The Sheep And The Goats

At a time before Jesus went to the cross He sat on the Mount of Olives with His disciples. In a private moment with them, they asked about the end of the age and how to inherit the kingdom.

Consequently Jesus shared with them the things that will take place and the sign of His coming. He talked about the great tribulation and that no one knows the day or hour of His coming except our Father in Heaven.

Jesus explains that at the appointed time of our Father, there will be a separation of those who have received Him and those who have rejected Him. Let us read of that time and what will take place.

Matthew 25:31-40 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Jesus the Son of Man is coming back! He’s coming with His holy angels. In all His glory He sits in His rightful place, on the throne of glory.

All the nations, tribes and people will be gathered. As the good shepherd He sets apart His sheep. His sheep have received Him and His right to rule and reign. As a result they are blessed. 

As Jesus says in verse 34 ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:’

Inheritance cannot be earned. It is a gift. The legal right is determined by identity. Usually it is the children of the deceased. In Christ Jesus we are adopted into the beloved. We inherit the identity of Jesus and His relationship with God the Father. We become a child of God. Through our identity in Jesus, His inheritance becomes our inheritance.

His sheep inherit the kingdom. All those who receive Him and His right to rule and reign are His sheep. Set apart at His right hand. In a position of power and inheritance. As His sheep we live in His eternal kingdom that was prepared before the foundation of the world.

This has always been God’s plan even knowing the rebellion of humanity, yes even knowing each ones failures and weaknesses.

Before we were born, God prepared a place for us.

Jesus makes it very clear we cannot earn or possess His kingdom through good works. God

has blessed us and brought us into His family and kingdom through receiving Jesus. The outworking of His kingdom within us is how we see each other and do relationships.

Jesus reveals the care He and the Father have towards others, especially the poor and the outcast. The human need for clean drinking water, nutritious food, adequate clothing, good health, community and freedom from captivity are the personal concerns of God. 

Jesus declares, ‘I was hungry, you gave Me food. I was thirsty you gave Me drink, I was a stranger you took Me in, I was naked, you clothed Me, I was sick you visited Me, I was in prison, you came to Me.

Jesus makes Himself and relationships with others personal. According to Jesus there is no separation of relationships with Jesus and with others, especially within the flock of His sheep.

Jesus said in verse 40, ‘...inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Using the words 'My brethren' Jesus reminds His disciples of a previous time when He declared those who have received Him are part of His family. Jesus was not referring to a family of physical birth.