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Matthew 25:35-46. This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on September 17, 2017.
Today we finish part two in this look at Jesus judging the nations after His Second Coming. This is an event that is in the future, but towards which we are hurtling quickly. The Bible is clear that Jesus will return after a devastating period called The Great Tribulation. This period is at least 3.5 years long and some speak of it as 7 years. During this time mankind chooses to put a tyrant in charge of the world that then uses religion and economics to control all peoples. At The Second Coming of Jesus, this governmental system is destroyed, leaving only the surviving populace left. This is who Jesus is judging in this passage.
Last week we saw how Jesus will come in a spectacular manner and as the King of all Kings. He sets up a throne and will judge who gets to enter into the new kingdom. His judgment is a matter of discerning who is righteous and who is not. Regardless of whether or not a person survives to this point, the question is the same for every person in every generation. When I am judged by God will He see me as righteous or wicked? It is easy to say that He will see us as “basically good.” Of course we all think that we should be accepted. But will God think so?
We left off with verse 34 last time, and saw how Jesus was separating the sheep from the goats, or the righteous from the wicked. Thus the sheep or righteous are put on his right hand. They are basically told that they are blessed because they will get to enter into the Kingdom that Jesus is setting up. In Revelation we see that this kingdom will last 1,000 years on this earth and thus it is often called the Millennial Kingdom. Technically Jesus already is a king over a kingdom. But that kingdom is from heaven and in the hearts of men. This point in time represents a real and significant change in the administration of Jesus.
So how does he determine the good from the bad? Interestingly enough, he says to the people on his right hand that it is their care for even the least of his brothers and sisters. He gives a list of 5 situations in which they helped his family (hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, in prison). They had fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, and visited the imprisoned. Even more than this, Jesus states that when they helped his family they were helping him. It is interesting that the righteous are clueless to this dynamic. So this is not a group of people who are trained in the Word of God. I believe that most of these people refused to take the mark of the beast, but not necessarily because they believed in Christ. They probably witness the hatred of the world against Christians and feel sorry for them. In helping them they take a stand against the beast and with God’s people. Jesus accepts this as having taken a stand with Him.
This begs the question. Just who are the brethren of Jesus? In Matthew 12:50 Jesus says, “Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” At the time, his mom and brothers were trying to get into see him and take him home. They thought that he was out of his mind. When told that his mother and brothers were outside, Jesus counters with the recognition that his true brothers (family) are those who do the will of God. The will of God is for all people everywhere to repent of their sins and believe on Jesus, a.k.a. To become true, born-again believers in Jesus, Christians. Sometimes people try to interpret this as the Jewish people themselves. Let me say that its proper meaning is those who follow Jesus. However, the bible is also clear that The Great Tribulation is about God bringing the nation of Israel to a place of repentance and salvation from their enemies. So there is room to recognize that God will hold people accountable for how they treated Christians and Jewish people who He is bringing to salvation. We should always beware working against those whom God has pledged Himself to.
Now the key to this passage is the close identification that Jesus makes with his family. These people are being blessed because they identified with the family of Jesus in times of difficulty. Jesus considers a good deed done for them as a good deed done to Him. This does put a bit of a wrinkle in the mentality of those who say they like Jesus, but don’t care for His followers. If you really like Jesus then you will recognize how closely He identifies with his followers and bless them when they need help rather than piling on with the rest of the world. You don’t have to like them, but you do need to love them. Why? We need to do so because Jesus loves them so much that he inseparably identifies himself with them. This is just as important among fellow believers. How do we treat one another as the brothers and sisters of Christ, or even as the least of his brothers and sisters? We cannot use the status of a person and their failings as an excuse not to love them. Now let’s turn to the goats.
Next we are told that the goats (wicked) are put on the left hand. In verse 41 they are called cursed, and the implication is that they are cursed by the Father. Their punishment is given in the command to depart from Jesus and go into the everlasting fire. This is the fire that was originally created for the devil and his angels, but to which wicked men will go also. It is clear that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun, in this life. Which will it be for you? Sure you can deny it or theologize its existence away. But the truth is that Jesus will judge us and give us our reward or punishment. Which will your life warrant?
In parallel fashion, Jesus points out that the goats had not cared for his brothers and sisters. In fact, this is probably putting it rather mildly. The Tribulation period will involve one of the greatest persecutions of God’s people ever. Those who do not pledge allegiance by taking the mark of the beast will be excluded from buying and selling, and also will be hunted down and put to death. Whether these actively helped in this persecution, or passively allowed it to happen, they are held accountable. Whatever good they had withheld from his family, He considers it withheld from Him. Now, not to help people who are hungry, thirsty…etc. is an injustice on the face of it. No person deserves to be abused for simply refusing to join a political system. But again we notice that Jesus takes it personal. Even believers should stand up and take notice of this. Some believers have no problem talking about other Christians behind their back and saying all manner of things that they have no proof of. Won’t Jesus consider it as if we did it to Him, if we are wrong? We should love one another on its face value. The other Christian has just as much right in God’s family as I do. Even if I hold a position that is “above” them, it does not give me the right to be unloving towards them. That said, we do live in an age where to hold someone accountable to the Word of God is considered unloving by some. When we love each other, we truly love Christ. When we correct each other we should do so with the humility of knowing that I will have to give account before Christ some day. We must remember that we all bear the image of Christ. When we love each other we love Christ in a very real way. This is probably the key to understanding why Christians are not called to take over the world and fix it. Our job is not to fix the world, but to offer it salvation. In the middle of this, we also become a litmus test to those who interact with us and within each society. Just as the treatment of Jesus proved Israel of the first century was worthy of judgment, so the world’s mistreatment of God’s people will prove its worthiness of judgment. This is not a fun job, but it will allow us to become like Jesus, rather than becoming like the devil and his angels.
In conclusion, we need to see that faith in Jesus will lead to good works that God will accept. Some people get hung up on the fact that there is no mention of faith. However, this is like saying God isn’t in the book of Esther. He isn’t named or blatantly acting like He did at Sinai, but He is there nonetheless. So too, the people had to exercise faith in those actions of mercy they gave to God’s people. Some will even say that these people aren’t being saved they are just being allowed to enter the Kingdom. Yet, verse 46 says that these same people will enter into eternal life. To have Jesus is to have eternal life. 1 John 5:12, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life.” Because they are mortal, they are in the same condition that Christians are in today. Their initial faith led to actions worthy of repentance. Rather than joining with antichrist against God’s people, they have stood with God’s people before mankind. This faith has put them in relationship with Christ, which is to have eternal life. However, they must continue in faith in Jesus in order to continue in eternal life. They are not being saved by works, but rather being saved by faith that was alive enough to do works.
Also, we should note that in this passage the main point is about helping God’s people. So does that mean it doesn’t matter if we help the lost or not? Or, another might ask, “Shouldn’t we help unbelievers too?” The short answer is of course we should. But let me simply answer this by quoting Galatians 6:10. “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Clearly we are instructed to do good to all. Friend, don’t go another day without making your peace with Jesus, and taking your place among His family. No they aren’t easy to love, but then neither are you. We will have to become more like Jesus in order to accomplish such a tall order!