Love in Action Week 3

Devotional

Day 1: Surprised by the King

Jesus told His followers, “I was hungry and you fed Me.” The righteous gasped, confused. They’d fed beggars and clothed strangers—not knowing it was Jesus they served. Their love flowed naturally, without calculation. [12:04]

Jesus redefines holiness. Serving “the least” isn’t optional charity—it’s encountering Christ Himself. When we clothe the shivering or visit the lonely, we touch the scars of the King.

You pass hidden Christs daily: the frazzled cashier, the neighbor who never waves. What if today’s errand is a divine appointment? When you meet a practical need, you honor Jesus’ flesh-and-blood presence on earth. Who have you overlooked that Jesus calls “My brother”?

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
(Matthew 25:37-40, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to open your eyes to His presence in the people you’ve trained yourself not to see.
Challenge: Buy a meal or coffee for someone in your routine (barista, security guard, mail carrier) without explaining why.

Day 2: Eyes That Perceive Pain

The priest and Levite saw the beaten man but hurried past. The Samaritan saw him—really saw—and winced. That gut-punch compassion moved him to bandage wounds and pay for shelter. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” [14:05]

Seeing like Jesus means letting others’ pain unsettle you. It’s not about solving problems but refusing to look away. The Samaritan didn’t start a nonprofit—he stopped his journey for one bleeding stranger.

Your schedule today will whisper, “This interruption isn’t your problem.” Fight it. When a coworker’s laugh sounds forced or a child lingers too long at your door, pause. Ask the Spirit: What do You see here? Whose pain have you been dismissing as “not my business”?

“But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds… Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.”
(Luke 10:33-34, NIV)

Prayer: Confess times you’ve avoided eye contact to dodge compassion’s cost.
Challenge: Text one person who’s been heavy on your heart this week. Say, “I’ve been thinking about you. How can I pray?”

Day 3: The Well and the Water Jar

Jesus sat by Jacob’s well, throat parched. When the woman arrived, He didn’t just notice her water jar—He saw her shame. Five husbands. No friends. Isolation. His question—“Give Me a drink”—cracked her armor. She left her jar to proclaim Him. [19:24]

Jesus interrupts routines to reclaim souls. He didn’t preach at the woman—He asked for help, making her feel needed. Her thirst for acceptance met Living Water.

You’ll encounter someone today carrying an invisible jar—the single mom rushing through checkout, the teen staring at their tray in the cafeteria. One kind word could remind them they’re known. Who have you reduced to a function (“server,” “driver”) instead of a story?

“Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well… When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’… The woman said, ‘Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty.’”
(John 4:6-7, 15, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for the person who saw your thirst when others saw only your mask.
Challenge: Learn the name of one “anonymous” person you encounter weekly (e.g., garbage collector, receptionist).

Day 4: Names Turn Strangers Neighbor

“Carolyn” barged into kitchens because she knew names. Jesus called Zacchaeus down from the tree—by name. The demon-possessed man became “Legion” until Jesus restored his true identity. [31:56]

Names dismantle walls. Satan whispers, “They’re not your problem.” Jesus whispers, “They’re My treasure.” Knowing someone’s name forces you to see their humanity—their dreams, griefs, and need for Him.

You’ll interact with dozens of souls today. The barista wears a nametag—use it. The quiet uncle at family dinner? Say his name like it’s sacred. Whose name have you avoided learning to keep them at a safe distance?

“Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus… Jesus looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’”
(Luke 19:1-5, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight someone whose name He wants you to steward as a prayer.
Challenge: Write down three neighbors’ names. If you don’t know them, introduce yourself this week.

Day 5: Missionaries of the Mundane

The righteous in Matthew 25 didn’t feel heroic. They simply fed lunches, drove carpool, and visited hospitals. Jesus says these small obediences echo eternally: “You did it to Me.” [36:10]

God works through chicken casseroles and gas station greetings. You don’t need a pulpit—just a pause. Every “How’s your day?” can be a fishing hook for the Kingdom if asked with Christ’s eyes.

Your mission field is the checkout line, the bleachers, the break room. Today, let someone interrupt you. Listen like they’re the only soul in the room. What ordinary moment could become holy if you stopped rushing?

“And 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.’”
(Matthew 25:40, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for the “small” acts of love He’s called you to this week.
Challenge: Invite someone you often hurry past (co-worker, neighbor) to share a 15-minute coffee break.

Sermon Summary

Matthew 25 sets the bar by tying love to a pause that truly sees. The King identifies himself with the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned, and says, as you did it to the least, you did it to me. The surprise of the righteous shows that real love does not keep a scorecard or wait for credit. Love just acts because it has been formed by Jesus. The text keeps repeating the word see, not as a quick glance, but as a perceiving look that takes in what is really going on. Seeing is what the heart does on purpose. Looking is automatic. The Spirit teaches the church to pause long enough to perceive need and move toward it.

A culture of screens tempts eyes away from souls, but the heart of Jesus centers on people. The Good Samaritan story confirms it. Many notice, but very few see. The Samaritan pauses, perceives, and does something. John 4 shows it on the ground. Jesus stops at the well, perceives the deeper thirst beneath the woman’s debate, and speaks living water. Her old purpose gets left behind with the water pot, because being seen by Christ remakes a life and sends it running toward others.

The call lands close to home. Students walk back to empty houses. New college kids arrive as strangers whose names no one knows. Even inside church walls, souls can feel invisible. The Spirit gives the church a supernatural pause that says, you matter. Names turn strangers into neighbors, and stories turn neighbors into family. A simple hi breaks the spell of narcissism and opens a door grace can walk through. This is not a works ladder to heaven. This is the fruit of knowing God. Those who know their God become the kind of people who do not need to think twice about giving a drink, visiting a cell, or sitting long enough to listen. God could snap his fingers and heal a city, but he chooses to partner with his church. Love begins with a pause, and the pause is where Jesus loves people through his people.

Key Takeaways

1. Love begins with a pause Love does not rush past need, it makes room for interruption. The pause is where a name can be learned, a story can be heard, and a burden can be shared. In that holy slow-down, Jesus is met in the least and the overlooked. This is where ministry actually starts, not after. [10:49]
2. Seeing is more than noticing Scripture’s see is perceive, not just glance. The Spirit trains eyes to catch what the surface hides, to sense when joy is forced or pain is buried. That kind of seeing directs precise care, because love has listened before it acts. [14:05]
3. Real love keeps no scorecard The righteous are surprised because they were not counting, posting, or performing. They had been so discipled by Jesus that serving people became second nature. Love does not ask, did anyone see me, it asks, did I see them. [12:28]
4. Names turn strangers into neighbors Asking a name dignifies a soul and signals, you matter here. Listening to a story re-weaves a person into community until neighbors begin to feel like family. These small, faithful moves carry kingdom weight in ordinary places. [31:56]
5. Eyes on screens, not souls A culture of distraction numbs compassion and blurs faces into background. Choosing eye contact over scrolling is a spiritual discipline that rehumanizes the day. Even a simple hi can crack isolation and make room for the gospel. [05:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Putting skin on the Bible
[05:02] - Eyes on screens, not souls
[06:57] - Memories that see people
[10:49] - Love begins with a pause
[11:05] - Matthew 25 read aloud
[12:04] - Surprise and scorekeeping
[14:05] - Seeing vs noticing, eidon
[19:24] - Jesus at the well
[21:40] - Students and the unseen
[27:53] - Not works based, true fruit
[31:56] - Names to neighbors, stories to family
[34:26] - Everyone is a missionary
[38:09] - Prayer for new eyes
[46:47] - Priestly blessing and sendoff

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 25:35-40 (ESV)
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... Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

Observation Questions

In Matthew 25:37-39, the righteous are surprised when Jesus commends their actions. What specific acts of service did they perform without realizing they were serving Him?
The sermon contrasts “noticing” and “seeing” ([14:05]). How does Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman in John 4 demonstrate “seeing” beyond surface-level needs?
What practical examples were given in the sermon of people feeling “invisible” in everyday life, such as students or newcomers ([21:40])?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the righteous in Matthew 25 were unaware they had served Jesus? What does this reveal about the nature of genuine love?
The Good Samaritan “paused” to help, while others avoided the injured man ([17:07]). What barriers might prevent people from pausing to “see” others today?
Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, “The water I give will become a spring of eternal life” (John 4:14). How does this connect to the idea that “being seen by Christ remakes a life” ([19:24])?

Application Questions

Love begins with a pause ([10:49]). What is one practical way to create intentional pauses in your daily routine (e.g., at work, in public spaces) to notice someone’s story?
The sermon says, “Names turn strangers into neighbors” ([31:56]). Who is someone you interact with regularly (e.g., a barista, neighbor) whose name you could learn this week? How might this shift your relationship?
Screens often distract us from “souls” ([05:02]). What is one habit (e.g., scrolling, avoiding eye contact) you could adjust to prioritize face-to-face connection?
The woman at the well left her water pot behind after encountering Jesus ([20:33]). What “water pot” (old habits, distractions, or fears) might God be asking you to leave behind to serve others more freely?
The sermon warns against keeping a “scorecard” of good deeds ([12:28]). How can you cultivate a heart that serves without expecting recognition or results?
Think of a time you felt “invisible.” How could you use that experience to intentionally notice someone else this week?

Sermon Clips

35s

“And we were told from the beginning, don't don't expect any fruit out of this. Don't expect anything other than handing people a bag of food. They were wrong. Because I wanna say with this one thing, and I want you to kinda open up the proverbial door of your heart and and and lock this in. It's this statement. Love begins when when you start to pause. When you pause, that's where love begins. When you're not consumed with your schedule, your program, your desires, when you really see people, it's because you pause.”

48s

“I think that's important, and it's important because the culture that we are now trying to live out the gospel in is completely different. It's a culture of ignoring people. It's a culture of of trying to to get around people and not see people. And so let let me say it a a certain certain way that kinda kinda connects with us. We we make eye contact with screens, but avoid eye contact with souls. Just let that image for all of us, not just, you know, hey. You yes. That's those kids. I've seen 80 year old adults in restaurants not pay attention to each other because they're looking at screens.”

38s

“And so looking and I I wanna I wanna drive this this point home is in these these four verses. Looking is what your eyes automatically do. Everyone is looking. Maybe you're noticing who's asleep, who's not asleep, who who's doing what. Right? That that's an automatic thing. You observe things every day. But what Jesus is talking about, what Jesus is teaching is seeing is what your heart does on purpose. Seeing is what you say, you know what? I just felt led of the Lord to do this. That is seeing. That is pausing and noticing.”

37s

“We are often get stuck in the theology of Jesus, but don't spend a whole lot of time observing how did Jesus love, and how did Jesus make a difference. And I hope to start with this question today. When's the last time you really looked at someone? And what I mean by that, when's the last time did you look at him at a way like say, hey, you matter. I notice you. Not just that, hey, you're in my, you're you're a part of my day, but you're not part of my life. It was a look to say, if there's anything going on, hey, I just want you to know you matter.”

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Love in Action Week 3

Devotional

Day 1: Surprised by the King

Day 2: Eyes That Perceive Pain

Day 3: The Well and the Water Jar

Day 4: Names Turn Strangers Neighbor

Day 5: Missionaries of the Mundane

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Love in Action Week 3

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