Open Word

Semicontinuous (Track 1)

FIRST READING

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Verse 11. For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out. Verse 12. As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. Verse 13. I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the settlements of the land. Verse 14. I will feed them in good pasture, and the lofty mountains of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. Verse 15. I will tend My flock and make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. Verse 16. I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’ Verse 20. Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Verse 21. Since you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak ones with your horns until you have scattered them abroad, Verse 22. I will save My flock, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another. Verse 23. I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd. Verse 24. I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken.

PSALM

Psalm 100

A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.

Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name.

For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations.

Complementary (Track 2)

FIRST READING

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

PSALM

Psalm 95:1-7a

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout to the Rock of our salvation!

Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him in song.

For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.

In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.

For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care.

SECOND READING

Ephesians 1:15-23

Verse 15. For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, Verse 16. I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, Verse 17. that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him. Verse 18. I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, Verse 19. and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength, Verse 20. which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, Verse 21. far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Verse 22. And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, Verse 23. which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

GOSPEL

Matthew 25:31-46

Verse 31. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. Verse 32. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Verse 33. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Verse 34. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Verse 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 took Me in, Verse 36. I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ Verse 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? Verse 38. When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Verse 39. When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ Verse 40. And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ Verse 41. Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Verse 42. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, Verse 43. I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’ Verse 44. And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Verse 45. Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ Verse 46. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”