Don't Be A Goat Series

Please, surrender your life to Christ, and let Him start changing you from the inside out, and so receive the Kingdom when He comes again.

Receive the Kingdom, because you receive the King’s messengers.

Matthew 25:35-40 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (ESV).

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus identifies His brothers as those who follow Him and do God’s will (Matthew 12:48–50; 23:8; 28:10). To be sure, Christ wants us to care for the poor and needy in this world (Matthew 6:2-3; 19:21; James 1:27). But in this context, Jesus’ brothers are those who’s allegiance to Christ have left them poor and destitute during the tribulation (Matthew 24:9-10).

According to the book of Revelation, they will be unable to buy or sell unless they declare their allegiance to the antichrist through the “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:16-18). As a result, believers during the tribulation will have to depend on one another for survival. Since they cannot buy anything from the merchants in the world, they will have to depend on each other for food, drink, housing, clothing, and healthcare. The authorities will throw many people in prison for their allegiance to Christ, so believers will have to depend on other believers to visit them there.

We’re getting a small taste of this in some of our major cities, where the authorities have mandated vaccine passports to go into stores and restaurants. If you don’t have a vaccine passport, you have to find other means of getting what you need or want. Now, I am not saying that the Covid vaccine or a vaccine passport is the mark of the beast, but it does give you a little taste of how that mark could work during the tribulation.

Believers will desperately need each other during the tribulation. Jesus charged them with sharing the good news of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20). So Jesus welcomes those believers who have cared for their fellow messengers of the King into His Kingdom. They receive the kingdom, because they receive the King’s messengers.

Ruth went to her mailbox and there was only one letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address. She read the letter:

Dear Ruth,

I'm going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon, and I would like to visit. Love Always, Jesus.

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. "Why would the Lord want to visit me? I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer." With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.