Bible Reading
Matthew 25:31-40 “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.”
[11:58]Luke 15:4-7 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
[06:59]John 13:1-17 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' Simon Peter said to him, 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!' Jesus said to him, 'The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.' For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, 'Not all of you are clean.' When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
[06:27]Observation questions
- In John 13, what actions does Jesus take toward His disciples, and what example does He tell them to follow? [06:17]
- In Luke 15, what does the shepherd do when one sheep is missing, and how does he respond when it is found? [06:59]
- In Matthew 25, what specific kinds of needs does the King describe, and how are the righteous surprised by His response? [11:58]
- What changes took place in Julian’s family and community after clean water became available close to their home? [20:56]
Interpretation questions
- Jesus identifies Himself with people who are hungry, thirsty, sick, imprisoned, and overlooked. What does this reveal about how Christ sees people whom the world may ignore or consider unimportant? [14:32]
- Why does it matter that Jesus calls people in need His brothers and sisters, rather than treating them merely as problems to solve? How does that shape the meaning of mercy? [14:47]
- The shepherd’s pursuit of the one lost sheep shows that Christ’s love is personal. How can this truth speak to someone whose failures, anxiety, or insecurity feel louder than God’s love? [09:44]
- Julian’s story included water, education, health care, job training, and a fair market for her mother’s work. Why is it important to address both immediate needs and the barriers that keep families trapped in poverty? [23:38]
Application questions
- What labels, failures, fears, or insecurities most often try to define your identity? What might it look like this week to bring those honestly before Jesus and listen again to His love for you? [10:20]
- Think about a person or group of people you may be tempted to overlook, avoid, or quietly see as “less than.” What is one practical way you could honor their dignity rather than treating them as a project? [15:10]
- Where do you see needs around you—in your neighborhood, workplace, school, church, or city—that connect with the kinds of needs named in Matthew 25? What is one small but concrete way you could respond?
- What comforts, spending habits, or possessions can become a source of false security for you? How might generosity help loosen your grip and grow your trust in God? [35:58]
- Julian’s story shows how a barrier as basic as access to clean water can affect safety, school, health, work, and hope. How could remembering the daily realities of others reshape the way you pray, give, or serve? [21:14]
- Children being allowed to choose the people who will sponsor them communicates, “You matter.” How can you communicate that same message of value and belonging to someone in your life this week? [38:05]
