God speaks this week through these scriptures:

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 – God will shepherd Israel
Psalm 95:1-7a – We are the people of God’s pasture and the sheep of God’s hand.
Ephesians 1:15-23 – The reign of Christ
Matthew 25:31-46 – The coming of the Son of Man; the separation of sheep and goats

In Ezekiel, the Lord assumes the role of shepherd in Israel seeking the lost, weak, and injured, and appoints a shepherd-messiah, “my servant David,” who will feed and care for the people.

In Ephesians, God is praised for revealing ultimate divine power in raising Jesus from the dead, affirming faith in the continuing authority of the risen Christ as ruler over everything, now and in the age to come.

In Matthew, Jesus compares himself to a king who moves among his subjects to see how he is treated, affirming the continuing presence of Christ in our midst and reminding that the faithful are those who serve Christ by ministering to those who are poor, hungry, naked, sick, or estranged.

Friends – we are the saints who receive Christ’s spirit of wisdom; we have been enlightened see Christ’s power at work; we are the body of Christ on earth.

Join us in worship this Sunday, the last Sunday of the church year, as we celebrate the abundant grace of God, the reign of Christ and his victory over death, and as we await the consummation of all things yet to come. Receive the call to embody Christ in every moment and to engage every part of our world as Christ’s redeemed creation, and receive the invitation to go forth in peace that his reign may be known in our loving words and deeds.

–from SundaysAndSeasons.com and Gail Ramshaw–