Matthew 25

Thesis

Matthew 25:31-46 contains one of Jesus’ most direct teachings about judgment and care for the marginalized. In this passage, Jesus identifies himself with “the least of these”—the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned. How we treat these people is how we treat Jesus. This teaching is central to our movement’s call to serve the poor and marginalized.

The Complete Teaching

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

“Then the King will tell those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. 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 a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in? Or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?’

“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

“Then he will say also to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me drink; I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me in; I was naked, and you didn’t clothe me; I was sick, and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’

“Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t help you?’

“Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn’t do it to one of the least of these, you didn’t do it to me.’ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” - Matthew 25:31-46

Why This Teaching Matters

This is one of Jesus’ clearest teachings about judgment and action. It shows that:

Faith is measured by action - Not by what we say, but by what we do
Jesus identifies with the marginalized - Serving them is serving Jesus
Care for the poor is not optional - It’s central to following Jesus
Judgment is based on action - What we do matters

This teaching is the foundation for our work serving the poor, sick, and imprisoned.

The Six Areas of Need

1. The Hungry

What Jesus Says: “I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat.”

What This Means:

Jesus identifies with those who are hungry
Providing food is serving Jesus
Food insecurity is a real problem we must address

Action Steps:

See Serve the Poor for practical guides
Start or support a food pantry or meal program
Advocate for policies that address food insecurity
Donate to organizations fighting hunger
Share meals with those in need

2. The Thirsty

What Jesus Says: “I was thirsty, and you gave me drink.”

What This Means:

Access to clean water is a basic human right
Providing water is serving Jesus
Water insecurity affects many communities

Action Steps:

Support organizations providing clean water
Advocate for water access policies
Donate to water projects
Be aware of water issues in your community

See Also: Serve the Poor, Policy

3. The Stranger

What Jesus Says: “I was a stranger, and you took me in.”

What This Means:

Jesus identifies with immigrants and refugees
Welcoming strangers is welcoming Jesus
Hospitality is a central Christian practice

Action Steps:

Welcome immigrants and refugees in your community
Support organizations serving newcomers
Advocate for just immigration policies
Practice hospitality in your daily life
Build relationships across cultural boundaries

See Also: Serve the Poor, Policy, Community

4. The Naked

What Jesus Says: “I was naked, and you clothed me.”

What This Means:

Jesus identifies with those who lack basic necessities
Providing clothing is serving Jesus
Basic needs must be met

Action Steps:

Donate clothing to those in need
Support organizations providing clothing
Advocate for policies that address poverty
Be aware of needs in your community

5. The Sick

What Jesus Says: “I was sick, and you visited me.”

What This Means:

Jesus identifies with those who are sick
Visiting the sick is visiting Jesus
Healthcare access is a justice issue

Action Steps:

See Serve the Poor for practical guides
Visit those who are sick
Support healthcare access initiatives
Advocate for healthcare policies that serve all
Volunteer at hospitals or healthcare facilities

6. The Imprisoned

What Jesus Says: “I was in prison, and you came to me.”

What This Means:

Jesus identifies with those in prison
Visiting prisoners is visiting Jesus
Criminal justice is a justice issue

Action Steps:

Visit those in prison
Support prison ministry programs
Advocate for criminal justice reform
Work for alternatives to incarceration
Support reentry programs

See Also: Serve the Poor, Policy

Key Principles

1. Jesus Identifies with the Marginalized

Jesus doesn’t just care about the poor—he identifies with them. Serving them is serving him. This transforms how we see service.

Action: See Jesus in every person in need. Serve them as you would serve Jesus.

2. Faith is Measured by Action

This passage makes it clear: judgment is based on what we do, not just what we believe. Faith without works is dead.

Action: Measure your faith by your actions. Are you serving the least of these?

See Also: Active Faith

3. Care for the Poor is Central

This is not a peripheral teaching—it’s central. How we treat the marginalized reveals our faith.

Action: Make serving the poor central to your faith practice.

See Also: Serve the Poor

4. Judgment is Based on Action

The sheep and goats are separated by what they did, not what they believed. Action matters.

Action: Don’t just believe—act. Serve the least of these.

5. We May Not Recognize Jesus

The righteous didn’t recognize they were serving Jesus. We serve not to be seen, but because it’s right.

Action: Serve without expecting recognition. Serve because it’s what Jesus calls us to do.

Practical Application

Personal Action

This Week:

Identify one area of need in your community
Take one action to serve the least of these
Visit someone who is sick or in prison
Donate food, clothing, or resources

This Month:

Commit to regular service in one area
Build relationships with those in need
Advocate for policies that serve the marginalized
Join or start a service initiative

Ongoing:

Make serving the least of these a regular practice
Measure your life against this teaching
Build community around service
Advocate for justice

Community Action

Start a Service Initiative:

Identify needs in your community
Gather a team
Create a plan
Take action
Sustain and grow

See Also: Community, Community Projects

Policy Action

Advocate for Policies That Serve the Marginalized:

Support policies that address poverty
Advocate for healthcare access
Work for criminal justice reform
Support immigration justice
Address food and water insecurity

Connection to Our Movement

This teaching is central to our movement:

Compassion & Care - This is our core principle
Active Faith - Faith is measured by action
Serving the Poor - This is our primary action area
Policy - We advocate for policies that serve the marginalized
Community - We build community around service

See Also: Action, Policy, Community