Daily Readings - Sun Nov 22 2020
Ezekiel
11For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.12As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.15I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.16I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.17And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.
1 Corinthians
20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.28And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Matthew
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
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.