Matthew 28:16 "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them." We conclude our study, Gathering in the Name of Jesus, with the final four verses of Matthew’s Gospel. This has been a rewarding journey into God’s plan and the teachings of our Lord and Savior. Last week we saw a key truth: when we aid the vulnerable—especially fellow believers in need—we touch God’s heart and bring Him delight. God meets us in suffering humanity; how we treat others reveals our relationship with Him. Today’s passage brings us to Jesus’ final moments with His disciples. The number “eleven” is significant, underscoring Judas Iscariot’s absence after his betrayal and death. Despite their earlier abandonment (Matthew 26:56), these eleven men remain the core group chosen to receive Jesus’ parting instructions. Their journey to Galilee shows obedience to His earlier command, delivered through the women at the tomb (Matthew 28:10). Galilee was the hear...
Matthew 25:45&46 "45 Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." In verses 42–44, Jesus vividly describes the “goats” (the cursed) failing to help the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, or imprisoned—and He takes it personally. This passage identifies Christ with the marginalized, teaching that compassion (or its absence) toward others directly reflects our relationship with Him. “The least of these” often refers to fellow believers or any vulnerable person; serving them is serving Jesus Himself. These verses conclude Jesus’ teaching on final judgment in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. The contrast is stark: • Everlasting punishment for those who showed no compassion—eternal separation from God. • Eternal life for the righteous who served “the least”—everlasting communion with God...