April 26, 2026
Acts 2:42–47, Psalm 23, and John 10:1–10.
Theme: Held, Fed, and Led by the Shepherd
This morning I want to draw our attention to three passages that speak to what it means to be gathered, guided, and sustained by God who calls us by name.
In Acts 2:42-47, we see the early church- a community devoted to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayers. It is a picture of people who have discovered that life in Christ is not something we do alone, it is communal. They shared what they had, they ate with glad and generous hearts, and the Lord added to their number daily. It is a portrait of a people held together by grace.
And then we hear Psalm 23, perhaps the most beloved psalm in all of Scripture. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” v.1 These words have carried generations through valleys, through uncertainty, through grief, through joy. The psalmist reminds us that God is not distant or abstract – God is a Shepherd who walks with us, who restores our souls, who prepares a table for us even in the presence of our enemies. God is not simply watching over us; God is accompanying us in all aspects of life.
And then Jesus speaks in John 10, calling Himself the gate and the Good Shepherd – the One whose voice the sheep recognize, the One who leads them out and brings them in, the One who comes not to steal or destroy but to give life, and life abundantly.
When we hold these three passages together, a beautiful truth emerges:
We are a people held by the Shepherd, fed by the Shepherd, and led by the Shepherd.
1. Held by the Shepherd
Psalm 23 does not pretend that life is a bed of roses. It speaks of green pastures, yes – but also of dark valleys. And yet the psalmist says, “I fear no evil, for you are with me.”
Not because the valley disappears. Not because the danger is gone. But because the Shepherd is present.
Some of us today are walking through valleys of uncertainty, illness, grief, or transition. Some of us are carrying burdens we have not spoken aloud. And yet the Shepherd is here patient and attentive. God holds us not because we are strong, but because God is faithful.
2. Fed by the Shepherd
Acts 2 shows us that God’s care is not only spiritual – it is embodied in community. The early believers shared meals, shared resources, shared joys and sorrows. They discovered that God feeds us through one another.
When we pray for one another, when we show up for one another, when we break bread together, we are participating in the Shepherd’s work. We become signs of God’s abundance in a world that often feels scarce.
The Shepherd feeds us – not only with bread, but with belonging.
3. Led by the Shepherd
In John 10, Jesus says the sheep follow Him because they know His voice.
Not because they understand everything. Not because the path is always clear. But because they trust the One who calls them.
Jesus leads us toward life – abundant life, spacious life, life rooted in grace. And sometimes that leading looks like a nudge toward forgiveness, or courage, or rest. Sometimes it looks like being gathered into community when we feel alone. Sometimes it looks like being sent out to love in ways we never imagined.
The Shepherd leads – and we follow, step by step. And he gives life in abundance. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.
So what do these passages say to us this Sunday?
They remind us that: 1. We are not alone – the Shepherd holds us. 2. We are not empty-the Shepherd feeds us. 3. We are not lost – the Shepherd leads us.
And when we live as people who know this truth, we become like that Acts 2 community – a people whose life together becomes a witness to the world. A people who embody generosity, compassion, and joy. A people who reflects the Shepherd’s heart.
My dear friends in Christ, wherever you find yourself today – in green pastures or in the valley of the shadow of death – the Shepherd is near.
- Christ calls us by name. 2. Christ prepares a table for us. 3. Christ leads us to abundant life.
May we listen for His voice. May we follow where He leads. And may our life together shine with the abundant love of the Good Shepherd. So that when Christ shall come with shout of acclamation- what joy shall fill our heart as followers of Christ.