Can you think of a time somebody loved you without expecting anything? Can you say you have seen God in others through the way they were loving their neighbor?
When I meditate on these questions, I cannot help but remember…
- One of my college friends kneeling to change my bloody bandages after I had a dramatic bicycle accident.
- The time my best friend took a flight to Costa Rica (my home country) to surprise me at my engagement party.
- My mom cooking my favorite meal every time I visit her.
- The days I cried in my husband´s arms because I felt lost and frustrated.
- That one friend from church who sends a 3-minute voice note for my birthday every year.
I am sure you too have many stories about experiencing love in unique ways.
If there is something each of these interactions taught me it is that Jesus places people in our lives to see Him. He also reminds us that we are not meant to do life in isolation. He does not need our good works, but our neighbor does.
Seeing the Lord in others is often humbling, scandalous, and unexpected. His second commandment “love your neighbor as yourself” is meant to teach us something we can´t fully grasp.
God asks sinners to love other sinners and somehow through these interactions he fulfills his purposes and blesses us. Have you thought about this? How is this possible?
What if we dive into 3 core truths about loving your neighbor as yourself? Through the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 Jesus teaches what loving your neighbor is all about.
Key notes
- We cannot be justified by works of the Law, but my neighbor needs my good works.
- Loving your neighbor as yourself can only be fulfilled in the freedom of the Gospel. We love others because Christ loved us first.
- Loving your neighbor the way God commands is scandalous and surprising.
- What may seem insignificant to you, is what Jesus sees and counts as love for the neighbor.
But first, let’s set the scene:
The parable starts by introducing the Son of Man in all his glory. He sits on the throne to complete one task. He separates people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The sheep will go on his right and the goats on his left (25:31-33).
As you might expect, both groups are here to receive final judgment, but what is the judgment about? What will the Son of Man declare to them? Who are the sheep, and who are the goats? Let´s find out…
Truth #1: We cannot be justified by works of the Law, but my neighbor needs my good works.
It is tempting to interpret this parable concerning the Law and our ability to obey it. We might think that if we help the most vulnerable, we are the good sheep, but if we disregard them, we are the goats.
However, this isn´t what the parable is about. Instead, you are presented with two groups doing the same actions, but their motivations and the people they love are the factors that separate them.
First, the King calls the sheep and gives them the reward that was prepared for them all along before He even mentions their good works. “‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world (25:34)”
Why are these sheep righteous and rewarded? Only because the King says so. Before the foundation of the world, before these sheep were even born, The Father decided to bless them and reward them with an eternal inheritance.
We love our neighbors not to obtain a reward or to be more approved before God but only because God calls us to bless others for their benefit
Truth #2: Loving your neighbor as yourself can only be fulfilled in the freedom of the Gospel. We love others because Christ loved us first.
The Lord gave the commandments to his people fully knowing that they would break them. Whenever God asks us to love our neighbors, He does not cross his fingers hoping that we might get it right this time. He doesn’t give us a pep talk to remind us how good we are and how we can love others with our strength.
Instead, He reminds us that love for the neighbor is a fruit of faith in the one who loved us first. The only reason we are capable of loving our neighbors is because through Christ we are free from death and condemnation. Such love from the Father produces the necessary faith to bless those around us.
In the parable, the King describes the times when he was in need:
| Message to the sheep | Message to the goats |
|---|---|
| “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” (25:35-36). | “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 welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me’” (25:42-43). |
Let’s take a look at how each group answered:
| The sheep | The goats |
|---|---|
| “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?’” (25: 37-39). | “Then they also will answer, 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?’” (25:44). |
Did you notice the difference?
On one hand, the sheep did not even realize when they helped Jesus in all these ways. Their answer is: When did we do this? The sheep did not rely on their efforts. In loving their neighbor, they weren´t seeking recognition. Instead, the freedom they received through the Gospel allowed them to serve the Lord sincerely. They served without expecting any recompense.
On the other hand, the goats were already expecting to be rewarded. They trusted their merits to be justified. Their answer is: When did we not do this? In thinking they were serving God; they were only growing in self-righteousness.
In Christ, we are no longer slaves of the Law. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and in Him, we are free from the need to perform.
Truth #3: Loving your neighbor the way God commands is scandalous and surprising.
Whenever I meditate on my efforts to love my neighbor, I often consider myself doing a decent job.
I try to treat each person with kindness and respect, seek to volunteer regularly, contribute to my favorite not-for-profit, distribute food to people living on the streets, and the list goes on.
While these are significant opportunities to bless others, I am often tempted to seek righteousness in them. Why? Well, because these are visible actions that are often recognized by others.
What is scandalous about this parable is that the King rewards what nobody believes is worth rewarding. Those who approach the throne confident in what they have done for Christ, are punished. However, those who come before the King in faith without expecting recognition are the ones who are exalted in the end.
So, this is the King´s final judgment for them:
| For the sheep | For the goats |
|---|---|
| “And 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’” (25:40). | “Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me’” (25:45). |
God sees what nobody sees and is present in the least of these. Both the sheep and the goats did good works for their neighbors. The difference is who they served.
While the goats pursued great and visible works hoping to be counted as righteous, the sheep dedicated their lives to serve in all ways but especially in small and quiet ways.
What does it mean to love my neighbor in the parable then?
The Lord calls us to serve and love all people, especially; the people He has placed in our path, the people we live with, and the people we worship with. His body and His church.
- Bringing food to share for church fellowship serves the least of these.
- Answering the phone for a struggling friend is serving the least of these.
- Helping with tables and moving books for a church service is serving the least of these.
- Serving water bottles to friends on a hot day supports the least of these.
- Reaching out to people who haven’t been attending church serves the least of these.
Now, should I stop volunteering with my community or giving to my charity of preference? By any means. However, this parable reminds us that what may seem insignificant to you, is what Jesus sees and counts as love for the neighbor.
As noble as our good deeds may look, we cannot be justified by them. They can provide temporal recognition but never eternal life. Whenever you are tempted to bring your good deeds to God, remember that you are already justified in Christ. And because of such sacrificial love, we can now serve and love others in freedom and faith.
Rest in this truth and ask the Lord to help you go out of your way for others. He is in your neighbors and whatever you do to them you also do it to your God.
My Prayer for You
“Dear Father, I pray for the woman who is tempted to boast in her good works. Remind her that in Christ she can find rest and salvation apart from her efforts. Help her find joy in the simple and small acts of service. Put people in her path that she can love and serve well. May your word produce faith and faith good fruit to benefit her neighbors. In your name. Amen”
For Reflection
Read Matthew 5:14-15
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so thatthey may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
- Have I confused shining my light with performing for approval? What’s the difference?
- What would change if I actually believed my life could help someone else see Jesus more clearly?
- What small, quiet act of obedience could be a “light” to someone else today?
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