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Matthew 25:31-46
“The Omega”
“In the blessing of the righteous, God’s eternal purpose is being accomplished.”
Sunday Morning Sermon
7.22.07
Intro: (Start with Title and Text)
Have you ever sat through a movie and someone told you every part – right up to the end. It ruins the plot – if you know the end. I was reading a book I got for my birthday about an atheist and a Christian who attends 20 something churches all across the country – and then they give their opinion one from the Christian perspective and one from the outsider looking in. Very good book, only something puzzled me and I couldn’t help myself – after attending church services does the atheist become a Christian? So I did what you shouldn’t do while reading a book – I skipped to the end. I was disappointed. I knew the end.
Sometimes knowing the end is not bad. Remember the titanic movie – everyone knew going in that the boat was going to sink. But we lined up to watch this movie anyway. What if you knew how your life was going to end? Accident on the highway. Cancer. Heart Attack. Gun shot. What about your life would change if you knew how you were going to die? Would you change your habits, or avoid situations? That’s a neat question, but we don’t really have the answers to it. We know that someday we will all die. People have been dying since we started living – it’s not an easy fact of life. We must be prepared for the day when it comes.
Discussion:
I struggle with something in my preaching – it might surprise you. It’s not a fear of public speaking or humility about the excellent sermons I write, you may not know this about me: I’m not a hell fire and brim stone kind of preacher. I don’t even know what a brim stone is. I avoid texts that talk about eternal fire and hell – weeping and gnashing of teeth. I would prefer to preach on God’s grace, and his love, and the joy of knowing Christ. I had a very “righteous” lady tell me one time – “The problem with you young preachers, you tend to shout grace and whisper repentance.” – Guilty as charged. The next Sunday I preached a sermon titled – We should shout grace.
This morning – I’m not going to shout grace…I can’t. There’s only one way to take this.
If you have your Bibles turn with me to (Advance) Matthew 25:31-46 (read)
I see three things this morning – three truths that we are reminded of and hopefully will allow us to understand the need for service in the life of the church, but in our daily lives as well. We are going to take the chance this morning to come to church, and then be the church, through our actions.
Here’s the first truth:
(Advance)
I. He is coming back (31-35)
Jesus came the first time – in grace. Jesus came the first time – for compassion. Jesus came the first time for a witness – as an example of God’s absolute love for his creation.
John reminds us that God loved the world so much – that he gave his son. Jesus came to earth the first time as a result of his love for people – for you and me. Paul tells Timothy that God has a desire that all men be saved and come to knowledge of the truth. Jesus said he was truth. Jesus submitted himself to the laws and restrictions of this world, so that we would know the truth and that truth would set us free – and that freedom would lead to abundant life, not only in the next life, but in this one. The time to accept what he’s done for us – the sacrifice he has made for us – and his love for us – is now. It’s not tomorrow, it’s not next Sunday it’s not after we get things cleaned up – it’s RIGHT NOW. Because here’s the truth:
a. When he returns
If grace defined his first coming – the second coming is going to be defined by judgment.
(Advance)
John 5:27 – And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. The Son of Man will function as the judge, he has the authority to judge and he will have no other role. The role of judge was restricted to Yahweh in the Old Testament. Jesus will judge you based on your sin.
b. You can hide your sin – from people
i. You can pretend it doesn’t exsist
ii. You can justify it
You can not hide your sin from God – he knows everything about us. He knows the truth about who we are. It’s on that truth that you and I will stand in judgment.
We are accountable (Advance)
2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
iii. You are responsible for what you do with your life
That kinda raises the bar if you think about it. James defines sin – Knowing the good you should do and not doing it. That’s huge! Phone calls I didn’t make. Contacts I didn’t make. Times when I was just lazy or ignored something I should have done – SIN. That’s beyond the things we struggle with from day to day – our anger, our apathy, our arrogance.
Let me shout grace for just a second – and then we’re going to make it real again. Grace covers all those sins. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ – Jesus will say – covered with my sacrifice – he is forgiven. That’s where we all want to be. I don’t care how righteous you think you are, when you are at judgment seat of Christ – the last thing you want is justice – you aren’t that righteous, and neither am I.
Here’s where it gets real – you void grace when you don’t ask for forgiveness. You void grace when you don’t acknowledge your need for repentance.
If your prayer is, “Lord I apologize for my anger” as you are kicking the dog – you haven’t put yourself under the grace of God. The grace of our God requires are repentance – a turn from the situation.
2 Biblical examples –
Luke 15 – the prodigal son – the son returns to the father. The son also asked for forgiveness, and was repentant. The son turned away from a life of partying, a life of absolute freedom to do with his self whatever he wanted. He came back to the father – he no longer wanted that lifestyle. He didn’t hang on to it, he didn’t brag about it – the acceptance of the father and his love and grace, meant a rejection of the lifestyle.
2nd example: Peter denies Christ – 3 times before the rooster crows. What was he gaining by denying Christ? Um…Life. By this time the disciples had scattered – going with Jesus meant death, it meant taking up your cross – ‘cause someone was going to die. Fast forward to the last chapter in John’s gospel. Jesus has been raised from the dead – the disciples had gone to the tomb – they heard the testimony of the women. Jesus catches up with Peter and restores him – gives him a challenge. John adds:
(Advance)
John 20:19 – Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “follow me!”
We know that Peter took his restoration very serious and did follow Christ. The one thing he gained by denying Jesus – when he understood – when he was repentant – he was willing to give it up – and glorify God not only in life, but in death.
c. Jesus will judge you based on his grace – if it’s there.
Our asking for forgiveness and repenting of what we really struggle with, is the way we open the flood gates to his grace. But…God’s grace is not a ticket for sin – God’s grace does not increase as the sin increases if there is not a repentant heart asking for his grace.
John is working on his car, and smashes his finger – he lets a word slip out – he needs God’s grace. Bill is a serial axe murderer, in prison the rest of his life – he needs God’s grace. In both situations they ask for his righteousness, his grace, with a repentant heart and the Bible says he pours it out, like spring rains. Neither John nor Bill should expect anything besides justice, if they don’t repent and turn from their sins.
d. Jesus will gather
i. All the nations before him
Free commercial – the work Mark and Nancy Wilt are doing is extremely important to this gathering of nations. You need to pray for their work.
e. Jesus will also separate (Advance)
Matthew 25:33 – He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. This is final judgment talk. There is no turning back, no changing your mind, no opportunities for repentance at this point.
We know his judgment is coming. We know that we are responsible. We know the consequences of being without grace, and we know how to accept his grace. He is coming back – that’s a promise. While some try and figure out how, and some try and figure out when – let’s do something more important than both – and figure out how to get ready, hopefully we’ve taken a step in that direction this morning.
I don’t want you to be left out – I don’t want you to be separated into the other group. I don’t want you to remove yourself from his grace. Church, we make that choice, today. If you’ve never made the choice – make it today. Make an educated choice about your eternal life – because it last forever.
Two more promises: Both are about the judgment process (Advance)
II. He will name some “Blessed” (34-40)
Let me re-read this (Advance)
Matthew 15:34-40
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, ’Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For 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, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 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? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40"The King will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Notice a few things about this:
a. Those who follow Jesus are considered blessed
We use phrases like, “I’m going to starve to death” – but the truth is, none of us are even close to starvation. We say things like – “I’m so broke if a quarter could get me around the world, I couldn’t go across the street.” The truth is more like – the average American has more change in their couch, than some people will see in a life time. If there is a market for $80 jeans – we aren’t broke. In a country where it takes 6 boxes of crayons for your child to start school – I think we are on the high end of the blessing. Look and see your blessing:
i. Don’t focus on what you don’t have
1. God has blessed your life
a. Are your children healthy?
b. Are your needs taken care of?
I could go on and on, but the truth is – we are a blessed people, rich in material possessions, and rich in hope.
b. We have an inheritance with God
i. I look forward to my inheritance
Not because I’ve got it so bad down here – But this one is where moth and rust can’t destroy – the bank doesn’t take it away, I don’t have to apply it to the credit cards – it’s not a temporary in heritance – it’s eternal – it lasts forever. This is where you want to be. You were created for this place – Jesus says it was prepared for you since the creation of the world. It’s where you are supposed to be.
When I was young my dad would take us fishing. We caught a lot of fish. I loved it. One of the best memories I have is fishing at Fort Cobb Lake. We would stay all night if the fish were biting. If I ever win a gazillion dollars – I am going to have the biggest house boat on this lake – it would be where I am home. Heaven is going to be so much better. Because it’s what I was created for – when God formed me in my mother’s womb he looked at my life and said – HEAVEN. Listen, he did the same with you.
c. Our Blessing and our Inheritance
i. Requires that we do something
1. SERVICE – Say that with me – SERVICE
If Jesus were on earth today – and he was thirsty – who in here would get him something to drink – raise you hands, ok good. If he was hungry and he was willing to meet you at a grocery store – who would feed him? – Raise you hands, ok, Good. Let’s continue. If he were sick and in the hospital – and was lonely – who in here would go and see him? All of us – that’s great.
All of us are willing to do something for Jesus – after all he’s the Son of Man – The king of kings and Lord of Lords – why wouldn’t we give him water or food.
d. The blessed group never saw Jesus in any of these situations
We won’t either. They were confused, asking an excellent question: “When did we see you hungry, when did we see you thirsty, when did we see you sick or in prison, we don’t remember it Lord.”
i. There is a hard connection between service to the king and service to those in need.
ii. It’s almost like serving Jesus would be the same as serving those around us – who are in need.
I…think I read somewhere…maybe God’s word – Here it is – Whatever you do for the least of these brothers of mine you do for me.
e. How you view service
i. Is connected with your view of the kingdom
ii. Ultimately, it’s connected with your status in the kingdom
The separation is not based on what animal you are – rather how you treated those around you. The separation is based on how you – when given the chance, served those around you. I don’t think this is too much of a stretch – it’s based on how you viewed those around you. Salvation, still very much based on grace – asking for forgiveness, repenting of our sins – but is it hard connected with what we do with that grace. Just like it would be craziness for the number one draft pick of the grizzles to wear another jersey during the first game of the season – sometimes that’s the way we view our Christian lives. Crazy voice
“Well, I’ve been baptized…made sure the preacher held me under extra long to make sure it worked, guess I’m done now, I’ll go find my chair and sit.” It doesn’t work like that. That would be the same as wearing the wrong jersey. Salvation is the goal of your faith – Baptism is just a beginning point – it’s not the final goal.
f. As a church -- together
g. As parts of the church – by ourselves
i. We should be busy serving those around us
God works his purpose through his church. While he doesn’t drop baskets of food on the door front of a family in need – he will work out a contact of someone who could be used for that situation, and meet that need. Because he takes his creation very serious – because he is a jealous God – when we don’t serve those around us – when we are above serving those around us – Well, He has a name for that. Here’s the other promise:
(Advance)
III. He will name some “Cursed” (41-46)
a. This won’t be pretty – it’s just the opposite of the first group
i. “Depart” – you know what that means in the Greek? DEPART. Take off – get out of here – hit the road, you don’t belong.
b. Your place is in eternal fire
Eternal fire – that sounds pretty warm. Sounds like it’s pretty permanent. Sounds like a good place for the devil and his angels – that’s where he’s at. It was created for him.
c. Hell was not created for you.
When God formed you in your mother’s womb he wasn’t thinking to himself – Eternal fire. Just like I shouldn’t play golf with a pizza pan, or use my shoe as a softball bat – I wasn’t created for the eternal fire of hell, and neither were you.
d. When we are the judgment seat of Christ
i. And we are not in the blessed group
ii. We will be in this other group
Here’s what scares me – I have this fear that you won’t take this serious. After all, a loving God couldn’t possibly send someone to hell fire – right? Actually, his love demands that he follows through with judgment. While you were not created for hell, it is a real place, and you could end up there. You are not locked in to eternal salvation because the preacher held you under extra long.
Our position in this other group is based on the same thing – Our service, or the lack of service. This other group was confused by the statement Jesus made – “When did we not help you” You know we would have helped if you were sick, or thirsty or hungry, or in prison – but we never saw you in those situations – so we did nothing. Kinda reminds us of Jesus saying that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven.
The response of the king – is hard. Whatever you did not do for the least of these – you did not do for me. Our lack of service to those around us – equals a lack of service for the king – and it also equals separation from our creator.
Conclusion:
We are either actively in the grace of God, and showing a result of that grace in our lives – or we are not. Those are the choices – not really a middle ground. Not really a – gray blanket to lay our heads on. He has given you a huge gift – his one and only son – he paved the way – bridged the gap – and then holds out his hand and says “Come”.
Let’s pray
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Lord – If you have never given yourself in baptism – This time is for you. Life is pretty hard – distractions, deadlines, decisions to make – I know sometimes we start off with every intention of following Christ – but maybe you realize this morning – you are in the other group – Maybe you can hear the voice that was once so clear – calling out – asking you to seek forgiveness, asking you to seek repentance and healing in your life. Listen, we will love you, encourage you and through walking together God will strengthen you. If you have a decision to make this morning – come as we stand and sing.
