April 02, 2025 | Be God's Family
The Parable of the Sheep & the Goats
Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46(NIV)
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 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. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “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. 35 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, 36 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.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “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.’
41 “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. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “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.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Devotional
Here, we learn about the final judgement when Jesus takes his place on the throne. It’s interesting that ALL nations will come before Him, but it’s the INDIVIDUALS who will be judged. We will all be judged on our own response to Jesus’ message. He compares himself to a very familiar image of the first century - a shepherd who tends a flock of sheep and goats in the same pasture. Sheep and goats looked the same if viewed from a distance, but the animals needed to be separated at some point. To shepherds, sheep were obedient and more valuable than were the goats, who tended to stray and find themselves in danger. And in ancient culture, the right hand was the place of honor and the left less so, even considered shameful.
If you read closely, both the “sheep” and the “goats” were surprised at what Jesus told them. The sheep were surprised to find that it was Jesus they were ministering to all along. And the goats were surprised to find that it was Jesus that they ignored. We learn that people will be judged and separated NOT based on how they followed the law but on how they treated the less fortunate – “the least of these.” Judgement will be based on character.
What we do matters. But more importantly, do we really accept and live out the Gospel message? Have we fully accepted Jesus or are we Christians in name only? If we have truly accepted the message of Jesus Christ, it will be clear in the way we treat the vulnerable and helpless. We will feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, comfort the sick, visit the prisoner - NOT because we are required to, but because we delight in it, because we are compelled to do it out of our love for Jesus. We tend to the less fortunate as a response to our salvation, not to earn it.
In reading this passage, my mind continued to return to a praise song entitled What If Jesus Comes Back Like That by Colin Raye. Here are some of the lyrics:
He came to town on an old freight train. He jumped off in the pouring rain. Everybody says he's insane. Just a low-down no-account hobo.
She was born into drug abuse. She couldn't help what her mama used. It wasn't like she got to choose. Now she's layin' there all alone.
What if Jesus comes back like that? Where will he find out hearts are at? Will he let us in or turn his back? What if Jesus comes back like that?
How do we respond to the hungry, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned?
Poem
My Hidden Intents
Psalm 139
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. Psalm 139:1-4
My hidden intents are not secret to You
My motives to You, full displayed
Despite how I clean up my outward effect
My heart’s motivation, portrayed
So search me and know me, illumine my flaws
Cleanse me so Your Son may be seen
Like Him, may I see each one along my path
As my Loved One to serve in their need
For I’ve been created, Your image to show
Knit perfectly to do Your will
My soul in this garment, this fleshy made tent
Your purpose in me to fulfill
To tend to Your lambs and the sheep of Your flock
To speak and teach forgiveness news
To minister daily with pureness of heart
Until what is now hid comes in view
