The Separation of Nations

Jesus is Coming Back!

I realize I talk about this a great deal -

it is true - and should be at the forefront of our minds always- Jesus is Coming back

When He comes - there will be rewards and consequences -

Every thing you do in this life will matter then - do not be deceived into thinking otherwise -

there will be rewards - and levels of rewards

there will be industry and enterprise

it will all be without sin

Your life has purpose - you have been created with purpose

God has dealt to every person the measure of faith -

He has also given talents - gifts - resources - abilities - to each and every person

these talents are not without purpose - they are not random or accident -

There will be a division of people when Jesus comes back - and how we live today will determine the outcome of this

I want to look at two passages - which are really one conversation - where Jesus discusses this return

The first has to do with these rewards- and expectations

Matthew 25:14–30 NKJV

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Your Life Has Purpose

Although these men were given “talents” - a measure of money or resources - they were expected to increase them

When a farmer plants a seed, he expects more than one seed to grow back

when a person invests in a business - they expect more in return than what was invested

People hope for a bountiful harvest

In the same way - God expects our lives to produce a return - for His Glory

This does not mean that every person is supposed to be a preacher - or a worship leader

but every person should produce something that benefits the Kingdom of God in this world -

Another way to put it - the part of the world you had contact with should be better when Jesus returns because you were there

If you are called to be a business person - are you using your resources in a way that pleases God?

some people are put in place to make provision for God’s purposes - like Joseph - and Pharaoh at that time.

Others are called to preach -

Others are called to be exhorters - and teachers -

Some are called to serve - like Stephen

Some people may be called to prepare others for the kingdom - like Ruth -

Some people are put in places of influence so that they can use their influence to accomplish God’s will - like Daniel - and Esther -

Apathy is Not an Acceptable Outcome -

Every person has been given gifts for some purpose

No people have been given gifts for no purpose

Whatever your calling in life - you should do the best you can at it

if you are called to work in a secular job - then you should be the best you can at it

That does not mean being a workaholic - but it does mean being diligent -

wasting time - avoiding work while on the clock is just like stealing

doing “just enough” is also not acceptable - we have a purpose wherever we are

whatever success you have - God can use - not only for the purpose of resource - but also for influence - and for the benefit of your own family

God is interested in your success -

He gives you talents - and expects your participation

There are Rewards!

Each person, according to his individual ability is expected to contribute and grow -

the person who had five talents earned five more - he was rewarded - being “ruler over many things”

the person who had two talents and made tow likewise - being “ruler over “many things”

We can see here that there are rewards

we also see that there will be things to rule and things to manage -

we will not be sitting on clouds playing harps

the system will likely be different - based on community good - not individual greed -

not based on sin - and without temptation

the goal will likely be the benefit of all and the pleasure of the Lord - but there will be enterprise and industry, position and reward

Everyone who does something with their talents is rewarded -

but the one who does nothing - is actually cursed -

His reward was given to another - the one who had ten

He himself was cast into outer darkness -

There are a good many people who become Christian - and want to live like the man who did nothing with his talent

doing just enough - their religious duty

perhaps going to church - now not even that so much -

a prayer now and then - maybe over dinner - if that

an occasional alms deed when it suits them - usually based on their own idea - but not much more

Never too concerned with growing for the kingdom - or the benefit of others

not too worried about who goes to hell or heaven - just enough -

Just give me the list of does and don’ts that i need to keep - like putting my talent int he ground

this is a far cry from the way I ran my business -

I used to think each day - how can I make this better?

I strive for new ideas to make it grow - it matters to me.

How many of us live our Spiritual lives this way?

or do we just put that salvation in the ground to cash in on the day He comes?

I am thankful that I know many of you are using your gifts and talents -

I want you to know that it is not in vain

The Lord will come back and He will reward you -

those of you who have served, worked, worshipped and waited - it will not be in vain

those of you who have been faithful in few things He will make you ruler of many - and there will be last who are first -

and whoever gives a cup of cold water only will not lose his reward!

What You Don’t Do Matters Also

I want to look at one more passage, which is actually just a continuation of this conversation, where Jesus goes on to describe His return

Above He spoke of the importance of the things that we do in this life

here He also speaks of the things that people don’t do

Matthew 25:31–46 NKJV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Here Jesus says that when He returns He will gather “all nations” before Him.

all the races - nationalities - cultures and peoples of the earth

I hope you are not too racist - because if your are you will be very uncomfortable in this group

I hope you are not expecting a wall to separate you from the non American - or the blacks or the whites

I hope that you are not expecting there to be one gathering for the black church and then another for the white church

I hope that you are not expecting Him to have certain sections so that everyone can gather in homogenous groups and no one will be uncomfortable

“All Nations” will be there in that gathering - we better get used to that right now -

In fact, I will forewarn you - if you have any hangup s that you can’t get rid of now - any prejudices - grudges - pride - or hatred - you may be very disappointment don that day -

if that is you, then I warn you that you may be in danger of hell fire!

There Will Be a Separation

Jesus said when These nations are gathered, He will separate them.

But he is not going to separate them into groups based on the color of their skin

neither will it be based on their wealth, or education, or nationality -

Indeed, this separation will not be based on any o f the things that we most often separate people based on

Indeed, this separation will happen even before we get to the distribution of rewards that we discusses earlier -

IF you don’t make it past this door, you need not even worry about the rewards!

There will only be two groups in this separation -

Which one will you be in?

To those on the right HE says come into the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world !!!!

that’s right - from the very foundation of the world - He knew you - and chose you in Him

it may seem like He has forgotten you sometimes - but He knew you before ever the stars were in the sky

And He has prepared a place for you

“becasue” - make no mistake here - there is a “becasue” in His story -

far more important that how many talents you made - more important than how much you earned or didn’t earn fo the kingdom, is “what kind of person were you?”

I was Hungry and you fed me? Thirsty and you clothed me ....

They said when ?

He said - Whenever you did it for the least of these my brethren - - you did it to me -

that was Jesus - that is Jesus that you are feeding or not feeding

It truly breaks my hear that so many people will hear this passage and immediately justify themselves, thinking of who should have fed them and didn’t, or who they should be getting water from, instead of thinking about whom they should feed and water

if that;’s you, there is a good chance that you are already drifting into sin and apostacy -

So many people are already doing that very thing - thinking of who you know of know of that should be feeding you and hasn’t

or thinking of who you know of that should be getting fed by someone else that isn’t -

Some of you may even be thinking of who is taking food they don’t have coming that could be given to someone else -

But the only thing that matters is - Who are you feeding -

If Jesus says - I was hungry and you gave me food - will you say - nope we never saw Jesus hungry - never had to feed anyone -

Or will you only be able to think of all the people that looked like you that you fed - the people that you thought had it coming - Does the Jesus you feed only look like you?

Or are you just the kind of person that has compassion - and will look to your own resources to feed the hungry?

As Jesus told His disciples concerning he 5,000 - you freed them.

To those on His left - He says depart into everlasting fire - prepared for the devil and his angels

there is a place called hell - it is a real place - not imaginary - not symbolic - real

It was not prepared for you - but you could end up there

To these He said - I was hungry - and you fed me not ---

they said when ?

Whenever you did not do it to the least of these my brethren -

again - there are probably way too many people hearing this and thinking of that wicked person that failed to feed you , when instead, the only acceptable thing for you to be thinking about is who did you fail to feed-

We are talking about eternal life and eternal damnation here

You can never be punished for what I failed to do - or rewarded for what I did - or did not do -

You will given an account for your own deeds

this is too important to be hangup on what every one else did or didn’t do - this is for you and i - individually - today - be ready -

Examine yourselves

What kind of people are we?

are you compassionate? Are you loving? Generous? Forgiving? Graceful? Patient? Willing to be hospitable?

Are you willing to feed, water, clothe, visit, and minister to - “The least of these my brethren”?

Notice - here people are condemned not or what they did- but for what they did not do -

If you miss this pert - you need not even worry about the reward part-

Jesus Is Coming to Establish HIS Kingdom

Finally, let me close with these thoughts

When Jesus returns, He is not coming to set up a democracy

I love our country, and I love our system of government and the capitalist system

I believe that even with all of our problems, the United States is still the greatest nation on earth

I am truly thankful for this - and wish that more people would acknowledge that, even while they campaign and pretest for change

I have been to some other countries - believe me - thing are very much worse in many places -

China - the largest population and economy - people have no freedom to speak against their government -

all cultures that are different are silenced or punished

India - the second largest population - has more racism than probably any nation - have you heard of the caste system

while it is illegal - it is still very much practiced

Uganda - Sudan - so many African Nations

Egypt, Syria, Libya - Vietnam - Thailand, The Philippines

So many South American countries - people are immigrating illegally for a reason -

Is there still some racism, inequality, corruption, greed etc,. here - of course there is - there is no place on earth today that lacks these things -

but this si still the only place on earth where a person without the generational head start so many talk about t- without passed down family wealth or power - a person with nothing can come here , or be born here, and through hard work and faith - accomplish nearly anything they want to do - in spite of all the evil - even in the middle of it

other places people have no chance at making it above these circumstances of bigotry, hatred, inequality etc, - but here, they do it every day - black, white, yellow, red.

Yet, even with all my love for our system and our country here - I can promise you - Jesus will not be setting up a democracy - or a greed based society- which is what our capitalist system is

I get tired of people presenting the US as God’s standard of government - it certainly is not

I get tired of people politicizing the gospel so much that many missionaries are persecuted, not for the hatred of Jesus, but for the fear of their hidden gospel of political agenda.

We buy into it so much that many missionaries can’t help themselves - when people get saved they have to westernize them also -

Although our capitalist system works better here than most other systems - that is becasue of hte flaw of men’s hearts -

The system Jesus established will not be by election at all - it will be entirely by appointment -

and it may very well resemble communism more than capitalism - maybe - not a doctrine here -

And this is very important for you all to understand - there will be no division based on race -

there will be no KKK, BLM, and no affirmative action programs

No one will be entitled to extra compensation based on their years of suffering or their ancestor’s - there has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man -

no one will be able to hold on to any past hurts, traumatization - grudges, or debts -

I promise you, if you think that you can get into this kingdom with an attitude that says - I know Lord, but look what we went through - I promise - you will not be there

So you might as well get used to living that way now -

there will be no racial division - no prejudices or preferentials -

If you can’t let it go now - don’t think He will trust you to let it go then.

We are all the Least of these His brethren - who do you know that you can feed?

and everyone can make a difference to someone