Coty Pinckney [Sunday’s sermon included eight statements summarizing Jesus’ teaching, as it culminates in the story of the sheep and the goats:
- Jesus is the King
- Your Eternal Destiny Depends on Jesus
- Those in the Kingdom are Blessed by God
- Those in the Kingdom Inherit the Kingdom
- Those in the Kingdom Walk with the King
- Those in the Kingdom are the King
- Those in the Kingdom Love Those in the Kingdom
- Those Not in the Kingdom will Suffer with Satan
The sixth statement is easily misunderstood. A more accurate summary statement would be “Those in the Kingdom are the Body of the King.” Here is an expanded and clarified version of that point – Coty]
‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
(Matthew 25:40)
What is Jesus saying here?
First, let’s clarify who “my brothers” are.
Some time previously Jesus’ mother and half-brothers came to see Him. While He was teaching, someone informed Him of their presence. Jesus replied:
“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:48-50)
Jesus says those who are disciples, those who obey the Father, are in His intimate family. These are His brothers.
Similarly, in Matthew 28 the risen Jesus speaks to the women at the tomb, saying, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 28:10). Jesus isn’t instructing them to tell everyone they see, or every Jew they see, or His physical half-brothers to go to Galilee. Rather, Jesus is calling those who follow Him, those who obey Him, to go to Galilee. These are His brothers. These are the people Jesus identifies with so closely that whatever you do to one of them is done to Jesus.
Our Lord makes a similar statement in Matthew 10, when He sends out His followers to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand: “Whoever receives you receives me” (Matthew 10:40). Someone who welcomes and shows hospitality to Jesus’ followers is indeed receiving Him.
Furthermore, recall what the risen Christ says to Saul (soon to be renamed Paul) on the road to Damascus:
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:4-5)
Who was Saul persecuting? As far as we know, Saul never encountered Jesus during His earthly life. However, we learn in Acts 8:
Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (Acts 8:3)
Saul is persecuting the church, the followers of Jesus – and Jesus says, “You are persecuting ME!” As Saul did it to one of the least of these, Jesus’ brothers, he did it to Jesus.
So Jesus’ followers not only take on His character. They not only are welcomed into the Kingdom. They not only are His subjects. They not only are His agents, His ambassadors. They are His Body (1 Corinthians 12:27, Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:29-30). And as His Body, a good deed done to them is done to Jesus. Harm done to them is harm done to Jesus.
Now push this a little further. Each part of the body has an ability and a responsibility to serve the rest of the body. The eye can see, helping the foot know where to step. The digestive system breaks down food into nutrients the entire body needs.
If you follow Jesus, if you treasure Him, if you see Him as your Savior and Lord, you are part of Him, part of His Body. And because of that identity, because of the blessing of what God has done for you by grace, you now are able to meet some needs of the Body of Christ – and so to serve Jesus, who has no needs in and of Himself.
- So when you visit your sick brother or sister in Christ – you are ministering to the Body of Jesus.
- When you provide food to a hungry follower of Christ – you are feeding the Body of Jesus.
- When you help your persecuted fellow believer – you are aiding the Body of Jesus.
- And, when you are hurt or sick or hungry or persecuted for His sake, and others minister to you – they are ministering to the Body of Jesus.
Marvel at these truths – and then step out to love your brothers and sisters, because He first loved you. Love like Jesus. Love the Body of Jesus.