“YOU HAVE DONE IT TO ME”
By Pastor Mark Taylor
“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: Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and fed you? or thirsty, and gave you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and took you in? or naked, and clothed you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came unto you? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brothers or sisters, you have done it unto Me..” (Matthew 25:31-40).
Sometimes I have to remind myself of what the Christian life is all about. I have to remind myself it is not simply living up to a higher moral standard than the world, even though that is important. It is not simply omitting doing bad things, even though that is important.
Our Lord said He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)
Our Lord has told us what is important to Him. It is simply showing compassion on others. We usually think compassion is just feeling sorry for someone; however, God has shown us with concrete examples from His Word - the Bible, of what compassion is. Compassion should go one step farther than just feelings; it should do something instead of just desiring to do something. That is what compassion does: something. The “least of them” is not necessarily a “believer” but could be someone who doesn’t even know the Lord yet. It’s like “who is my neighbor?” in the story of the Good Samaritan.
Our Lord Jesus gave us His Mission statement of why He was sent to Earth.
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me. To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to the captives. And recovery of sight to the blind,To set at liberty those who are oppressed."
Later He tells His disciples: Matthew 20 :26-28 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Our Lord said He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)
Our Lord has told us what is important to Him. It is simply showing compassion on others. We usually think compassion is just feeling sorry for someone; however, God has shown us with concrete examples from His Word - the Bible, of what compassion is. Compassion should go one step farther than just feelings; it should do something instead of just desiring to do something. That is what compassion does: something. The “least of them” is not necessarily a “believer” but could be someone who doesn’t even know the Lord yet. It’s like “who is my neighbor?” in the story of the Good Samaritan.
Our Lord Jesus gave us His Mission statement of why He was sent to Earth.
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me. To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to the captives. And recovery of sight to the blind,To set at liberty those who are oppressed."
Later He tells His disciples: Matthew 20 :26-28 "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
When the disciples asked our Lord about the last days he told them many things. He spoke about judgement for the saved and the lost. Since He has died on the cross for our sins and we have been forgiven, judgement for us will be centered around what we have done for others, rather than our sins. Yes, there are consequences for our sins and the Lord has reminded us that all people will “reap what they sow”, and that there is an accountability for our words and actions. When and how all this will take place for the Christian, I am not sure. What I am sure of is our Lord’s Words in Matthew 25 about what will please Him when we stand before Him.
The surprise of the righteous at this statement makes it impossible to think that works of righteousness wins salvation. How they treated the “least of these” was not for the purpose of being accepted or rejected by the king. They did not show love to gain heaven by their works, but because they had the love of God within them and compassion on others.
God blesses us in order that we may be a blessing to others. All of us have been given something that we can share with others. If we don’t take the opportunities we have to be a blessing and squander or hoard these for ourselves, they will eventually be taken from us. Sometimes we think if we do something for somebody else we will run short ourselves. But God tells us it is exactly opposite of that. Proverbs 28:27 says, “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.”
The quickest way to get out of debt is to start giving to God. The quickest way of getting ahead in your finances is to give to those in need. I know that does not sound logical. Listen to what our Lord said about giving: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38).
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory... 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.” (Matthew 25:31-32).
The life of a Christian from God’s perspective is to be a life of service, worship, and praise. We are called to serve. We will be judged by our willingness to help those less fortunate than we are, those who have been cast down, or have been orphaned by society. We will be rewarded by willingness to help those who are spiritually, physically and economically handicapped. God has not called us to focus on ourselves, but has called us to “do unto others, as we would have others do unto us”.
"If only we had known that helping others was helping Jesus. If only we had known that serving others was serving Christ. How differently we would have lived our lives!" Well, now you know.
Everything you do for others, you are doing for God. Every act of kindness, every act of charity, every act service is something you will be rewarded for by your Heavenly Father. Everything you do on Earth for others is something God considers that you are doing for Him. You are the hands and feet of our Lord and Savior. Let Him use you today.
