Passage to consider: Matthew 25:34-46

“…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. 35For 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, 36I 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? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40″The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers 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. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I 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, ‘I tell you the truth, 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.”

When was the last time you helped a stranger? or done something decent to someone you don’t really like? or shown love to those who don’t deserve it?

Jesus told this parable entitled, “Sheep and Goats”. He was showing how God will divide EVERYONE on Judgment Day, the same way a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. The sheep are the believers, the goats unbelievers.

God has called all of us (as sheep) to lives of service. He sent his son in love to save us. This means we don’t get to do whatever we want. Doing whatever we want got mankind into the mess of sin. We need to show love to everyone, especially those who don’t deserve it, because doing so shows love for God. God says, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

When we ignore others, or avoid opportunities to show them love, we ignore God. God says, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.

Those who ignore God will go away to eternal punishment. In other words: Ignoring God’s call leads to hell. We have been given the opportunity of a lifetime an eternity, let’s not blow it.