I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew's Gospel.
Matthew's Gospel, chapter 25.
Today we come to a conclusion,
as in we finish our studies in Matthew today.
You may think, well, there's a few more chapters to go.
Well, there are, and we covered them over Easter time
as we looked at the death and the resurrection of Christ.
But today brings us,
and I think the text that we're going to look at today
brings us to a fitting conclusion.
If you've missed any of the talks along the way,
they can be found on our church website.
You can follow up there and listen to them.
And also the little brochure,
which gave you a summary of Matthew's Gospel.
I hope you all got one.
If you didn't, you can ask me,
and I can email it on to you.
Well, let's read God's Word.
Matthew, chapter 25, starting at verse 31,
down to verse 46.
Let's hear his words.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory
and all the angels with him,
he will sit on his glorious throne.
All the nations will be gathered before him
and he will separate the people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will put the sheep on his right
and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right,
Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Take your inheritance,
the kingdom prepared for you
since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.
I was a stranger and you invited me in.
I needed clothes and you clothed me.
I was ill, you looked after me.
I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Then the righteous will answer him,
Lord, when did we see you hungry
and feed you or thirsty
and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger
and invite you in
or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison
and go to visit you?
The King will reply,
Truly I tell you,
whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers and sisters of mine,
you did for me.
Then he will say to those on his left,
Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry
and you gave me nothing to eat.
I was thirsty,
you gave me nothing to drink.
I was a stranger
and you did not invite me in.
I needed clothes
and you did not clothe me.
I was ill and in prison
and you did not look after me.
They also will answer,
Lord, when did we see you hungry
or thirsty or a stranger
or needing clothes
or ill in prison
and did not help you?
He will reply,
Truly I tell you,
whatever you did not do
for one of the least of these,
you did not do for me.
Then they will go away
to eternal punishment,
but the righteous
to eternal life.
Well, let's pray together.
Father, our text this morning,
what we have just read,
is sombre,
it's serious.
and we pray that we would
understand the depth
of what you are saying
to us individually
about our eternal destiny
and the way we live our lives
as we wait
for your return.
Father, by your Spirit,
do a work in each of us
so that we are changed
by what we hear
in such a way
that we gladly welcome
and look forward
to the King's return.
We ask for your help to us.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, Jesus has been
teaching his disciples
and us
about his return.
Have a look back with me
at chapter 24,
verse 36,
as he's been talking
about his return.
Jesus says,
But about that day or hour
no one knows,
not even the angels in heaven
nor the Son,
but only the Father.
The return of King Jesus
is going to be a surprise.
And as he continues
through the rest of chapter 24,
Jesus explains
that he could come
surprisingly early
or he could come
surprisingly late.
Verse 44,
So you also must be ready
because the Son of Man
will come at an hour
when you do not expect him.
chapter 25,
verse 13.
Therefore,
keep watch
because you do not know
the day
or the hour.
Now,
while we do not know
when he will come,
we do know
what is going to happen.
And to help us understand
what's going to happen,
we're going to look at
three things,
broken it down
simply like this.
One judgment,
two destinies,
and three truths.
One,
two,
three.
One judgment,
two destiny,
and three truths.
First,
one judgment.
Look at chapter 25,
verse 31.
When the Son of Man comes,
so this is Jesus
referring to himself,
it's his favourite title
for referring to himself,
the Son of Man.
It's not just a name,
it's a title,
it's a position,
and it refers to
God's Son
who has absolute power
and supreme authority
over all things
and all people.
So,
when the Son of Man
comes in his glory
and all the angels
with him,
he will sit
on his glorious throne.
If we were to read on
in Matthew,
we would learn that
in his remaining days,
he would be mocked,
despised,
rejected,
and killed.
But he's telling his disciples
that when he comes again,
after his resurrection
and ascension,
when he comes again,
he will come as the
supreme king,
the ruler,
and judge.
And two things
are going to happen.
First,
he tells us
in verse 32,
that all the nations
will be gathered
before him.
That's an extraordinary
scene,
isn't it?
Every people group
in the world,
every language,
and every religious group,
no nation
is going to be
excluded.
All will be gathered
and all will take
their place
before
the Son of Man,
including
you and me,
whatever your nationality
might be.
The nations
will be gathered.
And second,
the people
will be separated.
Look at verse 32 again,
all the nations
will be gathered
before him
and he will
separate the people
one from another
as a shepherd
separates the sheep
from the goats.
Now,
we don't need
to be farmers
to know that
goats are not sheep
and sheep are not goats.
So,
just as a shepherd
separates one
from the other,
so Jesus the King
will separate
the peoples
of the world.
You see,
when Jesus
comes to judge,
there will only be
two kinds
of people.
Those who've been
humbled
and welcomed
the King
and those who've
been proud
and reject
the King.
And the question
isn't going to be
about what country
you came from
or what language
you speak
or what particular
religion you are,
but what did you do
with Jesus?
What did you do
with my Son?
verse 33,
he will put the sheep
on his right,
that is,
the place of honour
and the goats
on his left.
Those who've
bowed the knee
to Jesus
will be placed
on his right
and those who've
turned their back
on Jesus
will be placed
on his left.
There's no third
group here,
is there?
There's no middle
ground,
no sitting on the fence.
There's either sheep
or goats.
It's either right
or left.
It's either for Jesus
or against Jesus.
Which one are you?
Which one am I?
Now of all the things
that Jesus teaches,
this is probably
the one that we find
the most difficult
and most offensive.
the idea
of a supreme judge
who's going
to determine
my eternal destiny
is very uncomfortable.
We really
don't like it.
Well,
before we rubbish
the idea
of a God
who comes
to judge,
consider these
three things.
First,
God's judgment
is loving.
Imagine for a moment
if our government
suddenly decided
that there's going
to be no more
laws in this country.
There's going
to be no more police,
no more courts,
no more judges.
We can all do
as we please
and nobody
is going to be
held accountable.
Well,
that would be
a terrible way
to live,
wouldn't it?
And it would be
a terrible government.
It would be
uncaring
and unloving.
You see,
judgment
or justice
is loving.
It cares
for the weak
and the poor.
It holds
the wrongdoer
to account.
If God
did nothing
about injustice,
it implies
that he's
complicit
in it.
So,
having a judge
who comes
and will hold
all people
to account,
well,
that's good news.
That is
loving.
Second,
God's judgment
is just.
The fact
that there will
be a separation
is a sign
that God
is just.
His judgment
is not
arbitrary.
God doesn't
randomly
with a blindfold
pick and choose
who's going
to be on the
left or right.
Listen to how
one author
puts it,
speaking about
this separation.
You can
follow along.
They are
consigned there
first and
foremost
because they
defy their
maker
and want
to be at
the center
of the
universe.
Hell is
not filled
with people
who have
already
repented.
It's filled
with people
who for
all eternity
still want
to be
the center
of the
universe.
God
gives people
what they
most want.
So God's
judgment
is
just.
And third,
God's
judgment
is fair.
I mean,
as we think
about it,
some may feel
that it's
very unfair
that God
would give
the same
judgment
to a
Hitler
as a
regular guy
who rejects
God but
doesn't go
around murdering
millions of
people.
Well,
scripture is
clear,
it seems,
that there
will be
degrees
of punishment.
Jesus has
already taught
about this.
Just go back
to Matthew
chapter 11.
Matthew
chapter 11
verse 21.
Here Jesus
is talking
about the
different towns
that he had
gone to,
where he had
taught and
preached and
where he had
done different
miracles in
these towns.
Chapter 11
verse 21.
Woe to
you,
or judgment
to you,
Chorazin.
Woe to
you,
Bethsaida.
For if the
miracles that
were performed
in you had
been performed
in these other
towns,
Tyre and
Sidon,
they would
have repented
long ago in
sackcloth and
ashes.
But I tell
you,
it will be
more,
what?
It will be
more bearable
for Tyre and
Sidon on the
day of
judgment
than for
you.
It will be
more bearable.
Let's go back
to Matthew
chapter 25.
You see,
judgment,
while irreversible
and unchangeable,
it will be
fair.
It will be
in proportion
to what
one has
done.
So,
there will
be one
judgment for
all people,
a judgment
that is
loving,
just,
and
fair.
There can be
no
complaints.
Second,
there will
be two
destinies.
You see,
as God
judges and
as God
separates,
it will
be to
two
eternal
destinies.
First,
there's the
kingdom of
heaven,
verse 34.
Then the
king will
come and
say to
those on
his right,
come you
who are
blessed by
my father,
take your
inheritance,
the kingdom
prepared for
you since
the creation
of the
world.
The kingdom
of heaven
is life
as it
should be
for all
eternity.
The full
and glorious
experience of
peace,
joy,
happiness,
love,
and kindness.
It will
be the
absence of
despair and
darkness and
hopelessness,
no more
sin,
no more
evil.
It will
be the
realization
of the
father's
promised
inheritance
of no
more sorrow,
no more
pain,
no more
death,
no more
curse.
It will
be a
kingdom
filled with
the infinite
beauty of
God and
the
uncontainable
delight of
God's
children.
This is
the
guaranteed
destiny
for all
those who
bowed the
knee to
King Jesus.
But there's
also the
fire of
hell.
Hell is
not, as
many people
like to
think,
an eternal
party with
your best
buddies.
It's
everything that
is opposite
to the
kingdom of
heaven.
It's
life
separated
from God
for all
eternity.
Look what
Jesus says
in verse
41.
Say to
those on
his left,
depart
from me
or be
separated
from me,
you who
are cursed.
There is
no blessing.
It's a
living
death.
You see,
to be
separated
from God
is to be
separated
from the
source of
love
and beauty
and laughter
and joy
and happiness.
It's the
absence of
friendship,
pleasure
and delight.
It's an
eternal cycle
of evil
and sin
where we are
filled with
guilt and
shame and
the impossibility
of forgiveness
or release.
peace.
The most
common word
used to
describe
hell
is fire.
Not because
it's a
literal fire,
I don't think.
I think it's
metaphorical here
because
Jesus also
talks about
it being a
place of
darkness.
Well,
how can it
be darkness
if you have
fire at the
same time?
I think it
best explains
the destructive
torment
that hell
is.
There's
nothing good
about it.
And sadly,
this is the
guaranteed
destiny
of all who
turn their
back on
King Jesus.
So there
will be
two
destinies
summed up
in verse
46.
Then they
will go
away to
eternal
punishment
but the
righteous
to eternal
life.
No
appeal,
no
retrial,
a final
and forever
judgment.
Now this
is difficult
for us,
isn't it?
It's not
something I
would naturally
choose to
speak about.
It's
difficult
because,
well,
we're
concerned,
aren't we?
We're
concerned about
ourselves but
perhaps we're
concerned for
our loved
ones.
Friends and
family who
reject Jesus
as King and
insist on
living their
own way.
And our
desperate
desire is
that they
too would
enjoy the
kingdom of
heaven rather
than suffer
the fire
of hell.
Well,
let's not
be in
despair
because your
desire for
your loved
ones is
God's
desire too.
Look at
what God
says about
heaven and
what he says
about hell.
Look closely
at verse
34.
He says,
come you
who are
blessed by
my father,
take your
inheritance,
the kingdom
prepared for
you since
the creation
of the
world.
God's
longing in
God's
heart is
that we
would be
in his
eternal
kingdom
that he's
been preparing
for his
people.
Now look
at verse
41.
He will
say to
those on
his left,
depart from
me, you
who are
accursed
into the
eternal
fire,
prepared for
who?
The devil
and his
angels, the
fallen angels.
God's
desire is
to punish
the devil
and his
minions.
So can you
see the
difference there
between those
two verses?
He has
prepared heaven
for us
and prepared
hell for
Satan.
his desire
is that we
would enjoy
the kingdom
and not
have to
suffer hell.
That's
his desire.
And to
make that
all possible,
what did
he do?
God sent
his son
Jesus to
save us.
That's what
we've been
looking at
through Matthew's
gospel.
He is the
God-man who's
come to
serve and
save us
by suffering
for us.
Let me
read to
you from
Becky
Pippert who
summarises it
like this as
we think about
the sufferings
of Christ on
our behalf.
This is what
she says.
Just as
sin separates
us from
God's loving
presence,
so Jesus
was separated
from that
loving presence.
To pay
the price
for human
sin,
Jesus had
to experience
the utter
anguish
and abandonment
of being
forsaken
by his
father and
bearing his
judgment
for our
sin.
That is
what hell
is.
To be
severed from
the loving
presence of
God.
And hell
is what
Jesus'
agony was
about because
through all
eternity the
son of
God had
never known
a moment
apart from
the love
of his
father.
God
is not
a cruel
tyrant
delighting in
crushing
people to
hell.
He is a
loving
father
longing
to rescue
people
for heaven.
God
so when
you cry
out from
your heart
for your
loved ones
when you
pray for
their salvation
you are
just beginning
to touch
and experience
the eternal
loving pursuit
of God
who longs
that none
would perish
perish.
But that
all would
come to
repentance.
So one
judgment
two
destinies
and three
truths
that we
need to
look at.
You see
if Jesus
is going
to come
again and
he's going
to judge
us
and there's
going to be
a separation
of all
people
how does
he make
his
judgment?
How does
he base
his
judgment?
Well let's
consider three
things.
First
we must
remember
that we
are always
saved
by grace.
At a first
reading as you
perhaps listen
to this text
as it was
read it
seems like
we're judged
on the basis
of what we
do or
don't do.
So look at
verse 34.
Jesus says
come you
who are
blessed by
my father
take your
inheritance
the kingdom
prepared for
you since
the creation
of the
world
because
or for
I was
hungry
and you
gave me
something to
eat.
I was
thirsty
and you
gave me
something to
drink.
I was a
stranger
and you
invited me
in.
I needed
clothes
and you
clothed
me.
I was
ill and
you looked
after me.
I was
in prison
and you
came to
visit me.
It's the
same in
verse 41.
Jesus will
say depart
from me
you who
are cursed
to the
eternal fire
prepared for
the devil
and his
angels.
Why?
Because I
was hungry
and you
gave me
nothing to
eat and I
was thirsty
and you
gave me
nothing to
drink and
so on.
Now that
all sounds
like we're
judged by
our performance
doesn't
it?
If I've
done good
things
then I'll
be in the
kingdom of
heaven.
But if I
haven't done
enough good
things then
I'll end
up in the
fire of
hell.
Well no,
Jesus hasn't
changed the
entry requirements
into his
kingdom.
It's never
about what
we can
do.
It's always
about what
God has
done for
us.
Let's
just go
back and
look at a
few of
the things
Jesus has
been teaching.
Follow
with me
as we
trace these
verses.
Chapter
4,
verse 17.
Chapter
4,
verse 17.
He'd been
talking about
the darkness
that the
world is in,
the shadow
of death,
and he
comes as a
light into
that darkness.
Verse 17,
from that
time on
Jesus began
to preach,
repent,
for the
kingdom of
heaven has
come near.
Repentance
is always
turning from
yourself and
turning to
Jesus.
It's trusting
in him and
what he does
for you.
Chapter 5,
verse 3.
Blessed are
the poor in
spirit, for
theirs is the
kingdom of
heaven.
Again, it's
not what you
can offer,
but it's
about recognizing
your poverty
of spirit,
that you have
nothing to
bring.
Or chapter
11, verse
28.
Jesus'
wonderful
invitation,
his compassion.
Matthew 11,
verse 28.
Come to
me, all
you who
are weary
and
burdened,
weighed up
because of
your sin
and guilt.
come to
me and
I will
give you
the rest.
I'll
take the
burden off
you and
I'll give
you rest.
Chapter 18,
verse 3.
18, verse 3.
And Jesus
said,
truly I
tell you,
unless you
change and
become like
little children,
you will
never enter
the kingdom
of heaven.
The context
here are
infants,
little toddlers
who are
utterly
dependent.
They cannot
look after
themselves or
care for
themselves.
They need
somebody else.
They are
utterly
dependent.
And so we
come utterly
dependent
upon God
our Father.
let's
go back
to Matthew
chapter 25.
You see,
Jesus hasn't
changed his
entry requirements
into the
kingdom.
We are not
judged by
what we've
done.
I mean,
look at the
response of
those who
enter the
kingdom
in verse
37.
When Jesus
has already
gone through
in, this is
Matthew
chapter 25,
verse 37,
he's told
them of all
the things
they've done
and they
respond.
The righteous
will answer
him,
Lord, when
did we see
you hungry
and feed
you or
thirsty and
give you
something to
drink?
When was
it that we
saw you a
stranger and
invited you
into our
home or
needing
clothes and
clothes you?
I don't
remember any
time we did
that for you.
When did we
see you ill or
in prison and
go to visit
you?
Clearly,
they're not
doing things to
try and get
the Lord's
attention.
They didn't
even think
their works
had been
seen.
They're
shocked that
their deeds
have been
noticed.
You see,
entrance into
the kingdom
is always
by grace.
In other
words, we're
not judged
on our
performance,
but the
perfect performance
of Christ
who lived a
perfect life
for you
and for
me.
So let's
be clear
about that.
We are
saved by
grace.
But second
truth,
evidence of
faith.
While our
works can
never earn
our way
into the
kingdom,
our deeds
provide the
evidence that
we belong
to the
kingdom.
Say that
again because
this is key.
Our works
can never earn
our way into
the kingdom,
but our
deeds provide
the evidence
that we
belong to
the kingdom.
And that's
what Jesus
is teaching
here.
You say,
yes, I
believe in
Jesus.
You talk
about, yes,
I've put my
faith in
Jesus.
Well, that's
brilliant.
That's great.
Where's the
evidence?
How do I
know that
what you say
with your
words is
true?
answer, by
the works
you do.
So now
our text
begins to
make sense.
So again,
look at
verse 35.
As Jesus
says, I
was hungry
and you
gave me
something to
eat.
I was
thirsty, you
gave me
something to
drink.
Jesus is
saying you're
welcomed into
the kingdom
and here's
the evidence
that you
belong to
the kingdom.
Here's the
evidence of
your faith.
you said
you had
faith.
Now here's
the demonstration
of that
faith.
You see,
God's grace
doesn't mean
that we
live as we
please and
well, I
can do
whatever I
like and
it's God's
job just
to forgive
me.
No, God's
grace radically
changes us
from the
inside and
gives us a
new way to
live, to
seek first
the kingdom
of God
and his
righteousness.
So when
we are
judged,
Jesus will
judge on
the evidence
of a
changed
life.
So,
evidence of
faith.
And the
third truth
is love
for the
family.
you see,
the evidence
that Jesus
will look
for, or
the evidence
that will be
on display,
is an
intentional
love for
our brothers
and sisters.
Look at
verse 37.
The
righteous will
answer Jesus,
Lord,
when did we
see you
hungry and
feed you?
When did we
see you a
stranger and
invite you
in?
Or needing
clothes and
clothe you?
When did we
see you ill or
in prison and
go to visit
you?
The king
will reply,
truly I
tell you,
whatever you
did for one
of the least
of these
brothers and
sisters of
mine,
you did
for me.
You see,
Jesus here is
speaking of
his solidarity
and unity
with his
people.
Jesus identifies
with his
church,
with his
people so
much that
to act in
love towards
your brother
or sister
is to
demonstrate
your love
for Jesus.
So can we
feel the
impact of
his words?
He says,
you say
that you
love me,
will the
evidence that
you love
me will be
seen in
the way
that you
love the
people in
your church.
That's going
to be the
standard.
Love for
Jesus is
always love
for your
brother and
sister.
So when we
stand before
King Jesus,
I imagine
one of the
questions will
be,
do you
love me?
Well,
of course I
love you,
Jesus.
didn't I
tell you in
my prayers
and in
the songs
that I
sang?
No.
Did you
love me by
caring and
visiting and
serving and
providing for
your brothers
and sisters in
Carigoline
Baptist Church?
Did you
take time to
talk to,
and did
you take
time to
get to
know
and did
you help
them?
You see,
when we
love one
another,
we are
demonstrating
our love
for Jesus.
And of
course,
this is also
true for
those who
are separated
in the fire
of hell.
Look at
verse 44.
They will
answer,
Lord,
look,
when did
we see
you hungry
or thirsty
or a
stranger
or needing
clothes
or ill
or in
prison
and did
not help
you?
He will
reply,
truly I
tell you,
whatever you
did not
do for
the one
of the
least of
these,
you did
not do
for me.
they will
be judged
on the
basis of
how they
treated
God's
people,
the church.
Because you
didn't love
my people,
because you
opposed and
persecuted my
children,
because you
spoke against
the truth,
against the
church and
made laws to
hinder the
work of my
church,
you will
pay for it
for all
eternity.
You see,
to stand
against God's
people is
to stand
against King
Jesus.
So how we
treat our
brothers and
sisters is
how we
treat King
Jesus.
Love for the
church family
matters
deeply.
It matters
deeply.
So what's
our response?
Where does
this leave
us?
Well, I
hope it
leaves us
running to
the cross
afresh.
Because in
coming to
the cross,
we see
God's love
towards us,
don't we?
Well, we
see God
in the
God-man,
Jesus Christ,
suffering
hell for
you and
for me,
separated
from the
Father on
our behalf,
so that we
could enjoy
the kingdom
forever.
Our response
is not to
be one of
despair,
but one of
running to
the Father
yet again
in humble
dependence,
like little
children,
experiencing
his love
afresh,
and asking
him to
change our
hearts
by his
grace,
so that we
would love
as he
loved,
that we
would care
for one
another
as he
has
cared
for us.
One
judgment,
two
destinies,
and three
truths.
Let's just
take a moment
to pause
and to
reflect
and think
about where
we are
today.
let's just
take a moment
quietness
to do
that.
Let's
just take a moment
quietness to do that.
once
before
let's
try
and
you
take a moment
.
you
can 30
it
to
you
this is how we know what love is
Jesus Christ laid down his life for us
and we ought to lay down our lives
for our brothers and sisters
Father God we are amazed
at your incredible love towards us
for suffering the depths of which you did
taking on our sin and guilt and shame
suffering the depths of hell
so that by faith we would never be separated from God
or his eternal kingdom
Father would you teach us afresh
the extent of your love
may it melt us
and mould us
and fill us with thanksgiving
that it would fill our hearts with worship
worship that overflows
in love and good deeds
towards those we are with this morning
we thank you for our church family
we thank you for the many acts of love that there are
the many ways in which we serve one another
the care
the prayer
the help
Father may that continually grow
and develop in our lives
as an expression of our love to you
for all that you have done for us
please help us we ask
in Jesus name
Amen
We're going to sing together
speaking together
we're going to do something again
at night
including The Will
and the Will
not ró stock
and the希望
즉
we're gonna кни up
so tune with us
and click vem
us
we have to learn
this
and click
and try