Today's text:
Monday, January 25
To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.—Matt. 25:40.
Early in his discourse found in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Jesus indicated that the sign of his presence would include a remarkable feature—the good news of the Kingdom would “be preached in all the inhabited earth.” (Matt. 24:14) And just prior to talking about the sheep and the goats, he related the illustration of the talents. Jesus gave that illustration to stress to his spirit-anointed disciples, his “brothers,” that they must zealously engage in the preaching work. However, the small number of anointed ones left on earth during Jesus’ presence face an enormous challenge—that of preaching to “all the nations” before the end comes. The illustration of the sheep and the goats shows that the anointed would have help. Therefore, a primary way that those judged to be sheep show kindness to Christ’s brothers is by supporting them in the preaching work. w15 3/15 4:9, 10
Hmm... let us now consider the full text:
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. 35 For I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; 36 naked and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 In reply the King will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Obviously, Jesus was talking about acts of kindness toward others, NOT preaching! The lesson of the illustration of the talents is to use resources entrusted to you wisely so that you would not be held accountable, NOT natural talents given to you by God to be used in preaching as interpreted by WT! Preaching = salvation? Nope!!!