THE BIBLE – DISCOVERY YEAR O7 WITH LUKE’S GOSPEL 
COMMENT FOR EASTER 4: 29-04-07 
Revelation 7: 9-17 
The established laws making Caesar the only lord to be worshipped brought a practical unity among all the political and language groups that made up the Roman Empire.  But people who lived the Spirit-led Way of the resurrected Jesus found a freedom in the Peace of God that challenged those laws, and consequently suffered persecution.  In this exalted visionary passage, John sees them as making up a whole new victorious humanity, for the lamb who suffered is now their Shepherd.
Psalm 23 
In the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament the spiritual care of the creative God is at the heart of creation.  In Psalm 80 God is the shepherd of the whole people.  But here, the care is personal, and Jesus took over the role and enriched the symbolism by making it deeply caring, insistent and sacrificial. Think of the Anzac experience, and imagine a person in weakness, fear, pain and loneliness mentally saying these words over and over, letting their spiritual power bring such calm that sleep is possible.
Acts 9: 36-43 
This little story shows the Gospel shifting its local Aramaic language base into the Greek world.  Here Dorcas is quietly caring for those who are part of God’s creation, and we first meet New Testament saints.  But the towering figure of Peter with all the loving energies of Pentecost quietly enables a resurrection in the name of the resurrected Jesus.
John 10: 22-30 
Jesus has had this discussion with himself (the Temptation) and several times with his disciples.  Now he is challenged by patriots who see the role of the Messiah to be ensuring their political independence.  But Jesus develops and describes the caring role of the Shepherd Messiah, for God has moved on.  Accordingly he claims he now speaks and acts for God in a new, dynamic and caring role for all who will hear and respond to his voice.
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