LOVE Series: Loving the Bruised & Broken

By: Mark Lowenstein
March 2, 2008

The right hand is considered a place of honor. (Psalm 45:9)

The King speaks to those on the right hand. They hear words positive, warm and approving. “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Next, the King explains the approval: “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” The righteous are surprised and inquire: “When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?” The answer: “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

Observe, the King’s judgment does not depend upon amount of knowledge combined, fame acquired, wealth earned and reputation gained. The approval is based on service provided to those who belong to Christ; such service is ultimately to Him! This is about simple acts of help provide to those in need who belong to Christ; things which anyone can do. This service is given out of hearts where God is present. This service is offered through lives lived in submission to the King. We know that because of one simple phrase, “you did it to Me.” What counts here is not just service to others, but service to others that is “to Him.”

People of God: We start our look at this morning’s passage by asking the question - Who are the least? They are the ones, we discover from this, we disregard them.

• Among the many people we talk to, we almost never talk to them.
• Among the many names that we remember, theirs is the name we forget.
• Among the many friends we have, they are not one of them.

In between all the things that demand our attention in life, “they are on the outside edge of our awareness, unnoticed, peripheral, always there but never receiving any of our time.” They never receive a slot in our busy agendas. Rather our lives are spent on those people we regard as significant - family, friends, work, entertainment, worship, rest.

Jesus describes them to his culture four times in this passage, by repetition, so that we hear clearly who they are - the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, those without clothing, the sick, and those in prison.

• The hungry and thirsty - those who are much poorer than we are.
• The stranger - we don't know them - we do not feel compelled to get to know them, we disregard them.
• Those without clothing - slaves, servants, in Jewish culture often of a different nationality, in our culture often those with a different nationality, skin color, and religion.
• The sick - those who are contagious, those in pain.
• The imprisoned - those who do not deserve our attention.

We disregard them. They occupy no time in our lives. There is no time left for them. They are the least - the least significant, the least compatible with our character, status, the least worthy, the most undeserving of our attention. They are the powerless, who do not have the strength or status to demand our attention. To get involved in their lives will be too expensive. Our involvement with them will give little or no return.

The truth is, everyone of us has the "least" in our lives. We pass them by. Read the story about “The Good Samaritan”. But, we have learned not to notice them.

Jesus, at the end of his ministry, according to this gospel, started teaching extensively about eschatology (this is a terminology I learned at SIBI) - about the last things, those events that will bring to an end the world as we know it. He warned us of signs that would tell us that the unpredictable end was near (chapter 24). He warned us to be ready for that day, with the parables of the 10 virgins, and the parable of the talents. Then in our passage, he shifts away from story telling, from parables, and he addresses the issues exactly as they will be. Our passage is not a parable, it is impending reality. At the final judgment there will be a one basic division made between all humanity. And that division will be made on what they did in ignorance.

Every person is to be rewarded according to their works (see Matt. 16:27; 2 Cor. 5:10). You will not be able to “borrow” righteousness from your neighbor (see Matt. 25:1-13). You will not be justified in the claim that you were “clothed” or “protected” by the “righteousness of Christ,” when in fact you did not live in obedience to Him (Heb. 5:9). You must be ready to account for what you have done. Have you responded to Christ to be forgiven of your sin (Acts 2:38)? Have you walked in the light, confessing your sins (1 Jno. 1:7-9)? If your answers to these questions are “yes,” your service to others will be manifest from a heart that submits to the King.

"This judgment scene “tells me that I am accountable. I am free to live my life just as I please, but at the end I shall have to give account to the one who gave me my life.” (Leon Morris).

You see, the difference ultimately between the sheep and the goats is a living faith, and that living faith can be seen in what they do or do not do.

Again we are pushed back to the fundamental questions:

• Do we have a heart that takes, or do we have a heart that gives?
• Are we people who out of an unbelieving heart live like we have to take care of ourselves because no one else is watching out for us - and therefore to spend ourselves on behalf of the least would be a most foolish investment of our resources?
• Or do we out of a believing heart, understanding the riches of God's grace to us and his unending care, have we become people who are willing to give to others, to the least, give outrageously, give generously, because God will provide for us what we need?