Others: Part 1

At the heart of today's message lies a profound yet simple truth from Luke 6:31: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' While these words roll easily off our tongues, living them out proves far more challenging. We're invited to explore what it truly means to treat others the way we want to be treated—not just in word, but in deed. The sermon draws us into Matthew 25:31-40, where Jesus reveals a stunning reality: when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit prisoners, we're actually serving Christ Himself. This isn't metaphorical—Jesus explicitly says that whatever we do for 'the least of these,' we do for Him. The message challenges us with a powerful principle attributed to Salvation Army founder William Booth: 'You cannot warm the hearts of people with God's love if they have an empty stomach and cold feet.' This becomes our rallying cry to move beyond comfortable Christianity into active compassion. We're reminded that approximately 673 million people worldwide experience hunger, and that God notices every act of kindness we extend to the poor and needy. The beautiful promise from Isaiah 58:10-11 assures us that when we offer ourselves to assist the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, our own darkness will become like midday, and we'll be like a well-watered garden. The call is clear: serve like we're serving Jesus, give like we're giving to Jesus, and pray for people like we're praying to Jesus—because in truth, we are.