How can we apply the call to serve others in Matthew 25:46? The Sobering Verdict “ ‘And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’ ” (Matthew 25:46) Why Serving Matters Eternally • The verse concludes Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats (25:31-46). • Service to “the least of these” is evidence that saving faith is genuine (James 2:17). • What we do for others reveals whether we truly belong to Christ, whose own mission was “to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Seeing Jesus in the Least Jesus identifies Himself with: • the hungry and thirsty • strangers needing welcome • the naked needing clothing • the sick and imprisoned needing care Serving them is serving Him (Matthew 25:40). Practical Ways to Live It Out Personal Sphere • Keep ready-to-share grocery gift cards or non-perishables for the next person who asks. • Invite a lonely neighbor for a meal; hospitality turns strangers into friends (Hebrews 13:2). • Visit or call someone shut-in; bring Scripture, listen, pray with them. Church Family • Join or start a mercy ministry team: meal trains, hospital visits, prison correspondence. • Allocate part of your budget to a benevolence fund; giving is sowing seed (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). • Pair mature believers with new immigrants for language help and discipleship. Community Outreach • Volunteer at a gospel-centered food pantry or clothing closet. • Support crisis-pregnancy centers; protect both mother and child (Proverbs 24:11-12). • Engage in jail ministry, sharing hope and practical re-entry help (Hebrews 13:3). Global Vision • Sponsor a child or missionary bringing both aid and the gospel (Philippians 4:15-17). • Send relief to believers suffering persecution; remember “one body” unity (1 Corinthians 12:26). Motivations to Keep Us Serving • Gratitude: “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). • Stewardship: resources are entrusted, not owned (Luke 16:10-12). • Anticipation: service done in faith is rewarded by Christ Himself (Revelation 22:12). • Witness: good deeds point onlookers to the Father (Matthew 5:16). Serving Starts in the Heart • Only a transformed heart can bear the fruit of self-giving love (Ezekiel 36:26). • Abide in Christ daily; His life produces the works He commends (John 15:5). A Final Encouragement Every act of humble service done for Christ’s sake echoes into eternity. Fix your eyes on the coming King, and let today’s kindness prove that you belong to the righteous who “inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34). |
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