CHRIST'S FAMILY
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Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then
he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered
before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd
separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right
hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right
hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me
food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and
you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you
took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous
will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you
food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we
saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And
when was it that we saw!
you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them,
'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are
members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his
left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no
food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and
you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in
prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when
was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or
in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly I
tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did
not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the
righteous into eternal life."
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You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
- Matthew 22:39 (NRSV)
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"TENT City" was on the move again. Because of local laws, the camp for
homeless adults was allowed to stay at one site for only 90 days. Various
agencies, often churches, temporarily offered land to host Tent City. Each
invitation brought loud, angry protests against bringing "those people" into
"our backyard."
When a nearby church overcame objections to host the camp, our congregation
rallied to support them. We collected sleeping bags, coats, and socks. We
put soap and shampoo into personal hygiene kits. We volunteered to provide
a hot supper for the camp residents -- portable, hot meals for 75 people!
We barely had that many people in our membership! How could we feed so
many? But Jesus fed several thousand at a moment's notice; with his help we
could do our part.
When the day came, pots of hot chili, fresh corn bread, salad, and
home-baked cookies appeared at our church. Families transported food,
dishes, and utensils. All ages served and sat down to a meal with our
neighbors. We welcomed them as our family in Christ.
Prayer: Holy God, thank you for food, shelter, and companionship. Out of
our gratitude, lead us to reach out to our neighbors, our community, and
your hurting world, welcoming those in need as we would welcome you. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
How is God using me to care for the world?
-- Barbara S. Greenstreet (Washington, U.S.A.)
PRAYER FOCUS: Homeless people in my community
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RELATED READING ...
Asking himself, "Where in the past week have I experienced community in
Christ?," Stephen V. Doughty looks at community through a number of lenses
in DISCOVERING COMMUNITY, focusing on the diverse ways and places Christian
disciples grow. His book can bring us to a renewed sense of personal calling
and a revitalized commitment to the mission and ministry of the church.
Exercises in each chapter invite consideration of our own sense of community
and may be used in individual or group settings.
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