Study Guide
Be the Church
This Sunday, Pastor Dishan Wickramaratne invites us to reflect on a core question of discipleship: Can God depend on you? Drawing from the Gospel of Luke, we will explore what it truly means to build our lives upon the firm foundation of obedience to Christ—rather than merely listening to His words. Pastor Dishan serves as the Senior Pastor of People’s Church Assembly of God in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Newbreak’s Sermon Study Guide is an in-house resource that serves sermon-based Life Groups and/or individuals who want to reflect further on how the message contributes to their spiritual formation.
Icebreaker Questions
- What is one thing you really enjoyed about the summer season this year?
- What is one thing you look forward to moving into the fall?
- If God wrote you a personal note today, what do you think He would want to say to you?
Read Matthew 25:31-46 (CSB)
See Jesus in the needs of those around you.
Matthew 25 is part of the final teachings of Jesus before His arrest. In Matthew 24–25, commonly known as the Olivet Discourse, Jesus speaks about the end of the age, His return, and the signs that will lead up to it. In this section, Jesus refers to Himself as the “Son of Man, ” a title that comes from Daniel 7 and is the name Jesus gives Himself.
During the Olivet Discourse, Jesus describes two groups of people and how those groups respond to those in need. According to Jesus, in the last days people will be known as either sheep or goats. The sheep are those who view the needs of others as opportunities to provide care and concern. More specifically, the sheep are those who feed, clothe, and visit those in need, living out Christlike compassion. The goats are those who withhold compassion from those in need.
As sheep, we are called not only to recognize the needs of others but also to see that every need is an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus reinforces this idea, saying, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. ” The next time you see someone in need, remember—this is an opportunity to live out active compassion. This compassion is not only received by those in need, but is also received as if it were offered to Jesus Himself.
Discussion Questions
- When was the last time you felt prompted to help someone in need but hesitated or walked away? What held you back, and what can we learn from that moment?
- How does God’s love for the lost shape the way you love others?
- Share a time when someone’s act of kindness toward you (big or small) impacted your faith or perspective. How might your own simple acts toward “the least of these” have a ripple effect for God’s Kingdom?
Respond with tangible compassion.
When the King invites those on His right—the righteous sheep—to inherit the Kingdom, their works are listed in verses 35–36.
The righteous are willing to give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, shelter to the needy, clothes to the naked, care for the sick, and visits to those locked away in prisons. Their love is active—not built on well wishes, but on tangible acts of compassion.
The list of their actions is not exhaustive, but it is descriptive of the kind of life they choose to live. Like their Master, Jesus, they choose to live sacrificially, generously, and selflessly.
There are two additional things to note. First, the King does not measure their lives by the things they own, the jobs they hold, or the education they have accrued, but by the lives they have impacted through practical and loving actions. Looking back on their lives, these men and women leave a wake of transformed people because they choose to act with tangible compassion.
Second, Jesus points out that their actions are seen as acts of love for Him as much as for the people they care for. When they do these things for the least in this world, they are actually doing them for Him (vv. 37–40).
This is a great encouragement for all of us to reevaluate how we show our love to others.
Discussion Questions
- When you think about your own life, which of these acts of compassion comes most naturally to you? Which is most challenging? Why?
- What does this passage teach us about the difference between intentions and actions in loving others?
- How can our group encourage and support one another to live out this kind of love consistently?
Serve with an eternal perspective.
Matthew 25:32–34 shows that Jesus is both Savior in the present and Judge in the future. Like a shepherd separating sheep from goats, He will distinguish between those who belong to Him and those who do not. The picture in Matthew 25:32-34 describes a moment of both ultimate accountability and ultimate reward.
Jesus knows the true nature of our lives and our hearts. The “sheep” are not rewarded for perfection, but for a life that flows from their relationship with the Shepherd. The phrase “inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” tells us that God’s plan for His people is eternal, intentional, and rooted in love.
We are called to live with an eternal perspective—not simply because of potential future judgment, but because of the guaranteed hope of a future inheritance in the presence of God.
Discussion Questions
- This passage describes all nations being gathered before Jesus. How does imagining yourself standing before Christ shape the way you live today?
- The King says, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” How does the truth that God has been preparing His Kingdom for you change your view of who He is?
- If Jesus could return at any moment, what changes—big or small —would you make in your priorities, relationships, or daily habits this week?
Current Sermon Series
Being part of a family gives you a sense of belonging. And getting to know a family shows you their unique ways of doing things. Being part of God's family is similar. There are rhythms of how we move through our week and lives. Join us in this series as we give you a three-part strategy of how to get the most out of being part of God's family!