JUDGED ACCORDING TO OUR DEEDS
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.”
Matthew 16:24-27 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Jesus lays out the conditions for us (and the disciples) to follow him. He wants His disciples, and us, to know there is an expectation placed on being a follower of Jesus.
Being a follower of Jesus is more than saying a prayer, filling out a card, or being baptized in water. While those may be part of the process the end goal of following Jesus is to do what Jesus created us to do.
Jesus told us that when He returns, he “will judge all people according to their deeds.”
We are not saved by what we do—we are saved by faith in the Lord Jesus and through the grace of God. But, because we are saved, we should have a desire to serve others and advance God’s kingdom through the gifts, talents, and abilities God has given to us.
As a follower of Christ my sins have been erased at the cross of Jesus. I will never be judged by God for the sins I have confessed and repented of. But I will have to give an answer for what I did with what I was given.
Did I use the talents, gifts, abilities, and resources God put in my life to advance His kingdom and serve others or did I use them simply to advance my lifestyle? This is why Jesus talked about giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Him.
The cross is a place of death. Death to our selfishness, pride, and materialism. When we take up the cross, we are humbling ourselves and choosing to think more of others than of ourselves.
As a follower of Christ, I should be constantly looking for opportunities to serve others. This should be done not in a way to seek recognition or applause but in a genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others.
Your way of serving may be totally different than mine. But if we each do our part the kingdom of God will advance, and people will be changed by our hands that express God’s heart.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to see those I can serve. Help me to daily look for opportunities to make a difference for others.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
I want to express God’s heart through my hands.