Thursday, November 30, 2023

Today in the Mission Yearbook - The PC(USA)’s newly formed White Ally Network convenes in Charlotte, North Carolina

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - The PC(USA)’s newl...: Network innovated by Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries works to disrupt patterns in church systems November 30, 2023 The ...
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Bible Readings for November 30, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for November 30, 2023: Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Daniel 7:1-28; 1 John 1:1-10; Psalm 119:153-176; and Proverbs 28:...
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Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Acting Stated Clerk urges churches to share the expanded love of Christ

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Acting Stated Cler...: Bronwen Boswell reflects on how the PC(USA) is moving forward post-Covid November 29, 2023 The Rev. Bronwen Boswell, Acting Stated Clerk of ...
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Rise and Fall: A Study of Joshua and Judges (A Tragic Vow - Judges 10:6–12:15)

Their entry into the land didn’t end the triumphs and trials faced by the Israelites. After entering the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they faced the challenges of conquering the inhabitants and establishing themselves. During this fifteen-session series, we’re considering the rise and the fall of the Israelites as they take possession of their promised land. We’ll address the following:

During our twelfth discussion, we looked at Judges 10:6–12:15. A recording of the discussion and the passage are below:


Judge 10:6–12:15 [New Revised Standard Version]

The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, worshiping the Baals and the Astartes, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. Thus they abandoned the Lord, and did not worship him. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, and they crushed and oppressed the Israelites that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was greatly distressed.

So the Israelites cried to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have abandoned our God and have worshiped the Baals.” And the Lord said to the Israelites, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet you have abandoned me and worshiped other gods; therefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry to the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.” And the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you; but deliver us this day!” So they put away the foreign gods from among them and worshiped the Lord; and he could no longer bear to see Israel suffer. Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead; and the Israelites came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. The commanders of the people of Gilead said to one another, “Who will begin the fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”

Now Jephthah the Gileadite, the son of a prostitute, was a mighty warrior. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. Gilead’s wife also bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah away, saying to him, “You shall not inherit anything in our father’s house; for you are the son of another woman.” Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Outlaws collected around Jephthah and went raiding with him.

After a time the Ammonites made war against Israel. And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob. They said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, so that we may fight with the Ammonites.” But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Are you not the very ones who rejected me and drove me out of my father’s house? So why do you come to me now when you are in trouble?” The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Nevertheless, we have now turned back to you, so that you may go with us and fight with the Ammonites, and become head over us, over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you bring me home again to fight with the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.” And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will be witness between us; we will surely do as you say.” So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.

Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, “What is there between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?” The king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel, on coming from Egypt, took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably.” Once again Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said to him: “Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites, but when they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea and came to Kadesh. Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Let us pass through your land’; but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh. Then they journeyed through the wilderness, went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, arrived on the east side of the land of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab. Israel then sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, ‘Let us pass through your land to our country.’ But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped at Jahaz, and fought with Israel. Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israel occupied all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. They occupied all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. So now the Lord, the God of Israel, has conquered the Amorites for the benefit of his people Israel. Do you intend to take their place? Should you not possess what your god Chemosh gives you to possess? And should we not be the ones to possess everything that the Lord our God has conquered for our benefit? Now are you any better than King Balak son of Zippor of Moab? Did he ever enter into conflict with Israel, or did he ever go to war with them? While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the towns that are along the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? It is not I who have sinned against you, but you are the one who does me wrong by making war on me. Let the Lord, who is judge, decide today for the Israelites or for the Ammonites.” But the king of the Ammonites did not heed the message that Jephthah sent him.

Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh. He passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return victorious from the Ammonites, shall be the Lord’s, to be offered up by me as a burnt offering.” So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them; and the Lord gave them into his hand. He inflicted a massive defeat on them from Aroer to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty towns, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel. Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah; and there was his daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels and with dancing. She was his only child; he had no son or daughter except her. When he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low; you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.” She said to him, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the Lord has given you vengeance against your enemies, the Ammonites.” And she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: Grant me two months, so that I may go and wander on the mountains, and bewail my virginity, my companions and I.” “Go,” he said and sent her away for two months. So she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains. At the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to the vow he had made. She had never slept with a man. So there arose an Israelite custom that for four days every year the daughters of Israel would go out to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!” Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were engaged in conflict with the Ammonites who oppressed us severely. But when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand. When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hand, and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me?” Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives from Ephraim, you Gileadites—in the heart of Ephraim and Manasseh.” Then the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever one of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,” they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites fell at that time. Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in his town in Gilead.

After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons. He gave his thirty daughters in marriage outside his clan and brought in thirty young women from outside for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem. After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys; he judged Israel eight years. Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

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Tuesday, November 28, 2023

The Sligo Presbyterian Church Celebration Service - Sunday, November 26, 2023

During the months of October and November, we're discussing the following parables unique to the Gospel of Matthew:

On Sunday, we focused on the parable of the king separating the sheep from the goats found in Matthew 25:31-46. A video of the service, a recording of the sermon and a copy of the bulletin are below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EDT)










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Sunday's Message: The Parables of the Gospel of Matthew (Sheep from Goats - Matthew 25:31-46)

During the months of October and November, we're discussing the following parables unique to the Gospel of Matthew:

On Sunday, we focused on the parable of the king separating the sheep from the goats found in Matthew 25:31-46. A recording and a copy of the sermon are below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EDT)


Now, as we get started, I have a special little, inspirational video to sort of put us in the right mood. 


Now, I know that Black Friday was a couple of days ago and that Kirk Douglas passed away in February, 2020. but do you realize that, since today is November 26, next month this time, Christmas 2023 will be over, which means that we have less than thirty days to put out all the decorations and to buy and wrap all the presents and to bake all the cookies and cakes and, maybe most important of all, to watch over 300 Hallmark Christmas movies. Of course, I understand that if you’ve seen one, you pretty much know what’s going to happen in the other 299. Still, we all know that, when December 25 comes, we have to get everything Christmas-related done or else we’re going to disappoint a lot of people including ourselves. And let’s not forget about Jesus, because it is his birthday for crying out loud. And right now, we have only 28 days, 13 hours and about 30 minutes. Now if that doesn’t put the fear of God in you, I don’t know what will.

And I’ll tell you, that’s really what we’re going to talk about this morning, but not about the coming of Christmas. We’ll start with that next week. Rather, we’re going to finish up this series dealing with the parables found only in the Gospel of Matthew by looking at the final lesson Jesus said to his disciples before they started to get ready for the Last Supper. You see, building on the parable we talked about last week, you know, the one about the five wise young women who were prepared for the bride groom even though he was later than they expected and the five foolish ones who weren’t, in his very last parable, Jesus focused on what the disciples could expect when the Son of Man returns to judge the world. And so, this morning we’re going to talk about judgment, but not the kind that we generally associate with the second coming of Christ. You see, in this particular story, Jesus wasn’t addressing the judgement of individuals, you know, like you and me, instead he described the judgment of the nations; therefore, it has an application a whole lot broader than what’s going to happen to me or to us or to the folks who live across the street. Now that’s what we’re going to look at this morning. 

And to do it, we’ll talk about some of the questions I think Jesus answered in the parable, in other words, some of the stuff we already know about the judgment of the nations. And then, we’ll consider one more question that really only we can answer. And hopefully, when we’re done, we’ll have a better idea about how we, as citizens of a nation, can better prepare for the Son of Man’s return. And this morning, as we look at this parable, we’ll be using my own translation of the text rather than the Contemporary English Version, because I think it’s a more accurate translation of the Greek. Now that’s what we’ll be doing.

And we’re going to start by looking at three questions that I believed Jesus answered as he told his disciples about the separation of the sheep from the goats. For example, thanks to what he said, we know when, you know, when the judgment is going to happen. Now this was what the Evangelist Matthew wrote:

And when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he’ll sit upon his glorious throne. And he'll gather together before him all the nations, and he’ll separate them from one another just like the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And the sheep will stand on his right and the goats on his left. [Matthew 25:31-33]

Now that was what Jesus said. And so we know exactly when this judgment is going to take place. Of course, he sort of alluded to it in the parable we looked at last week, you know, the one about the groom who was late to his own wedding reception. But it was also something Jesus actually described in chapter 24 when he said this:

Right after those days of suffering,
“The sun will become dark,
and the moon
    will no longer shine.
The stars will fall,
and the powers in the sky 
    will be shaken.”

Then a sign will appear in the sky. And there will be the Son of Man. All nations on earth will weep when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. At the sound of a loud trumpet, he will send his angels to bring his chosen ones together from all over the earth. [Matthew 24:29-31, CEV] 

You see, even though, again according to Jesus, “No one knows the day or hour. The angels in heaven don’t know, and the Son himself doesn't know. Only the Father knows.” [Matthew 24:36, CEV] we can be confident that it’s going to happen. This we know.

And when it does, the Son of Man is going to do some separating, you know, after he gathers before him “all the nations.” Now according to Matthew, that was what Jesus said. And even though we’d be more comfortable if he’d used the word “people” or even “the people of the nations,” which, by the way, we see in a lot of modern translations, that’s not what it says in the Greek. The word used isn’t λαός, “people,” but rather ἔθνοι, “nations.” And so, according to Jesus, when the Son of Man returns, the nations will be separated, with some standing on his right and some on his left. This time is coming. And I’ll tell you, this is something else we know, because Jesus told us when all this is going to happen. 

But of course, that’s not all we know, because he also told us why, why the separation will be made. In other words, we know exactly why some nations will be regarded as sheep while others as goats. I mean, after establishing the when, just listen to what Jesus said:

The king will say to those on his right, “Come, those who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a foreigner, and you brought me together with yourselves. I was naked, and you put clothes on me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was a prisoner, and you came to me.” Then those on the right will answer, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a foreigner and bring you together with ourselves or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?” And the king will answer and say to them, “Amen, I say to you, in as much as you did it for one of those who are the least of my brothers, you did it for me.”

Then he will also say to those on the left, “Go from me, those who have been cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you didn’t give me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me something to drink. I was a foreigner, and you didn’t bring me together with yourselves. I was naked and you didn’t clothe me. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.” Then they will also answer, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a foreigner or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t serve you?” Then he will answer them, saying, “Amen, I say to you, in as much as you didn’t do it for one of these who are the least of these, neither did you do it for me.” [Matthew 25:34-45]

Now, again, that’s what Jesus said about the why, you know, about the basis for the separation. And I think it’s important to pause for just a minute and think about what he was suggesting. You see, for Jesus, there would seem to be two kinds of nations. On one hand, there are nations that intentionally help those who are helpless and powerless and needy, and I’m talking about the hungry and the thirsty, the foreigner and naked, the sick and the prisoner. Now those are the ones who’ll inherit the kingdom. On other hand, for the nations who don’t feed and don’t provide drink, those who don’t embrace and don’t clothe, those who don’t offer care and don’t offer comfort, well, according to Jesus, their future isn’t quite so rosy. Now that’s what he says. But I’ll tell you, for anyone who knows the Old Testament, man, this really isn’t a surprise. I mean, the Law is full of commands given by God to his people about providing for the poor and about protecting the widows and the orphans and about caring for the aliens in the land. In fact, according to Isaiah, this kind of stuff was exactly what God expected from his people. The prophet said, 

I’ll tell you
what it really means
    to worship the Lord.
Remove the chains of prisoners
    who are bound unjustly.
Free those who are abused!
Share your food with everyone
    who is hungry;
share your home
    with the poor and homeless.
Give clothes to those in need;
don’t turn away your relatives. [Isaiah 58:6-7, CEV]

Now that seems pretty clear to me. And even though those nations on both the right and the left are actually surprised by the judgment, the reason for the separation seems crystal clear, at least according to Jesus. And so, along with knowing the when, I believe we also know the why.

And as to the how, how will the judgement be executed, well, I’ll tell you, we know that too. Just listen to how Jesus wrapped up the last parable he offered his disciples accord to the Evangelist Matthew:

And they will go away into eternal punishment, but those on the right into eternal life. [Matthew 25:46, CEV]

Now that’s what Jesus said, that the nations on his left will be punished while God will bless those on his right. But before we assume that our ultimate destinies depend on what our nation and its leaders choose to do, I really don’t think that was what Jesus was getting at here. You see, when telling a story or teaching a lesson, Jesus often used what’s called hyperbole, in other words, he’d use extreme language and images to make his point, you know, sort of like when we say “I could kill you” or “I could kiss you” to let another person know they’ve done something that made us angry or happy. Now, that’s hyperbole, and I think that’s what Jesus is using here. But having said that, I also believe he used it to make sure his disciples understood, in no uncertain terms, just how important it was and is for nations to find themselves on the right rather than on the left. As matter fact, for them and for us, both the when and the why becomes even more important, since we know the how. 

And with that, the parable ends. But you know, when you think about it, that really leaves one pretty important question unanswered, doesn’t it? I mean, as it relates to national judgement, we know when it’s going to happen. And we know why it’s going to happen. And we know how it’s going to happen. Therefore, we’re left with only this: What are we going to do about it? In other words, what are we going to do since we know that, when the Son of Man comes, he’s going to separate the nations like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he’s going to do regardless of what we believe he should do? And what are we going to do since we know that the basis for the separation won’t be our words or our promises or our intentions much less our wealth and our power and our prestige, but rather it’s going to be grounded in our actual treatment of those who are least able to help themselves, because, as the king will say, “Amen, I say to you, in as much as you did it for one of these who are the least of my brothers, you did it for me”? [Matthew 25:45b] And what are we going to do since we know how God regards the nations that are on this left and on his right? Man, what are we going to do about these words from Jesus Christ, words that we won’t be able to erase no matter how much White Out we use or how creative we are in mistranslating the Greek? You see, whether we like it or not, that’s the question we have as citizens of a nation that we all love and that some of us here this morning also defended. And I’ll tell you, we really need to be answering it right now, because let’s face it, knowing what we know, I don’t think any of us want to hear Jesus say,

“Go from me, those who have been cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you didn’t give me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me something to drink. I was a foreigner, and you didn’t bring me together with yourselves. I was naked, and you didn’t clothe me. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me. ...Amen, I say to you, in as much as you didn’t do it for one of these who are the least of these, neither did you do it for me.” [Matthew 25:41b-43, 45b] 

You see, in light of everything we know, we need to decide what we’re going to do about it.

And in that way, it’s sort of like us getting ready for Christmas, isn’t it? I mean, for both, we know the when and the why and the how, but at some point, we’re going to have to make a decision about the what, what are we actually going to do about all that we know. And even though this is a decision we need to make together, personally, I really hope we make the right one, because, I don’t know about y’all, but speaking for myself, I sure want to hear the king say to us:

Come, those who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a foreigner, and you brought me together with yourselves. I was naked, and you put clothes on me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was a prisoner, and you came to me. ...Amen, I say to you, in as much as you did it for one of those who are the least of my brothers, you did it for me. [Matthew 25:34b-36, 40b]
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Monday, November 27, 2023

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Once Advent comes and goes, Presbyterians can pause for Lent by spending time with the psalms

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Once Advent comes ...: The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Caldwell is a recent guest on ‘A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast’ November 27, 2023 The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Caldwell...
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Bible Readings for November 27, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for November 27, 2023: Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Daniel 4:1-37; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 119:97-112; and Proverbs 28:...
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Sunday, November 26, 2023

Minute for Mission: Matthew 25: Eradicate Systemic Poverty Sunday

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Minute for Mission: Matthew 25: Eradicate Systemic...: November 26, 2023 Panama 1 For more than 52 years the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP) has helped communities...
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Bible Readings for November 26, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for November 26, 2023: Let's read the Bible together in the next year. Today our passages are Daniel 2:24–3:30; 1 Peter 4:7–5:14; Psalm 119:81-96; and Proverbs...
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Saturday, November 25, 2023

Today in the Mission Yearbook - The call of Matthew 25 is heard in distant lands

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - The call of Matthe...: The Sewing Center Project is launched in North Pakistan to help incarcerated people provide for their families upon their release November 2...
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Bible Readings for November 25, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for November 25, 2023: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today our passages are Daniel 1:1–2:23; 1 Peter 3:8–4:6; Psalm 119:65-80; and Proverbs...
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Friday, November 24, 2023

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Presbyterian mission co-workers: Interfaith dialog center a safe space for all faith followers

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Presbyterian missi...: Co-existence without agreement a driving principle of the Al Amana Centre in Oman November 24, 2023 Earlier this year, Presbyterian World Mi...
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Prayer Requests to be shared during Sunday’s service

On Sunday, November 26, Sligo Presbyterian Church will lift to God the following needs:

  • Andrea Guntrum
  • Armed Forces 
  • Arnold Bowser
  • Barb Smith's niece
  • Barbara Yarchuk
  • Betty Milanovich
  • Betty Phillips
  • Betty Terwint
  • Bob Varner
  • Bruce Bowman
  • Bus Clark
  • Butch
  • Carol Carr
  • Cass' Neice
  • Charles Truitt
  • Chris Sibert
  • Church Leaders 
  • College Students
  • Corbin
  • Dan Kemp
  • David Glatt
  • Debbie Myers
  • Dickey Chrissman
  • Doctors & Nurses & all essential workers
  • Donnie Wirt Sr.
  • Duane Quinn
  • Elaine Lerch
  • Ella Henry
  • Francis Maines
  • Gabe
  • Government Leaders 
  • Haylee
  • Jerry Shook
  • Jessica Denison
  • Jim Mahle
  • Jim Mason
  • Kathleen
  • Lana Todd
  • Lori Myers
  • Marcy Hall
  • Mason Martin
  • Maxine Hartle
  • Maxine Simpson
  • Michael Curran
  • Mike Hiles
  • Mildred (Kathy) Whitmore
  • Noah
  • Our Youth
  • Pam Bottomley
  • Patty Divins
  • Patty Selle
  • Peg Watkins
  • Pete Wiseman
  • Police Officers
  • Randy Frampton
  • Rick Shadiow
  • Riley
  • Robin Delevern
  • Ron & Shelly Haines
  • Ron Lerch
  • Rwanda Partner
  • Sandy Patterson
  • Shirley Barnes
  • Stephen & Alice Lucas
  • Sue Black
  • Tadd French
  • Tamlynn
  • Ted Saylors
  • Tony Drass & Family
  • Trina Alcorn's Step-Parents
  • Uncle Harvey
  • Velma Stewart
  • Wes Summerville
  • World Vision
  • Zach Schieberl
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The Bulletin for the SPC Worship Service - Sunday, November 26, 2023

During the months of October and November, we're discussing the following parables unique to the Gospel of Matthew:

On Sunday, we'll focus on the parable of the sheep being separated from the goats, Matthew 25:31-46. The bulletin for the service is below. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel at 10:00 a.m. (EDT)








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Bible Readings for November 24, 2023

Study, Learn and Grow: Bible Readings for November 24, 2023: Let's read the Bible together in the next year.  Today our passages are Ezekiel 47:1– 48:35; 1 Peter 2:11–3:7; Psalm 119:49-64; and P...
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Thursday, November 23, 2023

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Thanksgiving

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - Thanksgiving: The goal is year-round gratitude. The main task is noticing November 23, 2023 Photo by Diliara Garifullina via Unsplash Deadlines being what...
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The Brunch Bunch Was Gnome for the Holidays

Lee Ann Ishman came to Sligo Presbyterian Church on Friday, November 17th and helped the Brunch Bunch do three crafts. We shared a potluck lunch after completing the crafts. Rick Connor provided the fish. Below are some pictures from the event. 








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The Bible Passage for Our Sunday Service (Matthew 25:1-13)

During the months of October and November, we're discussing the following parables unique to the Gospel of Matthew:

On Sunday, we'll focus on a parable dealing with Jesus separating the sheep from the goats, Matthew 25:31-46. Below are three translations of the passage on which we'll focus.

Matthew 25:31-46 [Contemporary English Version]

31  When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. 32 The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.

33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. 35  When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36 and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

37 Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38 When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39 or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”

40 The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

41 Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God's curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”

44 Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”

45 The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”

46  Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.”

Matthew 25:31-46 [New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition]

31 “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. 32 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, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, 35 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, 36 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.’ 37 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? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 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.’ 44 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?’ 45 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.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:31-46 [Amplified Bible]

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and majesty and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgment]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right [the place of honor], and the goats on His left [the place of rejection].

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me [with help and ministering care]; I was in prison, and you came to Me [ignoring personal danger].’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’

41 “Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Leave Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels (demons); 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me [with help and ministering care].’ 44 Then they also [in their turn] will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will reply to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these [my followers], you did not do it for Me.’ 46 Then these [unbelieving people] will go away into eternal (unending) punishment, but those who are righteous and in right standing with God [will go, by His remarkable grace] into eternal (unending) life.”
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