Matthew 25:31-46 describes what will happen when Jesus returns in glory as both Judge and King and takes His place on the throne. It’s easy to see that this passage is about the final judgment — the separation of the sheep and the goats – and of course we would tend to focus on the warning. Jesus is giving us a command to care for the least among us, otherwise we will not inherit the Kingdom.
But if we listen closely, we’ll hear something deeper. Jesus is not just giving us a command; He is actually offering us an invitation — an invitation to know Him more intimately. He says, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) “For me”, He says.
Wow. Think about that. Do you want to encounter Jesus in your daily lives? Do you want to be with Him, and be physically close to Him? Jesus is telling us that if we truly want to find Him, we will find Him in the faces of the hungry, the sick, the lonely, the forgotten. He so deeply identifies with them that when we serve them, we are serving Him. Whatever we do to them, Jesus takes it very personally. You feed them, you feed me. You visit them, you visit me. You look after them, you look after me.
Why does Jesus take this personally? Well, this is the heart of God. He doesn’t “need” our help in a practical sense. Of course not. He owns everything! But because God is love, He chooses to experience joy when WE love others. Likewise, He grieves when we neglect them. Just as a parent rejoices when their child is cared for, Jesus rejoices when we care for those He loves.
And here’s the beauty of it: this is not just about helping others — it’s about us being transformed.
When we give, we are the ones transformed. Jesus does not “gain” from our charity, but we gain Christlikeness. The very act of serving others opens us to grace, deepens our communion with God, and makes us more like Jesus.
When we serve, we are drawn closer to Christ’s heart. And so, in this passage, Jesus is inviting us into something more than duty, more than an obligation. He is inviting us into a life of encounter, where acts of love become moments of divine intimacy.
Now, I must add, that this passage also carries a warning: there were those who thought they knew the Lord but failed to recognize Him in their daily lives. This echoes what Jesus said in Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father.”
In short, faith is not just about words; it’s about a heart that loves the way Jesus loves. And He shows us where to start — not in grand gestures, but in the small, everyday moments of mercy.
So my friends, today, Jesus extends His invitation to us: “Do you want to know Me? Do you want to experience My presence? Then love the ones I love. Give, and you will find Me there.”
And as we say yes to this invitation, may we one day hear His voice saying, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father… enter into the joy of your Lord.” Amen.
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