Law & Grace - Matthew 25:31-46 Kingdom judging - Part II
Matthew 25:31-46 · Vern Peterman · May 13, 2012
Law & Grace, No. 65
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926314245948

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Good morning, and happy Mother's Day. As we step into this passage that Wayne introduced for us here, we're going into kind of a different target in terms of who Jesus is addressing, and so we'll want to take a look at that. Meanwhile, just a reminder, we had some supplements available last week on the cabinet to the right as you exit the room, and we've got more of those available. If we run out of them, we still have those also available for download on the church website associated with last week's lesson. We also had this one which talks about, you know, when will this group be raised and when will this group be resurrected and when will this group be judged and that sort of thing. So that's also available.

We began at the end of April to have a two-part series, Tribulation and Second Coming, Part 1, Part 2. And last week we began with Kingdom Judging, Part 1. Last week's judging was judging for the Jews at the end of the Tribulation period. regarding will you enter the kingdom, and if so, if you will enter the kingdom, what will be your reward? We're going to continue that here in today's passage, but it will be a judging of the Gentiles, as we'll soon see.

So we're here in the last of this series. Now we have at the beginning part of your handout there something in a literary form called a chiasm. A chiasm is a mirror image in written form and so that serves as the outline for the book of Matthew. At this point, finishing up chapter 25, as we are, we're right here at the very last beginning next week. We will begin the last section And this has that theme as we look towards the chapters ahead of us.

Jesus is Savior in initiating ministry to the church. This distinction is often overlooked or confused. People don't understand the difference between Jesus' ministry to Israel and his ministry in initiating the church. But that's something we'd like to make quite clear.

Now, Jesus had, in what we studied last week, talked about Jewish judgment, the judgment of the Jews at the end of the tribulation period. And he did so by telling three parables to convey what will matter in the coming judgment of the Jews. And the first of those is one at the end of chapter 24 that we looked at, verses 45 through 51. This was the faithful and sensible slave versus the evil slave. Next, as we looked at last week, the ten virgins. And so that was again to talk about Israel and their judgment. And then finally the parable of the talents, as it's typically called, Matthew 25, 14 through 30.

So now we're going to step into a judgment, but this judgment is a judgment of the Gentiles at the end of the tribulation period. Very important we make sure of the timing, because if you're like me, you're Gentile, right? It does not mean that this judgment is for you, because we won't be here, right? Nonetheless, this discloses, this reveals by God's intent. the judgment that the Gentiles will go through at the end of the tribulation period.

You have this diagram which we've continued on for a few weeks here on page one of your handout and we made the point that this present evil age continues from the time that Adam sinned until the time at the end of the tribulation period right before the Messiah comes. That's this present evil age. That's the term used in Galatians 1 verse 4. The age to come is a term used by both Christ and the Apostle Paul, and that is the age when the Messiah begins to reign. So those are the terminologies here.

It's at this tribulation period, a period yet to begin, a seven-year period of time, we will not be here. We will have been taken out from this earth, and at the Lord's return, that's when this judgment will take place after the seven-year tribulation period and after the Lord has returned. So the second coming, we will return with Him, but not in bodies like these. Hallelujah.

You also have this diagram that shows the tribulation period in a little more focused detail as a seven-year period of time. And to again give us the time reference, it's the second coming here that's shown off in the corner. I'll show that again. The second coming shown off in the corner, it's after Christ comes again.

That will be the time when this judgment that we're going to study this morning takes place. Now, people have proposed that this judgment applies to all sorts of things. And so you might ask the question, Berne, how are you so sure that this is for the Gentiles? Well, I'll tell you. Except for one reason, I'm going to wait to tell you. And you'll see why. First of all, the judgment of the Jews has already been given in the three prior parables. So that's reason number one. And we've seen that here. Verse 32 references to the nations gathered before Christ the King for judgment after his second coming. Got that? The nations gathered.

The biblical term is that the people of Israel is called the nation or the people and the Gentiles are called the nations or the peoples. Plural. The word that's translated nations is the same word translated just a few chapters earlier in Matthew chapter 20 as Gentiles. It's our word carried over that says ethnic. It's that Greek word that's the root of both. Ethnic. It's intended to convey Gentiles. These Gentile nations are brought before the Lord.

Jesus also in this passage refers to brothers of mine and that's consistent with what a Jew called fellow Jews. Brothers of mine, especially in this Jewish context here in the book of Matthew. And there's one more reason that I'm going to tell you later, okay? But it will be very clear. It's a Jewish reason why these are Gentiles. Is that clear? Well, not yet, but I'll tell you. Okay. These are living Gentiles who are being judged who have survived the tribulation period. These Gentiles have lived through the seven year long tribulation period, but a number of them, even in spite of all the opportunity, have not come to believe.

So Jesus has to sort them out between those who believe and those who don't. Only those who are saved by faith will enter the kingdom. That's what this judgment is about. only believing Jews and only believing Gentiles will enter the kingdom. Period.

So these Gentiles that are being judged here will have gone through this horrific tribulation period and survived it. But there still needs to be the determination if you're going to go into the kingdom it's because you're a believer not just because you've survived. So The Millennial Kingdom will be populated by those Jews and Gentiles who survived this horrific tribulation period and who are also believers. So they've survived it and they're believers. That's the only reason these people are going to get into the kingdom, right?

It's why we read of these judgments, and particularly this judgment here of the Gentiles, is there has to yet be a determination who's going to go in. Just because you lived through the tribulation period doesn't mean you're automatically getting in. Now, one of the things that you'll look at is it looks like as you read this, it depends on what they do as to whether or not they get in.

But the key thing to remember is Jesus had already told back in the Sermon on the Mount, you will know them by their fruits. Jesus judges hearts, but it's in fact the fruits. It's what people live out that will tell of their faith. In Matthew 24, the passage that we read and studied just at the end of last month, It says this in verses 13 and 14, "...but the one who endures to the end of the tribulation period, he will be saved, as in rescued. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, including in the Gentile nations, and then the end will come."

What this passage in Matthew 25 verses 31 through 46 talks about is separating sheep and goats. Now, Just as the disciples had seen shepherds separate the sheep and goats. You see, sheep and goats can run together real easily, but there are reasons for putting them in separate places at different times, and we'll talk about that in a minute. But the disciples have seen this, so Christ will separate the ones who are saved and will therefore enter the kingdom from the others who will not enter the kingdom. Now, there are similarities between sheep and goats, especially when it comes to having the sheep and goats go together in terms of eating the grass and that kind of thing.

It so happens that in my background, I've spent some time with sheep and goats. And you may think, yeah, I can tell. But anyway, I have spent some time with sheep and goats. And I know that while there are similarities, there are also some important differences.

Only goats do this, right? Sheep don't do this. But goats will do this. Goats will also do this. I have seen goats torture rabbits just endlessly, getting up on top of their rabbit hutch and just dancing around until the rabbits are frantic. And they seem to love it. You go chase them off and they go right back up. So goats will do that sort of thing.

Sheep are not interested in that. There are some exceptions, for example, Angora and Kashmir goats. But in general, the sheep are of the kind that you're going to shear the sheep and get wool off of them in greater amounts and more commonly. it is more likely, although not exclusively so, more likely that you will milk a goat. There's such a thing as sheep milk, but more likely you'd milk a goat.

So those are some important differences. And so that'd be a few reasons for separating them out is for the different things that they're capable of and the various things they provide. Now, The real differences, however, are spiritual differences that Jesus is referring to here, discerned by Christ the Lord, who knows the hearts behind the actions. He knows the hearts behind the actions.

So, these sheep and these goats, they're of a different character in terms of what they care about, and what they will live out. That's the way the sheep and goats are. So we'll look at the interactions between Christ the King and those on his right, the sheep, and we'll look at the interactions between Christ the Judge, notice I don't call him the King in this reference, and those on his left. And we can compare what's similar in those two sets of interactions and what's different, what is contrasting.

The actions that Christ has looked for in each group is the same. I'm looking for this action and I see it with these people, I don't see it with those. That is revealing a difference of heart and character. A difference of belief. The deeds and hearts and the eternal destinies between the sheep and the goats are in sharp contrast.

You have here on page 3, I've taken most of the passage here and put it in two slides. And the reason for doing so, ordinarily I don't include that much of the passage in the handout, but the reason for doing it is so that it is easier to compare, I can't say side by side because it's top and bottom, but easier to compare what portions are similar and what portions are asking the same kinds of questions. And so you have here in verses 34 and on the initial part, Then the king will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation 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 naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me. And what we see is in the next section, the next slide, that top paragraph there is much the same, only everything is reversed. You didn't do it. And so you'll be treated differently.

Then what's interesting is in both, they ask a similar question. verse 44 for the group on the left and verses 37 to 39 similar question in each case okay things to compare in these Christ speaks to each group directly so this is one thing he he doesn't tell them a parable he's actually speaking to each group this is what it will be like when Christ comes again to earth and is judging the Gentiles he talks about direct conversation with them. He's talking to them personally.

Christ speaks to each group directly telling them and the first thing he talks about is what has been prepared. The kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world or the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels. So in each case something has been prepared and the preparation took place long ago. The physical needs that each group has addressed to them are hunger, thirst, how you deal with a stranger, someone who is naked, unclothed, sick, and in prison. Those are the things each group has put before them. One group has said, you did it. The other group has said, you didn't do it. Both groups call Christ Lord. Isn't that interesting? Even the ones that are on their way to the lake of fire call Christ Lord.

Doesn't seem to make any difference, but they both call him that. They both ask when he was hungry and thirsty, etc. So those things compare. They're similar, if not identical. Christ answers in each case that the treatment of his brethren is the same as the treatment of him. And that's important. We're going to be taking a look at that. So those are the things that compare, things that are similar between how Jesus addresses the two groups and how the two groups respond.

That's how they compare and are similar, but let's look at the things that contrast, the things that are distinct or different between those. To those who are entering the kingdom, Christ is the King, but to the others, He's just He. Do you see that?

Christ doesn't address them as king. Why? Because he's not going to reign over them. He won't. The ones that are not going to be a part of the kingdom do not get addressed as king. Here in this contrast, we also have those entering the kingdom are told to come. But is there a word come to those who are not entering?

No. It's depart. A sharp contrast. Imagine the difference between come and depart. This is big. This is big. You wouldn't want to be a part of the wrong group. You see, those people are going to be looking for the fire exits, only it's not to get out of the fire. It's the fire exit that gets you in the fire.

Now, those entering the kingdom met all the physical needs, dealing with the hungry and thirsty and down the list. Those who are entering the kingdom met those needs, but the others did not. All the way down the list, they didn't. Right? Those who are entering the kingdom will have eternal life. That's made clear. The others will have eternal punishment. Which would you prefer? Right? Yeah, the others will go to the lake of fire instead.

The next thing that shows up here, his brother's needs, or Christ's needs, because the way Christ puts it with each group is, you did it to me, or you didn't do it to me. And they said, what? You know, you weren't even here. What do you mean? What do you mean we did it to you or we didn't do it to you? So both groups ask the question almost as if they're puzzled. One of the things that comes out here is a biblical principle that shows up in the Old Testament and the New, one of the places that we see it in the New Testament.

Jesus confronts Saul, soon to become the Apostle Paul, in Acts chapter 9. And Christ takes the treatment that Paul is actually carrying out against the church that he's persecuting, he takes it personally. Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting not them, why are you persecuting me?

He takes it personally. I think that's important for us to remember. A lot of times we're thinking, well, God's up there having a great time and here I am down here miserable. The reality is the Lord is so connected with what's going on in our lives, he takes it personally. He looks at as if he is going through that. He's that intimate and close and connected with us and cares about us that much.

Here in Acts chapter 9 verse 5, and he, Paul, Saul, says, Who are you, Lord? He said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. The persecution is taken personally. We see actually the same perspective in the Old Testament. God talks that way and has the prophets write that way regarding the Jews. God goes through whatever the people of Israel go through and He takes it personally. We give a couple of references there where that's the case.

Isaiah 63.9 and Zechariah 2.8.

This is where these people are what's called, figure of speech here, the apple of my eye. These people, I look at them very closely and I look at them very personally. So that's the way to look at Jesus' response to these questions. He cares about these people. So we got to ask this question. Why is it so important to bless the Jews? In other words, if these are Gentiles being judged, and these are Christ's brothers, fellow Jews, that's how they would have taken it. Here we have this amazing instance. It is extremely important that you bless the Jews. Why? Christ's clear emphasis with each group, whether you did it or didn't do it, is meeting the needs of his brothers or failing to do so. Exceedingly important. And you might say, well, why is that all that important? Well, think about it.

During the tribulation period, what kind of a time will the Jews be going through? A very difficult time. We won't be there for Satan to attack, so who's he going to go after? the Jews they will have a very difficult time but there will be those people on the planet Gentiles who will be kind to them during this difficult time and that's why Jesus doesn't talk about just saying nice things or doing business with the Jews it's dealing with extreme depravity I was thirsty I was hungry And you did these things. So why?

The reason for the emphasis here on the treatment of Christ's brothers, the Jews, during the tribulation period is because of God's covenant with Abraham. Now how long ago did God make a covenant with Abraham? Turns out it was about 4,000 years ago. Has God forgotten the Jews? Will he forget the Jews? No. One of the things we talked about in the elective previous here, it was almost 2,000 years ago is the last time we have any mention, any historical evidence of the descendants of Esau. But Esau's brother Jacob, there are still millions of descendants of Jacob on the planet. Isn't that amazing? I think it's actually practically miraculous. especially considering their persecutions. Let's take a look at God's covenant with Abraham, at least at the initial part of it. You have it as a slide on page four of your handout there.

So in this covenant with Abraham, which is the first time it's stated, it's actually expanded upon and repeated. Now the Lord said to Abram, who later on was called Abraham, go forth from your country, he started in Ur, right along what was then the coast of the area we call now Kuwait. Go forth from your country and from your relatives and from your father's house to the land which I will show you. So it's a land that you haven't seen yet and God's going to be the one to show him.

We have this handout that we've made available as a supplement, and if copies are not still available, you can certainly download them from the church website. The point we make is this. Genesis 15, just a few chapters from here, is where God describes the outline, the perimeter, of this land that he's going to make Abraham's descendants' land. Ezekiel chapter 48 is where it shows the division of that land by tribe. So this is a land that right now composes something like eight different countries and goes all the way to the Euphrates River. It's quite a chunk of land. It's that land that God said he would show Abram.

So a supplement's available if you'd like to take advantage of that, or you can download it. So the land which I will show you, and then verse 2, and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, and so you shall be a blessing. Ah, and this is the part. It is particularly relevant to the passage we're looking at.

And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. So right here in the middle of the tribulation period, if you're a Gentile, you'll be blessed by what? Blessing the Jews, who are going through a difficult time, who are going through a time when they're hungry and thirsty and having a rough time, because Satan's after them. And during that time, those Gentiles who on the basis of faith and understanding what God has promised. Those Gentiles who will bless the Jews will be rewarded for it, and those who curse the Jews will be punished for it.

God has not forgotten his covenant with Abraham. Can you imagine? It's just one guy, and originally he started off as just a select Gentile. One guy, God promises him something 4,000 years ago and God doesn't forget. Isn't that amazing? Or not? God is faithful. Why doesn't God say, you know, this whole earth thing with people, I mean, it's turning out terrible. I think I'll just wipe it out and wrap it up. You know, this is not working out real good. Why doesn't God just stop? You know why he doesn't? In part, It's because he made a promise to Abraham and he's going to keep it. And he's going to keep it even through the tribulation period. The most horrific time on earth, God's going to be faithful to his promise to this one guy, Abraham, 4,000 years ago as of today. God is the promise keeper.

God's the one who makes promises and keeps them for sure. even to the point that when Christ comes again, he is going to judge the Gentiles on the basis of the covenant that he made with Abraham. Balaam, who is mentioned in the book of Numbers three different times and for different things in the New Testament, says this in the last part of Numbers 24 9, blessed is everyone who blesses you, speaking of Israel, and cursed is everyone who curses you. It restates the principle directly about the people of Israel there. So I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse. He carries out this covenant with Abraham at least 4,000 years after the promises made. So here he separates the sheep and the goats according to the covenant made with Abraham. I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse.

Now we have here at the top of the slide, God has a very long-term perspective. I actually lined that out. God doesn't just have a long-term perspective, God has an eternal perspective. Matter of fact, one of the things that we could say is that God sees all times as now. I'll use an illustration that I've used before, but perhaps it'll be new to some of you. God sees time like we see this pen. And He sees here at the beginning, There's the creation. No problem, does that in a week. Here's the creation, the beginning. Here at the end is the end of this present heavens and earth. He sees it all right now.

It is no problem for God to tell you in advance what's going to take place, because for God it's not in advance, because he sees it all as the present. It's no problem for God to take your sins and my sins and place them on Christ at the cross. Because He's not challenged by time. He sees it all as right now.

Before Abraham was born, Jesus said, I am. Our perspective is we're stuck in a time tunnel. God is not. God has an eternal perspective because He sees all times as now. God prepared the kingdom from the foundation of the world, and that was not a problem.

That was not a problem. I'm not looking for a show of hands, but are any of you concerned about how the elections are going to turn out this next fall? Have any concern about that? Guess what? Ephesians 1.10 God will manage all of history to sum up everything in Christ and there is nothing that is going to happen in the election this fall or any other fall that's going to change that. He is the God of history including how history ends.

God prepared not only the kingdom from the foundation of the world, He prepared the place of eternal fire and punishment when the devil and his angels rebelled, which they did before the events recorded in Genesis chapter 3. God had already prepared that. As a matter of fact, right now we could ask the question, who's in the lake of fire right now? It's empty. it's been prepared and waiting for the devil and his angels already so the kingdom was being prepared from the foundation of the world the lake of fire was already prepared that's the verb tense Jesus uses was already prepared for the devil and his angels and God made a brief promise to Abraham that's the verses we just read Genesis 12 1 to 3 And he'll keep that promise on into eternity. He's going to keep that promise forever. Today's passage is just a part of God's keeping that promise.

But what's interesting is while God prepared the kingdom from the foundation of the world, God prepared the lake of fire for Satan and his angels, Jesus went, he told his disciples, almost 2,000 years ago, He went to prepare a place for us, for you and me. You see, there's a different preparing and a different place. John 14, 2 and 3. John 14, 1 through 6, and you have this on page 4 as a slide. Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many dwelling places. Has He prepared the kingdom for you? Not directly and immediately. His Father's house, that's what He's prepared. If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I'll come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

What must have stunned the disciples is these words here at the last part of verse 2 and into verse 3 are words that a bridegroom would say to the bride-to-be when they were engaged and he was going off to build a house for them to live. Very interesting. They must have been stunned when he said these words. You say, wait a minute, you're talking marriage and wedding kind of words. Yeah.

Then he says in verse 4, and you know the way where I'm going. Well, here's Thomas, and yes, that's the doubting one. Said to him, Lord, we do not know where you're going. How do we know the way? So Jesus says, very clearly and distinctly, Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through me. Let me expand on that from the original language. Jesus said to him, I, being in fact God, And the singular way, the singular truth, and the singular life, no one comes to the Father except exclusively through me. That's what that verse is telling us in more complete description here.

Isn't it great as we look at all these preparations that, here are preparations for the sheep and preparations for the goats, there's a different preparation for us. Christ said, I go to prepare a place for you. And He will come again. And you know what that is? That coming again is not coming here, like we read about in this passage in Matthew 25. That coming again is when He comes to take us, called the rapture, to be with Him. The Father will say to the Son, go get your bride.

It'll be homecoming time for us. Because that's home, isn't it? It's the place where we have our citizenship. It's home. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you. As we look at this judgment here, we have understanding of it. It's a judgment that could be as soon as seven years from now. And yet, as we look at it, we're thankful that we have a different judgment to look forward to. We have a different place. that you're preparing for us, and we thank you that we have a different citizenship. We thank you, Lord, for all these things. Give you thanks in Jesus' name. Amen.