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Sunday Reflection – November 26, 2023

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Separating the sheep from the goats

Matthew 25 31  When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. 32 The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.

33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. 35  When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36 and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

37 Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38 When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

40 The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

41 Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”

44 Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”

45 The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”

46  Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.

Kids Korner: Showing kindness to others (Nov. 26th)

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Read Matthew 25:31-46 with your family.

Today’s story is one of the last lessons Jesus taught his followers, and he taught it for all people: When we do things to make life better for others, we are doing it for Jesus too.

Our Christian faith believes God came to us as a baby and was named Jesus. We believe that God wants us to take care of each other, just like Jesus did when he was with his family and followers. And we believe that every person we meet gives us an opportunity to see God in them the way they can see God in us.

And the way to see God in us, the way to show the love that God has for us, is to behave like Jesus did. When people were thirsty he gave them something to drink. When people were sick he healed them.

That kind of simple love is the way God wants us to behave towards each other.

Sometimes people save their best behaviour for anyone we think is important and treat others badly. Jesus taught us it was the opposite, that we should help those who can’t help us back, who don’t have power over us. We are supposed to give our best behaviour and kindness to everyone we meet.

Sunday Reflection – September 19, 2021

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Jesus predicts his death

Mark 930 From there Jesus and his followers went through Galilee, but he didn’t want anyone to know it. 31 This was because he was teaching his disciples, “The Human One will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him. Three days after he is killed he will rise up.” 32 But they didn’t understand this kind of talk, and they were afraid to ask him.

33 They entered Capernaum. When they had come into a house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about during the journey?” 34 They didn’t respond, since on the way they had been debating with each other about who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be least of all and the servant of all.”36 Jesus reached for a little child, placed him among the Twelve, and embraced him. Then he said, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me isn’t actually welcoming me but rather the one who sent me.”

Performed by Margaret Whisselle

Kids Korner: Jesus asks us to forgive (September 19th)

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Read Mark 9:30-37 with your family. Jesus loved children, and in our story today Jesus took a child on his lap and taught the disciples. He said everyone has to welcome children and people who were as kind and open as children, because when they welcomed children, they welcomed Jesus, and when they welcomed Jesus, they welcomed God.

The disciples had been arguing about who was the most important amongst them, and Jesus used a child to show them it didn’t matter who was most important, because that was not the way God looked at people. God looked for how kind people were, and how willing they were to do things for other people. That’s what really matters in God’s world.

Teen Time: God, service and power dynamics (September 19th)

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The word ‘submit’ is misused by many on the rightwing of Christianity. Serving or submitting to others is a choice, not a role to place based on gender or ethnicity.

The scripture for Kids Korner and the Reflection for today is Mark 9:30-37. In that story Jesus tells his followers that the first must put themselves last, while the last will be first. When we choose to serve others, we make a difference and can see some of the new world God is creating.

But it has to be our choice. If we are in a position with no power, we do not have the ability to make a choice. Submitting or serving when we have no power can be exploitation.