Fourth Sunday of Easter                                         May 3, 2020

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you show those in error the light of your truth that they may return into the way of righteousness. Grant to all that are admitted into fellowship with Christ the power to avoid all things that are contrary to the faith and to follow you according to the will of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Reading: Acts 2:42-47
⁴²{The believers} devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Psalm 23
¹The Lord | is my shepherd;*
     I shall not | be in want.
²He makes me lie down | in green pastures*
     and leads me be- | side still waters.
³He re- | vives my soul*
     and guides me along right pathways | for his name’s sake.
⁴Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall | fear no evil;*
      for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they | comfort me.
⁵You spread a table before me in the presence of those who | trouble me;*
      you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is | running over.
⁶Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days | of my life,*
      and I will dwell in the house of the | Lord forever.

Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-25
¹⁹For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ²¹For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. ²²He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. ²³When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. ²⁴He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. ²⁵For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Gospel: John 10:1-10
¹{Jesus said to the Jews,} “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. ²But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁷So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Lessons for Next Week:
Acts 6:1-9; 7:2a, 51-60; Psalm 146; 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14