Holy Wednesday: The Last Parable

Holy Week Reading Plan: Matthew 24-25

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There are 40 parables in the Gospels. A parable is a short story that teaches a spiritual principle. The last parable Jesus teaches in the book of Matthew is “The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats” (Matthew 25:32-46). 

In this parable, the Shepherd King separated His followers like sheep and goats. He put one group on His right and one group on His left.

The group on the left shunned people in need. The group on the right served people in need. They gave water to the thirsty, fed the hungry, welcomed strangers, clothed the naked and poor, looked after the sick, and/or visited prisoners. 

Verse 40 reads, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (NIV). 

The phase “the least of these” refers to people in need:

• The stranger
• The hungry
• The prisoner
• The naked
• The thirsty

During His time on earth, Jesus was the least of these:

• When His family fled to Egypt, Jesus was the stranger (Matthew 2:13–23).
• When He was tempted in the desert, Jesus was the hungry (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-11).
• When He was arrested at Gethsemane, Jesus was the prisoner (Matthew 26: 47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 47-53; John 18:1-14)
• When the Roman Soldiers divided up His clothes, Jesus was the naked (Matthew 27:35).
• When He hung on the cross, Jesus was the thirsty (John 19:28). 

Whenever we serve people in need, it is as if we are serving Jesus. 

As Christians, one of the ways we can connect with God is by serving others. As Christian leaders, we can help other Christians connect with God by sharing opportunities to serve others.

Think about it: Are there groups in your community that feed the hungry, welcome strangers, clothe the poor, look after the sick, and/or visit prisoners? How can you serve with them?