Transcript

Merciful

Matthew 25:31-46
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Pastor Randy Smith

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As we conclude the Olivet Discourse, our Lord's final sermon found in Matthew 24 and 25, I feel like I am saying goodbye to a good friend. And even though I know our lives will be separated as we engage in other relationships, we know the impact we had on each other will always remain.

As the Lord permits, we will begin some new material next week. Yet I hope what we have learned over the past two months will forever be engraved on our hearts and manifested in our walks with Jesus Christ. We have learned a tremendous amount about the Second Coming and the sequence of events that will precede our Lord's return. We have learned about the clarity in which Scripture has spoken to these issues. We have been given some direct application as to how these truths should grip our lives today. And as Christians we have been given encouragement and promise and hope.

Understanding the Second Coming goes much deeper than making graphs and timelines. This great doctrine is to permeate every aspect of our lives. I submit to you that many problems in the church are due to an ignorance of Matthew 24 and 25. Much of our worry and despair and fear is because we fail to consider the greatness of our God. Matthew 24:30, "And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory." Much of the laziness is because we fail to realize the need to serve our King. Matthew 25:30, "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Much of the dissatisfaction is because we are looking for our esteem from man instead of from God. Matthew 25:21, "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." Much of the confusion in today's church is because countless are reading and listening to and sitting under false teachers. Matthew 24:11, "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many." Much of the lukewarm and carnal Christian living is because we fail to consider the seriousness in which our Lord expects obedience. Matthew 25:12, "But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.'" Much of the impurity is because we are not living everyday in light of His return. Matthew 24:44, "For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."

Today we have our final account found at the end of chapter 25. The accounts preceding it were parables - stories to reveal a spiritual truth. This one is a direct spiritual truth with some parabolic elements surrounding it. Possibly this final account is the one most remembered from the Olivet Discourse. This final account with boldness and clarity will drive home and punctuate our Lord's teaching from this section. The sermon concludes with the action all people can expect from Jesus Christ: Judgment. Will some receive mercy? Well, as we will see today, that depends on how merciful they have been to His people.

Let's examine the wonderful and dramatic story commonly called "The Sheep and the Goats."

1. THE PREPARATION FOR JUDGMENT (verse 31)

Let's begin with our first point, "The Preparation for Judgment."

As we have been learning in our study of the Olivet Discourse, the grand theme that runs through this sermon is the return of Jesus Christ. And lest our minds drift from that intended context, our Lord bring us back when He introduces this final scene.

Verse 31, "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne."

The heart of these comments originates for us in the prophecy from Daniel 7, words recorded in Scripture long before Jesus' arrival in Bethlehem. "I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:13-15).

And even if we just stay in Matthew 24 and 25, verse 31 contains truths we have already covered in detail. The return of Jesus will be glorious! The train of angels and cataclysmic changes in the environment will accent that glorious return, and He will come to sit on His "glorious throne" and establish glorious His kingdom.

It is interesting that Jesus uses the adjective "glorious" to describe His throne. We shouldn't be surprised. I was reading through Revelation where it describes the appearance of His throne.

"A rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance" (Rev. 4:3). "Around the throne were twenty-four thrones" (Rev. 4:4). "Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne" (Rev. 4:5). "Before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind" (Rev. 4:6). Then John adds, "Every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever'" (Rev. 5:13).

The throne of Jesus represents much, but in this account we will see that it represents judgment. The Judge is on His throne.

2. THE EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT (verse 32)

Now, who will be the subjects of His judgment? Look at the beginning of verse 32, our next point, the execution of judgment. "All the nations will be gathered before Him" (stop right there).

Without any discrimination, every person who has ever lived will stand one day before this throne of King Jesus (Jn. 5:22, 28-29). There will be nowhere to hide. All the explanations and rationalizations and justifications for disobedience will be cut aside. We will be stripped bare, and God's penetrating eyes of omniscience will see through all the smokescreens and reveal the motives and intentions of our hearts.

God has placed every person on this earth for His glory. We have made a million of choices. It is only natural that there will be a day of reckoning and accountability. Did we live for Him, or did we live for ourselves?

Continuing verse 32, "[Once all the nations are gathered, Jesus Christ] will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."

I have been told that back in Israel it was common for shepherds to keep their sheep and goats together. The herds were mixed, but when it came time for feeding and resting they needed to be divided. The shepherd would create two groups. The sheep that were meek and more submissive to the shepherd were on one side while the goats that were belligerent, unruly and destructive were placed on the other side.

In the same way, all of humanity will be divided into two categories based on their lifelong response to the shepherd. And this division will take place on the basis of their deeds. Two weeks ago we learned that one qualification for judgment is a readiness and expectation to see our Bridegroom. Last week we learned that one of those qualifications for judgment is our faithfulness to use the time and treasures and talents given to us by Christ. And in a moment we will see that another one of those qualifications for judgment is our acts of mercy.

Wait a minute! Did you say we will be judged based upon our deeds? Absolutely! That is the clear teaching from Matthew 25 as well as from Revelation 20 that specifically describes this event. "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds" (Rev. 20:11-13).

I have been told that telling the difference between sheep and goats, based on visual sight back then was not as easy as we might assume. Often the easiest way for the shepherd to make the distinction was the tail. One had tails that went up and the other had tails that went down. Telling the difference between a sheep and goat was determined by their tail, or we could say what followed behind them.

So when Jesus and John in Revelation say that we are judged by our work, are they contradicting Paul and the great Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone? Which one is it? Are we judged by our faith in Jesus Christ or by what we do? And the answer is "yes." We are saved 100% by our Lord's work on the cross to remove our sins and declare us righteous before God. But those who are truly saved will live a life that gives public recognition of that reality. It is fair to say we will be judged by our deeds because the validation of our faith will be our deeds! Didn't James say, "Faith without works is useless?" (Jas. 2:20). Or staying with the sheep and goat separation illustration, we will be judged by our tails, by what follows behind us.

So who will be there at this time of judgment? Verse 31, "All the nations" - all the dead and even the alive that survived the Great Tribulation. They will receive their resurrected body. The righteousness of God will be publicly displayed. Jesus Christ will vindicate Himself and His people. All will be separated like sheep and goats - sheep on the right, goats on the left. Which side will you be on? There is no more important question any of us can ask. Fortunately the Lord has not left us to guess. Let's move to the third point to consider more qualifications.

3. THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR JUDGMENT (verses 33-45)

The Bible is clear that there will be specific qualifications that will differentiate the sheep and the goats. Again, over the last two weeks we saw that some of the qualifications that will mark true sheep will be their readiness for His return and their faithfulness to use what He has given to them for His kingdom. The final qualification mentioned in today's account is the mercy they have demonstrated to God's people.

Let me read verse 34: "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'"

Just as a footnote, this verse further proves that we are judged on our works only as a basis to give evidence to our faith. Regarding the sheep, this verse teaches that the foundation of our salvation is what God does and not what we do ourselves. The sheep are "blessed of [the] Father" because of His favor. The sheep "inherit the kingdom" as a birthright. The sheep have been called to this kingdom before they were ever born as the kingdom was "prepared for [them] from the foundation of the world."

Peter said the same thing in his epistle: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Pet. 1:3-5)

So all the glory goes to God: He sent His Son to die for our sins. He called us to Himself. He prepared the kingdom. And even our deeds that give evidence of His grace in our lives are a result of His working through us. Are we not "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them?" (Eph. 2:20).

So what was so special about the sheep that made them different from the goats? Verses 35 and 36, "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me."

According to these verses, the sheep demonstrated six expressions of mercy toward Jesus Christ. They fed Him. They gave Him something to drink. They housed Him. They clothed Him. They visited Him when sick. And they came to Him in prison.

Naturally the sheep are surprised because almost every one of them would not have seen Jesus in person nor would they have physically assisted Him in any material way. So they respond beginning in verse 37: "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'"

Verse 40, "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'"

The response from Jesus is clear. No doubt He is in favor of helping anyone in need, but in this passage He displays an extra joy when we help the people in the church, because when we serve the church we are specifically serving Jesus Christ (see Gal. 6:10).

Remember the church is His body (Eph. 4:12). Remember when the Apostle Paul, then Saul the unbeliever, was persecuting the church and Jesus replied, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Ac. 22:7). In Matthew 12:49, "[Jesus stretched] out His hand toward His disciples [and] said, 'Behold…My brothers!" (cf. Mt. 28:10). Hebrews 2:11 says, "[Jesus] is not ashamed to call them brethren."

So when we help His brothers and sisters, even to the least of them, it is as if we are directly serving Jesus Christ. Here is the simple truth: God's children will be revealed as God's children by their special love for God's children.

Let's pause for a moment of inventory? How are we doing as a church in this area? Presently we are involved with helping Keswick Colony of Mercy, Solutions Pregnancy Center, our new food bank, Voice of the Martyrs, widows in the church, the Deacon's Fund for "in-house" needs, bridal and baby showers, meals for pregnant moms, the prison ministry, missionaries and Operation Christmas Child. How are we doing individually?

The response from the sheep is interesting too. I do not sense as hint of boasting. If anything they are surprised that they are being commended. If anything these deeds of mercy just flowed out of them in their normal routine of living. It is almost like an apple tree surprised when it is congratulated for bearing apples. It seems they felt they did too little, and what they did do they soon forgot.

Yet it is these simple, often overlooked deeds of mercy that Jesus commends. Jesus saw and appreciated them all. Even the little things unnoticed by many, unappreciated by most and demonstrated to someone who the world considers insignificant. No fanfare at the time. No feelings of supernatural expression, yet greatly appreciated by the One who loves His people showing evidence their salvation. As the Beatitude states, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Mt. 5:7).

I am not aware of a single passage about Jesus making a big deal about performing miracles or healing the sick or speaking in tongues, but in this case He declares that our salvation will make itself known by the simple acts of love we show to others in His church. First John 3:14, "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren" (cf. 1 Thes. 4:9; 2 Thes. 1:3; Heb. 13:1; 1 Pet. 1:22).

The conversation is turned to the goats. Beginning in verse 41: "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me" (Mt. 25:41-43).

Based on this account the goats are identified as having no true faith in Jesus because they failed to show any love to His church. I do not see in this account a word of their heathen behavior. All I see are the sins of omission, a failure to respond where Jesus had required. After each expectation was stated, Jesus followed it with a "you did not." They indulged in themselves in themselves, but not in the needs of the church. Their unbelief was demonstrated by their conduct.

Yet like the sheep they seem somewhat surprised as well. Verses 44-45 "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'"

It interesting how the sheep are surprised they are commended which reveals their humility and the goats are surprised that they are rejected which reveals their self-deception. I believe a hint comes in verse 44. I find it fascinating that these goats call Jesus, "Lord." These are not heathen pagans off the street. These are people who thought they were following Christ only to be rejected. No different than the virgins who thought they would be accepted by the bridegroom (Mt. 26:11-12). No different than the unmerciful servant who thought he would be accepted by the master (Mt. 26:24-25). And no different than those who say, "'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then [Jesus] will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness'" (Mt. 7:22-23).

As James Boice once said, "Good works give a basis for judging whether we have in fact really been born again. The human mind is exceedingly subtle and in its fallen state, is perverse" (Foundations of the Christian Faith, p. 43).

4. THE DESTINATIONS FROM JUDGMENT (verse 46)

So in relation to this great Day of Judgment we have seen the preparation, the execution and the qualification. Let's look lastly at the destinations. There are only two types of people: sheep and goats. There are only two destinations: heaven and hell.

We shy away from talking about hell, but in doing so we place ourselves at odds with Jesus. He spoke of the place throughout His sermon. 24:51, "In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 25:30, "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." 25:41, "Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels." 25:46, "These will go away into eternal punishment."

Hell is to be forever separated from God's presence, not His wrath, but His love and benevolence. It should not be surprising. For why would anyone want to be with Him in the future if they have spent their entire earthly existence doing everything to avoid following Him? Hell is real. Hell is terrifying. Most terrifying is the fact, according to verse 46, that hell is eternal.

On the contrary, the sheep based upon their acceptance of Jesus Christ and the proof of their faith by their deeds will be sent to heaven which according to verse 46 is also eternal (same Greek word - aionios). They will be, verse 10, in the banquet hall with the Bridegroom. They will be, verse 21, entering the joy of their Master. And as we see throughout this sermon, they will be "blessed" (Mt. 24:46; 25:34).

This week I was thinking about these truths and came up with the following observations:

1. We have got to get this message out. Most people are living as if God doesn't exist and there will be no accountability. One day all these people will stand before the Judge.
   
2. I am pleasedwith the academic and athletic success of my children, but none of it will make any difference when they stand before the Throne. Will Jesus be impressed with their Jump Shot or Trigonometry? On the contrary, are they living for Christ's return, using their treasures for God's glory and serving others in the church with mercy?
   
3. We observed the Lord's joy when we serve His church physically. How much more must He rejoice when we serve His church spiritually? What example are we setting for others?
   
4. Ask yourself, "Am I a sheep or goat?" "Is grace working in my life?" "Do I love Jesus?" "Is my love for Him seen in the way I love His church?"