March 26, 2018 - - Matthew 25:31-34 You a sheep or a goat?

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Matthew 25:31-34

The Son of Man is Jesus. One day soon He will be revealed as the Glorious One, the Ruler of all nations with the right to judge the actions of all people.

The life of Jesus is the standard by which Christians must measure themselves. We fail. We fall short. And we cry out to God the Father for His Spirit to give us new strength to overcome our sin and gain the victory over it. We confess our sin and seek to be reconciled in all cases of offense.

There well may be hypocrites in church. But there is a measure by which these can be judged: are they faithful to the Word of God and do they humbly receive correction when their sins are pointed out?

In the world, those whom the parable calls goats, are those who are consistent in their rebellion against God. Such persons act as if Jesus will not judge their actions. The culture we experience now is one ruled by goats. Here is a defining characteristic of this: what is good is called evil and what is evil is called good (Isaiah 5:20).

Those who do not submit to the Word of God and its clear teachings will face Jesus not as Saviour, but as Judge with the right to cast the rebellious into the fires of hell.

Now is the time to repent. Now is the time to turn to Jesus as the Saviour. All of us--rich and poor, famous and unknowns, leaders and followers, from all lands and places and peoples--will face Jesus in His Splendor. Before His throne we will either receive the crown of life, based on the fact that Jesus bore the punishment for our sins and we have followed Him or we will be thrown into hell, receiving the just punishment for our sinful life and rebellion against God.

Father in Heaven, thank You for the Saviour of the World, Jesus, given as the sign of Your great love. Jesus, Friend of Sinners and Ruler of the Nations, thank You for the inestimable gift of Your life given to ruined sinners. At the cross Your righteousness is given to us while You have taken on Yourself our sin and the punishment for it. As the world posts pictures of Easter bunnies and egg hunts, may the true meaning of Jesus' death and resurrection be the clear call sounded by Your Spirit to summon sinners to the only safe refuge: Jesus. Ah triune God, receive the reward of Jesus' great sacrifice--many, many people who finally recognizing their sin will cry out to Jesus and be numbered among the sheep, who inherit the blessing of life in Jesus joyous and stretching into eternity in His presence. Amen.