Christ Church Daily Devotion Dec 16 2023

In this Daily Devotion, Matthew chapter 25 is discussed. The passage tells of the Son of Man separating people into two groups based on their actions towards those in need. The righteous group helped the hungry, thirsty, strangers, those in need of clothes, the sick, and prisoners, while the other group did not. The lesson is that we should help those in need without being selective, following Jesus' example of sacrificial love. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for December 16th, 2023. Today we will be reading from Matthew chapter 25, verses 31 through 45. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. 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. He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on His left. 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. 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. 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. Then the righteous will answer Him, 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? 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. Then He will say to those on the left, 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. 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? 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. In our worship services tomorrow, we will take note of the differing motivations of those wanting to find the newborn King. In this passage for today, we find one of three judgment stories from Jesus that Matthew included in chapter 25 of his Gospel book. I find the underlying motivations of the two groups mentioned to be very revealing of who they are. Both groups are surprised that the King was at any point hungry, thirsty, a stranger, needing clothes, sick, or in prison. I hear the group who didn't attend to those needs saying that, if we had known it was you, we would have helped. They were selective in who they helped. With the group who did attend to those needs, I hear them saying, it didn't matter who it was, we were going to help them. It is a good reminder to all of us who seek to follow in the way of Jesus Christ that we are to help whoever we can, whenever we can. Jesus' ministry was especially focused on helping those most in need. Be assured that when you help them, you help Him. Today's personal worship option. Offer this prayer or one in your own words. Lord Jesus, help me see every person I encounter through your eyes and help me attend to their needs following your example of sacrificial love.