Where Will You Spend Eternity

Sermon Text: Matthew 25: 31-46

Sermon Type Inductive Deductive

Sermon Title: Where will you spend Eternity?

Biblical Problem and Solution:

Problem: The Religious people did not care for the outcast and think heaven is owed them

Solution: Through acts of mercy toward the outcast can people show they love God and do so not expecting anything in return

Contemporary Problem and Solution:

Problem: Christians today think heaven is owed them because they belong to a certain group, and they ignore the downtrodden, or outcast.

Solution: Christians must show acts of mercy toward all with pure motives and out of love for the Lord.

Where will you spend eternity

The Joneses are a poor family that live on the outskirts of town. Mrs. Jones is a widow trying to raise her two sons. Things are difficult, but they do what they can to get by. One night there was a Tent Meeting Revival in town. Mrs. Jones decides to attend taking her two sons with her. Her sons Bobby who is 14, and Joe 12 are quite reluctant but they go anyway. what they heard that night changed their lives. Mrs. Jones and her two sons gave their lives to the Lord. Bobby and Joe decide later they want to enter the ministry. They both graduate High School and go off to Bible College to get their training. After graduating College Bobby caught on with a very successful traveling ministry team. After several years on that circuit Bobby launches his own ministry. It is a huge success. Bobby receives honorary doctorate degrees, writes several best selling books, and has a very successful television ministry. Joe on the other hand had difficulty with College, although he made it to graduation he struggled with his studies. After graduation he goes into a inner city rescue mission ministry. Things are hard for Joe but he is committed to making it work, it was here he met his wife Linda. Together they worked all hours of the night in the mission. They helped feed the hungry and homeless people who visited the mission. Each night they would open the kitchen make dinner for the local people who visit the mission, have worship service after the meal, and end the night with prayer. Some nights some of the visitors would give their lives to the Lord, Joe and his wife would do whatever counseling they could sometimes even put the people up for the night. In the morning, Joe would visit some of the regulars who were in rehab, or jail, just to encourage them, listen to them and pray with them. Some nights he would go out after the meetings and bring soup and coffee to those who lived in the streets. Spend time with them doing whatever he and wife could do to help them. It was a struggle keeping the mission open but Joe and his wife knew they had to because it was all some people had.

Dr. Bobby as he is now called, spends his nights making arrangements for his next Television program, lining up guests, working on his next book, or looking over plans for the new wing on his Bible College or new 10 thousand seat sanctuary. He had no time for the poor. After all if they had his faith they would not be in the situation they were in. His messages on Sunday would be all about how he built this multi million dollar ministry from such humble beginnings. Each week he would challenge people to strengthen their faith so they can be as successful as he was. The headquarters for his ministry sat on a 50 acre plot, he had a 10 bedroom mansion, large television studio with cable syndication. Surely God must be pleased, just look at how well he blessed this ministry. Not like my brother who struggles to keep the doors open to his place.

Many nights Joe would write to others to try and raise support to fix the mission, put in better heating and plumbing, or for extra blankets and cots. Some of the faithful supporters would be as generous as they could and this always gave Joe encouragement. However any support from Bobby was always met with various excuses, but no money.

One night both Joe and Bobby were called home by the Lord. As they stood before the Lord Bobby heard him say to his brother Joe

Come you who are blessed of my Father, take you inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

But Lord, I struggled just to keep the mission open, what have I done to deserve your favor

Joe said

The Lord replied

When I was hungry you gave me to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.