Matthew 25:31-46 - The Parable Of The Sheep And Goats - The Final Judgment.

Matthew 25:31-46: The Parable Of The Sheep And Goats - The Final 
Judgment. 

TEXT & PARAPHRASE

Matthew 25:34-36, 40 (NIV)  "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 sick and you looked 
after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'....  "The King will 
reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of 
these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 

Mat 25:34-36, 40 (CWB)  Then as Judge and King He will say to 
those on His right, `You are my Father's children because you are so 
much like Him.  Come!  Now is the time for you to be given a 
permanent home in His kingdom which He has been looking forward to giving 
you for quite sometime.  Everyone could see the change that took 
place in your life when you decided to become one of God's children, 
because you cared about others as you would care about me.  When others 
were thirsty, you gave them water.  When they were hungry, you gave 
them food, and when they were lost and homeless, you took them in.  
When they had nothing suitable to wear, you gave them clothes.  When 
they were sick, you visited them and comforted them, and when they  
were put in jail, you didn't forget them.'.... And the Son of God will 
say, `I know you didn't realize this because a transformation had 
taken place in your life and kindness and compassion became a 
permanent part of your nature.  What you so caringly did even to those who 
are thought the least of, you did for me.' 

OVERVIEW & THEME

Christ on the Mount of Olives pictured to His disciples the 
scene of the great judgment day. And He represented its decision as 
turning upon one point. When the nations are gathered before Him, there 
will be but two classes, and their eternal destiny will be determined 
by what they have done or have neglected to do for Him in the 
person of the poor and the suffering. DA637-641 

The great final test is concerned with the extent to which the 
principles of true religion (see James 1:27) have been applied to daily 
living, particularly in relationship to the interests and needs of 
others. [SDA Commentary] 

Christ beholds it all, and He says, It was I who was hungry and 
thirsty. It was I who was a stranger. It was I who was sick. It was I who 
was in prison. While you were feasting at your bountifully spread 
table, I was famishing in the hovel or the empty street. While you were 
at ease in your luxurious home, I had not where to lay My head. 
While you crowded your wardrobe with rich apparel, I was destitute. 
While you pursued your pleasures, I languished in prison. DA637-641 

APPLICATION COMMENTARY: 

Since we are all His creation, He loves everyone. We will be 
judged, therefore, by what we have done to help one another, especially 
those who, being weak, have great need. This passage stands as a great 
challenge to us and supplements rather than contradicts the doctrine of 
justification by faith. Those who have been saved by grace and transformed by 
the Spirit of God will respond affirmatively to such a challenge. It 
is the proof of our salvation, not the means of securing it. 
[Disciple SB] 

The best evidence of love for God is love that leads us to bear 
"one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ". The 
principle involved in the statement of ch. 25:40 is well illustrated in 
the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). The best evidence 
that a person has become a son of God is that he does the works of 
God. [SDA Commentary] 

Many feel that it would be a great privilege to visit the scenes 
of Christ's life on earth, to walk where He trod, to look upon the 
lake beside which He loved to teach, and the hills and valleys on 
which His eyes so often rested. But we need not go to Nazareth, to 
Capernaum, or to Bethany, in order to walk in the steps of Jesus. We shall 
find His footprints beside the sickbed, in the hovels of poverty, in 
the crowded alleys of the great city, and in every place where there 
are human hearts in need of consolation. In doing as Jesus did when 
on earth, we shall walk in His steps. DA637-641 

Involvement with others is a daily challenge. Realize that 
meeting the needs of others is serving Christ. This parable describes 
acts of mercy we all can do every day. These acts do not depend on 
wealth, ability, or intelligence; they are simple acts freely given and 
freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have deep 
needs, and we cannot hand over this responsibility to the church or 
government. Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others' 
needs (Isaiah 58:7). It is one of those ways in which we can imitate 
Christ in our daily lives. No special "talent" is needed. Jesus demands 
our personal involvement in caring for others' needs (Isa 58:7). 
That this list is repeated four times in this parable indicates its 
importance as a guide for practical discipleship. The list is not 
exhaustive; instead, it represents all types of good deeds. This parable is 
not teaching salvation by good deeds, but evidence of salvation 
through good deeds. [Life Application Commentary] 

The Bible is full of exhortation regarding the believer's 
responsibility towards the poor, but not much is heard about that today. 
Instead, our focus is on self. Much consideration is given to 
self-realization, self-actualization, self-improvement. Our 
calendars are full of 
 classes and conferences to help the self. As we proceed toward the 
Lord's return, we can expect the world's ways and the Lord's ways to 
become greater in contrast. The Word doesn't say, "blessed is he who 
considers himself," but "blessed" or "approved of God" is he that 
considers the poor! Check your calendar: are you scheduled to prepare and 
serve meals to the hungry? Are you signed up to help the homeless find 
shelter? Are you busy making sure children in your city don't go off to 
school cold and hungry? Consider the poor!  [In His Time; Walk With 
Wisdom] 

ILLUSTRATIONS

Not in our lifetime have we seen anyone who has lived such a 
life of complete commitment as Mother Teresa. If anyone who ever 
lived in recent times deserved the title "Saint" it is Mother Teresa. 
She picked India to do her work of service for no place on earth has 
so many poor, destitute, sick and needy as Calcutta. Here, in her 
own words, is how she looked at life. "As the Father has loved me, 
we will love one another. If I stop to think about what is 
happening in the world, that is time taken away from my work. A sacrifice 
to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves. The fruit of 
silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is 
love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is 
peace." Let us, henceforth, pray that each one of us will choose to live 
lives of service to God and to humanity. [Yokefellows Prison 
Ministry] 

In the 1940's, more than 500,000 people in the city of Calcutta 
(5% of the city's population) literally lived and died in the 
streets.  With summer temperatures normally above 115 degrees and winter 
temperatures hovering in the high 90's, the city could seem like hell on 
earth.  It was there that the "poorest of the poor" lived, plagued by 
leprosy, tuberculosis, pneumonia and, most of all, poverty. 
What hope was there in such a place?  Surely no one could make a 
difference there.  But Agnes thought differently.  She believed that God 
was calling her to bring hope to these poor and downtrodden people. 
In her journal, Agnes, now known as Mother Teresa, described her 
first day in the slums as a day of meeting Christ.  She met Christ 
face to face there - the hungry Christ, the naked Christ, the sick 
Christ, and the homeless Christ.  She said the touch of him in this 
distressing disguise gave her great joy, peace, and strength. 
So, clad in a white sari edged with blue, Mother Teresa began 
her work.  She and a group of nuns taught the children of the poor.  
They provided care for lepers who could get help nowhere else.  They 
built shelters and hospitals so the poor would have a place out of the 
streets.  They fed the hungry and loved the unlovable.  They literally 
changed the face of Calcutta. 
Jesus' love flowed through Mother Teresa to touch people.  
Jesus' love always makes a difference.  When Jesus touches sick people, 
their lives are never the same.  [Youth SB] 

Once there was a man whose life was one of misery. The days were 
cloudy, and the nights were long. He didn't want to be unhappy, but he 
was. With the passing of the years, his life had changed. His 
children were grown. The neighborhood was different. The city seemed 
harsher. 
He was unhappy. He decided to ask his pastor what was wrong. "Am 
I unhappy for some sin I have committed?" 
"Yes," the wise pastor replied. "You have sinned."
"And what might that sin be?"
"Ignorance," came the reply. "The sin of ignorance. One of your 
neighbors is the Messiah in disguise, and you have not seen him."  The  
man left the office stunned. "The Messiah is one of my neighbors?"  
He began to think who it might be. Tom the butcher? No, he's too 
lazy. Mary, my cousin down the street? No, too much pride. Aaron the 
paperboy?  No, too indulgent. 
The man was confounded. Every person he knew had defects. But 
one was the Messiah.  
He began to look for Him.
He began to notice things he hadn't seen.  The grocer often 
carried sacks to the cars of older ladies. Maybe he is the Messiah. 
The officer at the corner always had a smile for the kids. Could 
it be? And the young couple who'd moved in next door. How kind they 
are to their cat. Maybe one of them... 
With time he saw things in people he'd never seen. And with time 
his outlook began to change. The bounce returned to his step. His 
eyes took on a friendly sparkle. When others spoke he listened. After 
all, he might be listening to the Messiah. When anyone asked for 
help, he responded; after all this might be the Messiah needing 
assistance. 
The change of attitude was so significant that someone asked him 
why he was so happy. "I don't know," he answered. "All I know is 
that things changed when I started looking for God." 
[Pacegriff@aol.com. mod] 

His name is Bill.  He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes 
in it, jeans and no shoes.  This was literally his wardrobe for his 
entire four years of college.  He is brilliant.  Kinda esoteric and 
very, very bright.  He became a Christian while attending college. 
Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very 
conservative church.  They want to develop a ministry to the students, but 
are not sure how to go about it. One day Bill decides to go there.  
He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair.  The 
service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking 
for a seat. 
The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat.  By 
now people are looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says 
anything.  Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit and when 
he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the 
carpet.  (Although perfectly acceptable behavior at a college 
fellowship, trust me, this had never happened in this church before!) 
By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air 
is thick. 
About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back 
of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill.  Now 
the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, a three-piece 
suit, and a pocket watch.  A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, 
very courtly.  He walks with a cane and as he starts walking toward 
this boy, everyone is saying to themselves, You can't blame him for 
what he's going to do.  How can you expect a man of his age and of 
his background to understand some college kid on the floor? 
It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy.  The church 
is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane.  All 
eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing.  The 
people are thinking, the minister can't even preach the sermon until 
the deacon does what he has to do.  And now they see this elderly 
man drop his cane on the floor.  With great difficulty he lowers 
himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be 
alone.  Everyone chokes up with emotion. 
When the minister gains control he says, "What I'm about to 
preach, you will never remember.  What you have just seen, you will 
never forget."  Author unknown 

A true story. Let us practice what we teach, preach and 
learn........... 
It was a cold winter's day that Sabbath. The parking lot to the 
church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car that 
fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked 
to the church. As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the 
wall outside the church. He was almost laying down as if he was 
asleep. He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds and a hat 
topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore 
shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet with holes all 
over them, his toes stuck out. I assumed this man was homeless, and 
asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church. 
We all fellowshipped for a few minutes, and someone brought up 
the man laying outside. People snickered and gossiped but no one 
bothered to ask him to come in, including me. A few moments later church 
began. 
We all waited for the Preacher to take his place and to give us 
the Word, when the doors to the church opened. In came the homeless 
man walking down the aisle with his head down. People gasped and 
whispered and made faces. He made his way down the aisle and up onto the 
pulpit he took off his hat and coat. 
My heart sank. There stood our preacher; he was the "homeless 
man." No one said a word. The preacher took his Bible and laid it on 
the stand: 
"Folks, I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching 
about today." Then he started singing the words to this song. "If I 
can help somebody as I pass along. If I can cheer somebody with a 
word or song. If I can show somebody that he's traveling wrong. Then 
my living shall not be in vain." [source unknown] 

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

God will separate his obedient followers from pretenders and 
unbelievers. The real evidence of our belief is the way we act. To treat all 
persons we encounter as if they are Jesus is no easy task. What we do 
for others demonstrates what we really think about Jesus' words to 
us--feed the hungry, give the homeless a place to stay, look after the 
sick. How well do your actions separate you from pretenders and 
unbelievers? [Life Application SB] 

When we love the world as He has loved it, then for us His 
mission is accomplished. We are fitted for heaven; for we have heaven in 
our hearts. DA637-641