Pastor John D Jakes

Sunday I preached from Matthew 25.  Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."  I think that is so cool!  To be able to minister to Jesus when we minister to others who have needs must be one of the most amazing miracles of redemption.  I can’t even imagine how often I have ministered in this way without even thinking about how Jesus received it.  I just ministered.  All I thought was, ‘that person needs help.’  I don’t think it was selfish.  I wasn’t trying to score points in Heaven.  I just wanted to help someone.  At that time I was also helping Jesus.

 

Then I pause and think a moment.  I think of all the times I did not minister.  I had the usual excuses: too busy, too poor, too inconvenienced, too untrusting.  Jesus has words for me at those time too.  He said, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me."  Ouch.  I did not think of Jesus in those moments.  When I was selfish, when I did not think of Heaven, and when I did not care to help someone I was NOT helping Jesus.

 

I guess that I think of this passage as a call to alertness.  It is a call to intentionality.  We need to see needs and actively seek to minister in them.  We cannot be lazy about it.  We must reach out.  We must keep our eyes open.  We (I) need to show love because that is what is needed.

 

Something to ponder,

Pastor John