W.W.Y.D.J.

Matthew 25:31–46 NRSV

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Introduction:

“Much of the problem of the mishandling of biblical prophecy in our time is that we have imposed modern hopes and expectations and preconceptions on ancient texts and so distorted their meaning. We have pressed them to tell us more than God has chosen to reveal. The truth is that God has revealed enough about the future to give us hope, but not so much that we do not have to have faith. We should be content with what can be said with some certainty, not be frustrated by the lack of particularity of Jesus’ prophecies about the end of the eschatological age” (Witherington, Matthew, 468).

We must be willing to accept that our task is not to figure out the end times but to live as if we are in them already.

Through this Series, we have learned that Jesus was answering two questions. When will the temple be destroyed, and what are the signs of your Coming and of the end of the age.

Jesus’ answer gave signs for the destruction of the temple, but no signs for the 2nd coming, but instead an encouragement to be prepared because he will come suddenly, and without warning.

Mike’s message last week...

Being responsible with our Master’s Kingdom

Being Prepared with enough oil - Perhaps to be always united with Jesus.

Being Productive with the gifts and callings God gave us, and multiply the Kingdom - The Great Commission

But Jesus Goes beyond the question to what will happen when he comes again.

18 - Jesus Will Hold Us Accountable.

It takes us back to the Parable of the Faithful and Unfaithful servant. When our Master comes back will he find people doing what he called them to?

There are two groups of people - Sheep and Goats

Two places they will go - eternal punishment and eternal life.

Hell – As you recall from our Sermon Series, Skeleton’s in God’s Closet,

“....So hell is not an underground torture chamber. It is the place outside of God’s Kingdom for containment evil and those who chose not his kingdom, that evil may no longer be a cancer a parasite on His good creation. That is the Mercy of Hell.”

The return of Jesus should elicit several different emotions. Some people might be afraid, perhaps because they know about him but don’t know him. Others might view it with contempt; absence of belief leads people to go beyond skepticism into outright disregard of the idea, the need for it, and those who believe it. Some look to the return of Jesus as the final vindication that will set right all that the wicked have enacted on the world and on believers. This group may not view the return of Jesus as anything more than retribution, and even destruction. Finally, there are those who find the return of Jesus invigorating and eternally hopeful. They know his return brings judgment—for themselves and the rest of the world—but they trust that his judgment and promises are true.

The return of Christ will bring the final restoration of all that God intended and the newness of eternal life that he promised the faithful. Their hearts are saddened for those who will not receive Jesus as Lord, but they are grateful for the opportunity they’ve themselves have had to receive him.

Taxicab driver died and arrived at the Pearly Gates, Just ahead of him was a famous minister, but St. Peter motioned him aside and took the cabbie into heaven at once.

“How come you’re making me waith, while that cab driver gets right in? asked the frustrated clergyman. “Haven’t I done everything possible to preach the gospel and live a good life?”

“Yes,” said St. Peter, “but that cab driver scared hell out of more people than you ever did.”

Like this Joke, the basis for judgment may not be what we think.

19 - We Will Be Judged on Our Allegiance to Jesus.

We might wonder why it is based on giving food, drink, clothing, visiting people in prison, and not things like murder, adultery, lying, etc?

Or simply, Do you have Faith in Jesus?

Jesus’ judgment rests on how we treat the Least of these Family Members of his.

20 - Who are the least of these brothers or sisters?

. R.T. Francis – Disciples (like Paul persecuting).

Matt. 5:22-24 - People who call, “Raca,” brothers or sister will be subject to judgment

Matt. 7:1-5 - Do not judge your brother or sister

Matthew 12:48-50 - Jesus answers who is mother and brothers are - “Those who do the will of my Father.”

Matt. 18:15-17 - If a brother or sister sins against you, we are to point out there fault and work towards forgiveness and reconciliation.

Matt. 23:8 - “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brother.”

Matt. 11:11 the least in the Kingdom are greater that John the Baptist.

21 - 23

Matthew 10:40–42 NIV

“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

We will be judged based on how we treat those who are doing the will of Jesus, who are sharing the good news, disciples of Jesus, family members of in His Kingdom.

But notice it is not just a verbal support, it is do you care for God’s people in tangible ways.

We see this in Paul to the Road to Damascus. -

Paul, Paul, Why do you persecute me?

Then later, we see in Paul’s letters like Philemon, people like Onesimus and Tychicus come to him while he is in prison to give him blankets and care packages and his books. - They are caring for a little family member of the Kingdom.

The Story of Perpetua and those who came to visit her in prison.

But how do we know? - We don’t always know, are we judged just based on how we serve people at South Blendon?

A. Acts Church extended to Orphans and Widows.

B. Early Church – Extended to Adoption and orphanages.

C. How about potential family members of Jesus?

We do not know when we are doing it = we love Jesus serve all.

Jesus says when we do it to the least of these you do it for me. It is in allegience to him.

I want to introduce a new acronym for you. You have heard of WWJD?

25 - WWYDJ - What Would You Do to Jesus?

AN ARMOR-CLAD KNIGHT with a lance, oil-tempered sword and plumed helmet rode his war charger out of Assisi to battle against his neighboring Italian town of Perugia. When this brave youth, Francesco Bernardone, saw the wretched specter of a leper in the road, he spurred his horse to flee. But as he galloped by, Francis thought he recognized Christ in the contorted face of the outcast. Abruptly he stopped, dismounted, kissed the leper, gave alms, seated the man on the charger and led the way to the leper’s destination.

Before this experience, Francis so loathed the sight of lepers that he would look at their houses only from a distance of two miles while holding his nose. But Francis later said of this experience, “ . . . What had previously nauseated me became a source of spiritual and physical consolation . . . . After that I did not wait long before leaving the world.”

UP - Allegience to our relationship with God.

OUT - Allegience to Christ in Mission

IN - Allegience to Christ in Caring for Fellow Disciple’s of Christ.

Number 1 Equipping Gift is Shepherding - Visitation with each other

When we find ways to help those in need.

The Church's support when through Ben's Leukemia

What can we learn from Jesus’ Teaching?

26 - Judgment Tomorrow Shapes Our Serving Today.

Ideas for Serving in Christ’s Name:

-Befriend new people

-Humanize people and serve people wherever you go. - People of Peace Concept

-Participate in Outreach at South Blendon

-Hand2Hand, Barnabas Ministries, Love Your Neighbor, Big Days, MC (Family Night, Block Parties, etc)

-Go on a Mission Trip – With Youth, on your own

-Support our Missionaries

But also consider being a part of a congregation as your mission. You are not hear just to get something out of a worship service. You are a part of a congregation to align yourself with Jesus’ Kingdom Mission, and to care for those others who are as well. You will be held accountable for it.