The Parable Of The Sheep and the Goats

Matthew 25:31-46:

So before all nations, all people everywhere, Jesus will make the Last Day difference clear by our everyday difference. To those on his right, Jesus will say, “You did this… you did this… you did this…,” but to those on his left, he will reveal their completely opposite ways and say, “You did not… You did not…you did not…” Along with faith come fruits of love for God and his will. Along with unbelief are its fruits of enmity and hatred of God’s will. Such differences will be clear to everyone.

But he doesn’t just show the difference in outward action. There’s also a difference in their hearts. Isn’t it interesting that King Jesus would have each side answer him and respond? Why would Jesus include their comments at such a decisive moment? Because it’s part of the evidence. He wants us to see not just what they did, but the difference that was in their hearts when they did it.

Those sheep on the right were surprised at what Jesus said. In their minds, they had no list or record of good things they had done. They had humility in their hearts. They loved because God is love, not because of who was watching. They were thinking of other’s benefit. But the goats on the left were also surprised – they figured they had no failure, that their record should’ve looked better than that. They had pride in their hearts and focused on themselves.

Behold the great difference between a believer and unbeliever in both the heart and their activity. Jesus teaches us these Last Day differences to encourage us to live out the difference with fruits. Be who we are now and forever. As our lesson from 1 Thessalonians put it, “you are sons of light…you belong to the day” – so then, let us not be like others, but rather be self-controlled and put on confident faith, and love and hope…Now let us bear the fruit of who we are in Christ!

How sweet it is to hear Jesus’ call of grace to his sheep on the Last Day. Rejoice in the prepared gift of heaven waiting for you. Live in that joy now by offering your life to Jesus your Lord who bought you with his blood. Let your whole life be one of thanksgiving and praise and glory to God. Let everything you do be the fruit of who you really are in Jesus Christ, your coming King. For the Last Day difference starts today. Amen.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1-13:

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

 ⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
 ⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
 ⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
 ¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
 ¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
 ¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
 ¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

We know that Jesus is coming. Yet it seems as if he is delayed. He hasn’t arrived yet. Are you ready to meet him?
On the surface, all the bridesmaids looked the same. But only half of them were welcomed in.

The foolish bridesmaids thought that everything would work out all right. If need be, they could borrow someone else’s oil; and surely they would we welcomed whatever time they landed up. But the door remains closed. The party is inside, and they have missed it. They’re outside.

There’s no second chance when the bridegroom has arrived. You see, some people think that they’ll live life the way they want and convert on their death bed at the age of 101. But which of us is guaranteed today, let alone another twenty or fifty or seventy years? The Lord Jesus could return this very day. Rather than delaying, Jesus urges us to be like the wise bridesmaid, to be ready and waiting, eager to greet him when he comes.