. In John 10:1–10, Jesus describes himself as the gate that protects the vulnerable and invites the imperiled into safety. Hosts Karoline Lewis, Cody Sanders, and Matt Skinner explore what that image means for preaching today: Who are the thieves and bandits? What does it look like to imitate Jesus' open-door posture in our communities right now?The conversation moves through all four lectionary texts for the day. Psalm 23 gets a fresh look, not as a sentimental comfort, but as a bold, radical claim of faith in the darkest valleys. The hosts examine the complex preaching challenges of 1 Peter 2:19–25, including how to handle a text that has historically been used to keep people in abusive situations, and how reading it as crisis survival literature changes everything. Acts 2:42–47 rounds out the discussion with a vision of the early church as a counter-community of mutual aid, awe, and wonder, and what that means for congregations engaged in healing ministries today.Mentioned in this episode:Support Working Preacher