An umpire named Babe Pinelli once called Babe Ruth out on strikes. When the crowd booed with sharp disapproval at the call, the legendary Ruth turned to the umpire with disdain and said, "There’s 40,000 people here who know that the last pitch was ball, tomato head." Suspecting that the umpire would erupt with anger, the coaches and players braced themselves for Ruth’s ejection. However, the cool headed Pinelli replied, "Maybe so, Babe, but mine is the only opinion that counts."
One of the things we’re going to be looking at today is judgment, specifically God’s judgment. If you think that a baseball umpire has authority, well just wait. But our main concern today is not the finality of God’s judgment, we’re going to be looking at what God is looking for during this judgement. We’re going to be looking at what God is concerned with because that will give us insight into the heart of God. Today we are continuing our series “Discovering the Heart of God.” We’re looking at ways that the love of God will flow through us to the people around us. Our theme verse is 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” God isn’t looking for perfection He’s looking for commitment. But if we are really committed to Him, then the love of God is going to flow into us, it’s going to transform us, and then it is going to flow out to other people.
We started this series by looking at faith. If you really have a relationship with God then you’re going to have faith in God. Not just simply in the existence of God, but in the fact that He can and will do what He said He would do. That there are going to be times that God calls you to take risks and do things where you have to be dependent on Him to succeed, that when you do those things you will see that God is faithful and your walk and relationship with Him will grow deeper.
Last week we said that if your heart is really after God’s heart then your heart will be marked by forgiveness. In the Bible God doesn’t just tell us to forgive. He tells us to forgive as He has already forgiven us. Boy thinking about that brings it to a whole different level because God didn’t just forgive us, He paid the price for our forgiveness. That is a level of love the is impossible to match, but one that we are called to. The great thing is that when we forgive and let go of past hurts the person who receives the biggest blessing is us.
Now today we are looking at the heart a person has for ministry, the willingness to serve others. Our key passage is Matthew 25:31-46, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 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. For I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 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.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire 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, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
As we begin our message today let me start by asking you this question, is your life marked by the desire to give or to get? As we look at this passage we’re going to see that God is looking at people’s motives. Motives matter because they reflect attitude and your attitude reveals what is really going on in your mind, what you really think and believe. Last week we read in Luke where Jesus said, the one who has been forgiven much loves much. One of the things that came out of our small groups this week was the belief that all of us who have accepted the love and grace of Christ have been forgiven much. That the distance between us and God was and is far greater than the distance between the prostitute and us. When we really realize how pure and holy God is, when we realize what He has done and is doing for us, then the response is love. But does that love make a difference in our lives?
Today we are looking at a coming judgment. Look at how verse 31 reads, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.” So the answer to when this prophecy happens is that, this is a judgment that occurs when Christ returns. The return of Christ has always been a certainty. People may disagree on when He’s coming back, but He is coming back. Before He even left the first time He told us what it would be like when He returned. He will come back with all the angels of heaven, He will sit on His throne, notice that isn’t even a question, it’s not a popularity contest, it is a reality because it will happen. Joel chapter 3 tells us that there will be a day that the nations are gathered together before Christ to be judged. Joel 3:12 says, “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.”
When it comes to this judgment Christ is looking for something very specific. The basis of the judgment is charity. What have these people done for the people around them. Christ isn’t saying, “How many Bible studies have you gone too.” He isn’t saying, “How many verses can you quote, or how many books have you read.” What He wants to know from these people is what they did for “the least of these.” Talk about a change of vision. Suddenly the least important people on earth will be the most important. The ones that people tend to forget, or marginalize will take center stage. What was done for those who couldn’t do for themselves.
This is something that each of us should consider, because even though this is a future judgment on those people who are here when Christ comes again, you understand that by the way I read my Bible Christians will have already been raptured. So this is a future judgment that technically won’t apply to me and you, but the question still resonates, why? Because for God’s people it still shows the heart that God desires. In the sermons and in our small groups this has been one of the theme’s that we have seen, when it comes to the love of God, it is not passive, it is active. The love of God caused Him to move in the world and to move in our lives. If our hearts are committed to God then His love will pour into our hearts and the out of our hearts into the world. So if we have His love in us we are going to show it to other people. The lesson of this passage is that one of the most important ways that we can show it is how we treat those people who are in need. How we show it to “the least of these.”
In this judgment we also see the authority of God. Because there are only two classes, pass or fail, or as Jesus put it, sheep or goat. Personally I didn’t see much difference between the two but then I read their fates and I said, “Sheep I would definitely want to be a sheep.”
We live in a world where people want to say that there are a lot of grey areas. Or a world where they say that different ideas about God are very noble, and we should just respect them and find our common ground. We should be very ecumenical. The problem with that it doesn’t matter how intelligent the person was who came up with an idea about God. It doesn’t matter how well meaning their intentions were, or how noble their cause. If it is different then what God said about Himself, then it is wrong. One they there will be a judgment it will be before Jesus Christ and you’re either with Him or not, He is the judge. That’s why I’m not feeling very ecumenical today or any other. It doesn’t mean that I hold a persons religious beliefs against them or don’t love them, or don’t want the best for them, because actually I do. It’s just that I’m going to keep preaching the truth of the one true God, the only God as long as I can with everything that I can, and that should be a theme of all of our lives if we believe in Him. Because one day there is a judgment coming and He said, “I’m the judge.”
So with that in mind lets look what separates the sheep from the goats. It is a matter of the heart. Some hearts are willing to give. It starts with Jesus, as we said last week, “everything starts with Jesus.” He is the beginning and the end. Here we see Him coming, in all of His glory, the angels at His side, the unchallenged ruler of this world and what do we see? Jesus was willing to reward those who gave. Look at verse 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.”
How amazing is the heart of Christ, here He is, sitting in judgment. The one who was crushed, bruised and pierced for our transgressions, and yet the first thing He does is reward. This was the time that He could be thinking about revenge, but that is not the heart of God. The first thing He does is to reward those who did for others.
I love their response though, because it’s honest. I don’t think that when we stand before God we’re going to be able to lie very well. Look at what happens, He offers to reward them and they were surprised. They didn’t see themselves as charitable. Look at what they say, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go visit you?” They don’t say thank you essentially what they say is, when did we do that? What did we do so right?
I love this because it shows part of the attitude of a generous heart. They didn’t think that they did anything special. They were just doing what came naturally. They weren’t looking for attention or reward. They just saw people in need and out of love they helped them. That is the motivation that God is looking for. Today we have a guest. Our missions board supports Jeff Cox and his work with Student Venture. Not only does he work with students here in the valley but this summer he is going on a mission trip to Rwanda. I’ve asked Jeff to come and share a little bit with us about both. At the end of the service we are going to give you an opportunity to give an extra gift if you want to support Jeff on his trip this summer.
The heart that gives is the one that God is looking for. Unfortunately that is not the only type of heart there is. I say unfortunately because I’ve read the rest of the text. Yes, Jesus is willing to reward, but there is also the necessity of justice. God is a pure and holy God. He can not stay in the presence of sin. Because of that Jesus cast out those who didn’t give. This is not God’s desire, He died on the cross to pay for all of our sins. That wasn’t just for a lucky few it was for anyone who was willing to ask for forgiveness and follow Him. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” If you’re here and you’re not sure about where you’re going when you die. You can settle that question today. Jesus wants you to go and be with Him. He’s already paid the price. If you’re worried about your past or your ability to live for Him. Don’t, He wants to live with you and change you to not just more like Him, but into the person you were always meant to be, the person you’ve always wanted to be. That is His desire, but if you reject Him and His love there must be separation.
Here’s the interesting thing Jesus looks at those on His left and says, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire 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, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
This is amazing to me, these people didn’t know Jesus, they hadn’t actually been caring for anyone other than themselves and they were surprised they didn’t see themselves as uncharitable. But in their answer they show that they still don’t get it. They say, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” God we would have been willing to help you. We didn’t see you so therefore what’s the problem? They miss it, God was looking for a life of love towards the least and they are looking for a loop hole. For them it’s tell us if you caught us doing something wrong and Jesus is saying, “It’s about you doing something right.” God’s love is active not passive.
Let me ask you how this looks in your life. Is your love for others, for God, active or passive? Which type of heart do you have? Consider these words of Christ that He had told them earlier. “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom from many.” Matthew 20:26-28
Message Notes – Sunday March 4th, 2012
“The Least of These”
Matthew 25:31-46
“Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.” Joel 3:12
Is your life marked by the desire to give or to get?
A Dreadful Judgment:
1. This is a judgment that occurs when Christ returns.
2. The basis of the judgment is charity.
3. For God’s people it still shows the heart that God desires.
Hearts that Give:
1. Jesus was willing to reward those who gave.
2. They were surprised they didn’t see themselves as charitable.
Calloused Hearts:
1. Jesus cast out those who didn’t give.
2. They were surprised they didn’t see themselves as uncharitable.
3. Which type of heart do you have?
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28
