Sermon: Judgment: Not What You Think Matt 25:31-41 July 6, 2003
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The Final Judgment - Trial & Judgment date: Sometime in the very near future
The place: Heaven’s Court
Judge: God
Prosecutor: Satan
Defense Lawyer: Jesus Christ
Defendant: You
You have died and passed from this life. The Rapture has happened and all that was prophesized has been fulfilled. It is the day of your trial and judgment - the final step to eternal life or eternal damnation. Which will it be? As you wait for your trial to begin, you nervously move about in your chair. A thousand thoughts are swirling about in your head and your life is flashing before you -
like a movie in fast forward mode. You cringe in your seat and fear has begun to well up inside you.
That is the image most of us have of the final judgment. We image ourselves in a courtroom. We believe we will stand before God and our lives will be reviewed in great detail, every sin, every good deed. We believe that by proving we had abstained from certain sins, that we went to church, that we were relatively a good person we will get into heave and conversely that the sins revealed on that day will send us to hell. But this image is more an image of the cinema world of movies than it is of the biblical final judgment before God.
In Matthew we find the “parable of the sheep and goats” only it is not truly a parable but a metaphor given by Jesus himself of what judgment day will truly be like. Jesus the son of man will come in all his glory and we will stand before his throne – not in a courtroom. It will be a spectacular place, shining with his glory. And “all the nations [all people] will be gathered before him” at one time. Every person, believer, unbeliever, godly and ungodly alike will stand before him.
Now notice what is not in this picture that Jesus gives us. Satan is not given an opportunity to argue why we belong in hell. There is not TV screen flashing pictures of our lives for everyone to see. Jesus is not standing up there asking us to prove we deserve to go to heaven or not. He already knows. It will be as obvious as it is tell sheep from goats, Syrian sheep from goats. Syrian sheep are white and Syrian goats are black. I mean how much more apparent could it be. There will be no gray areas, no maybes, no opportunity to convince God well you really meant to do such and such, be so and so, no excuses or explanations. The evidence of your life in Christ is contained in the here in now, in the present. It is what you do, today and tomorrow that colors you black or white before Christ.
And Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. Jesus, the very man, God himself, who came to earthy and died for us will be the final authority. Isn’t it great to know that the One who makes the final decision is the One who loved us enough to die for us? If nothing else that should bring us great comfort when we consider the final judgment. But many carry that thought to far and argue how could a God who loves us that much, condemn us, judge us. God condemned his own angels, Lucifer and the those who followed him to damnation – separation from him. What makes us think he won’t denounce humanity, won’t judge us. No, it is very clear throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, every man will be judged and sent to either heaven or eternal damnation, of that there is no question!
But, now, here is a really interesting part of this metaphor. The part this is unlike all those stories and images of judgment day we have, the part that might surprise you. There is no mention of sin on judgment day according to Jesus. Divine judgment. God’s judgment will not be based on sin for there is no for the believer there is no sin. Oh, trust me for the unbeliever, they will have to look at the sins of their life revealed continually – to me that would be hell. To have thrust before my face every inquity, every wrong word, every hurt or pain that I cause, every sin of omission and commission, to not have Christ covering me – to me that is eternal punishment. But as Christians we can go before the final judgment with the confidence and boldness of I John 4:17 for 2 cor says God counts no sin against those who are saved. That our sins are as far as the east is from the west. He has forgotten them. And, if they are forgotten they how can they be recanted on judgment day? There will not be a review of our sins on judgment day because we have accepted Jesus Christ as an atonement for our sins.
Notice though what will be illuminated and revealed by God. Vs. 35. Who would have ever thought that such simple acts would carry such importance, such weight on judgment day? Not theology, not what church you belonged to, not how many Sundays you were in church, not whether you were baptized or not, not whether you asked for forgiveness for every one of your sins of omission and commission, not how many church events you went to, not how much money you gave, not whether you drank or smoke or not, not even whether you read your Bible or prayed every day. You see the proof is in the pudding. It is the results of your life that matter. Don’t discredit the things I just mentioned for it is the end product of those things that matter. It is faith revealed in works. It is the by products of faith. And God tells us exactly what that product should be: We should give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, cloth the naked, care for the sick and visit those in prison. In fact this list of what we should do is so important it is given four times in these ten short verses.
The very acts of mercy which people can do every day in their lives is the measuring tool of salvation. Acts that don’t depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence. Acts that don’t require special talents or gifts. It doesn’t take a special person to do these things. These are hard things. They are simple acts freely given to the “least of these.”
“The least of these” for many this has been interpreted as meaning the economically deprived, needy and downtroddened. That what matters is what you do for the “poor” people. But an indepth word study here reveals Jesus’ thought of who these people are is much broader that just the poor. “The least of these” is referring to the the brethen of Christ – those who are considered the least of the world, fellow Christians regardless of this socio or economic status in the world. Christ is saying the measure of salvation is what have you done for my children.
Now here is another thing I find interesting in these scriptures of the final days Notice the goats aren’t contending, aren’t arguing their judgment. They know they are goats but what they question is this: VS 44. If we had known it was you God we would have given the drunk on the corner a dollar, we would have cooked a casserole when you had surgery, we would have given you some new clothes, we would have carried you to the doctor, we would have visited you in jail. If the Bethlehem innkeeper had known that Mary was about to deliver the long awaited Messiah, he would have made room for them in the inn. If the Sanhedrin had known it was God they were arresting on that fateful night in the Gethsemane garden, they would have followed him instead. If the Roman soldiers had known it was God they would have knelt at his feet instead of driving a nail through them. If we do a kind act simply because we think that it will assist us in getting to heaven then it was not the love of God that motivated us but selfishness.
Think about it. It isn’t those big life changing decisions we make in life that will determine eternity for us but those things we do in our everyday life. Our attitude, our self – less – ness, the way we interact and respond to others. But lest we think this eases judgment, lest we think this is no big deal we got this judgment thing licked. Think about your day yesterday what did you do that fits into this criteria for judgment? Did you give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty? Did you welcome in a stranger, a real stranger? Did you clothe the naked, care for the sick – other than those in your home? Did you visit someone in prison? If God’s judgment was based on what you did yesterday would you be a sheep or a goat?
The deeds you might dismiss as casual and simple (doing church nursery, cleaning the church, greeting visitors) God will regard as valuable moments of showing his love and grace to his people. And it will be this that will prove out whether you are a sheep or a goat. There are many in church who are fine, decent respectable people who are not doing anything for Christ. Jesus told the story about a servant who took a thousand dollars from his master and buried it. Jesus condemned him. Not because he gambled it away, not because he frivolously spent it, but because he did nothing with it. The goats, those on his left hand will be swept out of the Kingdom of God, not because of what they did but because of what they failed to do. God will separate out his obedient followers from the pretenders and unbelievers and their destinies will be vastly different. Everlasting punishment verses eternal life in glory.
Invariably, the question comes back “Yeah but how do I know which I am. Am I a goat or sheep? Do I do the things I do because of God or because I am trying to win God’s favor?” There is a test , you know. God has told us how to know whether we are a goat or a sheep. 1 Corinthians 11:31 says if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” Quit second guessing yourself. Quit looking at your sins. Quit letting Satan flash scenes of your failures before you and search your heart for the truth and you will know it. It’s there. Trust the Holy Spirit to reveal and convict you and then have the confidence and boldness of a believer who knows they sit at the right hand of God. Talk about freedom and independence! (PAUSE)
Have you accepted Christ, truly accepted Christ? Does your everyday life reflect it? Do you have the true confidence and boldness of a believer? (Definite pause – proceed to the communion table.)
I believe the Lord’s supper is the one of the greatest illustration that the final judgment day. We come to the altar before God. We kneel at his feet, in humble adoration and gratitude. It is the gift of the body and blood of Christ that gives us the gift of salvation but it is our thoughts that will reveal the truth of our life. What do you think about when you are kneeling before God receiving communion? Are you thinking – thank goodness the service is almost over, I wonder what we are having for dinner. I sure hope it is going to pretty this afternoon. Or are you praising God, thanking him for the forgiveness that has and will cover your sins on judgment day. Are you seeking to be guided by the Holy Spirit as to how to respond in your life to him? Test your self and know the truth.
Won’t you come to his table this morning as true repentant believers and seek his will and guidance for your life?. Turn with me in your hymnal to page….
