Sunday Scripture

 

 After a break for a Christmas study, this Sunday I'm back to sharing from the Made for Community reading plan from Love God Greatly that I worked on back in 2015.  With this study, as I have often done, I used the SOAP method of Bible study.  Just a quick reminder that the S is for Scripture, O is for Observation, A is for Application and P is for Prayer.  The seventh section is Living in Community in Our World.  So here we go with the Scripture for the third day of that section. 

S= "For I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in."  (Matthew 25:35)

O= Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew recorded the predicted return of the King in the Olivet discourse.  Jesus is answering the questions of His disciples:  "Tell us, when shall these things be?  And what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the age?" (24:3)

Much teaching by Jesus follows in answer to these questions.  Here He is speaking about the judgment of individual Gentiles at the time of His return to earth.  They will be judged on their treatment of what He calls "my brethren" during the tribulation period: feeding the hungry, taking in strangers, etc.

And the principle is still the same today: As we have done these things for others in the name of Jesus and out of love for Him, it is as if we have done these things for Him.

A= I have many opportunities to serve others and meet physical needs that people may have.  I often donate items to our community thrift stores, which benefit the homeless and veterans.  Through our church, I have donated to a local food pantry.  I have also donated to Samaritan's Purse and have filled shoeboxes for their Shoebox project.

My hubby and I have also served by cleaning our church on a regular basis.  I believe that providing clean rest rooms and a beautiful, orderly space to worship is a ministry in itself.  For many years, our church had a potluck lunch or coffee time nearly every week.  It's a ministry to provide good nourishing food to share with others, as well as the opportunity to fellowship around a table.

In addition, we frequently open our home to others for hospitality.  Over the years we have had countless missionaries stay with us, and we have shared meals with all kinds of people from pretty much every walk of life and spiritual condition.  What a blessing it is to know that in serving others, it's as if we are serving Jesus Himself.

P= "Lord, how I thank You for Your Word, which not only shows us how to come into relationship with You, but clearly teaches us how we are to conduct ourselves as Christians.  I thank You that when I serve others, it is like serving You.  I praise You for the many opportunities You give me to help meet the needs of others, and pray that You will help me to do so faithfully, as unto You.  I thank You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

That's the simple study for this week.  I hope that maybe my Application suggestion gave some of you ideas of ways you can serve others.  Probably you are already doing many of these things, but just hadn't seen them as service to your community and to the Lord.  

I have so many ideas for posts for the new year swirling around in my head.  Looking forward to sharing with you more in 2023!