The reward of faithfulness
Matt.25:31-46
Sir Isaac Newton, the English physicist and mathematician who discovered law of gravity and went on to formulate the laws of motion, discovered the calculus, the scourge of teen years was believed to have uttered these words at the time of his death
I do not know what I may appear to the world. But to myself, I seem to have been like a boy playing on the seashore, diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.
People can say some pretty profound stuff at the end.
Gotta wonder when Jesus knew his time was about up, what was it that he would communicate.
Esp. to those dear disciples of His who followed Him around, whom He loved, whom He spend time with, grown attached to, who knew Him, His heart.
What was Jesus’ last bit of formal teaching on earth to His disciples?
Think with me, with anyone you love, you want to be there when they breathe their final breath. You want to there to hear what they say. Likely it will be something important that perhaps was left till the very end to say. Likely it will be something to impact.
If Jesus was asked this question: “Is this your final answer?” Yes, this is my final answer.
Fitting it would be about the ultimate consummation of the Kingdom of God.
Private teaching to disciples: instruction for them, public teaching is done deal (24:1)!
This last bit was for his disciples.
What we have here is a straight-forward teaching and description of what will happen when time is up on the earth. Jesus obviously this to be important enuff to be left till the last.
This is not a parable. While it does contain a metaphor of shepherd (v.32,33). It is really a straight-forward judgment scene.
In the end what will happen to all people?
Jesus answer is a powerful ONE!
What Jesus does with this answer is to blow away several myths.
Myths today are…
1. There is no second coming.
Did not say if he will come, “but when the Son of Man comes” WHEN, not IF But when! Meaning He is planning to for the second coming to occur.
As recently as this year because of Y2K, it would seem from the way popular media talks about it,
that anyone who talks about 2nd coming is dealing with myth. It is no myth, he will come again.
And when He comes, He will be KING, not like the silly Elvis sightings! It will be quite obvious to everyone! “He will sit upon his glorious throne” v.31
2. That all roads lead to Rome.
I.e. doesn’t matter what you believe in. Just believe there is a God…be a good person, do right things,
don’t hurt people, do enough good stuff.
Some way that is true
“All the nations will be gathered in his presence…” v.32
All roads do lead to God, but not the way most folks like to think. Leads to a God who will begin sorting out the sheep from the goats (v.33). So that leads to myth #3…
3. That God will not judge.
For He will be on his throne, judgment will take place for every one. No doubt God will judge. He’s after all, a God of justice. For all the times we say unfair, now God will judge with all the fairness in the universe. For He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Eternal destiny is based on where Jesus place you on his right or left, not all roads lead to heaven, all roads do go before God the judge but not all roads are going to lead you to paradise.
Just to prove the case Matthew constructs His gospel this way beginning at Matt.23
Judged the Pharisees and teachers of law with seven woes. 7 perfectly deserved woes!
Matt.24 speaks about judgment on Jerusalem then zeroes into judgment of world with His second
coming.
Matt.25 with parables of ten virgins five foolish and five wise and the parable of talents, rings with
judgment motif. That God will not judge sin is a myth made up by rebellious people to soothe their guilty consciences. It is foolishness of this world that leads people to have a faith based on the myth that God will not judge cause He is a nice God. Hebrews 12:22-29 (NLT) describes that God is not a nice play thing, but to be feared with deep reverence and worship, He is a “consuming fire”, “the judge of all people” and only because of the Mediator Jesus, we are granted the right of being in heaven…
22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to thousands of angels in joyful assembly. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge of all people. And you have come to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven who have now been made perfect. 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.
25 See to it that you obey God, the one who is speaking to you. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, how terrible our danger if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! 26 When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” 27 This means that the things on earth will be shaken, so that only eternal things will be left.
28 Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Better believe that our God is an awesome God!
4. That God wants to send people to hell.
Nothing is farther from the truth
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he
is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving time for everyone to
repent.
Jesus wants folks to COME, He invites, God wants to bless, Jesus tells us, come take what is yours, take
your inheritance, belongs to you, wants us to live like KINGS
Anyone here want to live like a king? Evidence
millions of lottery ticket sales,
see the desire of folks each year at the PNE to win the dream home, of mansions worth millions in Vancouver,
thousands of celebrities with million dollar salaries who want even more millions.
See the ads in our media – buy this, get that, you will really be happy, live like a king!
But you know what! You can have all those dreams fulfilled, there is kingdom with your name on it. You are next in line, a specially designed kingdom since the creation of the world, if you trust Jesus.
Why?
There is something in people that’s worth lots to God. His image (Gen.1:26-27)!
Truth is God pursues the sinner! Learnt that last Wed. when God continued to speak to Cain even after he committed murder of Abel, his very own brother. God’s not gonna chuck it away just because of sin.
His will is to redeem people made in His image. Ultimately, He restored the crooked image, marred image with Jesus, when he died on cross for sins of the world, 1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God.” we become the righteous when we come to trust Jesus, that His death is enuff to wipe away sin.
Just like us isn’t, in sons and daughters we see a likeness in them of us, no matter how hard a time they give us as parents, we can’t just chuck them away. They are somehow precious, no matter how rebellious obnoxious, they will always be welcomed and loved, unless they choose to ignore, then what can you do?
Jesus rules, and He wants us to rule with Him, a kingdom prepared for us, reserved for us. Special!
Other day, in Chinese rest. Dim sum, went there cos’ cheap $2 every dish.
And here we are rainy day, just came in from rain, force to stand around, when 2 tables were open.
The hostess just ignored us… No place was reserved for us! Waiting for a bigger group. Feel kinda second rate… With Jesus He’s not gonna treat us second rate, got our reservations for a kingdom all lined up!
Talk about the reward of faithfulness!
What God really want is for us to take hold of the blessing.
At times, tell my wife, my kids don’t know what they are missing, because pastors kids are horrible some times, because I want to give treats, but because of their obviously horrible behavior. I cannot reward them.
God is a God who wants to bless, not sent folks to hell!!!
Question then is what is hell designed for?
what was hell prepared for according to Jesus, for sinners? No, “eternal fire prepared for devil and his angels” (v.41) there is not a word there that God intends this for anyone. I wonder if this is clear? From the Bible Jesus words are “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mk.2:17). Jesus want us warts and all, u know, Bad people, evil folks, bad apples, black sheep, dirty rotten scoundrels, or as bible calls it sinners!
5. Myth of pew warming.
1 John 3:16-20
This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
1 John 4:15-21
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God , and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us, so that we will have confidence in the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says “I love God,” yet hates his brother he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
James 2:18,26
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder… so faith without deeds is dead.
Every believer is…
Called into ministry
We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance
for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
gifted for ministry
Each one of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
commanded to imitate the Suffering Servant
Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant…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
commanded to minister
Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Hebrews 13:1-3
to be prepared for ministry
…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.
Ephesians 4:12
needed for ministry
1 Corinthians 12 teaches each one is needed and indispensable.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!”…..
accountable and rewarded for ministry
Whatever you do, work it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Col.3:23,24
The righteous couldn’t believe that they serve Christ, by doing seemingly everyday things, such as food, drink shelter, clothes, visit folks sick and in prison . Who are the needy? Serve them! Reach out a hand!
Does the church need you? Sure? Many openings to serve, many ways to do it, some may be too scared to try it. Will you? With your gifts, talents serve?
As we become like Jesus in this life, we will be like Him in the next i.e. reign with him, with a kingdom prepared, reserved for us. So this is was Jesus last bit of formal teaching, we better take heed. There is reward! Each of you should not look only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who….(took on) the very nature of a servant. (Philippians 2:3,4,7). So we gotta serve somebody, it may be the devil it may be the Lord -Bob Dylan. Whom ya gonna serve! Let’s go serve Him who loves and gave Himself for us.
