DAY #45: February 14, 2009 - Matthew 25:31-26:5

Today's passage pictures Jesus when He will return, not as the humble carpenter from Nazareth but in his glory. The sight will be spectacular when the angels accompany the Son and we see him upon his glorious throne (Zechariah 14:5). He will come as Judge, for all the nations will be gathered in his presence (Psalm 110:1; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Jesus used sheep and goats to picture the division between believers and unbelievers. Jesus, the Judge, will separate them. While all “nations” are before him, he will separate individuals, for each individual is responsible for his or her own salvation (as seen in the parable of the bridesmaids). This “separation” is a picture for the Last Judgment. The “sheep” are at his right hand, and are identified as God’s chosen people who inherit the Kingdom prepared for them. This Kingdom, existing from the beginning of time, is sure and unchangeable. Believers need never doubt its existence.

The reason they are ushered into the Kingdom is that they gave to those who had need. The list mentioned describes acts of mercy people can do every day. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence; they are simple acts freely given and freely received. Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs (Isaiah 58:7). That this list is repeated four times in this parable indicates its importance as a guide for practical discipleship. The list is not exhaustive; instead, it represents all types of good deeds. This parable is not teaching salvation by good deeds, but evidence of salvation through good deeds.

The righteous are surprised at the King’s words. He commends them for their acts of kindness to him, but they realize that they did not have opportunity to do such kindnesses to him directly.
The basis of reward rests on the acts of kindness each individual believer did for other believers, for in so doing, they did those kindnesses for the King himself. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is present in even the most humble or “insignificant” follower of Christ. How we treat lowly and needy fellow Christians determines how truly we love Jesus. If Christians who have resources would help needy fellow Christians, non-Christians would be totally persuaded of the validity of Christian love. Such love for others glorifies God by reflecting our love for him.

For the goats (those on his left), however, the story is different. These “goats,” mingling every day as they did with the sheep, may have thought that they could get by unnoticed. But God would separate them, and their judgment would be severe. There will be no middle ground at the final judgment—either a person is a “sheep” or a “goat.” And the result will be either the Kingdom of heaven or eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his demons (referring to hell) and separation from God forever (indicated by the words “away with you”).

The sin noted by the King was not active evildoing but failure to do good. The list is not comprehensive, but it represents good deeds that people often fail to do. Doing wrong in ignorance may be excusable (Acts 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:13), but when believers neglect to help those in need, they disobey Christ. These actions do not take special talents, gifts, or lifestyles. One need not be rich to carry these out. Failure to do them then shows a lack of love for Christian brothers and, by extension, for the Lord himself.

The evildoers, also, were surprised at the King’s words. How could he say that they had neglected to do acts of kindness to him personally when, in reality, that would seem to be an impossibility? So he explained that in neglecting to do these kindnesses to even the least of the Christian brothers and sisters, they had neglected to do so for him. By that neglect, they had shown no true salvation, for their salvation had not manifested itself in good deeds as it would naturally do. Their failures were not acts of wickedness, but refusals to do good and to show compassion.

God will separate his obedient followers from pretenders and unbelievers, and their destinies will be vastly different. The real evidence of our belief is the way we act. To treat all persons we encounter as if they are Jesus is not easy. What we do for others demonstrates what we really think about Jesus’ words to us—feed the hungry, give the homeless a place to stay, look after the sick. How well do your actions separate you from pretenders and unbelievers? Will you be sent away to eternal punishment or eternal life?

That Jesus would be betrayed and crucified during Passover was deeply significant with respect to Jewish history. The “Passover” commemorated the night the Israelites were freed from Egypt (Exodus 12)—when God “passed over” homes marked by the blood of a lamb. This was the last great plague on Egypt when, in unmarked homes, the firstborn sons died. After this horrible disaster, Pharaoh allowed the Israelites to leave. Annually, Hebrew families would celebrate the Passover meal, a feast with the main course of lamb. The sacrifice of a lamb and the spilling of its blood commemorated Israel’s escape from Egypt, when the blood of a lamb was painted on their doorposts had saved their firstborn sons from death. This event foreshadowed Jesus’ work on the cross. As the spotless Lamb of God, his blood would be spilled in order to save his people from the penalty of death brought by sin.

The Jewish leaders had heard and seen enough. Their secret plan and plots to kill Jesus when into full gear. They met at the residence of Caiaphas, the ruling high priest. Caiaphas was the leader of the religious group called the Sadducees. Caiaphas served for eighteen years, longer than most high priests, suggesting that he was gifted at cooperating with the Romans. They did not want to attempt to arrest Jesus during the Passover because they realized that to do so could cause a riot on his behalf. During this holiday, Jerusalem, a town of about 50,000, would swell to 250,000 people. The leaders feared that an uprising might bring the wrath of Rome. They may have planned to arrest Jesus after the Feast when the vast crowds were gone. Perhaps Judas’s unexpected offer caused them to move sooner than they had planned, but, as this passage implies, all was proceeding according to God’s timetable.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have heard?)

The coming judgement for those who reject Christ is sobering. Hell is a pace I don't want anyone to experience. Like so many of the recent passages we have read, Lord I am moved to share my faith and talk with people about the most important issues of our time. Eternity. Yes, the economy and politics and sports are important, but they pale in comparison to matters of heaven and hell. It's like Jesus said, what's matter if I gain the whole world and lose my soul?

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark 8:34-37 (NIV)

Lord, what will it take to break people out of their comfort zone and their safety nest? Lord, this Sunday, sweep though our church with power. Bring revival into every heart and every marriage and into every family. Lord, the same power and work You did in the New Testament church, do here at COV.

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)

PRAYER

Lord, I pray that you will help me to convey urgency with our people when it comes to sharing our faith and being a witness for you. Help us to see the reality of hell - the weeping an gnashing of teeth. Eternal pain and loneliness. Help us not become dull to what is most important - the salvation of folks who don't know you.

Lord, there is a reason that this is a regular occurring theme in scripture - lost people matter to You. Help them matter to us as much as the do You. I have prayed this so often, but Lord, raise up folks at COV who are broken with the lostness of people. Raise up folks who are not content with business as usual. Raise up folks who will share their faith and invite their friends to hear the message. Build a church where we readily and eagerly greet new people and welcome them into our church and love them nurture them.