Prelude
Have we ever wanted Jesus to show Himself? Would we like to meet Jesus? Have we been walking right past Jesus without recognizing Him?
Purpose: Let’s find Jesus in the needy.
Plan: Let’s look at the Judgment of the Nations in Matthew 25:31-46, the Parable of the Sheep and Goats.
Story: Disaster Response
A fellow pastor was involved in church relief after a national disaster. He noticed large crews repairing church buildings. Then they packed up and left. The pastor’s team stayed on to repair people’s lives not just buildings. Repairing church buildings while people outside are hungry, thirsty, in need of clothing, in need of hospitality, sick, and in need of a caring visit is a woeful example. Can we even call that Christianity! Is it time for the Christian Church to repent? Does Matthew 25 tell us that Jesus identifies more with the needy than our holy places? Is the street then also a holy place, where Christians truly live the Gospel?
Matthew 25:32 Sheep and Goats
In Matthew 25:32 Jesus describes the judgment of the nations “as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” Sheep farming is intensive work, but sheep are easier to work with because they are gentle and quiet. Goats are more independent and not as intensive work. But, they are not as easily herded as sheep, and they stink. Goats will domineer and often butt sheep out of the way to reach food. However, they are not harmful predators like wolves, so they may flock together to be separated later. Is that exactly what Jesus will do at the judgment? Can selfish and stinking people stay in the church for now?
Matthew 25:37 Living Faith
What kind of faith saves, a dead or a living faith? James 2 teaches that a living faith is accompanied by works, not works of the law, but good deeds. Dead faith is just a show, not accompanied by good works. How can anyone claim to have faith that saves without showing love to neighbor! In Matthew 25:37 the righteous asked Jesus, “Lord, when did we see You…?” Those “righteous” didn’t even know they had fed and clothed Jesus. Could it be that their motive was love for God and their neighbor and not earning salvation by works? Could it be that such good works are evidence of living faith?
Does the Parable of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25) teach salvation by works? By the washing of regeneration, we were born from above. The Holy Spirit transforms our lives by giving us participation in God’s loving nature. As Christians we are sanctified by faith (Acts 26:18) and by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:13). Good works are evidence of a sanctified life (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7) and faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Saving faith is alive with the bright light of good works (Matthew 5:16) including helping the needy. Works don’t save us. They are visible evidence of a living faith.
Matthew 25:35-36 Seeing Jesus
In Matthew 25:35-36 Jesus identifies with the suffering, saying, “I was… hungry… thirsty… a stranger… naked… sick… and… in prison…” Do we see Jesus in the poor and needy of the world? Do we avoid them? Do we see the suffering of Jesus in the hungry and thirsty? Do we see the prophesied Messiah rejected as a stranger by His own people? Do we see Jesus’ nakedness on the cross in those with little clothing? Do we see the One who took all our diseases in the sick? In the suffering, anxiety, pain, rejection, loneliness and depression of a prisoner do we see Jesus? Jesus suffers with all who suffer.
Matthew 25:42-43 Finding Jesus
Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus is with us always (Matthew 28:20, John 14:30, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 3:17) and we sit with him, spiritually speaking, in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:5-6). He is in our worship, prayers, fasting, tithes and offerings. Matthew 25 describes other places to find Jesus. During His earthly ministry, he was often found among the least, the lost and the last. Jesus came to the poor and needy. He was born in impoverished circumstances, lived an itinerant life without fixed abode and served the sick and poor. In Matthew 25:42-43 Jesus identifies with them saying, “I was” the needy.
Matthew 25:40 The Throne of His Glory
In Matthew 25:40 Jesus says, “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Jesus calls people in all nations His brothers and sisters. The judgment seat here called the throne of His glory (Matthew 25) is elsewhere called the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15). It is judgment of all the nations, not just the Church. The judgment is: how nations handled human suffering. Do we see suffering people as brothers and sisters like Jesus does? Do we have hearts of charity? Jesus Christ is Savior of the world. Do we also save the suffering as we are able?
Matthew 25:44 Social Gospel
In Matthew 25:44 Jesus describes those who ignore the needy: “inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” Charity is often called the “social gospel” focusing on “social justice.” Good deeds light up the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Good works involve deeds of charity such as feeding and clothing the needy. This so-called “social gospel” is part of loving our neighbor in action. The concept of a “social gospel” is used by some as an excuse to abandon other teachings of the Bible and by others as an excuse for disobeying the command to love our neighbor.
Research: Causes of Poverty[1]
Overpopulation, deficient distribution methods, rising costs, poor education, unemployment, underemployment, environmental degradation, individual responsibilities, medical costs, sickness, greed, the cost and devastation of war, natural disasters, industrial changes, recessions, discrimination, pregnancy out of wedlock, disability, crime and unjust incarceration, immigrant status, and gang presence cause poverty. People without a high school diploma are 3-5 times more likely to be poor. Fatherless families are 3-4 times more likely to be poor. Two thirds of disabled people are unemployed. Domestic abuse victims are twice as likely to to be unemployed. Women, minorities, children, immigrants, the disabled and female-headed households face far greater poverty rates. Christians don’t just blame the victim, but do something.
Psalm 72 Messianic Leadership
Is caring for the needy an individual or national responsibility? A king represents national leadership and Psalm 72 refers to the Messiah’s reign, a standard for all national leaders. It says, “He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor” (verse 4) and “He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper. He will spare the poor and needy, And will save the souls of the needy. He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight.” (verses 12-14)
Ezekiel 34 National Leadership
Did Jesus say anything about welfare, immigration, healthcare and prisons? Christianity is political. Jesus’ discussed ancient universal principles of politics. Ezekiel 34 condemns evil national leaders. “The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them.” (verse 4) What is our responsibility towards the needy? What kind of a barbaric society refuses to defend the poor, the life of a helpless unborn baby, or distressed and homeless immigrants? Do we see in the needy an inconvenience or do we see Jesus?
Amos’ Warning*
Amos gives a dire warning to any nation which would “trample helpless people in the dust and shove the oppressed out of the way.” (Amos 2:7) Excuses are hollow justifications for greed and selfishness. The selfish feast. The poor suffer. The selfish “oppress the poor and crush the needy,” saying, “Bring us another drink!” (Amos 4:1) Does the national family “oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts” (Amos 5:12)? Amos warns those that “rob the poor and trample down the needy” (Amos 8:4). Such nations are cursed by God. Amos echoes Matthew’s message (Matthew 25) to relieve the poor.
Psalm 100 Our Coming King
We are disappointed with human government. Democracies curtailed royal excesses, striving for something better. But, democracy cannot change men’s hearts, and society’s predators continue their dastardly work. Atheistic communism also failed, as predators took party control and became billionaires. The ideologies may be different, but human systems have one thing in common: the strong bully the weak. Jesus says He will come back and bring justice. At that time we will “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise.” We will, “Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalm 100)
Postlude
Jesus identifies with the poor and marginalized. Do we identify with the needy as Jesus does? When we do, we have found Christ.
Most Bible quotes: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
*Amos quotes: Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
[1]Rynell, Amy. CAUSES OF POVERTY: Findings from Recent Research. The Heartland Alliance. Mid-America Institute on Poverty. 2008.
