The Righteous Judge Matthew 25:31-46

750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers 349: Judgment

How do you get a great parking space at a New York Yankees baseball game? One man thought he had a way. According to the Fresno, California Bee, this man pulled his car into the VIP parking lot and casually told the attendant that he was a friend of George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees. Unfortunately for the imposter, the person attending the parking lot that day was George Steinbrenner himself, doing some personal investigation of traffic problems at the stadium.

The surprised imposter looked at Steinbrenner and said, “Guess I’ve got the wrong lot.” You can be sure that he did not park in the VIP lot that day or ever.

The owner knows his friends. The owner determines who gets in the VIP lot.

God also knows who his friends are and who the imposters are.

On the Day of Judgment, the truth is revealed. It will be a day of...

I. Distinction vv. 31-33

In Matthew 25, Jesus gives us a picture of the day of Judgment.

This judgment comes with the return of the Son of Man; He will return and reign, but it is impossible to separate His reign as King from His role as a righteous judge

When He returns and judges the earth, distinction will be made, but on what basis?

It is not an issue of national identity; all of the nations of the earth are gathered before Him

Instead, it is a spiritual identity that distinguishes us

Either we will be marked as sheep, part of the people of God, or goats and outside of His flock

It is critical that we understand this: on the day of Judgment, people will not receive equal treatment!

The wheat will be separated from the weeds and there will be either judgment or deliverance

At this point, I think that it’s critical that we pause for a second:

We know that our identity as a part of the people of God comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ

If that is the case, what is the point of the picture that Jesus will paint for us here?

I believe that He wants us to understand that, if we are a part of the people of God, there will be evidence!

James 2:14–18

[14] What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? [15] If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, [16] and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? [17] So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

[18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (ESV)

Works are the evidence, proving that genuine faith is present. A transaction has taken place and good works demonstrate that I am a child of God. It’s just like a receipt! Where are the receipts on your faith?

II. Discovery vv. 34-40

Positively, the story begins with the King’s treatment of His people

They are blessed by the Father and they will receive a reward

Specifically, they will inherit a Kingdom

This Kingdom has been prepared for them from the foundation of the world

I don’t think we give this promise from the Lord enough serious consideration!

The Kingdom of heaven is not just a place for us to go, it is a place prepared specifically for us and we have a kind of ownership of it!

This reward is directly tied to their good works

The works are intensely compassionate and incredibly practical, from feeding and clothing, to hospitality and care

The works are not a replacement for faith; they are the genuine evidence of faith

The works are done for Jesus, but they are given to His people

The least of these my brothers is a specific note:

This is not a general plea to care for all people, but it is instead an identification with the Lord’s suffering servants

When we support, love, and care for those who are sharing in His mission, we are expressing love for Him that is the overflow of faith

This is part of the incredible discovery that takes place in the judgment; countless small acts on our part have been the evidence of saving faith and have served as personal expressions of care for our Lord

When we enter into His rest, we will gain some sense of just how important each act of obedience really was; understanding this ought to fuel obedience today!

One of the most grueling of all bicycle races is the Tour De France. A contestant in that event, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, describes it in a National Geographic article titled, "An Annual Madness." The race covers about 2000 miles, including some of France's most difficult, mountainous terrain. Eating and drinking is done on the run. And there are extremes of heat and cold. To train for the event, Lassalle rides his bicycle 22,000 miles a year. What kind of prize makes people endure so much hardship and pain! $10,000? $100,000? No. It's just a special winner's jersey. What then motivates the contestants? Lassalle sums it up: "Why, to sweep through the Arc de Triomphe on the last day. To be able to say you finished the Tour de France."

Matthew 25:21

[21] His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (ESV)

III. Disclosure vv. 41-46

Finally, we see the goats spread before Jesus and their eternal destiny is disclosed

They are cursed and headed to a place of punishment

Interestingly, it is a place that they were never intended for

It was prepared for the devil and his fallen angels, but as part of the punishment for sin, it has become the final destination of fallen humanity

This judgment of unrighteousness is also tied to good works

The goats are not noted for the wickedness of their actions; just that they were unaffected by the plight of Christ’s brethren.

It turns out that this apathetic and disinterested way of living, even if it is marked by a moderate level of religiosity and morality, is evidence of a lack of saving faith

Much like the sheep, the goats are shocked to learn that their failure to serve and care for Christ’s people is the proof that they hold the same attitude towards Jesus

This leaves us with three questions:

Do I live like this life has eternal significance?

What does the evidence of my life say about my faith?

Am I committed to the Lord’s people and His purpose, or am I just living life my way?

One of the saddest funerals I’ve ever done was for a man whose family had an odd request. They wanted a funeral sermon without the Gospel. In fact, they wanted to be sure that I didn’t preach, but simply honored their loved one. The lowlight of the funeral was the special music, but it summed up the perspective of a life separated from the Lord: “My Way”

And now, the end is near And so I face the final curtain My friend, I'll say it clear I'll state my case, of which I'm certain I've lived a life that's full I traveled each and every highway And more, much more than this I did it my way