The Good Shepherd Leads Us Home in Joy

Devotional

Day 1: Joy That Finds You in Advent's Busyness

The lists are long, the calendar full, and yet joy is not lost in the shuffle—it is found in Christ who draws near. Joy is not the denial of pressure; it is the presence of Jesus in the midst of it. As you breathe and slow down, remember that His peace can steady your heart and clear your mind. He delights to meet you where you are, not where you wish you were. Let your soul take its cues from His nearness, not from your to-do list. Rest in the truth that He is with you and for you today [13:37]

Philippians 4:4-7 — Choose joy in the Lord again and again. Let gentleness be visible because the Lord is close. Instead of letting worries rule you, bring everything to God with grateful prayer. Then God’s peace, surpassing what you can make sense of, will protect your heart and mind in Christ.

Reflection: Where does your pace most often drown out joy, and what simple daily practice this week (like a 3-minute pause at lunch for grateful prayer) could help you notice Jesus drawing near?

Day 2: Confession That Opens the Door to Home

Home is meant for safety and love, yet our words and choices fracture what should be whole. Healing begins when we stop defending ourselves and bring the honest truth to God. He sees the wounds we’ve caused and the wounds we carry, and He meets both with mercy. In Christ, justice has been satisfied and reconciliation accomplished. You are forgiven, restored, and welcomed into God’s family. Let grace do for you what excuses never could [16:19]

1 John 1:8-9 — If we claim we have no sin, we’re fooling ourselves and closing our eyes to the truth. But when we bring our sins into the light before God, He is faithful and right to forgive us and to cleanse us from everything that stains.

Reflection: Which strained relationship weighs on your heart today, and what truthful, humble words of confession or forgiveness could you offer this week to take one step toward healing?

Day 3: The Good Shepherd Who Knows Your Name

Jesus is not a distant manager; He is the Good Shepherd who knows you and calls you by name. When danger approaches, He does not run—He lays down His life to keep you safe. He is not a hired hand who cuts losses; He is the owner who treasures you. His voice leads you out of fear and into rest. You can trust Him with your story, your needs, and your next step. Stay close to His voice today [22:05]

John 10:11-15 — “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus says, “and I give up my life for the sheep. A hired worker runs when danger comes because the sheep aren’t his. But I know my own, and my own know me—like the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

Reflection: Where are you tempted to fend for yourself right now, and how could you practically listen for the Shepherd’s voice (through a specific passage or time in prayer) before making your next decision?

Day 4: One Flock: Welcomed, Gathered, and Sent

Jesus gathers people who once felt far away and makes them one flock. His church is meant to be a home of welcome, truth, and grace—where the weary find rest and sinners find forgiveness. He is still seeking those who have not yet heard His voice, and He invites you to join in that search with gentleness and joy. Your simple kindness, your invitation, your song of hope can carry His welcome to someone who feels forgotten. This is how the Shepherd grows His flock—through ordinary people who carry extraordinary love. Ask Him to lead you to one person to include today [22:31]

John 10:16 — “I also have sheep that aren’t in this fold yet. I must lead them too, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock with one shepherd.”

Reflection: Who is one person “not yet in the pen” you could gently include or invite to experience Jesus’ welcome this week, and what small step will you take to reach out?

Day 5: A Foretaste of Home and Lasting Hope

Grief is real, and so is the hope that outlasts it. In Christ we have the promise of a home that cannot be broken and a table where all God’s people will be made whole. The Lord’s Supper is a foretaste—a present reminder of a future feast—assuring you that forgiveness and presence go with you today. Even as you wait, God strengthens you and keeps you until the day you see your home complete. Let this promise steady you in uncertainty and comfort you in loss. The One who calls you home will carry you all the way there [55:10]

Revelation 21:3-5 — A loud voice announces: “Look, God’s home is now with His people. He will live with them, and they will be His. He will wipe away every tear; death, grief, crying, and pain will be gone. See, I am making everything new.” The One on the throne declares these words trustworthy and finished.

Reflection: If sorrow or uncertainty sits close to you right now, which promise of your future home with God will you carry into this week, and how will you keep it before your eyes each day?

Sermon Summary

Advent lifts our eyes toward home—the home God is preparing and the home He is already making among us. We named the tension many feel in December: the hurry, the pressure, the endless lists. Where is the joy? Joy isn’t found in lighter calendars or perfect plans, but in the nearness of Jesus. He is our joy. He draws near, and He steadies our hearts with the peace of God. That is why we can rejoice even before every problem is solved—because His promise and presence meet us here.

We also acknowledged that home, which should be safe and loving, often carries deep wounds. We began with confession—not to wallow, but to tell the truth before God. Confession is where healing starts. In Christ, justice has been done and reconciliation has been won. By His authority, I declared what He delights to give: you are forgiven, restored, and welcomed into God’s family.

We listened to Jesus call Himself the Good Shepherd, who does not run when wolves come. He knows His sheep—really knows us—and lays down His life to keep us. He is gathering “other sheep” too, forming one flock under one Shepherd. In this season of longing for home, that promise matters: we are not scattered or forgotten; we are being gathered and led.

We prayed for those who grieve, especially for Connie and her family in John’s passing, trusting that Christ has called John home. The ache is real, and so is our hope. We asked the Spirit to bind us together, to make our church a household of welcome, truth, and grace. We practiced generosity together and looked outward—to carol, to invite, to share the joy we’ve received.

At the Table, we tasted a foretaste of home—the peace and presence of Jesus for the journey. The Father calls us home, the Son welcomes and makes us new, and the Spirit keeps us until the day our home is complete. That promise goes with us into the week.

Key Takeaways

1. Joy that outlasts hurry and pressure Joy isn’t a mood we manufacture; it’s the settled confidence that Jesus is near and His promises are true. Advent trains our eyes to watch for Him right in the middle of our crowded calendars. Bring your lists and your limitations to Him, and then let His peace govern your heart. Joy grows where His nearness is remembered. [13:37]
2. Confession begins true relational healing Confession is not self-condemnation; it is truth-telling that dismantles our defenses and opens space for grace. We name how we’ve fractured relationships and how we’ve been hurt, so God can meet the real story with real mercy. Forgiveness received becomes courage to seek repair, set boundaries wisely, and choose costly reconciliation. Mercy in Christ does not ignore justice—it fulfills it. [16:19]
3. The Good Shepherd knows and keeps us Jesus is not a hired hand who leaves when danger rises; He moves toward our need and lays down His life. Being known by Him means our failures don’t disqualify us and our fears don’t define us. His voice gathers us into one flock where belonging is secured by His care, not our performance. Follow Him into hard places because His keeping is stronger than the wolves. [22:05]
4. Grief carried by a homeward hope Christian hope does not erase sorrow; it reframes it. We mourn honestly while trusting that resurrection is real and home is being prepared. To say someone has been “called home” is not denial—it’s confession that Christ’s promise is stronger than the grave. Hold space for lament and practice presence; love leans in while we wait for the Day. [49:42]
5. The Table as a foretaste of home Communion is not only remembrance; it is communion with the living Christ who feeds us with Himself. Here He trains our appetites for His kingdom—peace received becomes peace carried into our neighborhoods and homes. The Table assures us that our future feast is certain, and today’s strength is sufficient. Go out nourished to welcome others into His embrace. [55:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:31] - Quick setup and greeting
[10:10] - Opening Hymn: Hark the Glad Sound
[13:18] - Advent joy: where is it?
[14:15] - Confession: wounds and home
[16:19] - Corporate confession and prayer
[16:57] - Absolution: forgiven and restored
[17:48] - Kids dismissed; Scripture introduction
[22:05] - Gospel Reading: The Good Shepherd
[23:01] - Prayers of the Church
[49:42] - Comfort in grief and hope
[52:11] - Offering and announcements
[55:10] - Apostles’ Creed and Communion liturgy
[57:03] - Distribution and thanksgiving
[66:15] - Final blessing and closing songs

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- John 10:11–16

Observation questions

Read John 10:11–16. What specific actions and contrasts in the passage show who the “good shepherd” is and how he differs from the “hired hand”? (look for verbs and images in the text)
The passage says, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” How does that claim shape what it means to be cared for and held by Jesus? [22:31]
In the call to confession the service named hurts that often live inside “home” — broken trust, words that injure, wounds we cause and wounds we carry. What concrete examples of those kinds of wounds were named, and why was confession presented as the place healing begins? [16:19]
Communion was described as a foretaste of home — the presence and peace of Jesus for the journey. What images or words were used to describe that foretaste, and how do those images connect back to the shepherd who lays down his life? [55:10]

Interpretation questions

If Jesus’ nearness is described as the source of joy that outlasts hurry and pressure, what would be different in a person’s daily life or decisions if they really lived from that conviction? [13:37]
The claim was made that confession “dismantles defenses and opens space for grace.” What practical steps would move someone from privately admitting fault to actually experiencing reconciliation with another person? [16:19]
Jesus “lays down his life for the sheep.” How should that reality shape priorities for risk, sacrifice, and protection in relationships and in the church? What kinds of loving risks might follow from trusting that promise? [22:05]
Christian hope reframes sorrow but does not erase it. How should a person hold honest lament and confident hope together in real life? What practices help maintain both lament and hope? [49:42]

Application questions

Advent trains eyes to watch for Jesus in the middle of busy calendars. Take out your calendar: what are the three biggest time-and-energy drains this week? What would it look like to bring those three items to Jesus and ask his peace to govern your choices? [13:37]
Name one relationship in which you have caused hurt or carried hurt. What is one specific, humble step you can take this week toward confession, repair, or asking for forgiveness? (Who will you contact, what will you say, and when will you do it?) [16:19]
Think of a recent moment when you felt afraid, exposed, or “scattered” like the flock in danger. How would choosing to hear and follow the shepherd’s voice change your next response in a similar situation? What’s one concrete habit you can practice to recognize his voice? [22:05]
Who in your life is grieving or facing loss right now? What are two concrete ways you will “hold space” for them this week (calls, meals, sitting with silence, practical help)? [49:42]
The church was invited to share joy outwardly (caroling, inviting people to Christmas). Who is one person or place you will intentionally reach out to this Advent, and what is the single next step you will take to do that? (Be specific: send a text, pick up a poinsettia, go caroling, invite to service, etc.) [52:11]
Communion was called a foretaste that equips us to carry peace into our neighborhoods and homes. Name one specific act of hospitality, peacemaking, or mercy you will do in the next seven days that expresses the peace you received at the Table. [55:10]

Sermon Clips

So rejoice, the Lord draws near. This is what we celebrate during this Advent season, as we wait with joyful anticipation for the unfolding of God's plan. It is a time of pure and holy joy. Where is our joy? We are so busy. We have so much to do. The list seems endless. There are so many demands, so much pressure. Where is the joy? Our joy is in Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior, the promised one, the anointed one. [00:13:14] (37 seconds) #LordDrawsNear

It is a time of pure and holy joy. Where is our joy? We are so busy. We have so much to do. The list seems endless. There are so many demands, so much pressure. Where is the joy? Our joy is in Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Savior, the promised one, the anointed one. Joy is at the heart of our Advent journey. We live in the confidence that Jesus Christ draws ever nearer to us, and that the peace of God will guide our hearts and minds. [00:13:27] (38 seconds) #AdventJoyInChrist

Home is supposed to be a place of safety and love. But in this world, even our closest relationships carry hurt. Words said, trust broken, wounds we caused, and wounds that we still carry. And so this morning, before we are reminded of what Christ has done for us, to restore us, we begin where healing always starts, with confession. We bring the truth about ourselves before God, trusting not in our excuses, but in His mercy. [00:15:50] (37 seconds) #HealingThroughConfession

Hear the good news this morning. The Lord sees your wounds and knows your sins. In Christ Jesus, justice has been done, and reconciliation has been won. You are forgiven, restored, and welcomed into God's family forever. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all of your sins. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. [00:17:21] (33 seconds) #YouAreForgiven

Gracious Father you are the builder of a home that will never be broken in a world that is marked by division wounds and loss. Fix our eyes on the day when your Son will return and make all things new. Lord in your mercy. Lord Jesus Christ good shepherd of the sheep you know your own and you gather those who were once far off heal families strained by conflict restore relationships weighed down by years of hurt and bring comfort to those who feel alone or forgotten this season. [00:48:39] (38 seconds) #BuilderOfUnbrokenHome

Lord Jesus Christ good shepherd of the sheep you know your own and you gather those who were once far off. Heal families strained by conflict restore relationships weighed down by years of hurt and bring comfort to those who feel alone or forgotten this season. Holy Spirit dwell among us and bind us together as one household of faith strengthen your church to be a place of welcome truth and grace where sinners find forgiveness and the weary find rest. [00:48:55] (43 seconds) #GoodShepherdHeals

Well this morning as we get to celebrate the Lord's Supper it's the reminder of the promise that God is calling us home. It's a reminder that we have a future home and here today as we celebrate the Lord's Supper it's a foretaste of the feast that is to come in which God's peace God's strength God's presence comes and goes with us each and every day. [00:55:46] (26 seconds) #CommunionForetaste

It's a reminder that as we look forward to the promise of the future home that God meets us where we are and he makes us more like him each and every day and so now receive the blessing today and I encourage you to take a posture of receiving cupped hands open palms but this is a reminder that we carry this with us into the week ahead so may God the Father who calls you home keep you steadfast in faith may God the Son who welcomes you home forgive you and make you new and may God the Holy Spirit who dwells with you guard you until the day you see your home complete [01:05:57] (48 seconds) #ReceiveAndCarryBlessing

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