It's Crunch Time

Sermon Notes – Nov 17, 2019 It’s Crunch Time!!! Series: Marching Orders #9 Matt 25:31-46 Rev. L. Kent Blanton Introduction • _________________________ is a reality of life on this ____________________. • Waiting is a part of the physical world. • Waiting is also part of the spiritual world. • God’s Grand ____________of the universe includes waiting. • Waiting is reflected within the main seasons/events of the church year calendar (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension Sunday, Pentecost, Christ the King Sunday) Today’s Focal Passage: Matt 25:31-46 • Characters in the parable • Narrator (Jesus) who ties together dialogue between the King and the Sheep and the Goats • King (the Son of Man) • The Sheep • The Goats Truths of this parable: 1. Jesus’ return is _____________________. • v. 31 – “When” (not “if”) the Son of Man returns . . . • The waiting will one day be over 2. Jesus will ________________ all the people of the world. • Rulers dispense justice. They reward those who do right. They punish those who do wrong. So will Jesus. 3. This parable relates the ________________________ for judgment. • This passage says standard for judgment will be our ___________ for Jesus. • Our love for Jesus will be evidenced by our ____________ for _________________. • A pivotal question raised by this parable: Are loving acts of kindness the criterion upon which you and I will be judged for all eternity? • “Yes” and “no” • A “yes” answer would seem to be clear from this passage. We need to be very careful about saying, “Well, Jesus didn’t really mean what he was saying.” • At the same time, sound biblical interpretation requires that we interpret any verse or passage in light of what the whole Bible says about the topic. What does the Bible say in other places regarding the role of good works in being made right with God? • The Bible teaches that humans could never do enough good deeds to gain entrance to the kingdom of God and to escape an eternity of separation from God. • We are made right with God by grace through faith • For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV • So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. Romans 3:28 NLT • But the same Bible also says that belief, itself, is not enough • You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 2:8-9 NIV • Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? James 2:20 CSB • If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And we have this command from him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister. 1 John 4:20-21 CSB • If you love me, you will keep my commands. John 14:15 CSB • How do we reconcile this apparent tension between faith and good works? • To do so, it will be helpful to remember another principle of biblical interpretation. To correctly understand a verse or passage of Scripture, we need to notice what comes before and after it. • What comes before this parable is very important. • In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus talks about his second coming • Jesus uses several stories to tell his disciples that they need to be ready and how they need to be prepared for his return. • In the stories of the Faithful and Wicked Servants, the 10 Virgins, the 3 Stewards with their Talents, and the Sheep and the Goats, he tells us that being prepared includes watchfulness, obedience, faithfulness, and loving acts of kindness. • Putting all these various biblical clues together, what can we confidently say about the criterion for final judgment? In light of all biblical evidence, this parable teaches that being ready for final judgment requires faith in Jesus Christ, a faith that is evidenced by loving acts of kindness toward others. • You can only be granted entrance into Christ’s kingdom by believing that Jesus died for your sins on the cross, that he rose again from the dead to give you life, and by confessing him as your Lord and master. • But genuine faith in Christ will be evidenced by loving acts of kindness. In other words, if your faith is not impacting your actions, if your faith isn’t translating into loving acts of kindness, your faith is not genuine and it will not protect you in the final judgment. • Loving involves _________________ what Jesus did. • Jesus announced and _____________________________ the kingdom of God. • When we love others, we are loving _________________. 4. It is imperative to ________________________ for judgment. • Too late to prepare at court • This parable is linked with three others: the Faithful and Wicked Slaves, the Ten Virgins with Lamps and the Three Stewards with talents • The focus of all three parables is upon __________________________. • All three parables tell us it’s ____________________ _______________ (time for action). Personal Assessment/Application: • If you stood before Christ today, would you be a Sheep or a Goat? • This passage says the difference will be the love and service you have shown to others around you • Keith Green song: “Asleep in the Light” – what is God saying to you? • Confession of sin • God requires repentance. How? • If you are not yet a follower of Christ, start following (baptism; confessing Jesus as Lord) • If you are a follower of Christ: • Remember, it’s Crunch Time! (use candy wrapper to help you remember) • Pray daily for a deeper experience of God’s love for you and for _______________ to “see” Jesus. • Act. Start ____________________ on someone this week (be prepared to pay a price AND expect to see God at work!)