Did or Did Not
Serving the Least Is Serving Christ
SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 25:40, 45 NKJV - "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'” ... "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'”
OBSERVATION:
In this part of Matthew 25, we see Jesus judging the Sheep and the Goats. This event will occur before Christ's thousand-year reign on earth, which precedes the new Kingdom in heaven. This judgment should not be confused with the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20, where believers in heaven receive their rewards.
From this section, we learn a valuable lesson: God cares about our moral character. The wicked and cruel will not enter, but the moral and good will. This is not a judgment of salvation but of character. Between Matthew 24 and 25, a significant event happens: the Rapture of the Church. The Church is not part of this section; it refers to those who survive the Great Tribulation. Before the Millennial Reign on earth, the Sheep and the Goats are separated.
The main message of this section is that God cares about our moral character. Notice the difference between the two groups. The distinction lies in what they did and what they did not do. Each was allowed to serve the less fortunate and to demonstrate Christ's love to a lost and dying world. One group took the opportunity, while the other did not. Observe the contrast.
Matthew 25:34-40 NKJV - "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'”
Matthew 25:40-44 NKJV - "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' "Then they also will answer Him, saying, '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?'
APPLICATION:
Don’t be fooled; God cares about how we live. He is concerned with our moral character (though this doesn’t save us, it should identify us as His people). This is shown not by how many Bible studies we attend or how many church services we go to, but by how we treat and interact with a lost and dying world.
Both the Sheep and the Goats were given the chance to serve; both gave the same answer, but Jesus delivered the final judgment. One group acted, the other did not. Which one will we be?
PRAYER:
Jesus, today I pray that I would be like the sheep and not the goats. I know my salvation is secure in You, but I want my moral character to reflect You. Help me remember Your words—"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."—when asked what I did for the least of these my brothers.
Matthew 25:40, 45 NKJV - "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'” ... "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'”
OBSERVATION:
In this part of Matthew 25, we see Jesus judging the Sheep and the Goats. This event will occur before Christ's thousand-year reign on earth, which precedes the new Kingdom in heaven. This judgment should not be confused with the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20, where believers in heaven receive their rewards.
From this section, we learn a valuable lesson: God cares about our moral character. The wicked and cruel will not enter, but the moral and good will. This is not a judgment of salvation but of character. Between Matthew 24 and 25, a significant event happens: the Rapture of the Church. The Church is not part of this section; it refers to those who survive the Great Tribulation. Before the Millennial Reign on earth, the Sheep and the Goats are separated.
The main message of this section is that God cares about our moral character. Notice the difference between the two groups. The distinction lies in what they did and what they did not do. Each was allowed to serve the less fortunate and to demonstrate Christ's love to a lost and dying world. One group took the opportunity, while the other did not. Observe the contrast.
Matthew 25:34-40 NKJV - "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'”
Matthew 25:40-44 NKJV - "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' "Then they also will answer Him, saying, '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?'
APPLICATION:
Don’t be fooled; God cares about how we live. He is concerned with our moral character (though this doesn’t save us, it should identify us as His people). This is shown not by how many Bible studies we attend or how many church services we go to, but by how we treat and interact with a lost and dying world.
Both the Sheep and the Goats were given the chance to serve; both gave the same answer, but Jesus delivered the final judgment. One group acted, the other did not. Which one will we be?
PRAYER:
Jesus, today I pray that I would be like the sheep and not the goats. I know my salvation is secure in You, but I want my moral character to reflect You. Help me remember Your words—"For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."—when asked what I did for the least of these my brothers.
Our moral character is revealed by how we treat others; serving the least honors Jesus.
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