Serving Christ Through Compassionate Action

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we delved into the profound message of Matthew 25, a passage that challenges us to see Jesus in the faces of those in need. This scripture paints a vivid picture of the Son of Man returning in glory, surrounded by angels, to separate the righteous from the unrighteous. The righteous are those who have fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, and cared for the sick and imprisoned. This passage is not just a call to action but a call to see our actions as directly impacting Jesus himself. When we serve the least of these, we serve Christ.

The challenge is to take this passage literally and seriously. It's easy to become complacent, to hear these words and feel a momentary conviction that fades with time. But what if we truly saw every person in need as Jesus himself? How would that change our actions, our priorities, and our lives? This is not about earning salvation through works, as salvation is a gift of grace through faith. However, true faith manifests in actions, and those actions should reflect the heart of God, which is deeply concerned with the poor and marginalized.

Our church has been on a journey to live out this calling by increasing our giving and reducing our internal expenditures. The goal is to love our neighbors as ourselves, to spend as much on others as we do on ourselves. This is a radical shift, but one that aligns with the heart of the gospel. It's about living a life of giving, realizing that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded of the urgency of our mission. We have one life, one chance to make a difference, and then comes eternity. The question is, how will we spend our lives? Will we live with regret, or will we seize the opportunity to love and serve Jesus by loving and serving others?

Key Takeaways:

- Seeing Jesus in Others: Matthew 25 challenges us to see Jesus in the faces of those in need. When we serve the least of these, we serve Christ himself. This perspective transforms our actions from mere charity to acts of worship and love for Jesus. [26:58]

- Faith Manifested in Action: True faith is not passive but active. It manifests in actions that reflect the heart of God, particularly in caring for the poor and marginalized. Our actions should be a natural outflow of our faith, demonstrating our love for God through love for others. [33:24]

- The Urgency of Our Mission: We have one life to live, and then comes eternity. This reality should drive us to live with purpose and urgency, prioritizing the things that matter to God. We must seize the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. [37:53]

- Radical Generosity: Our church's commitment to giving away a significant portion of our resources reflects the call to love our neighbors as ourselves. This radical generosity is a tangible expression of our faith and a powerful testimony to the world. [50:40]

- Living Without Regret: As we reflect on our lives, we must ask ourselves if we are living in a way that we will not regret when we stand before God. This involves taking the teachings of Jesus seriously and living them out in our daily lives. [53:31]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [20:38] - Ignoring the Need
- [21:02] - The Heart of Matthew 25
- [21:56] - The Son of Man in Glory
- [23:12] - Jesus' Glory and Sacrifice
- [24:33] - The Great Separation
- [25:25] - Inheritance of the Righteous
- [26:15] - Serving Jesus in Others
- [29:02] - Transforming Lives in Africa
- [31:02] - Tangible Love for Jesus
- [32:02] - Salvation by Faith, Not Works
- [33:49] - True Faith and Action
- [37:37] - One Shot at Life
- [41:59] - Living Out Faith in SEI Valley
- [50:40] - Radical Church Generosity

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Matthew 25:31-46

Observation Questions:
1. What imagery does Jesus use in Matthew 25:31-33 to describe His return and the separation of people? How does this imagery help us understand the gravity of the situation? [21:20]
2. According to Matthew 25:35-36, what specific actions are highlighted as serving Jesus? How do these actions relate to the needs of people around us? [26:15]
3. In the sermon, what examples were given of the church's efforts to live out the message of Matthew 25? [29:02]
4. How does the pastor describe the difference between living out faith in Africa versus in SEI Valley? What challenges are mentioned? [45:39]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of seeing Jesus in others, as described in Matthew 25, challenge traditional views of charity and service? [26:58]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between faith and works, particularly in the context of caring for the poor and marginalized? [33:24]
3. How does the urgency of our mission, as discussed in the sermon, influence the way we prioritize our actions and resources? [37:53]
4. What does the sermon imply about the potential consequences of ignoring the needs of others, as illustrated in Matthew 25:41-46? [35:20]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you saw someone in need but chose not to help. How might viewing that person as Jesus change your response in the future? [26:58]
2. The sermon emphasizes radical generosity. What is one specific way you can practice this in your life this week? [50:40]
3. Consider the idea of living without regret. What is one area of your life where you feel you might have regrets if you don't take action now? [53:31]
4. How can you incorporate the urgency of our mission into your daily routine? What practical steps can you take to prioritize serving others? [37:53]
5. The sermon discusses the challenge of living out faith in different contexts. What is one challenge you face in your current environment, and how can you overcome it? [45:39]
6. How can you ensure that your actions reflect the heart of God, especially in caring for the poor and marginalized? What changes might you need to make in your life to align with this calling? [33:24]
7. Think about the church's commitment to giving. How can you personally contribute to this mission, either through financial support or other means? [50:40]

Devotional

Day 1: Seeing Jesus in Every Face
When we look into the eyes of those in need, we are challenged to see Jesus himself. This perspective transforms our acts of service from mere charity into profound expressions of worship and love for Christ. Matthew 25 calls us to recognize the divine presence in the marginalized and to serve them as we would serve Jesus. This is not a metaphorical suggestion but a literal call to action that demands a shift in how we perceive and interact with the world around us. By serving the least of these, we are serving Christ himself, and this realization should inspire us to live with compassion and intentionality. [26:58]

"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." (Matthew 25:35-36, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life do you often overlook or ignore? How can you intentionally serve them this week as if you were serving Jesus himself?


Day 2: Faith in Action
True faith is not passive but active, manifesting in actions that reflect the heart of God. This involves caring for the poor and marginalized, as our actions should naturally flow from our faith. The call is not to earn salvation through works, but to demonstrate our love for God through our love for others. When we act out of genuine faith, we align ourselves with God's priorities and become conduits of His love and grace in the world. This active faith challenges us to move beyond words and into deeds that embody the compassion and justice of Christ. [33:24]

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific action you can take this week to demonstrate your faith in a tangible way to someone in need?


Day 3: Urgency of Our Mission
We have one life to live, and then comes eternity. This reality should drive us to live with purpose and urgency, prioritizing the things that matter to God. The call is to seize the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, recognizing that our time on earth is limited. This urgency is not about fear but about living with intentionality and focus, ensuring that our lives reflect the values and mission of Christ. By aligning our priorities with God's, we can live a life that is both meaningful and impactful. [37:53]

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel a sense of urgency to align more closely with God's mission? How can you take a step in that direction today?


Day 4: Radical Generosity
Our church's commitment to radical generosity reflects the call to love our neighbors as ourselves. This involves giving away a significant portion of our resources, not out of obligation, but as a tangible expression of our faith. This generosity is a powerful testimony to the world, demonstrating that our lives are not centered on accumulating wealth but on sharing God's blessings with others. By living generously, we embody the heart of the gospel and invite others to experience the transformative power of God's love. [50:40]

"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Reflection: How can you practice radical generosity this week, either with your time, resources, or talents, to reflect God's love to those around you?


Day 5: Living Without Regret
As we reflect on our lives, we must ask ourselves if we are living in a way that we will not regret when we stand before God. This involves taking the teachings of Jesus seriously and living them out in our daily lives. By aligning our actions with our faith, we can live a life of purpose and fulfillment, free from the burden of regret. This call to live without regret is an invitation to embrace the fullness of life that God offers, prioritizing what truly matters and letting go of what does not. [53:31]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: What is one change you can make in your life today to ensure that you are living in alignment with your faith and values, free from future regret?

Quotes



I used to look at that passage that we showed there about Jesus saying I was hungry you didn't give me any food and I and and that passage drove me crazy because I knew if I took that literally I I just I couldn't even imagine what it would feel like to take that passage literally. [00:20:49]

When the son of man comes in his glory and H and all the angels with him he will sit on his throne in Heavenly Glory 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'll put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. [00:21:56]

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 s sick and you looked after me I was in prison and you came to visit me. [00:26:15]

I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me he says you want to know the truth Jesus says let me tell you the truth of the matter the truth of the matter is when you gave to one of the poor one of the least of these brothers of mine he goes it's exactly like you gave it to me. [00:26:59]

However, the Bible also says those who truly believe there will be a result in their life you'll see the actions as a result of it that's that's what the whole book of James was about right that we just got done studying he just goes man if you say you believe and there's no actions you don't really believe. [00:33:09]

I've got one shot and then comes eternity what am I going to do with my life you and I we've got one chance you got to understand the severity when that moment comes when Jesus comes which we're all waiting for right and we're praying for him we're looking forward to that day when that happens that's it that was our last shot that was our last chance and then comes eternity. [00:37:53]

I don't want to be an old man looking back with regrets I I don't want to I don't want to die with regrets I don't want to Faith god with regret I want to know you know what I spent my life on this you see when I look at this passage it bugs me because I know I know that I have not taken this passage literally. [00:53:31]

I want to go 100% 100% and go what would that look like if I really took that literally and saw everyone with unclean drinking water as Jesus Christ himself what would that look like if I took that literally and seriously if that's truly Jesus who is starving Jesus who died on that cross for me who gave me life who gave me everything that I am today. [00:59:59]

I have to die trying if I don't die trying I will be filled with regret I guarantee it I know it it doesn't matter how big the church is how well known everything is that's going on here I won't care about that at the end at the end I will care about did I do everything I could to show my love to Jesus. [01:06:18]

The truth is what the sold out life looks like for some of you in this room is that you need to make more money at your work work harder at what you do and send more away I mean and figure out ways to live off of less give away more and that requires a lot of faith because you don't actually get to see it. [01:18:50]

As a church what we're trying to do as a whole is cut our expenditures here as a church in order to increase our giving and I just want to show you a glimpse of what we've been doing over the years with our budget here at Cornerstone and then uh really the summary of the budget is out in the foure I just want to show this one area of our what we call our giving away expenses. [01:24:25]

Wouldn't it be so awesome if every time you came and you put money in the basket you knew that only half of it was going to sustain the ministries of Cornerstone SEI and the rest of it was going to church planting of training pastors and missionaries and giving to the hungry and the sick and the the cold you know and Jesus around the world. [01:29:59]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
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