Sunday, Ordinary 34, Proper 29, Nov 23

The Good Shepherd

Fr Lawrence Lew, OP, flickr CCL

Meditation
Sunday, Ordinary 34, Proper 29 continued the defining of what made up the family of God. The Psalmist sang praises to God because he was a good shepherd of his flock. The prophet Ezekiel described the attributes of being a shepherd that would take care of his sheep and protect them. He would heal the sick, bring together the scattered and lost, bandage the wounded and in general discern what was needed and take care of it.
In an interesting twist, the prophet spoke of God helping the weak and needy, but destroying the fat and powerful. The implication was that some shepherds were fat and powerful while their sheep were sick and injured, starving to death. Some church leaders have squirreled away money and wealth, while their parishioners were starving both spiritually and physically.
God will hold people accountable for how they treated their flocks. Jesus said in the New Testament lesson in Matthew that on Judgment Day, Christ will adjudicate who belonged in the family of God. He would say that those who fed him when he was hungry, helped him when injured, or visited in prison. Both the righteous and unrighteous would ask him when did that happen, but he responded that the righteous did those things to the least of people and they did it to God; but those arrogant unrighteous that ignored the sick, the injured the prisoners and the hungry, would not be granted access to the kingdom of heaven.
A study was done of a group of theology students. They were given a task to preach on the Good Samaritan passage of Scripture. They were then told the time was changed and they had to go sooner. Along the way, a homeless type person in distress was positioned so they would have to go around the person. Half of the students didn’t stop because they had to get to the place on time. Half recognized that someone in distress took priority.
What we do and how we act matters in this world. We have an opportunity every day to make a difference. If we are obedient to God’s call for our lives, we will be sensitive to those around us.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.
Click on the Scriptures for links to biblegateway.com, where many translations of the same text enhance the understanding the readings, which come from the (RCL) Revised Common Lectionary – Daily Lectionary Readings. I add a Daily Prayer to bless you with God’s Favor.
Enjoy the Daily Encouragement and Bible Study and may you be inspired to be your best self for Ordinary 34, Proper 29.
Ordinary 34, Proper 29
The Lord’s My Shepherd – Nigel Kot

The Shepherd

The Shepherd original drawing by: Bill Rogers. flickr CCL

Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen
Ordinary 34, Proper 29
Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us – Rick Betts

Ordinary 34, Proper 29
Bible Readings
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2034:11-16,%2020-24;Psalm%20100;Ephesians%201:15-23;Matthew%2025:31-46&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV

Sunday, Ordinary 34, Proper 29
Ezekiel 34:11-16 20-24
Psalm 100
Ephesians 1:15-23
Matthew 25:31-46
Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating

Psalm 100 King James Version (KJV)
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Ordinary 34, Proper 29
The King of Love My Shepherd Is – Tiberiu Daniel

The Family of God – the Sheep of His Pasture

Sheep; Waiting for the Word, flickr CCL

Single Bible Study chapter to study

Matthew 25:31-46
King James Version (KJV)
31 When 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:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

sheep and goats; Hejma, flickr CCL

33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then 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:
35 For 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:

hungry and you fed me meat; Arne Halvorsen; flickr CCL \

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

Churches protest cancelation of prison visits; publik16, flickr

40 And 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.
41 Then 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:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then 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?
45 Then 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.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

OBSERVE:

Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.

2.

3.

INTERPRETATION:

What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?

APPLY:

Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.
Prayer of Encouragement

Almighty God, thank you for bringing us into your family and treating us with the same love as Jesus’ blood relatives. Help us to bring honor to you. In Jesus name, Amen

Ordinary 34, Proper 29 Music

Shepherd of Souls Refresh and Bless – MerryChristmas7777

Ordinary 34, Proper 29 Humor

Healing Requests

©Jeff Larson, Used by permission

O Savior Hear Me – Old Christ Church

I hope you found a chance to encounter your Creator and experience the Love of God and the joy of Christ in Ordinary 34, Proper 29.
Conclusion
Sunday, Ordinary 34, Proper 29 drew a stark contrast to those who would obey the will of God and be counted as a true family member and those who consistently ‘claimed’ to do right, but failed to honor the Word of God and what Christianity is truly about.
We are called to love and be faithful to the Word of God. We are called to give food to the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; heal the sick, bind up the injured and give shelter to those in need; and visit the prisoners. If we are more about supporting a country club for saints than a hospital for sinners, then our focus is on the wrong thing. We are to look for ways to be of service to the least of these…and in so doing, we will be doing it for Jesus.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. Please like if it was meaningful. God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.
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