What if You Were Serving Jesus?

As my husband was parking the car so my family and I could get ice cream, we saw a homeless man in need. 

In the past, there were times when I had not helped someone in need but this time as I looked at the man in such despair, Jesus brought a question to my mind: What if I were serving Jesus? 

What would I do? Would I look the other way… or help? 

This immediately changed my heart and how I responded in that moment. Instead of doing nothing, I helped that man by giving him some money and he was beyond grateful. 

Jesus wants us to always treat and take care of all people as if they were him, as he says we should love our neighbors as ourselves. The sick, homeless, poor, widows, everyone… no matter what. 

We should never turn our backs on others in need. 

We need to change our thinking to ask ourselves this question so we can love others as he did, even if it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient. What you do to another, you do to Jesus.

What Does It Mean to Serve God?

To serve God is to love others as he did. Jesus demonstrated this in his ministry on earth. 

He served people by healing those in need who were sick, provided food to the hungry, and instructed others. He lived his life as a servant; therefore, we should too. 

Serving God means denying yourself and doing what he wants you to do. It is following his commands and instructions in the Bible. 

Surrender and obedience are needed to be a true servant of the Lord. Jesus laid down his life. You need to lay down your life to him and be doing God’s work, all for his glory. 

You have to think about others and not yourself, knowing the Lord will take care of you as you obey him in this manner. The Holy Spirit will help you to be able to serve Jesus in this way. 

You can do it. You are not alone. He will empower you, each and every day. 

What Did Jesus Say About Serving Others?

Serving others as if they were Jesus comes from Matthew 25:40 in the Bible. This is one of the Bible verses about helping others in need. It is a part of a parable. 

“And the King will answer them, ‘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, ESV) 

If you serve those who need help, you are honoring God—loving him as he loves all people. He made them all in his image, like him. If you choose not to, then you are slighting Jesus. 

Proverbs 14:31 shares this as well, and is in relation to Matthew 25:40. Because God made people in his image, if someone doesn’t help them in their time of need then they are turning their back on him as well. 

We need to serve that person in front of us as if they were Jesus himself. This parable by Jesus helps us remember that what we do matters. What you do to another, you do to Jesus. 

We need to give our life to Jesus, do what Jesus wants us to do, follow him, be his disciple. This separates us to be in eternity with him.

Those who follow Jesus, that are his children already, will be with him in eternity upon the final judgment and will “inherit the kingdom prepared for you” as stated in Matthew 25:34. 

If we love others we will gain much in eternity for what we do. How we love others matters so much to him because of his great love for people. Remember to have this eternal perspective. 

What if You Were Serving Jesus?

Serving Jesus Christ is to love others. When this feels really hard, you can remember Matthew 25:40 to help you. 

You will serve out of love for Jesus. You will serve that person with such care, love, compassion and gentleness. 

Thinking of what you are doing for them is what you are doing for Christ will change you. Because you love Jesus so much, you will be able to love them no matter what.  

You can help the poor, the widowed, the homeless and the sick as he wants you to. 

There are many practical ways to serve God by loving others. Below, you can find some of the ways you can be serving Jesus by serving others. 

1. Feeding Those in Need

If Jesus were hungry, would you feed him? 

One way you can serve Jesus practically is to feed people who are hungry, and give them something to drink as well, as he did. 

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” (Matthew 25:35, ESV) 

If you do this to others, you are doing it for Jesus. And you can do this in big and small ways. 

You can volunteer somewhere by serving food, or donating some. You can help an individual or family in need by cooking a meal for them or buying them groceries. Or you can provide food to someone who is homeless. 

There are so many ways you can serve people in this manner.

2. Helping Strangers in Need

What if Jesus were a stranger? Would you help him? 

Another way to be serving Jesus is being kind and loving to strangers. 

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” (Matthew 25:35, ESV) 

You need to be kind and loving to people you don’t know, and treat them with care when they are in need. Don’t turn away. Help people you see in need, even if they are a stranger. 

This can look like helping someone if they need directions or tending to someone who is injured. 

Maybe it’s a family you don’t know personally, but you were told that they are in need. If you can help, do it. Think about how you are doing it to Jesus. 

3. Giving Clothes to Those in Need

What if Jesus were in need of clothes? Would you clothe him? 

Another way of serving the Lord is giving clothes away to those in need. 

“I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:36, ESV) 

Think: what if that were Jesus? Look in your closet and see what you don’t wear. Give it to those in need. If you see someone on the street with no shoes, offer to give them some. 

4. Helping Those Who Are Sick

What if Jesus were sick? Would you tend to him? 

You can serve Christ by taking care of people who are sick. 

“I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:36, ESV) 

You can bring someone sick food, spend time with them, listen to them, pray for them, help them do their laundry, or help them with their children. 

Serving God faithfully includes asking yourself: what if you were serving Jesus? Keeping this question in your mind helps you live out Matthew 25:40. 

It is looking at the person in need in front of you and treating them as if they were Jesus. It is choosing to love them as if they were him. 

This will allow you to serve that person with love and compassion, which will allow you to be judged well. This is the will of God. 

Some of the ways you can practically do this include feeding the hungry, helping strangers in need, giving clothes to those in need, and tending to those who are sick. We should serve Jesus in this way. 

It is not always easy, but there are so many benefits of serving Jesus. It bears so much fruit in you. This is by forming you into the image of Christ, to be like him, by changing you from the inside out. Service changes your heart and character to be Christlike. 

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Konradt, Matthias, and M. Eugene Boring. The Gospel According to Matthew: A Commentary. 1st ed. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2020.