Out of the Box: Part 1 - 'Take it Personally'

This Sunday, Simon Lace brings us the talk in the latest of our EBC services. We encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.
 
Here are some questions to consider:

Readings:

Matthew chapter 25 verses 31 - 46

‘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.’



Prayer and Reflection:

Loving God, thank you for the enormous and undeserved privilege of being counted among your children. Help us, by your Holy Spirit, to treat people with some measure of the grace and love that you extend towards us. Forgive us for the times we have passed by and walked on with hard hearts. Speak to each of us Lord, give us tender hearts and stir within us the desire to take personally the plight of the hungry, the poor and those imprisoned in some sense by their circumstances. Help us to bring healing and hope, to welcome the stranger and to bind up the wounds of the broken-hearted.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.



Questions to Consider

1. Is there an area in your life where you profess to be concerned but would confess to ‘virtue signaling’ about it whilst not really doing anything sacrificial to help?
2. How much of your own money do you give away each month?
3. When did you last do something really generous for someone in need?
4. Who do you know, that you see regularly, who needs some help? Are you in a position to do anything about it?
5. What do you personally make of this year’s appeal to help with our mission in Sierra Leone, the new Storehouse van, and the church in Ukraine?
6. Will you respond personally via regular giving and/or a one-off gift?