Matthew 25:31-46 "Goats and Sheep"

Read Matthew 25:31-46.

"He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." NIV

To me this has always been one of the most frightening passages in the Bible. Jesus is not referring to all people; he's talking about believers. He will separate out the truly committed from the Pharisees walking among us. The question always arises, am I one of the Pharisees? Am I living life as a truly committed believer? Am I loving people as Christ loved them? We'd better find answers to these questions because they are obviously important to Him.

So who are the goats? If you look back at the seven woes in chapter 23, we see what the Pharisees were being told they would be punished for.

• Not practicing what they preach. (vs 3)
• Power lovers (vs 6-7)
• Followers of the letter of the law only, but not the spirit of it. (vs. 23-24)
• Have the appearance of a believer without the heart. (vs 25-28)
• Greedy and self-indulgent. (vs 25-26)

The goats will be like the five virgins not watching for the Lord because they were not prepared. They will be like the servant who wasted the talent that the master had given him.

But the sheep will live as Christ lived -- caring for all people's needs -- physical, emotional, and spiritual. Jesus did not look for a reward in this life for loving others as He loved Himself. Self-indulgence wasn't even in His vocabulary. Christ lived completely committed to His God-given mission and for the people. That's a tall order to live out. One that can only be accomplished through complete surrender and full commitment to the Almighty and His work.

Lord, help me to live as You would have me to live. I want to be on your right when the judgement comes.

Further Thoughts:

1. How do we avoid falling into Pharisaical attitudes and behaviors?
2. How do we live as Christ lived? What changes in my life or my attitudes need to happen to be in line with Him? What rolls do choice and the Holy Spirit play? Support with Scripture.
3. Why can we never let our guard down? Where does the enemy want a Christian to remain? Support with Scripture.
4. Full devotion requires complete surrender to God's ways and directions in our lives. Have you?

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-52 "Reach Out to All"

Read Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-52.

"The kingdom of heaven is like...."

Commentators believe that the weed that Jesus is talking about here is the darnel. When it is young, it looks very much like wheat. But as it grows, it distinguishes itself from the true plant. We all begin in the same pool with a sinful nature. Before the age of accountability, we can look pretty much the same -- innocent, yet capable of mischief. Then there comes a point that we start making choices about the way we will live. Those choices are mostly influenced for good or for ill by the people that raise us and our peers. But in most cases, there is still a choice made none-the-less.

Then as adults we truly distinguish ourselves by things as big as our career or religious beliefs to how we dress and the words we use. The differences begin to come into focus like the slow turning of a camera's lens. Here is where the four distinctions of the sower come into play -- seed on the path, in the rocks, among the thorns, and in good soil. The question as believers is: How do we view these different groups? The answer: Like wheat and darnel weeds. It is not our job to start weeding the world. Those that may appear to be hopeless, deep-rooted, stubborn agricultural menaces, could change into sweet grain ready for harvest. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit and our Lord drawing them to Him. You see, that's where the plant analogy ends. In our physical world, weeds never change into healthy, useful plants. But in the spiritual realm with the transforming power of Jesus Christ, they can. Look at Paul, look at Matthew, look in a mirror. God can still perform miracles today - He hasn't changed.

Our responsibility is to continue to live among the weeds and not allow them to infiltrate our lives with spiritual disease while at the same time spreading seed to reach as many as possible. The judgment is coming, but it is not our job. We must remain diligent until the end. Even though it should never leave our thoughts, it's not time for the harvest. We're still busy with the planting.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you struggle with a judgmental spirit so much so that you give up on the apparent "hopeless cases?" Ask the Lord to show you those people as He sees them and to fill you with hope and purpose.
2. Saul is a prime example of the transforming power of God. Get to know Paul in Acts 8:1-3, Philippians 3:4-7, and 2 Corinthians 11:21-31. Then read his letters and hear his heart's cry for God's people.