Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:31-46 (Please open your Bibles to this text)
The three most important questions …
1) Can you believe it is 2017? (Are you ready for Y2K yet???)
2) Will Jesus return in 2017?
3) If Jesus does return will you be ready?
Let’s go ahead and read the Scripture for today from God’s Holy Word.
First of all we see in verse 31 that Jesus WILL return!
OK. So we should already know the answer to the first question, which is,
“Can you believe that it is already 2017?”.
So, what about the second question, “Will Jesus return in 2017?”.
One thing that we do know is that Jesus WILL return … Jesus, Himself said in:
Matthew 25:31 NIV
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.”
Jesus WILL return …
In all of Matthew chapter 24 and 25 and in many other Holy Scriptures we see that Jesus WILL return and that no one know when His return will be.
If someone tells you that they DO know when Jesus will return then know that they are not from whom you should be taking spiritual teaching.
In Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 He says:
Matthew 24:36 NIV
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”
Matthew 24:42 NIV
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”
Matthew 25:5-6 NIV
“The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’”
Matthew 25:19 NIV
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.”
Matthew 25:31 NIV
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.”
So, we know the answer to the first half of the second question is, yes, Jesus will return but we have no idea if it will happen in 2017. Jesus could very well return this year!
So, what about the third question, which is, “If He does return, are YOU ready?”
Some folks believe that no one can REALLY know if they are going to heaven or not. Can anyone really know for sure???
What does our memory refresher Scripture for today say?
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching so let’s let Scriptures teach us and let’s let Scriptures rebuke us and correct us if we need to be rebuked or corrected. OK?
Let’s look again at our Scripture for today …
In Matthew 25:36-40 we see that those who did certain things were blessed and entered into the Kingdom of God prepared since the creation of the world.
While in Matthew 25:42-46 we see that those who did not do certain things are sent away into eternal punishment while the others go into eternal life.
Now, if you were to take these verses out of context you would think that eternal life or eternal punishment was determined at the time of judgment according to what you had done or not done while on earth.
That, of course, would be an incorrect interpretation which would be in direct contradiction of the heart of the rest of the Bible and would also be standing this Scripture on its head.
What do you mean by, “Standing this Scripture on its head?”
It would be standing the Scripture on its head because you would be interpreting what follows by the groundwork that came before.
So, let’s go back to the opening verses of this passage.
What is the very first action of Jesus on His Judgment Throne?
Matthew 25:32-33 NIV
“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.”
You see, the sheep have been separated from the goats before any judgment takes place.
Is a sheep a sheep because of how it acts or does a sheep act a certain way because it is a sheep?
Is a goat a goat because of the way it acts or does a goat act in a certain way because it is a goat?
You see, it is the nature inside that determines the actions.
But, you say, “I’ve seen many people who are patient, kind, generous and caring but don’t believe in Jesus. How can they act that way but not enter into eternal life?”
Matthew 7:22-23 NIV
“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’”
Just because someone acts like a Christian it doesn’t make him one!
Look at this video clip … (short video clip of Steve Bridges impersonating President George W. Bush)
That man’s name is Steve Bridges and he is impersonating President George W. Bush and he can fool a lot of people.
But it doesn’t matter if he studies President Bush the rest of his life he will NEVER but George W. Bush.
He will never have the experience of being president of the USA.
He will never be married to Laura Bush.
He will never receive the pension given to a former president.
He may look and act like former President George W. Bush but he will never be him because he isn’t him.
In the very same way many very moral people will come to the end of their lives thinking they have earned their was to heaven without coming to what really matters and that is a personal relationship with Jesus.
Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 22:23, “Away from Me. I never knew you!”
OK. So, just how DO we answer the third most important question of 2017?
“If Jesus DOES return will I be ready?”
How can we be ready? How can we know for sure???
Let’s look at a few of our memory Scriptures …
John 3:18
“Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
Romans 10:9-10
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
“For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”
1 John 5:12-13
“He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
John 6:47
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”
How close can that relationship be?
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
And, we don’t have to guess if we have eternal life!
Romans 8:16
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”
So, one resounding, echoing truth from Scripture is that we can have absolute assurance of salvation that comes only by the grace of God and through faith in Jesus Christ.
You can absolutely, one-hundred percent know that you are saved.
We can absolutely, one-hundred percent, with total confidence know that if Jesus returns in 2017 that we will be with Him throughout eternity!
Do you know that today?
This amazing gift of salvation is why Jesus came to earth as the God-Man to live among us.
This amazing gift of salvation is why Jesus suffered and died on the cross for our sins.
This amazing gift of salvation is why the Father raised Jesus from the dead after three days.
This amazing gift of salvation is why Jesus is now interceding for you and me before the throne of God the Father.
This amazing gift of salvation is why the Holy Spirit calls us to confess our sins, repent and ask for forgiveness.
And, you can have it today.
(Invitation and leading into Communion)
