ESOCS Devotional 22 January 2026 -Marked By Mercy, Divided By Deeds
MEMORY VERSE: “He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” Matthew 25:33 NIV
TEXT: MATTHEW 25:31–END
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
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Jesus paints a sobering image of final judgment. The King Jesus Himself separates people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. This symbolic act reveals a divine distinction: one based not on mere words or religious affiliation, but on deeds that reflect the heart of God. The sheep, marked by mercy, are welcomed into eternal life; the goats, divided by selfishness or neglect, are cast away. The context (Matthew 25:31–46) clarifies the reason for this division. It is not based solely on belief or profession of faith, but on how individuals respond to human needs. “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat… I was a stranger and you invited me in…” (Vv. 35-36). These acts of mercy reveal a heart aligned with Christ.
Marked by Mercy: Mercy is not simply compassion; it is active kindness that meets others in their suffering. Those “on his right” didn’t perform grand miracles, but simple, selfless deeds that reflected the love of Christ. Mercy marked their lives. As James 2:13 says, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” And again, in Micah 6:8, God requires that we “act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” Mercy is not an optional virtue; it is the evidence of genuine faith. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), Jesus ends with the command, “Go and do likewise.” Mercy is a mark of those who belong to the Kingdom.
Divided by Deeds: The goats were surprised by the King’s judgment. They believed they had followed Him but failed to understand that faith without action is dead (James 2:17). The division wasn’t arbitrary; it was rooted in how people responded to Christ as He appeared in the poor, the hungry, the imprisoned, and the lonely. Their deeds or the lack of them revealed their true allegiance.
This is echoed in Romans 2:6: “God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’” And in Revelation 20:12, where the dead are judged “according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” While salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9), verse 10 reminds us that we are created in Christ Jesus to do good works.
Reflections
- Are your actions reflecting the mercy you’ve received?
- Are you alert to Christ in the faces of the needy, the broken, and the forgotten?
- In a world that honours fame and power, Christ honours humility and mercy.
- The sheep didn’t serve to earn salvation; they served because they had been transformed by the mercy of God.
Prayer
- Lord Jesus, help me to live a life marked by mercy. Open my eyes to see you in the people around me, especially the hurting and the overlooked. May my deeds reflect your love, not out of obligation, but out of joyful obedience. May I be found on your right hand, not for my merit, but because your mercy changed me, in your name. Amen.
Further Reading: Isaiah 32:1-8; 40:1-11; Philippians 1:1-26
ESOCS Devotional 22 January 2026
