Scary Words for Christians

            If you are a Christian and you want to read something scary, try Matthew 25: 31-46.  Take a few minutes and read these verses.  Then take a few minutes to ask yourself some questions.  Is this passage a message to me?  Is Jesus talking about something I should be doing?  Does Jesus mean these words literally? How am I going to respond to these words?

            If we call ourselves followers of Christ (Christians), then we need to hear the words of our Master. These words are spoken by Jesus himself, and He is talking to people who claim to be His followers.  These words are clearly addressed to us.  Jesus is talking to me and to you.

            He is telling us that we do not have to wait until some future time to see Him.  We can see Him today. He is telling us that He is in need, and how we respond to that need is going to determine whether He knows us or not on that day in the future.  He is talking about a day of judgment when many will be surprised, some in a positive way, and some in a very awful way.

            Imagine standing before Jesus Christ, in all His universal glory, and imagine that He is speaking these words to you.  How will you respond?  Have you seen Christ in the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, the imprisoned, the sick?  Or, like many of us, have you ignored those around us who are in need, waiting instead to see Jesus when He returns?

            I hear many debates about the Second Coming, but I think He wants to know what we have done for Him today.  In your community there are many in need; there are some who are hungry, there are some who are sick, and there are probably some who are in prison.  When we visited those prisoners in that Dominican jail, we saw men who were hopeless, many who were infected with HIV, some who were without hope.  In some of their faces, we felt that we saw the face of our Lord.

            Where will you find Him today?  Will you look for Him, and try to help Him when you find Him?  We may be surprised to discover that there is great joy in meeting Him, even today!