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I
T E M S O F I N T E R E S T
Scripture
Readings for Sunday, November 23 (NIV):
Ezekiel
34:11-16, 20-24. To the people scattered in exile in
Babylon (Iraq), the prophet Ezekiel declares the word of the
Lord: "I will seek out my sheep . . . I will rescue
them . . . I will bring them into their own land." To
the Babylonian rulers, God announces that it is God, and not
they, who will judge the covenant people, and that God, and
not they, will establish a shepherd over them, a descendent
of David.
"'For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.
I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.
I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
"'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says to them: See, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
Because you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak sheep with your horns until you have driven them away,
I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.
I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.
I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken.
Ephesians
1:15-23. Paul reminds the Christians in Ephesus of the
glorious inheritance of all believers. The same immeasurable
power that raised Christ from death and placed him above
every imaginable power is at work on our behalf. (This text
sounds almost like a description of the mosaic, above!).
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Matthew
25:31-46. The
final public teaching of Jesus. At the "Great
Assize," the
final Judgment, the King to Come, seated upon a throne and
surrounded by the angels, will judge all based on how they
have treated "the least of these."
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Additional
reading - Psalm 100 (UMH 821).
Wonderful
Wednesdays every
Wednesday, dinner at 5:30 & Bible study at 6 pm. Von’s
Topic is the book of Revelation. The Nursery will be open
and activities are provided for all ages.
OPERATION
CHRISTMAS CHILD. It
is “Operation Christmas Child” time, anyone wishing to
donate items for the Christmas “shoe boxes” may bring
your donations to the church office (Monday thru Thursday).
Suggested items for the shoe boxes: School supplies
– pens, pencils, sharpener, crayons, markers, stamps &
ink pad sets, writing pads, paper, solar calculators,
coloring & picture books. Toys – small cars,
balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos,
jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch, toys that light up or make
noise (extra batteries), Slinky, etc. Hygiene
items – toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a
plastic bag) comb, washcloth, etc. Other items – hard
candy, lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum,
T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy
jewelry, watches, flashlights (extra batteries).
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