When Did We Do All Of These Things For You?

Have you ever wondered about this very well known passage in Scripture where Jesus talks about the dialogue that will take place on Judgment Day? You may have asked yourself, well, if it is written in Scripture and we already know Jesus’ response to our question, why would we still ask? “When did we do all of these things for You?”

I think the answer is because, we have no idea yet, not even in our wildest imaginations, what it will be like to stand in the presence of the Lord. Think back to the transfiguration of Jesus Christ when Moses and Elijah appeared to Him on the mountain and the dark cloud came upon them followed up by God saying, “This is My Son with Whom I am well pleased–listen to Him!” and the Scriptures say that Peter, James, and John fell on their face, terrified.

Then fast-forward to the book of Revelation when Jesus appeared to the apostle John in his vision, and he fell at His feet as though he were dead.

I think we will be in such amazement by the appearance of Christ, and will be filled with so much awe and adoration, that we will feel compelled to say those very words: “Lord, when have we done these things for You?

”When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne. The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”

Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink? When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?” The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”

Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?” The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.” Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.”
Matthew 25:31-46