When I Work Together With Others, I Can Maximize My Impact

In review of Matthew 25:40 it says, “I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me” (NCV).

Bottom Line:

What we do for others, we do as if it was for Jesus.

What this means to me:

What I do in serving and caring for the needs of others, is like doing it for Jesus. Just this fact should affect my attitude and actions.

Matthew 25:31-46 speaks of Jesus’ final judgment. In summary when Jesus returns, he will sit upon his glorious throne. All will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place sheep at his right and goats on his left. Then he will say to those on his right, '”come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For when I was hungry, you fed me, I was thirsty you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. You provided clothing and cared for me." For Those he separated on his right were actually doing this for Him as they served and took care of others needs. Those on the left ignored those in need. Therefore he will send them away to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.

This means that when His final judgment comes, he will separate his obedient follows from the pretenders and unbelievers. The real evidence of my belief is the way I act. To treat all people I encounter as if they were Jesus is no easy task. What I do for others demonstrates what I really think about Jesus' words to: Feed the hungry, give the homeless a place to stay, look after the sick. This morning I need to consider how well do my actions separate me from pretenders and unbelievers?

In summary, the parable told here describes acts of mercy I can do everyday. These acts to do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence; they are simple acts freely given and freely received. I have no excuse to neglect those who have deep needs, and I cannot hand over this responsibility to the church or government. Jesus demands my personal involvement in caring for the needs of others.

While these are things I can do on my own, it also ties back to working with others to accomplish God’s will. For when I work together with others, I can maximize my Impact. I’m reminded again this morning this verse from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 which says, “Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together. If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. If two lie down together, they will be warm, but a person alone will not be warm. An enemy might defeat one person, but two people together can defend themselves; a rope that is woven of three strings is hard to break” (NCV).

This passage has a lot to say about serving with others in ministry, but it can be summarized in three statements:

1. When I work together with others, I maximize my impact.

Collectively we get more done. If I want to make a global impact with my life? Then I need to live and do it with other people in my church, because what I with them together as the Body of Christ will be far more significant than what I can do individually. One drop of rain doesn’t make a big difference on a desert, but a million drops of rain can turn that desert into a garden.

2. When I work together with others, I minimize failure.

As Verse 10 asks, when I’m serving on my own and I fall down, who’s going to pick me up? When I serve together and one person falls down, the other people just pick him up. Doesn’t that make a simple but profound point? I need to work with others to encourage each other and minimize our failures.

3. When I work together with others, we collectively can mobilize our resources.

When I pool my resources and funds, they go further. I can share the blanket, and two people will stay warm instead of one.

In Matthew 25:40, Jesus taught, “I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me” (NCV).