Welcome to Westside!
Join the Family! We’ve had several families place membership at Westside over the past few weeks. If you would like to officially join the Westside Family, please fill out our New Members Form Here
Fish Tacos: If you signed up for our fish taco dinner, stop by the church parking lot tonight (Sunday) from 4-5pm to pick up your food..
Church of the Week: Family Christian Church on Rosedale Highway.
Home Sweet Home: A Series on Hospitality
Flashback: Growing Young
1. Keychain Leadership — Empowering the next generation of leaders
2. Empathy — Opening our hearts to the struggles of others
3. Taking Jesus’ Message Seriously — Putting it into practice.
4. Warm Relationships — Genuine community, not just attendance at services.
5. Making Young People a Priority — Intentional effort and resources.
6. Being the Best Neighbors — Blessing the local community
Sermon Recaps:
1. Be the Best Dirt You Can Be! (Matthew 13:1-23)
2. Be a Friend of Strangers (Romans 12:9-21)
3. Pay the Blessings Forward (Deuteronomy 10:12-22)
A powerful quote on hospitality from the late Henri Nouwen (Pastor, Author, Theologian):
“In our world full of strangers, estranged from their own past, culture and country, from their neighbors, friends, and family, from their deepest self and their God, we witness a painful search for a hospitable place where life can be lived without fear and where community can be found.” —Henri Nouwen
Today’s Message: The Least of These (Matt. 25:31-40)
Why should we practice hospitality? Because what we do for others, we do for Jesus himself.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 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. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. —Matthew 25:31-33 (NIV)
“The Context” — During his last public teaching in Jerusalem (before ultimately going to the cross), Jesus describes the final judgment scene that will take place when he returns at the end of time.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. —Matthew 25:34 (NIV)
Reflection Question: Why did Jesus (the King) consider these people so blessed? What had they done right during their lives?
Jesus answers this question in the following verses:
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 (xenos) and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ —Matthew 25:35-36 (NIV)
Caring for the Vulnerable from Beginning to End
We shouldn’t be surprised that Jesus blesses those who have cared for the vulnerable in their midst.
The Beginning of Jesus’ Ministry:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18-19 (NIV)
The End of The Ministry and The End of Time:
1. The hungry
2. The thirsty
3. The stranger
4. The naked
5. The sick
6. The Prisoners
Our Visit to City Serve in Bakersfield
A ministry that seeks to put passages like Matthew 25 into practice right here in Kern County. Large banners in their lobby that highlight who Jesus is calling us to care for: The hungry, the prisoners, the poor, the vulnerable.
When Did We See You, Jesus?
The Righteous Servants Seem Confused…
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 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ —Matthew 25:37-39 (NIV)
We Tend to Remember Meeting Important People. But They Don’t Remember Meeting Jesus.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” —Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
Today’s Main Idea: What we do for others (good or bad), we do for Jesus himself.
Angels We Have Served On High
We show hospitality because Jesus is found in the stranger, the outcast, and the vulnerable.
The writer of Hebrews expands on this and reminds us that when we show hospitality, we could very well be welcoming angels in our midst:
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” —Hebrews 13:1-3 (NIV)
Conclusion
Why Show Hospitality?
God wants us to be the best dirt, to be a welcoming and nurturing place where people can grow in their faith.
God himself loves the orphans, widows, and strangers in our midst, and expects us to do the same.
When we serve others, we serve Christ, and when we welcome others, we might be welcoming angels.
———
Invitation Song
During our next song, you can come forward to…
- Commit Your life to Christ
- Pray with an Elder or Minister
- Talk About Baptism or Next Steps
Tap here to Respond to today’s message
Questions? Contact Bryan: (609) 356-3147 or bfojtasek@westsidelife.org.