In Matthew 25:31-36, Jesus tells his disciples that He will sit on His throne someday with the nations gathered before Him. He explains how He looks at the service we do....
The Sheep and the Goats
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. 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. 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 needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’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?’
40 “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.’
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. 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, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
FIVE things I can do for those in need:
- Meet their physical needs / quench their hunger and thirst by providing food and water
- Invite them into my community
- Offer an avenue to protection and modesty by providing clothing
- Tend to their earthly bodies by providing / facilitating medical care
- Bring hope and ministry to prisons
Any efforts I extend to God's children are efforts that bless Him. I must look to help the least, not those I suspect may be most influential. This trip will be focused on children, but in my daily life I experience encounters with many people who are marginalized or might be considered the least of these. I should pray for wisdom and discernment in how I might help the children and caretakers in Uganda, as well as those in my daily life who are clearly hurting.
In Matthew 28 Jesus is meeting with His followers for the last time on earth. Verses 18 through 20 offer the final instruction Jesus gave to all of His followers. As a follower, I am called to...
- Go and make disciples of all nations.
- Baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
- Teach new believers to obey all of God's commandments
ALL authority has been given to me!!
What does this mean for me?
I am to go - whether it's next door or to Africa - and make disciples. It's not an option.
When I think about these two passages in Matthew in relation to my upcoming project, I want to be intentional about the way I follow His will.
- I will read the gospel in order to share it.
- I will pour love and kindness and compassion into each child and worker and volunteer I interact with.
- I will boldly tell of Jesus' power in my live; the redemption, the hope, the love, the peace.
- I will share of His great works when I return!
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