Bible Reading
Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
[24:32]Luke 10:25-37 “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
[33:33]James 2:14-17 “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
[41:34]Observation questions
- In Matthew 25:31–46, what actions—or failures to act—does Jesus point to when separating the sheep from the goats? What kinds of needs receive his attention? [29:45]
- How do both groups respond when Jesus connects their treatment of people in need with their treatment of him? What is similar about their surprise? [40:54]
- In Luke 10:25–37, what do the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan all notice? What does the Samaritan do differently after seeing the wounded man? [33:33]
- In James 2:14–17, what physical needs are left unmet, and how does James connect that lack of care with a person’s claim to faith?
Interpretation questions
- Why does Jesus’ identification with people in need make feeding, welcoming, and visiting more than ordinary acts of kindness? How does this affect the dignity a believer should give the person receiving care? [37:13]
- What might the righteous people’s surprise in Matthew 25 suggest about their reasons for serving? How would service that has become a way of life differ from service done for recognition? [32:19]
- How do Matthew 25 and James 2 help explain the difference between serving to earn salvation and serving because faith has changed a person’s heart? [42:36]
- How can worship and care within a congregation prepare believers to meet the needs Jesus names in Matthew 25? At what point might maintaining church life begin to crowd out that calling? [30:40]
Application questions
- Think about your usual week. Who might be hungry, lonely, sick, or feeling unwelcome along the paths you already travel? What could help you notice someone you normally pass by? [33:22]
- Can you recall a recent time when you felt sorry for someone but did not respond? What held you back, and what might a compassionate next step look like in a similar situation? [35:19]
- Is there a person or group you find difficult to approach because of differences in background, beliefs, or life circumstances? What would a small, respectful step toward being a neighbor look like? [34:22]
- Jesus receives care for vulnerable people personally. How might remembering that change the way you listen to, welcome, or spend time with someone who needs help? Is there someone you could visit or contact this week? [37:54]
- Where have you noticed Jesus changing what you care about or how you treat others? Where do you still need his grace to move your faith beyond words, without turning service into a way to prove your worth? [42:48]
- If our church were gone tomorrow, which neighbors would miss its care? What is one need our group could listen to and respond to together, and what first step would be realistic for us? [27:52]
