YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME
MATTHEW 25:31-46
MARCH 3, 2002
Parkersburg Baptist Church
READ V 40 AGAIN AS TEXT
WHAT DO THESE VERSES SAY TO YOU THIS MORNING?
THEY SAY TO ME—YOU HAD BETTER BE CAREFUL HOW YOU TREAT OTHER PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU MAY ENCOUNTER AN ANGEL. HEBREWS 13:1-2 SAYS-- Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE THAT ANGELS STILL WALK THE EARTH TODAY. I TOO BELIEVE THAT THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE ASSIGNED GUARDIAN ANGELS. MATTHEW 18:10 SAYS--Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
WE NEVER KNOW WHO WE MAY ENCOUNTER. WE NEVER KNOW JUST WHO THE STRANGER MAY BE. THEREFORE WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF OUR THOUGHTS AND TREATMENT OF OTHERS.
THOSE EVIL THOUGHTS THAT WE MAY HAVE TOWARDS SOMEONE, MAY SEEM HARMLESS ENOUGH IF WE KEEP THEM TO OURSELVES. BUT JESUS SAYS IF WE DO IT TO THE LEAST PERSON, WE DO IT TO HIM. (EXAMPLES)
A DEED THAT CAUSES SOMEONE HARM, WHETHER IT BE PHYSICAL,
EMOTIONAL, OR SPIRITUAL THE SAME APPLIES. INASMUCH.
HUSBANDS—WIVES, WIVES—HUSBANDS, ETC. –DIRTY LOOKS--
THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE SECRETLY, WHAT ABOUT THEM? JUST WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER FOR?
YOU SEE—WHEN WE SIN WE HURT JESUS. THAT IS WHAT HE IS TELLING US. EVERY SIN WE COMMIT HURTS AND GRIEVES THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.
IS. 53:5—BUT HE WAS WOUNDED (OR TORMENTED) FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS BRUISED FOR OUR INIQUITIES: THE CHASTISEMENT OF OUR PEACE WAS UPON HIM; AND BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.
HOW WE TREAT OTHERS, MATTERS TO GOD. HOW WE FEEL ABOUT OTHERS MATTERS TO GOD. THE THOUGHTS WE HAVE ABOUT OTHERS MATTERS TO GOD. THE DIRTY LOOKS WE GIVE, MATTERS TO GOD.
INASMUCH (TO THE EXTENT)
JUST WHAT ARE WE GUILTY OF DOING?
ARE YOU GUILTY OF HARBORING ILL THOUGHTS TOWARDS ANOTHER? DO YOU WISH SOMETIMES THAT OTHERS WOULD JUST SHUT-UP OR DROP DEAD?
DO YOU HARSHLY JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE? DO YOU SAY, WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE? DO YOU THINK TO YOURSELF, BOY I WISH ____?
IN AS MUCH
YOU KNOW, I DON’T WANT TO BE GUILTY OF CAUSING JESUS CHRIST ANY MORE PAIN, THAN I ALREADY HAVE ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY.
IN THESE VERSES WE HAVE READ THIS MORNING JESUS TALKS ABOUT SEVERAL THINGS.
HE TALKS ABOUT:
HUNGER, THIRST, SHELTER, CLOTHING, ILLNESS AND CAPTIVITY.
WE KNOW WHAT ALL THESE MEAN IN THE PHYSICAL REALM. BUT WE AND OUR GOD ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS. LET’S LOOK AT THE SPIRITUAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THESE.
HE TALKS ABOUT BEING HUNGRY. WHAT ARE PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY HUNGRY FOR? WHAT DO WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM? WE HAVE THE BREAD OF LIFE. LET’S SEE WHAT JESUS HAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.
John 6:34-48
34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life.
HAVE YOU EVER SHARED THE BREAD OF LIFE WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS HUNGRY? WHEN WE SHARE JESUS WITH OTHERS WE ARE SHARING LOVE TO ANOTHER PERSON. IN AS MUCH.
NEXT HE TALKS ABOUT BEING THIRSTY. WHAT ARE PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY THIRSTY FOR? WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER?
WE HAVE LIVING WATER, OR THE WATER OF LIFE.
John 4:6-10
6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Revelation 21:6
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:17
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
EVER TOLD SOMEONE WHO WAS THIRSTY ABOUT THE LIVING WATER? AS A CHRISTIAN YOU NEED TO SHARE GOD’S LOVE. IN AS MUCH.
NEXT JESUS TALKS ABOUT SHELTER—HE SAYS, I WAS A STRANGER AND YE TOOK ME IN. HOW DOES SHELTER HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH A PERSONS SPIRITUAL LIFE? I AM GLAD YOU ASKED. WHAT DO WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE TO OFFER? WELL IN A WORD GOD.
Psalm 61:1-4
1 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
SHARING JESUS CHRIST WITH SOMEONE IN NEED IS IN ESSENCE OFFERING THEM THE SHELTER OF GOD. A GOOD FATHER PROVIDES SHELTER FOR HIS CHILDREN; WE ARE STRANGERS TO GOD UNTIL WE ACCEPT JESUS AND BECOME THE CHILDREN OF THE LORD.
GOD IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF A FATHER THAT I KNOW. HE PROVIDES SHELTER FOR HIS CHILDREN IN HIS WONDERFUL ARMS. OFFER THE SHELTER OF GOD TO SOMEONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE IT. INASMUCH.
NEXT HE TALKS ABOUT CLOTHING. I WAS NAKED AND YE CLOTHED ME. WE CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN CLOTHED IN THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST.
THOSE WHO DIE WITHOUT CHRIST, WILL STAND NAKED AND EXPOSED BEFORE THE FATHER IN JUDGEMENT. NOTHING CAN BE HIDDEN.
THE SINS OF THIS LIFE WILL BE TOTALLY EXPOSED. HOWEVER, AS CHRISTIANS, WE HAVE PUT ON CHRIST.
Romans 13:14-- But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Galatians 3:27-- For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
WE ARE COVERED. GOD LOOKS AT US AND HE SEES JESUS. HE DOES NOT SEE OUR SINS AND FAILURES. HE SEES THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.
SHARE JESUS WITH A STRANGER—AND WHEN A SINNER RECEIVES CHRIST, YOU HAVE SHOW THEM THE WAY TO ETERNAL CLOTHING IN JESUS CHRIST. IN AS MUCH.
NEXT JESUS MENTIONS BEING SICK AND IN PRISON. SINCE HE MENTIONED THEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THEM TOGETHER AS THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
WHAT IS THE WORST PLAGUE KNOWN TO MAN? BUBONIC PLAGUE, EBOLA, AIDS, CANCER, ALCOHOLISM, DRUG ADDICTION?
WHILE ALL OF THESE IN THEIR OWN RIGHT ARE DEVASTATING TO MAN, THERE IS ONE PLAGUE THAT TOPS EVEN ALL THOSE IN ITS AFFECTS ON THE LIVES OF MEN. THAT PLAGUE IS SIN.
WEBSTER DEFINES A PLAGUE AS—A DEADLY DISEASE THAT SPREADS RAPIDLY FROM PERSON TO PERSON OR ANYTHING THAT CAUSES SUFFERING OR TROUBLE.
DON’T YOU THINK THAT THE WORD PLAGUE IS THE EPITOME OF THE SIN. IT SPREAD RAPIDLY. ADAM SINNED AND IMMEDIATELY ALL OF MANKIND WAS INFECTED.
IT IS A DEADLY DISEASE. DISEASE IS DEFINED AS A CONDITION OF NOT BEING HEALTHY. YOU CANNOT HAVE A HEALTHY SPIRIT WITH SIN IN YOUR LIFE, WHETHER YOU ARE LOST OR SAVED. YOU SEE, SIN AFFECTS BOTH THE LOST AND THE SAVED.
ONCE WE GET SAVED, WE ARE NOT IMMUNE, ONLY FORGIVEN.
SIN IS DEADLY BECAUSE WITHOUT A HOLY INOCULATION, CALLED JESUS CHRIST, IT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO SPIRITUAL DEATH.
SIN ALSO CAUSES SUFFERING AND TROUBLE. ONCE ADAM SINNED, SUFFERING, TROUBLE, DECAY, AND DEATH WERE INTRODUCED TO THE ENTIRE EARTH. NOTHING ESCAPED THE RAVAGES OF THIS FIRST DISEASE.
FOR THE PUREST FORM OF SUFFERING AND TROUBLE, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS LOOK AT THE CROSS OF CALVARY. SIN, CAUSED JESUS TREMENDOUS TROUBLE AND SUFFERING.
THERE ARE ONLY FOUR THINGS THAT SINNERS WILL HAVE THAT JESUS HAS HAD. BIRTH, LIFE, DEATH, AND SEPARATION FROM GOD. THESE ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT A SINNER WHO DIES WITHOUT CHRIST, CAN SAY THAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON WITH THE SAVIOR.
SIN NOT ONLY CAUSED CHRIST SUFFERING AND TROUBLE, BUT IT CAN DO THE SAME FOR CHRISTIANS AS WELL. GET OUT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD BECAUSE OF SIN IN YOUR LIFE, AND SEE IF TROUBLE DOESN’T COME RUNNING.
IF YOU ARE LOST, IT MAY SEEM LIKE THINGS ARE FINE RIGHT NOW—BUT DIE WITHOUT CHRIST, AND YOUR TROUBLE AND SUFFERING WILL LAST AN ETERNITY IN THE FIERY PITS OF HELL.
IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND THIS DISEASE REARS ITS UGLY HEAD IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU CANNOT RESIST, IT WILL IMPRISON YOU AND MAKE YOU SPIRITUALLY SICK. KEEP YOUR IMMUNIZATION UP TO DATE, BY STAYING IN THE WORD OF GOD AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER.
SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST WITH A SINNER AND IT HAS THE POWER TO HEAL THE SOUL AND RELEASE THEM FROM THE PRISON OF SIN. CHRISTIAN DO YOU REMEMBER THE FREEDOM YOU FELT WHEN YOU ACCEPTED CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?
JESUS BROKE YOUR BONDS—SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND.
IF YOU KNOW A CHRISTIAN WHO IS HAVING TROUBLE, JUST SHARE SOME LOVE. IT CAN RELEASE THEM FROM PAIN AND SUFFERING BY REMINDING THEM OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AGAIN.
DON’T BEAT THEM DOWN FURTHER, DON’T KICK ‘EM WHILE THEY ARE DOWN. IN AS MUCH
REMEMBER, WHAT YOU DO, THINK, SAY TO OR ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE IN THIS LIFE, MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU HAVE DONE IT TO THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.
INASMUCH AS YE HAVE DONE IT TO THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.
