The Reward Of Faithfulness

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…