Participant's & Spectators

In last weeks sermon our text came from Matthew 21. And we will also be in Matthew today. If you have brought your Bible with you please open it to Matthew 25:31-46. Again that is Matthew 25:31-46. We will be there in just a moment.

Last week we examined the Triumphal entrance of Jesus as He came into Jerusalem for the very last time. And one of the things we examined was that there were people in the crowd that asked, “who is this”. Can you imagine that after all of the miracles that Jesus had done over the last three years that there were people that did not know who He was?

That is hard to imagine isn’t it, but you know something there are still people today that don’t know Him and all that He has done and is doing for them. So, as I thought on that it hit me, that just as when Jesus came riding into town, that there were Spectators and Participants and not just at His entrance but at His death, crucifixion and resurrection.

And that is what I want to examine this morning. In fact this will not be your typical Easter sermon, you may squirm a little as you sit here this morning. You may feel like your toes are being stepped on and you might even feel a little bit guilty for what you have done or have not done for God lately. Well all I have to say about that is good.

Mike Hays tells the story that many years ago, a Missouri congregation listened to a young preacher who had walked twenty miles to deliver the sermon. Tired and hungry, this young man faltered, floundered, and failed. The people were unresponsive; they did not know he had walked the weary miles. When the service was over no one offered him food or a place to rest, but as he started down the long road with a broken heart, the black janitor of an all white church asked him to share his humble meal in a nearby shed.

Years passed. The young preacher became Bishop Marvin of world-wide reputation. After many years, the man once more stood in the same spot to dedicate a great country church. The whole community was assembled. It was a tremendous event in the life of the community.

When the service ended, many crowded around offering compliment after compliment, but the Bishop waved them all aside and called the old black janitor to himself. He said, "When I was here years ago I was dejected and depressed and you offered me your friendship. I have never forgotten that moment and today I want to spend my time with you."

This story, which is true, gives us a modern-day picture of the Scripture we will study for today. It was not what the congregation did that crushed the young man’s heart, but rather, it was the simple fact that they didn’t even take time to respond with sympathy, encouragement, or disgust.

I am sure that the people of the congregation had good intentions in mind when they withheld some of the comments they were thinking, I mean really, they could have just blasted the young preacher because he knew as well as they did, how badly he had stunk up the place on that Sunday morning.

However the good intentions of the people left a young preacher broken-hearted, feeling rejected, and somewhat angry with the people for the way in which they failed to respond. I am sure on the day in which Bishop Marvin returned to the site of that place many years later the old janitor probably did not even remember that memorable day so long ago. The surprise that the janitor must have felt, we also see evident in the parable Jesus told when He gathered the sheep on His right hand and they responded by saying, "But Lord when did we see You hungry or thirsty or ?"

(slide 2-4) Let’s read together the parable I have just mentioned which is found in Matthew 25:31-46. Here is what we read:

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.”