End of the Church Year

Well, here it is, the last Sunday in the Episcopal Church year. Next Sunday, November 30, is the first Sunday in Advent, which marks the beginning of the Church year. Advent is the four weeks before Christmas, the Advent or birth of Christ. Keeping all that in mind, let's look at what we're reading in the last Sunday after Pentecost, the feast of Christ the King. They all seem to foreshadow the season to come, and have some wonderful things to say about God.

The passages include Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Psalm 95:1-7a; Ephesians 1:15-23; and Matthew 25:31-46.

Ezekiel shows a God who is going to provide. Look at how many times in the passage it says "I will". A couple of times the phrase is, "I myself will", which is an emphatic construction. God will search, seek, rescue, feed, bind up, bring back, save, judge.

And this will all be for his sheep. Who are his sheep? Ezekiel talks about judging between fat sheep and lean sheep. The promises are for the lean sheep, the ones who have been abused, neglected, scattered, or have strayed.

The benefit of being one of these sheep can also be seen in the Gospel reading. Again, we see God judging, this time between the sheep and the goats. The sheep are the ones who have served those around them, the good Samaritans, if you will. Serving the least of those around you is the same as serving God. The goats are the same as the strong, fat sheep mentioned in Ezekiel. They have not served openly, but only with their own interests in mind.

Sheep need a shepherd. God will provide a shepherd in his servant David. A close reading of Scripture reveals that this refers to Jesus, the son of David. This shepherd will also be a prince among the people, who will be the people of one God. The Ephesians passage for today shows Jesus in this position already, a position "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named". Could you ask for a more effective shepherd? A more powerful shepherd? A more able shepherd?

Christ is indeed the Great King. It will be well worth being one of "the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand." Make no mistake, though; the Gospel passage talks about how God can tell who the sheep are, but works are not the way to salvation. Works should be the result of salvation. Salvation comes from believing in Jesus Christ as he is revealed in Scripture. Today's Scripture reveals a caring, concerned Savior, who will provide comfort for his people.