Introduction

Welcome, friends. It's good to be together again. We gather in this sacred space, united in our faith. We're here to learn. We're here to grow. We're here to seek wisdom from the Word of God.

Today, we're focusing on a powerful passage from the book of Matthew. It's a passage that challenges us. It stirs us. It calls us to look at our lives and our hearts in a new light. It's Matthew 25:31-46, and it reads:

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This passage is rich. It's deep. It's full of layers. It's about the kingdom. It's about service. It's about Jesus.

As we approach this passage, we might remember the words of Billy Graham who once said, "The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless."

Today, we won't shy away from the difficult. We will face it head on. We will seek to understand. We will seek to apply. We will seek to live out the Christian ideal in our daily lives.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You for its truth. We thank You for its power. As we study this passage today, open our hearts. Open our minds. Help us to understand. Help us to grow. Help us to be more like Jesus. In His name we pray, amen.

Join me now, as we step into the world of Matthew 25:31-46. Let's see what it has to teach us. Let's see how it can change us. Let's see how it can inspire us to live out the Christian ideal in our daily lives.

Understanding the Scripture

Let's begin by looking at the setting of this passage. Jesus is speaking to His disciples. He's giving them a glimpse into the future. He's painting a picture of the final judgment. This is a serious moment. It's a moment of great significance. It's a moment that demands our attention.

Jesus describes a scene where all nations are gathered before Him: He separates them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep are placed on His right. The goats on His left. This is a vivid image. It's an image that speaks of distinction. It speaks of separation. It speaks of judgment.

What is the basis of this separation?: What is the criteria for this judgment? It's not about religious rituals. It's not about theological knowledge. It's not about spiritual experiences. It's about practical love. It's about compassionate action. It's about meeting the needs of the least of these.

Jesus identifies Himself with the least of these: He says, "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, 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." This is a powerful statement. It's a statement that challenges our priorities. It challenges our values. It challenges our lifestyle.

The righteous are surprised: They ask, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?" They were not aware that their acts of kindness were acts of service to the Lord. They were simply responding to the needs around them. They were simply living out their faith in practical ways.

Jesus replies: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." This is the heart of the passage. This is the heart of the Christian life. It's about seeing Jesus in the least of these. It's about serving Jesus through serving others. It's about expressing our love for God by loving our neighbor.

Another side to this story: There's a warning for those who neglect the least of these. Jesus says, "Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 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." This is a sobering warning. It's a warning that calls us to self-examination. It's a warning that calls us to repentance.

Again, the people are surprised: They ask, "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?" They were not aware of their neglect. They were not aware of their indifference. They were not aware of their failure to love.

Jesus replies: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." This is a call to action. This is a call to compassion. This is a call to live out our faith in practical ways.

The Significance of Separation from the Kingdom

As we continue to delve into the depths of Matthew 25:31-46, we find ourselves standing at the precipice of a significant revelation ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO