June 5, 2015 Parable of the Sheep and the Goats Matthew 25:31.
THE DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL COASTING AS THE SECOND COMING IS DELAYED Matthew 24 and 25 are part of the same message from Christ regarding warnings as His return seems to His servants to be delayed. Note Matt 24:44-51. Jesus warns that we must be always READY for His return. Those who are not prepared and ever vigilant will lose out on the reward. He then gives three specific warnings. The first warning in Matt 25 is the parable of the ten virgins. They are divided among the wise and the foolish. The foolish have NO RESERVE OIL. They keep no extra oil, just barely enough to stay alive. The foolish are doing the minimum, if that, as servants of Christ. We are warned against doing the minimum. We are to stay spiritually awake and avoid being lulled to sleep. See Matt 25:6, 10. The second warning by Jesus is the parable of the talents. This warning is built around investing and using the talents and gifts God has given us. The wise servants of Jesus use their gifts to increase the wealth of their Lord and Master. However the foolish servant with the least talents hides his talents in fear and shame. See Matt 25:25-27. Opposition will come to all believers sooner or later in some form. We must be courageous in helping spread the Gospel and not being ashamed of Christ and His message. If we love Jesus we will help feed His sheep with the truth. The Devil loves deserters and those hiding in fear. See II Tim 1:8 where we are warned about being ashamed of the Gospel and the need to suffer criticism if necessary with the message spokesperson. God will not put cowards into the family of God. See Rev 21:8. We must overcome fear with the help of the Holy Spirit. BE BRAVE FOR CHRIST! THE THIRD AND FINAL WARNING THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP Our main focus is on the parable of the sheep and the goats. When Christ returns in glory He will separate people into two groups. One group are the sheep who are welcomed into the family. He tells them they are welcomed because they were kind and helpful in the following manner:
- I was hungry and you fed me.
- I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.
- I was homeless and gave me a room.
- I was shivering and you gave me clothes.
- I was sick and you stopped and visited me.
- I was in prison and you came to me.
Christ then explained that we serve the least of them we serve Him. See Exodus 22:22 that God protects the weakest amongst us. He protected the widows and orphans and blesses those that help them. Further I believe that food and drink also includes feeding their spiritual thirst for the truth and spiritual food. Are we helping spread the truth and feed Christ’s sheep? THE WARNING ABOUT THE PARABLE OF THE GOATS One group was condemned to the real fire which prevents eternal life. This group is the goats. They ask, why? Christ says when you did not give me the following help:
- I was hungry and you gave me no meal.
- I was thirsty and you gave me no drink.
- I was homeless and you gave no bed.
- I was shivering and gave me no clothes
- I was sick or in prison and you never visited me.
The goats insist that they are innocent. They are the type that would give to those with beautiful personalities or those with power or money or position. But they would have little or no time for the ignored and overlooked little people. They would be experts at playing church politics. Note in James 2:1-18 he warned about favoritism in the church. It is a form of breaking the law about loving our fellow brethren. See Acts 20:28 Paul warns the church Elders to take care of the flock. BE CAUTIOUS OF THE DANGERS OF AMBITIOUS CON MEN AND THE UNSTABLE Our society has a lot more problems than in the past. One cannot safely pick up hitch hikers anymore. Further, there are people who will join our congregations solely for the purpose of bamboozling the brethren. After their reputation has caught up with them, and their con games have been stopped, they angrily join another church for new targets because they know we are generous and wish to believe the best of everyone. God says be wise as a serpent yet harmless. Letting people stay in your homes is very dangerous these days. Further some leaders will deceive the brethren to get a personal following. See again Acts 20: 29-30 where Paul warns of the spiritual wolves who exploit the brethren. Some want and get a cult following. We must always keep our eternal goal in our minds and activities, but remember Matthew 10:16. “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the mist of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”
