“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
“Then they also will answer [a]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ — Matthew 25:41-45.
Men, at the end of the tribulation, after the sheep are gathered to His right and goats to His left, Jesus will say to those on His left, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels”. Jesus was given no food while hungry, no drink when thirsty, nor was any other charitable deed done on His behalf. Jesus, with Holy Spirit, searches out the heart of mankind. Jesus grants opportunity for those desiring to be His to be His hands and feet.
If we reject Him here, deny Him here, or disregard Him here, an everlasting fire awaits. “Everlasting” here is as long as the eternity that those on His right will experience.
Those on His left ask when they missed an opportunity to serve Jesus. Jesus answered, when they failed “to do unto the least of these”. Interestingly, this judgment is not about the violation of a command or statute. This judgment is poured out upon the sin of idleness. They did nothing, when they should have done something.
Today, in our time, it is becoming more and more common to withdraw from the world around us and hide behind our castle doors where we have everything brought to us. We numb ourselves to the pain and brokenness around us by immersing ourselves into sports, entertainment and small cliques of like minded peers. Obviously, no one among us can be everything to everyone, everywhere at every time. But to those on His left, the indictment reads, they did nothing. What can you do? And will you?
Move forward men, feeding, clothing, visiting and praying for those in need. We may not have more than a whole hearted hug for a brother in need. So be it. Let that man be held with the love of Jesus through you. Do something, for something for someone in need is more than doing nothing, and doing nothing is damning. Where is Christ’s heart broken within your reach? Go and serve.
Vance Durrance
