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First Sunday after Pentecost / Trinity Sunday
Peace With
Justice Sunday
Matthew
25:31-46 with Isaiah 58
www.FirstChurchBville.com
@FirstUMCBville @kerrfunk
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There’s a picture you can find pretty easily on the internet, of Sir Patrick
Stewart holding an Amnesty International sign:
“Defend rights for women and girls.”
“Defend rights for women and girls.”
The picture’s caption: “People won’t
listen to you or take you seriously unless you’re an old, white man, and since
I’m an old, white man, I’m going to use that to help the people who need it.”
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Our readings from Matthew 24 and 25 have been building up to this one, and
indeed, this is the last of the final speeches of Jesus. Remember that discipleship
is action. God is looking for folks who will produce, not coast. Inactivity is
divinely frowned upon.
The verse that follows this speech:
“When Jesus finished saying these things…”
The verse that follows this speech:
“When Jesus finished saying these things…”
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Several things to point out from this apocalyptic climax speech:
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Jesus
is the ultimate authority, and
this is the ultimate time.
All the nations are gathered before him, and even all the angels.
Jesus is “Son of Man.” “king / throne.” “lord.”
All the nations are gathered before him, and even all the angels.
Jesus is “Son of Man.” “king / throne.” “lord.”
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Jesus
is shepherd and gatekeeper.
Admission to the kingdom is through Jesus.
Admission to the kingdom is through Jesus.
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Jesus
is ultimately concerned with how you (as an individual) treat others.
Acts of compassion, kindness, justice.
Acts of compassion, kindness, justice.
Selflessness
is rewarded, selfishness is not. (actually, it’s punished)
Selflessness is original plan.
Friends and strangers, but especially the disadvantaged.
Selflessness is original plan.
Friends and strangers, but especially the disadvantaged.
Like
Patrick Stewart, go out of way to benefit folks unlike self who have less.
Also, use well what you have.
Also, use well what you have.
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Peace With Justice. Imagine using what you have (time, resource, influence,
ability) to speak up/out for someone who has not. For whom would you
speak/stand?
It
is The Way of Jesus, to live and give on behalf of another.
It is the way of life.
It is the way of life.
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Ultimate speech of Jesus. &Do what the master says.
How will you spend your life your resources?
On whom? In service to others.
How will you spend your life your resources?
On whom? In service to others.
Who
would you help? Who would you deny?
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Hymn 593 Here I Am, Lord
Matthew
25:31-46 (CEB)
31 “Now when the Son of Man comes in his majesty and all his angels are
with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All
the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each
other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He
will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left.
34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed
by my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world
began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat.
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed
me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear.
I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see
you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When
did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to
wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and
visit you?’
40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done
it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it
for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who are
cursed. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his
angels. 42 I was hungry and you didn’t give me food
to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. 43 I
was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me
clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ 45 Then
he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the
least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ 46 And
they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into
eternal life.” X
Isaiah
58 (NIV) Peace
With Justice Sunday
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’
“Yet
on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the kind
of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If
you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 “If you keep your feet
from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. X
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. X
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