The Disciples’ Future
Matt. 25:31-46
Dorn Ridge March 11, 2012
INTRODUCTION:
1.) Jesus commenced his final week of life and ministry with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
2.) This morning, and for the next number of weeks, I would like us to look not at His triumphal entry, but in some of His teachings primarily from Matthew 25-28 that give us an identity of Him as our Saviour.
3.) This morning as we begin this series, I want us to see the day when we will each one stand before the Throne of God.
I. THE KING COMES (VSS. 31-33)
1.) He comes in glory (vs. 31)
A.) The Son of man was a term that Jesus often used to describe his dual nature being both God and man.
B.) There is no question as to the reality of the second coming of Jesus.
ba.) What we do not know of that second coming is the timing when it will take place.
C.) When He comes, He will be coming in Glory.
ca.) The first time Jesus came he came humbled as a baby, unnoticed, and unimportant to most of the people.
cb.) When He comes the second and final time it will not be in humility, but glory.
D.) Part of his coming in glory will mean that he will be coming with an entourage of the angels of heaven.
E.) He will sit on the throne of His glory.
ea.) With the presence of the angels of heaven, and the sitting on his throne, there will be no question that he is there as the Royal King of heaven, with all authority in heaven and on earth at his disposal.
2.) He comes in judgment. (vss. 32-33)
A.) verse 32
B.) It will be a day of accounting for all the nations and peoples of the world.
C.) It will be a day when the righteous and the wicked will be eternally separated from each other.
ca.) In this world both the wicked and the righteous are together.
cb.) We do all things together:
cba.) We work together.
cbb.) We play together.
cbc.) We shop together.
cbd.) We do much of life together.
D.) But on that day of Judgment, all of this will change.
da.) The wicked and the righteous will be separated and made distinct from each other.
E.) Jesus illustrates this from the scene of the farm.
ea.) He gives us the picture of sheep and goats grazing together.
eb.) In Palestine, it was a common sight to see both sheep and goats grazing together on the hillside during the daytime.
ec.) But as evening came they would be brought in, and the animals separated into their own folds for the night.
F.) He will separate the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
fa.) The Bible pictures the right hand side as a position of honour.
II. THE BLESSED MERCIFUL (VSS. 34-40)
1.) “Come with your Lord.” (vs. 34)
A.) Here for the first time the Lord calls Himself King.
aa.) He has spoken of his kingdom, and declared his royal glory on many former occasions, but this is the first time he calls himself King.
B.) “Be blessed of my father.”
baa.) A major part of the blessing was to be in the presence of the King.
bab.) But there is also an inheritance to receive: bab-1.) That inheritance is the kingdom (of heaven) prepared since the creation of the world.
2.) “You met my need.” (vss. 35-36)
A.) What an amazing statement.
aa.) This king coming in all of the glory and splendour of heaven itself, speaks of being hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed, sick, and in jail.
ab.) Certainly as this triumphant King Jesus had not experienced this, but when he came the first time to this earth he had experienced every one of these things he mentioned.
ac.) Many of the needs that are mentioned refer more to the physical person.
aca.) But Jesus is showing that we must minister to the whole person.
acb.) These are for the most part simple things any of us can do, but they are ways of ministering to the whole person.
acc.) Many times by ministering to the physical needs, we can also minister to the deeper spiritual needs.
3.) “Did I do that?” (vss. 37-39)
A.) When we are trying to live for Christ, it is not necessarily something in which we take notice of the little things.
aa.) In fact, often the little things we do must be from a heart that is transformed through Jesus Christ, yet we do as special, or even something towards Christ.
ab.) It is simply something that is part of us because of the presence of Christ in us.
B.) On the Day of Judgment those acts of love and thoughtfulness will be reckoned to us as service we have done for Christ.
ba.) Our actions are not for reward, but just an outpouring of Christ in us, that has transformed us, yet without our even noticing what has been done.
4.) “You helped me.” (vss. 40)
III. THE CURSED MERCILESS (VSS. 41-46)
1.) “Go with your leader.” (vs. 41)
A.) Judgment to those on the Lord’s left hand is a mirror image of that just pronounced.
aa.) It parallels it, in reverse.
ab.) Invitation is replaced by dismissal and permanent separation.
ac.) Instead of a blessing Christ will offer a curse.
2.) “You neglected my need.” (vss. 42-43)
A.) What is the sin charged against these ones.
aa.) That they failed to do good when they had the opportunity.
3.) “Who me?” (vs. 44)
A.) Like those giving blessings before these ones find it hard to believe that if Jesus had had a real need, that they would neglect Him.
B.) Many will say that if they had know it was Christ,. they would have been the first in line to serve Him.
ba.) But see the reality is that Christ comes into our presence each and every day.
bb.) It might be our neighbour, or a stranger on the street, or someone else but many times every week, we have the opportunity to visit with Christ, and to minister to Him.
4.) “You neglected me.” (vs. 45)
5.) Eternal Separation. (vs. 46)
A.) When Christ will speak on the day of Judgment, His word will be final.
B.) If Christ says depart from me, that separation is eternal. It will be forever.
CONCLUSION:
1.) These words of Jesus were just a few days before his crucifixion.
2.) They are words that seem very severe and harsh, yet they are words that show us the significance of what it means to have Jesus as our Saviour, and to live for Him.
