Matthew 25:33-40: “Lord, When Did We See You Hungry?”

“as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,” Jesus in Matthew 25:40

“While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry, as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!”     (William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, May 9, 1912 at Royal Albert Hall in his last public address)

 "Mother Teresa looks past the physical features of every man, woman, or child and sees the face of Jesus staring up at her through them. In every starving child she feeds, she sees Jesus.  Surrounding every lonely, dying man she cradles in her arms is Jesus. When she ministers to anyone, she is ministering to her Savior and Lord."      (Billy Graham after visiting Mother Theresa in Calcutta)

 Jesus finishes His exhortation on “the sign of His coming and of the close of the age” (24:3) with this teaching commonly known as the judgment of the sheep and the goats.  “Before Him will be gathered all the nations” but “He will separate people one from another” (25:32), implying each person will be judged as an individual, regardless of their nationality.

And he will place the sheep on his right, which is the place of honor (see Acts 7:56; Mark 16:19, Psalm 110:1) but the goats on his 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,” (vv. 33-34).  Can one imagine a more glorious thing to hear on the Day of Judgment?  This is a direct parallel to the words of the previous parable, “Well done, good and faithful servant…Enter into the joy of your master,” (25:21).  Greater words of praise will never be uttered!  

Jesus explains to the sheep: “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?’”  (vv. 35-39).

 Then Jesus 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,’ (v. 40).    While Scripture teaches us to feed whoever is needy (see Isaiah 58:10, Proverbs 28:27, Romans 12:20), the context here is Jesus identifying with those inside the circle of faith.  (See also Matthew 18:5 and Acts 9:4-5.)

Not only can nothing “separate us from the love of Christ,” not “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword,” (Romans 8:35) but He goes further and identifies Himself with those who suffer for His name’s sake.   This is great comfort for those who endure persecution because they claim Christ, particularly those who are being delivered up and killed during the tribulation (24:9).    This is not salvation by works; rather the heart that truly belongs to Jesus will “do good to everyone, and especially those who are of the household of faith,” (Galatians 6:10). 

Recently we laid to rest our Romanian brother Ionel who put aside a lucrative career in post-Communist Romania in order to preach Christ and care for the flock across Romania and Eastern Europe.    We also said farewell to another missionary couple who is returning to America after serving nearly forty years during and after Communism in Eastern Europe.     When our world today is obsessed with celebrities, who quite often are morally and spiritually bankrupt, in the Day of Judgment the real heroes will be celebrated, those who labored anonymously and faithfully to the least of His brothers (v. 40).  Oh, give me the enduring praise of God more than the fleeting praise of man!