The Least of These
Matthew 25:31-46 reveals a sobering truth. Jesus is coming back one day, and He will be coming back for those that have truly served Him. I encourage you to take time right now to go read these verses.
In these verses, we see Jesus returning for those who have lived for Him, remained focused on Jesus, and sought to show Jesus to others through their works. As we live in relationship with Jesus through prayer and reading the Word, good works will be our nature. We won’t just view ourselves as good people because we think the right thoughts or have a pure heart, but we will manifest this by literally doing the things Jesus did on this earth. Verses 35-36 say, “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”
When was the last time you fed someone that needed food? Literally fed them? Or encouraged and engaged in conversation with a stranger? Reached out to the sick? Been involved in prison ministry? Some of these ideas may shock you or even cause you to say, “ I don’t know if that’s my calling.” But if these things are important enough for Jesus to mention them and they are ways He will determine His true followers, let’s purpose today that we will spend 2025 being the hands and feet of Jesus. Some acts of service may not come naturally at first, but the more you serve, the more your character will change to wanting to show “the least of these” - Jesus.
Good works do not produce good character; good character produces good works. As you serve, do not do it out of obligation but out of a heart that truly wants to show others Jesus. In this way, you are developing a character that will grow a passion for serving others for the kingdom of God.
ACTIVATION:: Think about the ways you currently serve Jesus by serving others. Think about these areas in relation to the verses in Matthew we have read today. Can you do more? Can you begin to serve others in some of the ways listed in Scripture? You could pick a service project and find a friend to do it with you. You could write down ways to incorporate serving in your everyday life that you do not currently hold yourself accountable to do. Make a plan today to serve “the least of these.”
In these verses, we see Jesus returning for those who have lived for Him, remained focused on Jesus, and sought to show Jesus to others through their works. As we live in relationship with Jesus through prayer and reading the Word, good works will be our nature. We won’t just view ourselves as good people because we think the right thoughts or have a pure heart, but we will manifest this by literally doing the things Jesus did on this earth. Verses 35-36 say, “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”
When was the last time you fed someone that needed food? Literally fed them? Or encouraged and engaged in conversation with a stranger? Reached out to the sick? Been involved in prison ministry? Some of these ideas may shock you or even cause you to say, “ I don’t know if that’s my calling.” But if these things are important enough for Jesus to mention them and they are ways He will determine His true followers, let’s purpose today that we will spend 2025 being the hands and feet of Jesus. Some acts of service may not come naturally at first, but the more you serve, the more your character will change to wanting to show “the least of these” - Jesus.
Good works do not produce good character; good character produces good works. As you serve, do not do it out of obligation but out of a heart that truly wants to show others Jesus. In this way, you are developing a character that will grow a passion for serving others for the kingdom of God.
ACTIVATION:: Think about the ways you currently serve Jesus by serving others. Think about these areas in relation to the verses in Matthew we have read today. Can you do more? Can you begin to serve others in some of the ways listed in Scripture? You could pick a service project and find a friend to do it with you. You could write down ways to incorporate serving in your everyday life that you do not currently hold yourself accountable to do. Make a plan today to serve “the least of these.”
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1 Comment
Beautiful written and positively challenging Pastor Miriam!