November 25, 2023

Dear Road Church Friends,

This Sunday brings us to the end of the current church year. It celebrates Christ as Judge of all nations. This Church Year concludes with the memorable parable of the Sheep and Goats. In it the great Day of Judgment takes place in the green pastures of a Good Shepherd who is separating his sheep from among the frisky goats. As the shepherd gathers the sheep on his right, he blesses them for the acts of mercy they showed to him. Surprised and shocked, they ask, “When did we see you in need of mercy?” He replies, “Whenever you showed compassion to ‘the least among you,’ you did it to me.” This lesson about the supreme importance of compassion for the least among us is a fitting summation to the teaching of Jesus.

SERMON:  Loving the Least Among Us

SCRIPTURE  Matthew 25:31-40

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, all the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. “Then 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 creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘when you did it to one of the least of these you were doing it to me!”

THANKS BE TO GOD

by Janie Alford

I do not thank Thee Lord,

That I have bread to eat while others starve,

Nor yet for work to do

While empty hands solicit Heaven,

Nor for a body strong

While other bodies flatten beds of pain.

No, not for these do I give thanks!

But I am grateful, Lord,

Because my meager loaf I may divide,

For that my busy hands

May move to meet another’s need,

Because my doubled strength

I may expend to steady one who faints.

Yes, for all these do I give thanks!

For heart to share, desire to bear and will to lift,

Flamed into one by deathless Love.

Thanks be to God for this!

               Unspeakable His Gift!             

 Thanksgiving weekend

     Pastor Norm

This service on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/VcGa6YTU3s0?si=yuuyZX78JNXe19ma