Welcome to Ontario Community Church, where we are encouraging, equipping, and engaging lives for Christ.
! I'm Pastor Patrick Daly, and each week I share sermons that balance the grace and love of Jesus Christ with the truth of the Word of God.
Together, we'll explore Scripture using observation, interpretation, and application.
This helps us discover practical ways to live out our faith every single day.
Let's dive in together into God's Word.
So at this time, I'd like to go ahead and let's dim the lights real quick.
I have a video for you.
And this video, I hope you enjoy it.
This was also, this was made by artificial intelligence, which is kind of a pretty incredible thing that we can help bring Scripture to life.
So, I hope you enjoy.
Lord, when did I see you hungry?
When did I see you thirsty?
Oh.
When did I welcome you, a stranger?
When did I see you?
You're needing clothes.
When were you sick, Lord?
And when were you in prison?
Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Christ.
It's really powerful how technology changes so quickly.
It was just a couple years ago where you might have seen that famous Will Smith trying to eat spaghetti.
And you could tell it was made by a computer.
You could tell it was fake.
And we're hitting a point where it's almost, it looks pretty realistic.
And like any tool, whether Google or the internet or any sort of technology that we have, it is important for us to use the tools that we have for good.
Like any tool, we can use it for good or we can use it for evil.
And this is one of the examples.
You've seen the short video of the children in the marketplace.
You might have seen one of the other videos that I've had.
And here is another video showing the realness of this parable of the sheep and the goats.
Of how important it is for us to consider our neighbor.
We are saved by grace through faith, you see.
And we are called to grow in Christ, to be transformed by Him.
And in that, there should be this continued growth process to become more like Christ.
To where we exhibit love and kindness and generosity.
And also standing firm on the truth of God's Word.
It is this great balance between grace and truth.
And part of this love, becoming more like Christ, is to feed those that are hungry.
To help those that are thirsty and to welcome those who are a stranger.
It kind of hits home when you see images like that.
Thinking of how can we as Christians, as the body of Christ, consider our neighbor.
We have to think how we were once lost.
But now we are found.
That we were once blind.
And now we see.
That same kind of love that God has for us.
Is the kind of love that we should exhibit for others.
We did the scripture reading today.
From the Gospel of Matthew.
Now, you don't have to raise your hand.
I'm sure that most of you have read.
Have seen films.
Or have at least know.
Have some understanding about the sheep and the goats.
And this part of the Gospel of Matthew.
It helps us.
We see that there's this sort of trifecta that's happening.
This continuing of parables.
Of these short stories.
That are simple.
But yet they have such depth.
It is part of the grand narrative.
What I want you to understand.
When you consider.
When you consider God's word.
It is all part of a love story.
Between God and his people.
The salvation story.
Where God sends his son into the world.
The miracles that Christ perform.
Healing the sick.
Walking on water.
Turning water into wine.
And teaching crowds as well.
And let's not forget, of course, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
All showing part of this narrative that God has in love for humanity.
And from the beginning.
From the very foundation of the earth.
God had a plan.
For us.
For you.
And it's important for us to recognize.
That God loves you.
No matter what it is you have been through in life.
No matter what sort of pain or suffering or anguish you have experienced.
In those times where we feel alone.
In those times where we have been betrayed by people.
Or even when we've had a good life.
God is there for us.
And he is extending an invitation for you.
To come to the wedding feast, as it were.
This invitation is a time for us to decide.
Are we going to respond?
For many of us, we may have received an invitation to a party.
If you haven't, let's talk sometime.
I'll invite you.
Let's make a party sometime.
So you at least experience it.
Amen?
Receiving an invitation is something that is remarkable.
It is powerful.
For you to be invited.
To celebrate someone's anniversary or someone's birthday party.
It is very similar when it comes to the Lord.
That he invites you into salvation.
Into the vineyard.
Into the wedding feast.
there's many different images that we can think of, we can consider.
And when we go into this parable here, the sheep and the goats,
it is important for us to recognize how many of you know,
and we should all know this, but if you don't, that's okay.
So don't raise your hand.
So how many of you know the story of the flood of Noah and the ark?
Some of you may have heard this when you were a child,
or maybe it's the first time you have heard it,
where there's a great flood that happens.
Well, there is an echo and a connection that we find that there is a time
for us to get to safety, for us to get to security before a grand storm comes.
Storm that is going to happen.
This flood that is representing judgment that happens for the people on the earth.
And it's hard for us to understand why would there be a flood?
And I'm not going to go so much into that,
but for us to understand at least that there was a time for safety.
There was a time for people to get into the ark.
A time before the storm.
And in this parable, we see that God gives us time,
but he does not give us forever.
There is a certain amount of time for us to respond to Christ's salvation,
to respond to the invitation,
and for us to think,
do I want to have Jesus at the center of my life?
Do I want to have Christ as my Savior and Lord?
Do I want to know Jesus and be in his presence,
to know him and be in that relationship with him?
Well, maybe you have already responded to that invitation.
Maybe you haven't.
Maybe there's a time where you've had an invitation card,
and you're like, I don't want to go.
Let's be honest here.
We've gotten those.
Maybe it's your class reunion.
Whatever it may be.
Maybe it's that friend you didn't really care for,
and now they want to be friends.
Whatever it is.
Maybe you have that card, that invitation,
and you haven't even thought about it.
But in any case,
God has extended that invitation for you to know him,
and to be in a relationship with the creator of the heavens and the earth
is profound.
It is remarkable.
You mean to tell me that God who made the universe,
the planetary systems,
the black holes and the nebulas,
I'm not even going to pretend I understand these things.
But the same God that made all of this,
made us,
and invites us to his wedding feast,
praise God.
We thank him for that.
And so,
there is,
have you responded to that invitation from Christ?
I want you,
let's open our Bibles real quick
to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 25.
And I want to kind of show you
what is happening here.
We can go to that next slide
as we're turning our Bibles,
or the ESVP Bible is page 987,
or you're welcome to use
whatever Bible of your choice.
It's important for us as Christians,
as we grow in Christ,
to recognize the patterns
and the consistency within Scripture.
For many of us,
we may read the same verse over and over,
and yet God will speak to us
at a certain moment in our lives.
Amen?
It is truly remarkable.
So,
page 987,
the Gospel of Matthew chapter 25.
It begins with the parable of the ten virgins.
How many of you remember that one?
Just going over it real quick,
was there's these ten virgins,
and they're waiting for the feast.
They're waiting for the bridegroom to return.
And what's strange is there's some of them
that were prepared,
and they had oil in their lamps,
and some of them didn't.
Well, can't you share?
The oil is a representation of the Holy Spirit
and how they were filled,
so to speak.
And they were ready,
right?
That's the main theme from that parable,
is preparation.
Ready the way for the Lord,
as it were.
Considering how Christ is teaching,
the importance for us to be prepared
when Christ returns.
Amen?
And then it leads us into the parable of the talents.
Many of us know that.
We've gone over this before.
Where it talks about how God gives us
our time,
our talent,
and our treasures.
And we are to steward what God has given to us,
our very life,
our very resources,
and how important it is for us to audit
what God has given to us.
Consider your gifts.
Consider your time.
Are you at least giving something back to the Lord
who gave you everything?
That's important for us to think about.
So this would be what we would think of
as the stewardship.
And then,
turn over a page,
and to page 988,
we have the final judgment then.
Where?
Well,
this is where I'm mentioning this trifecta,
this triad of parables that are happening.
The ten virgins,
the talents,
and the sheep of the goats,
they're all connected about
one thing that's happening.
The final judgment
and the return of Christ.
For the talents,
it's the return of the master.
For the ten virgins,
it's the return of the bridegroom.
And then in verse,
when we see,
in verse 31,
when the Son of Man comes in His glory
and all the angels with Him,
then He will sit on His glorious throne.
That is a beautiful image of what is to come.
Amen?
Very important for us.
It is connected.
And what I want you to really think about
when we think of these three parables
is that we are in
a certain time period,
as it were.
Some of us may know of it
as the church age.
Some of us may know it
as the age of salvation
or the day of grace.
Whatever you want to call it,
it is important for us to know
that there is an allotted time
before time is up.
It's just like any invitation
that we receive.
The party is going to be on Tuesday.
You're not going to respond
on a Wednesday, right?
Unless you lost your mail.
I get it.
Okay?
But the idea is that
there is a time.
A time for you to respond
to any RSVP, right?
To RSVP, to a letter,
to pay your bills on time.
We think of that
when it comes to the earth.
But there's a time for us
that God allows us here on the earth
to respond to His salvation
in faith.
The age of grace,
the time of salvation
before the return.
And so,
the Son of Man arrives
in glory with the angels.
We find that in Daniel
and also in Revelation.
We're not going to turn there,
but it's very important
to see that consistency,
the mentioning of the Son of Man.
Then going into verse 32
where it says,
before Him will be gathered
all the nations
and He will separate people
as a shepherd separates
the sheep from the goats.
Now, very often in parables
we have found
there's this separation, right?
There is the separating
of fish, right?
There's the separating
of the sheep and the goats.
There's the separation
that happened between
the foolish virgins
and the wise virgins, right?
The Scripture likes to talk
a lot about these distinctions
between the righteous
and the unrighteous.
It's important for us
to see this judgment,
as it were,
that is going to happen.
The shepherd in this case
is separating the sheep.
The right representing honor
and representing shelter
and safety
and from the goats
representing exposure
and judgment.
A fun fact that I found
about sheep and goats,
if you ever found a shepherd,
separating that in biblical times
and even now,
is that sheep have what?
What do you want from sheep
that you cut
and you use it for clothing?
I'm giving tons of hints here.
You want wool, right?
And you use wool for clothing, right?
And the idea is that
when you have sheep,
well, they're warm
because they have all this wool
all over them.
And goats, on the other hand,
are more vulnerable
than they are of sheep.
I found that to be very interesting
that when you found shepherds
doing that,
that was a common thing
that happened then
and can be.
I mean, there are shepherds
still today,
but very interesting to see that,
that there's this exposure
to the elements, as it were.
When we think of Christ,
the great shepherd,
separating the sheep of the goats,
how they are exposed, as it were.
Now, we're not going to say
that wool is protection and whatnot,
but it's still interesting nonetheless.
And so, we even consider
the separation of the wheat
and the weeds,
if we remember that, right?
How the chaff is going to be burned.
And we think of how the wheat
is stored up and placed
into a barn.
All of these things
are happening, right?
We go into verse 33.
He will place the sheep
on his right and on his left,
the goats on the left.
Then the king will say
to those on his right,
come, you are blessed
by my father.
Inherit the kingdom
prepared for you.
How many of you
have your Bibles open?
What does it say?
From when?
From the foundation, right?
Of the world.
And that's so important.
It should give us comfort
to see the consistency
that's found within Scripture
that God had a plan all along.
Now, here's the crazy thing
about God is that
how many of us understand God fully?
Don't raise your hand.
I should put my hand down
for a second here.
That God is so vast.
He's limitless.
And it kind of,
it really messes with your mind
when you think about
how much God loves you
and how God is beyond
the space and time continuum.
Right?
That God is outside of that
and that his ways
are higher than our ways
and yet we're called
to seek the higher things.
We're called to seek
the things of God.
That really humbles you
for a moment.
If it doesn't humble you,
then look in a telescope sometime.
Look at a microscope sometime.
I'm always shocked
when I go on YouTube
and I see these videos of the,
it shows a little dot of the earth
and then it shows like
this black hole
that's about, you know,
50,000 times the size of earth.
And I'm like,
that's just a black hole.
That's not even considering
galaxies and the universe.
And that certainly
doesn't even factor in
how big our God is
who made all of that
with such intentionality
and with such intricacy.
We think of,
it's more known in,
for those of you
who study apologetics,
it's known as the clock
and the clock maker.
We look at a clock,
we know that somebody
had to at least program
the digital, right?
But the idea is
the clock is ticking
and somebody has to
have the right tools
and have everything needed
in order for it to work.
And so,
going back here,
we see that as,
as we go into verse 34 onward,
let's go to verse 35,
for I was hungry,
you gave me food,
I was thirsty,
you gave me drink,
I was a stranger
and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you clothed me,
I was sick and you visited me,
I was in prison
and you came to me.
There are six mercies
that are mentioned here,
okay?
And these six mercies are,
look,
these are examples
of how we can minister
to other people,
right?
When's the last time
you ran into somebody,
don't answer this,
the last time you ran into
somebody who was hungry
or somebody who needed
a drink,
you know,
they were thirsty,
they're out in the field,
I mean,
with the weather,
how it's been,
you know,
there's a lot of them out there.
It's certainly been hotter.
People need,
they need a drink of water
kind of thing.
The stranger and welcoming.
How many of you have met
someone who's new to the area
and you want to welcome them,
have that sense of hospitality
for others?
Naked in clothing,
that's kind of a harder one,
but it still exists today.
Much like all of these,
aren't people still hungry?
Aren't people still hungry?
I'm thirsty.
Don't people still need clothes?
They absolutely do.
We think of basic needs.
Now,
we also have
sick and visitation
and prison and care.
It's important for us to note
when we consider
those that were in prison,
it's very different
than how we understand
prisons today.
In prisons today,
you have a bed,
you have,
typically,
you have meals and stuff,
at least when we think of
how things should be run.
Now,
when we're considering
in biblical times,
though,
they were just locked away
and for you to give someone
food or drink
or clothing,
that was showing love
because they didn't have it.
And so,
we think of that
kind of hospitality,
that type of love
that we have
for other people.
it's exhibiting
the love of Christ
sort of thing.
And so,
it goes on
in Scripture here
where the six mercies
are met,
right,
where Christ is saying,
look,
you did all of these things.
You considered my neighbor.
And so,
what I want you to realize
when you're reading this
is how
don't take this as,
well,
you're saved
by all of that work.
No.
This work
is because
you have been
saved,
when we think of us
as Christians,
because you have been
saved by grace
through faith,
you therefore
should grow
and do good
in the name of Christ.
Unfortunately,
there are people
who will read this
and say,
well,
you gotta only focus
on doing good.
You gotta only focus
on that
and not focus
on Christ,
which certainly
there are still needs
of people
that need to be met.
I'm not denying that.
But when it comes
to Scripture
and when it comes
to us following
in the footsteps
of Christ,
the first thing
we must do
is to receive
that gift
and respond
to the invitation
of Christ.
And when we consider
all of these works,
there's works
that there is work
that we should do
for others,
which shows
the fruit
that we bear.
For those of you,
you may think
of how Scripture
talks about
the seed planted
into the ground
and growing
and bearing fruit.
Very agricultural language.
But that is a representation
of how we receive salvation,
we receive the Word,
it grows in us,
we grow,
and we bear fruit.
What an amazing opportunity
for us
to serve our neighbor.
That's a way
to produce fruit.
And that's very powerful
for us to have
that care
and that compassion
for people.
It goes on
later on in the text
where basically
you have those,
the goats,
that are not really,
they're not caring.
They're not caring
for those in need.
And you have the sheep
that, well,
they know their shepherd,
amen?
They know what to do.
And that's
very beautiful
because we go on
even into
the ending.
Truly I said to you,
as you did not do it
for one of the least
of these,
you did not do it to me
as he's speaking
to the goats,
as it were.
Verse 46,
and these will go away
into eternal punishment,
but the righteous
into eternal life.
And so,
for your homework sometime,
go to Ezekiel 34.
We don't have time
to go over
to Ezekiel 34.
But go into
that part of the text
and you'll see
that even in
the Old Testament
there was mentioning
a final judgment
of sheep and goats.
It's really remarkable.
Especially when it talks
in verse 17
about what is to come.
That Yahweh,
that God,
will separate
from the sheep
and the goats
for you Bible scholars there.
And so,
also,
it's important for us
when we think of us,
we should all be sheep,
right?
Don't raise your hand
if you're a goat,
right?
It's important for us
to,
and any goats
in here,
right?
It's important
for us to
become a sheep
and to follow
the shepherd,
the great shepherd
represented in Christ.
And so,
in being part of,
in being saved,
we are inheritors
that we're going
to inherit.
Salvation,
the kingdom,
it's all part
of God's plan
to be an heir
and to inherit,
as it mentions
in Romans chapter 8.
I know I'm mentioning
a bunch of verses here.
A lot of those
are on your notes here,
but if not,
just come talk to me after.
And so,
that's what we find
in Scripture
regarding this.
This is just
within the observation here.
The response
to the least of these,
it matters,
and then the
eternal destinies
that we have
an allotted time
here on earth,
and certainly,
we have an allotted time
for us
to respond
to the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
This should hit home
for you
on the question
of whether or not
you have responded
to the gospel.
Let's go to that
next slide then.
What can we learn
from this here?
First one,
church,
what does it say?
Ready the way,
be a steward.
So,
the ten virgins,
it's about readiness.
The parable
of the talents,
it's about stewardship.
The sheep
and the goats,
it's about
living and loving
like Christ,
showing that love
in action.
In other words,
when we think
of all of that
Matthew 25
and how it's connected
with the sheep
and the goats,
we have got to prepare
for the coming
of Christ.
We have got to respond
to the gospel.
We have got to say
yes to the Lord.
God,
and in this,
in this life
that we have,
let us continue
to grow,
becoming more
like Christ,
be putting on
the new self,
setting aside
the former things
and stewarding
all that God
has given to us
and knowing
that in the end
there will be
a final judgment
but we don't have
to worry about
that final judgment.
Amen?
We get to,
we know where
we're going
and that's a beautiful
thing.
The second thing,
church,
what does it say?
from grace
comes work.
Now,
it's very important
for me to touch
on this.
As I've been mentioning,
God gives us time
but not forever.
The final accountability
is certain.
It leads us to
from grace
comes work.
Now,
this is where we get
into semantics
and the order
in which things happen
but listen,
when we think
of what scripture
tells us,
we are saved
by grace
through faith.
We should all know this
and if you haven't,
you should know it now.
Right?
Saved by grace
through faith.
Believing in the death,
burial,
and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.
That is the most
important decision
that you can make
for your entire life
because not only
does it affect
the life,
your life here
on the earth,
it affects
your eternal life
and because of this,
because of the grace
that you receive
from the Lord,
you gotta grow
and from that growth
comes doing good.
Doing good
in the name of Christ
in the words
that you speak
and the actions
that you do.
That certainly doesn't mean
that we're perfect.
Amen?
Got any perfect people
in here?
Raise your hand.
I want to see
who you are.
Right?
But seriously,
when we think about it,
we are a work in progress
that God is going
to continue to work
in our lives
every single day
until the very end.
That is a remarkable thing
to think of the imagery
of how God is the potter
and we are the clay,
we are the work
of God's hands,
continuing to be molded
as we're spinning
round and round
in this life.
Amen?
We think about that.
And so when we think,
look,
salvation is
by grace
through faith
and our actions,
our words,
our deeds,
this is evidence
of the faith
that we have in Christ.
and it is measured
even at the final judgment.
So in other words,
it's like they're going
to inspect your fruit,
right?
If you think about it.
And so it's important
for us that
if you are a new believer,
if you just
made a decision
for Christ,
you just responded
to the invitation,
be on a path
to know the word of God,
to know what it means
to be a Christian
and be moved
by the grace of God
through the working
of the Holy Spirit
to serve the Lord,
serve the community,
be that ambassador
from grace
that flows
from grace
comes works.
And then finally,
third,
what does that third one
say, church?
Christ is there
for the least, right?
For the least of these.
And we think of how
many times in Scripture
Christ was dining
with sinners
sinners.
What?
Why?
Christ is dining.
He's caring for the least
of these,
showing how
if we are to become
like Christ,
if we are to be
on this path
and follow in the
footsteps of Christ,
we too
have got to exhibit
the same kind of love
towards other people.
I've mentioned before
how Scripture
likes to talk about
the misfits
of society.
That's really
strange.
You would think
the Lord would want
to hang out
with all the cool kids,
right?
You'd think He'd want
to, you know,
and He does.
He hangs out
with everybody,
but the main thing
here,
the least of these,
the implication
is that
we all need
that which is perfect.
We all need
the light
of Christ.
We all need
the abundant grace
and the everlasting love
that comes from God.
Because let me tell you,
my ability
to love
on my own,
to love
as a human being,
is very
limited.
But when it comes,
when it comes to God,
His love
is everlasting.
He is
consistent.
His love
never fails.
He doesn't
change.
And so,
let us consider
how we are
to be like Christ
in serving
the least of these.
Think about
for a moment,
who is someone
you can serve?
This leads us
into the application,
how should we
live, right?
Because here
at Ontario Community,
we observe the text,
right?
We read Scripture.
Amen?
That's important for us.
The second thing
is we interpret it.
We learn the lessons
from Scripture.
And thirdly,
is we apply it
to our very lives.
We want to have
the head knowledge,
but we also want
to have the heart
to love.
And so,
the first thing,
respond when?
Now.
We are to respond
to the gospel
of Jesus Christ
to seize
the day
of salvation.
And it's important
for us to know,
I don't know
if this will give you
anxiety or not,
but no one knows
the day or the hour
when Christ will return.
For some people,
you're like,
well,
when are you coming back?
For some of us,
we may want to know
exactly the date
and the time
and even the second
and the millisecond
when Christ will come back.
But what's important
is that that is up to God.
When Christ will return.
And there's been
so many books
and people who have said,
you know,
it's the Y2K,
if you remember,
if you guys remember
that one.
Right?
Or Jesus will come back
in 1988.
I think I've mentioned
this one before.
88 Reasons Why Christ
Will Return in 1988.
It is a real book.
You'll look it up sometime.
I probably was a bestseller
in 1987.
I don't know about 1988,
though.
So,
you might find it
on discount somewhere,
right?
But the thing is,
no one knows the hour.
No one knows the hour
when Christ will return.
We don't know
how long we'll even have
here on the earth.
We don't know
when the king will return.
What matters
is seizing the moment,
responding to the gospel,
stewarding your life
and considering,
thinking about
how are you going
to live your life
in honor,
to honor,
and to glorify the Lord.
Consider what really matters.
Your faith walk,
your brothers and sisters
in Christ,
certainly your family,
all of these things matter.
Respond to him.
Respond to that invitation
and be transformed.
Begin on that journey
and live your life in him.
Receive and respond
to the invitation.
Just think for a moment
that imagery
of the wedding feast
and receiving
that letter.
Are you going to say yes?
Are you going to put it
on the table?
What are you going to do
for God's call
for your life?
And salvation
is free.
It is here.
It is available
for you.
But let us remember,
just like what we've
talked about
in this parable,
not forever though.
And so,
respond now
and seize that day
of salvation.
The second thing then
is to practice stewardship.
I have here
your time,
talent,
and treasure
and your testimony.
I've actually added
a fourth T in here.
Consider what God
has given to you.
It's essentially
the resources
that you have,
right?
The amount of time
that you have,
how you're stewarding it,
your talents,
right?
Your gifts
and your abilities,
your treasure,
your money,
your resources
sort of thing,
but also your testimony.
Your own story
and how God
has worked in your life,
how are you going
to share that
with others?
Or,
the testimony,
what we find
in Scripture.
How are you going
to share that
with other people?
And so,
consider it.
Think about it.
Take an audit
and inventory
of what God
has given to you.
How will you
use these things?
We've talked about
minas and talents,
but in any sense,
whatever God
has given to you,
steward it
and steward it well.
Never neglect
God's gift.
Steward them
for the glory of God.
It's much like
how it's important
for us when we think
of this final scene.
That's the,
basically,
the wedding feast.
That's towards the end,
the final judgment.
And think about it.
The master will return
and settle accounts.
Just like we have found
within Scripture.
And then finally,
witness through actions,
through words,
and through deeds.
Let your words
and your actions
be consistent.
And think about those,
you guys remember
those six mercies
I was talking about earlier,
right?
Feeding those
that are hungry,
giving drink to those
that are thirsty,
welcoming the stranger.
All of these things
are examples
of how you can minister
to other people.
It could just be
showing up.
When I've talked about
the ministry of presence,
just showing up
to someone who is in need,
whether they're sick
or they're imprisoned,
whatever it is.
Part of our ministry
is to serve others.
We serve the Lord,
we serve the living God,
we serve in the local church,
and we serve the community
in some capacity.
So, consider,
think about one
of the six mercies
to give you an idea
of how to love your neighbor.
Think about that.
There are many ways
that you can serve
the local church,
the community,
your neighbor.
We are to continue
to exhibit that love
of Christ to others.
And let your actions,
let it be consistent
with what you say.
Scripture talks so much
about not being a hypocrite,
right?
You want your words
and your actions
to be consistent,
and that's just common sense.
I mean, that's just
in real life, right?
You don't want hypocrites
just in the real world, right?
Much less what you find
in Scripture.
That's very important for us.
And so,
as we close here,
let us really take to heart
this parable
of the sheep and the goats.
Ask yourself for a moment,
are you a sheep
or are you a goat?
Okay?
It's not about what noise
you make if you're saying
bah or any of that.
It has nothing to do
with that, okay?
But it has to do
with have you received
that invitation?
Have you said yes
to salvation?
Are you growing
and are you exhibiting
that fruit?
And so,
God gives us the time
to respond
in salvation
through faith in Him.
Respond now.
Respond today
if you have not.
God gives us the opportunity
to go from darkness
to light,
from the weeds
to wheat,
from goats
to sheep.
It's called transformation.
It's called
putting on
the new self
because God
is the God
of transformation.
Changing us,
changing our hearts,
changing our minds,
changing the very
essence
of who we are.
That is the beautiful
thing about our Lord
and our God.
God.
And today
is still,
we are still
in the age of grace,
the day of salvation.
And when we think
of the day,
the time,
think of how
the sun is shining
as it were.
Well, just like
in any day
there comes
a sunset.
Don't let
the sunset
happen
until you,
you better know
the Lord
when that sunset
comes.
Amen?
It's important
for us.
Step into
the light
while there
is still light
and let that
light of Christ
shine and radiate
through you.
See that the
light of Christ,
it shines bright
like the sun
for you.
May you
respond to that.
Be saved
by knowing
the Lord.
Grow in Him.
Go from that
milk to solid
food of the Word
as it mentions
and Scripture
and live
in love
like Him
even with
small acts
of kindness
for others.
Just like
that video
I was showing
earlier.
It's just
a water bottle.
It's not a big,
it's small,
but it has
such a profound
impact on people.
And so,
be salt
and light
for others.
I want to turn
with you real quick
in closing.
Let's open
our Bibles
real quick.
Let's go to
Revelation.
I want you
to realize
as we're
getting closer
to the end
of this sermon,
we're getting
closer to the end
of this sermon
series,
and our next
sermon series,
Lord willing,
will be through
Revelation,
because the
parables of Christ
help us
understand
Revelation
with a lot
of its
symbolic language.
But I want
to turn
for a moment
into Revelation.
It's going
to be
Revelation 21,
it's page
1,233
in your
ESV Pew
Bible.
And I want
to read
the first
three verses.
Church,
can we read
this together?
All right,
let's give it
a moment.
Revelation 21.
Let's read
together.
Then I saw
a new heaven
and a new earth,
for the first heaven
and the first earth
had passed away,
and the sea
was no more.
And I saw
the holy city,
new Jerusalem,
coming out
of heaven
from God,
prepared as a bride
adorned
for her husband.
And I heard
a loud voice
from the throne
saying,
Behold,
the dwelling place
of God
is with man.
He will dwell
with them,
and they
will be his people.
And God
himself will be
with them
as their God.
Let's keep reading
verse 4.
He will wipe away
every tear
from their eyes,
and death
shall be no more.
Neither shall
there be
mourning,
nor crying,
nor pain
anymore,
for the former
things have
passed away.
When we think
of the wedding
feast,
when we think
of the invitation,
when we think
of the final
judgment,
we have
hope in Christ
of what we
are waiting
for together.
And so,
church,
let this promise
move us
to respond
to the gospel
before the sun
sets.
Let's pray
together.
And Father,
we thank you
for this time
and this opportunity
to look
at this famous
part in Scripture,
this parable
of the sheep
and the goats.
May we realize
how important
it is
as we look
at the context
showing the
importance of
preparing,
stewarding,
and knowing
that there will
be a final
judgment.
We may not
understand all
the complexities
of what you
have planned,
but we know
you are in
control.
May we fully
rely in you.
May we trust
in you.
May we respond
to your gospel
by believing
in the death,
burial,
and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.
May we be on a
path of following
in the footsteps
of Christ,
living,
learning what it
means to be a
Christian.
And may we go
from that milk
of the word
to solid food.
May we grow
in our understanding
of who you are.
And certainly,
Father,
we pray that we
as a church
and us as
individuals may
respond to
your gospel.
May we not be
goats.
Rather,
may we be
sheep,
knowing that
you are the
great shepherd.
And may we
follow you.
And may we
know that
after judgment
there is the
promise of the
new heaven and
new earth,
which we wait
for.
In all of these
things,
we say in the
name of Jesus
Christ,
the cornerstone
of our faith,
and we all say
together,
Amen.
Thank you for
listening for this
week's message from
Ontario Community
Church.
I pray that you
are encouraged
and strengthened
in your walk
with Christ.
For more sermons
and resources,
visit
OntarioCommunityChurch.org.
May God bless you
as you live out
His grace and
truth every single
day.
Thank you.