4th Sunday of Easter 2025 St Andrew’s Milngavie
Today we continued to celebrate the festival of Easter. Today also marks the beginning of Christian Aid Week. Envelopes are available at church, alternatively you can donate online.
This afternoon 4pm St Joseph’s, Milngavie Choir Spring Concert. Please do support this, tickets can be bought on the door.
This evening 5pm Evensong at St May’s Cathedral. This is a chance to meet Bishop Nick who will preach, everyone is welcome.
This week
Monday 3pm – Vestry Garden Room
Tuesday 10am – Prayer Group in the Garden Room
Wednesday 7pm – NWRC St Andrew’s
Thursday 10am – Said Holy Communion followed by coffee in Friendship House.
Readings for next Sunday – Fifth Sunday of Easter – Acts 11:1-18 Revelation 21:1-6 John 13:31-35
Today’s readings – Acts 9:36-end, Revelation 7:9-end, John 10:22-30
On Wednesday in much secrecy and drama Catholic Cardinals worldwide gathered in Rome, to decide the next Pope. Throughout the conclave the guidance of the Holy Spirit would have been earnestly prayed for and reflected upon.
Today’s scripture also reflects the power of the Holy Spirit.
During the season of Easter our Sunday scripture includes a reading from the book of the Acts of the Apostles. These readings remind us how important and essential those early apostles were in proclaiming the Gospel and beginning the early church.
It never ceases to amaze me quite what they manged to achieve. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they transformed themselves from those fearful first days after the resurrection, to courageous faithful and inspired apostles.
Today we hear the wonderful story of the healing of Tabitha by Peter now a mature confident apostle.
In contrast last week we heard the moving account of the risen Christ appearing to a faltering Peter by the lake of Tiberius where three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. Three times Peter confirms he does and in doing so reconciles the three denials before the crucifixion. Jesus then charges Peter to feed his lambs – to begin his ministry.
And so here he is at the bedside of Tabitha restoring her to health, acting in faith and trust, inspired by the spirit. Once again, the courageous confident Peter that we first knew in the gospels.
This morning St John tells us that events in the Gospel today occurred in winter. Apparently, there are only two references to seasons in all of scripture. There is one in the OT – in the Song of Solomon we hear of springtime:
“Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for lo the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come.” Song of Solomon 2: 12
The only New Testament reference to the time of year is found in our Gospel today.
“It was the feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon” John 10: 22.
This is John’s gospel, so we know there are hidden depths. It is likely by using the word winter he was referring to the spiritual coldness expressed by those who were opposed to Jesus. Jesus received endless criticism from the religious leaders in Jerusalem, but into this chilly atmosphere Jesus spoke the beautiful words that compared his followers love and trust for him to the wonderful relationship between sheep and their shepherd.
“My sheep hear my voice”, Jesus said. “I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10: 27-28
You can trust me Jesus seems to say.
This image of the Good Shepherd also reminds us that we need to be part of the flock, we can’t really flourish on our own. We may wander off on our own from time to time but the intention is for us to be connected, to be part of the flock. Today we are urged to remain in the fellowship because it is here with others that we have the best chance to know the joy of God who loves us plus it gives us the ability to remain calm in those moments when maybe we cannot hear the Shepherd’s voice as clearly as we might like.
When Peter confidently heals Tabitha, he clearly heard the Shepherd’s voice. However, before Peter speaks to Tabitha – he prays. It was not his own power which Peter prayed for, it was the power of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we can be in danger of thinking too much of what we can do on our own and too little of what Christ can do through us.
The extraordinary success of the early church was down to one thing. At Pentecost, as Christ promised, God sent the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. This Holy Spirit worked amongst them inspiring them, transforming them into confident and courageous disciples keen to spread the Good News of Christ and the hope of salvation to all people.
Against all the odds the News spread worldwide! That is huge inspiration for us! We therefore cannot and must not underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit.
Whatever situation and odds we face, we do not face alone, the spirit is still alive today if we allow it, evidenced by whispers of revival we have hope and Jesus is still our guide. So, let us be assured by these great words of Jesus about his sheep – us
“And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, And no one will snatch them from my hand” John 10:28
For “I am the good shepherd” John 10:11