Daily Readings - Sun Nov 22 2020

¹¹"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out.¹²As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.¹⁵I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.¹⁶I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.¹⁷"As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and male goats.

1 Corinthians

Chapter 15

²⁰But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.²¹For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.²²For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.²³But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.²⁴Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.²⁵For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.²⁶The last enemy to be destroyed is death.²⁸When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Matthew

Chapter 25

³¹"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.³²Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.³³And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.³⁴Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,³⁶I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'⁴⁰And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'⁴¹"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'⁴⁴Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'⁴⁵Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s care for His people, the triumph of Christ over sin and death, and the call to live out our faith through acts of love and mercy. In the first reading from Ezekiel, we hear the Lord describe Himself as a shepherd who seeks out His scattered flock, heals the broken, and strengthens the weak. This passage is a beautiful expression of God’s compassion and His commitment to restoring His people. It was addressed to the Israelites during a time of exile and despair, offering them hope that God had not abandoned them and would one day gather them back to Himself. The second reading from 1 Corinthians expands on this theme by highlighting the victory of Christ over death. Paul explains that just as death came through Adam’s sin, so too has the resurrection of the dead come through Christ. This passage reminds us that Christ’s triumph is not just a historical event but a cosmic reality that will one day bring all things under God’s authority. It encourages us to live with hope, knowing that our ultimate destiny is to share in Christ’s glory. The Gospel from Matthew brings these themes together in the parable of the sheep and goats. Here, Jesus teaches that our ultimate judgment will be based on how we have treated the least among us—the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Those who have shown compassion and kindness to these “least ones” will inherit eternal life, while those who have neglected them will face eternal punishment. This passage is a powerful reminder that our faith is not just about what we believe but about how we live out that belief in service to others. As we reflect on these readings, we are called to examine our own lives. Are we living as sheep who care for the vulnerable, or are we acting like goats who turn away from those in need? The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, has shown us the way to live—by loving and serving others. Let us strive to imitate His example, trusting in His promise that whatever we do for the least of His brothers and sisters, we do for Him. In doing so, we not only honor God but also become instruments of His healing and restoration in a world that desperately needs His love.