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unrewarded

Luke 14:12-14 "12 Then said He also to him that bade Him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." In our study this week we saw the eternal contrast: everlasting punishment for the unrighteous and eternal life for the righteous. This judgment applies to all nations and is based on actions that reveal the authenticity of our faith. It does not teach salvation by works, but shows that genuine faith naturally produces deeds of love and charity. This truth stirs us to express Jesus’s selfless love through service to others—the visible proof of loving God by loving our neighbor. Today’s passage from Luke gives an earlier teaching of...
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Jesus's selfless love

Matthew 25:44-46 "44 Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? 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 this prophecy, Christ returns as King in glory, sits on His throne, and separates the nations like sheep from goats. The righteous “sheep” showed genuine compassion to the needy—often unaware they were serving Jesus Himself. He radically identifies with the vulnerable. The “goats,” however, hear the terrifying words: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire.” Their neglect of the suffering revealed their rejection of Christ. Like the sheep, they are shocked, having never realized that failing to help “the least of these” was failing Him. The pass...
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compassion

Matthew 25:41-43 "41 Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in: naked, and ye clothed Me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not." In this prophecy of Christ’s return, the King appears in glory, sits on His throne, and separates the nations like sheep from goats. The righteous “sheep” showed genuine compassion to the needy, often unaware they were serving Jesus Himself. He radically identifies with the vulnerable: “the least of these my brethren.” In contrast, the “goats” hear the terrifying words: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire.” This pronounces eternal separation from God. The fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, represents the final, unending punishment for those who align with Satan’s rebellion through unrepent...
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selfless worship

Matthew 25:37-40 "37 Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave Thee drink? 38 When saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? or naked, and clothed Thee? 39 Or when saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me." These verses form a powerful message Jesus delivered just before His final Passover. In this prophecy of His return, the King appears in divine glory with all His angels, sits on His throne, and gathers all nations before Him. He then separates humanity into two groups: the righteous “sheep” and the wicked “goats.” The sheep’s surprised response reveals a profound truth: authentic compassion is often unaware of its own merit. They served not for reward or recognition, but from genuine love and faith. Their acts of feeding the ...
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help Jesus

Matthew 25:33-36 "33 And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave Me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took Me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed Me: I was sick, and ye visited Me: I was in prison, and ye came unto Me." Right before Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week, He shared this prophecy with His Disciples about when He returns as King and Judge. He comes in divine glory with all the angels, sits on His throne, and gathers every person from all nations—both the living and the resurrected—before Him. There He separates humanity into two groups: the righteous (“sheep”) and the wicked (“goats”). Symbolism of Right and Left: The sheep are placed on His right (a position of honor and acceptance)...
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separate them

Matthew 25:31&32 "31 When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: 32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:" Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday, marking Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. This week we remember His journey to the cross, the grave, and His resurrection on Easter morning. Right before that, these verses in Matthew show Jesus returning as King and Judge. He comes in divine glory with all the angels, sits on His throne, and gathers every person from all nations—both the living and the resurrected—before Him. There He separates humanity into two groups: the righteous (“sheep”) and the wicked (“goats”), as decisively as a shepherd separates his flock coming in from the field at end of the day.
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accept His call

Luke 13:8&9 "8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." As we conclude Lent, Jesus shares the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree. A vineyard owner wants to cut down a fruitless tree, but the gardener intercedes. In verse 8, the gardener—representing Jesus or faithful ministers—pleads with the owner (God the Father) to spare the tree for one more year: “Let it alone this year also.” The Greek word aphes (“let it alone”) also means “forgive,” highlighting divine patience and grace. The gardener promises to dig around the tree and fertilize it, symbolizing spiritual cultivation through repentance, teaching, and care. Mercy is extended, but it comes with expected action. Verse 9 adds the condition: “If it bears fruit, well; but if not, you may cut it down.” God’s patience has limits. Persistent unfruitfulness leads to judgment, urgin...
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