Where Has the Lord Witnessed Your Faith

As we read this passage, the images of sheep and goats are prominent. The sheep at Christ’s right hand are blessed, while the goats at his left are cursed.

Earlier this year, as my husband caught up on sports commentary, I heard some rather contentious conversations over a player being called a goat. On another occasion, a player was being criticized for calling himself a goat. With my frame of reference being this scripture, I’m wondering why on earth anyone would want to be a goat!

So, I asked the obvious question: Why would anyone want to be called a goat? This drew a chuckle from my husband.

Well, G.O.A.T. is an acronym for Greatest Of All Time. Tom Brady, Lebron James, and Michael Jordan were some of the names in the rather animated banter around this GOAT label. I marvel at the amount of energy expended not in playing sports, but in discussions, planning calendars, watching, following sports stats, and the extraordinary efforts people will make to get tickets to events, especially to see GOATs play. (That just sounds funny)

Here’s the thing. Human beings can be so fanatically focused on big personalities, polarizing and/or popular perspectives, that everyday people and common but critical matters get overlooked. The consequence is that the flock of goats is growing and not because of bragging rights, but because of oversight. Jesus is watching.

Let us pray.

Only three days before his suffering, Jesus shared this lesson. To a population familiar with shepherds and herds, Jesus used the analogy of the sheep and goats to render an understanding of the judgment to come. Those who extend mercy and compassion will be among the blessed sheep at his right hand, those who do not will be among the accursed goats at his left hand.

Jesus’ words call attention to present choices and later consequences.

Jesus is speaking to a crowd that includes his disciples, new followers, and skeptics; his companions and critics.

Jesus says “all nations will be gathered before him”. He makes no distinctions.

All will be judged based on their response to human need.

So some from all nations will be numbered among the sheep and some from all nations will be numbered among the goats.

This passage is a call to conscience for every listener or reader.

One of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s landmark orations was entitled, A Call to Conscience.

It was Dr. King’s eulogy for the 4 girls (ages 11-14) killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, AL in 1963.

Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth describes the eulogy as King’s appeal to conscience for personal and active commitment to make and live earthly life better: to defend justice, human dignity, and the worth [sacred worth] of all human beings.”

Dr. King’s words are grounded in the word of God; the lessons of Christ the King.

Christ calls all nations to conscience, not merely to be conscious.

To be conscious is to be aware of yourself and the world around you; to be awake.

Conscience is that inner feeling or voice acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.

All the people were conscious of the needs they witnessed.

But the conscientious moved to do what was right; to meet the needs they witnessed.

Christ calls for a conscience of compassion and mercy actively committed to seeing and attending to the weak, the vulnerable, those in need among us.

Hunger, thirst, nakedness, illness, incarceration, and immigration are timeless and common physical experiences of everyday people in the world.

Capacities to meet the needs within these everyday experiences are among and within the people of all nations.

The challenge is we cannot address what we are not willing to see.

Living is easy with eyes closed.” ~ John Lennon

But Living with eyes closed gets us sorted with the goats.

Those who Glance Over At Times but do nothing.

Thankfully, Jesus didn’t just glance over at the conditions in the world!

Consider what Jesus did. Jesus came to live among everyday people the the form of an everyday person.

God the Father sent God the Son (incarnate as the Son of Man in our text)

Phil 2: 6-8 - Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited but emptied himself, to be born in human likeness.

Jesus was a born to an everyday family that lived outside the seat of power, worked as a carpenter—an everyday laborer.

During his public ministry, Jesus relied on the hospitality and help of others as he extended hospitality—mercy and compassion-- to the world and brought healing, help and hope by seeing and engaging multitudes. (outreach)

Jesus brought healing to the breach between humankind and God the Father so we would be welcomed into the kin’dom of heaven— welcomed into the family of God. (upward reach)

Jesus brought good news to the poor, liberated the oppressed with hope and opened the minds and hearts of those captive to harmful practices that divided communities. He helped those blinded by deceit to see truth.

Jesus allowed himself to be bond for our freedom, submitted to death so we might live more abundantly; was without sin but took on the sin of the world for our sake!

For all of these wondrous works we are grateful.

Jesus poured himself out; gave his life for everyone.

For all of these wondrous works we are grateful.

The greatest way to say thank you is by imitating Christ.

Giving ourselves to others; by extending the hospitality, healing, help, and hope of Christ.

By looking for the overlooked; listening for the unheard or silenced among us.

By attending to the least...

The New Revised Standard Version The Judgment of the Nations

35 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, 36 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.’

Jesus’ descriptions point not only to action but interaction. The engagements lean to starting or building relationships.

Jesus is looking for a herd of sheep.

SHEEP are the ones actively committed to

Sharing His Empathy with Everyday People

Jesus’ expectations are not extraordinary - simply sharing food, drink, clothing, care, and companionship.

Everybody can do something to help someone else.

There is growing need in the world.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, food pantry lines are active and growing.

As winter approaches, affordable housing shortages remain, foreclosures are looming, and many men, women and children are experiencing homelessness.

This is happening in these United States of Abundance.

Jesus calls us not only to be conscious of conditions but to be moved into right action by our conscience.

Let’s raise funds to help feed the hungry; let’s work to eradicate hunger and homelessness in all its forms.

Small hinges swing big doors; faith the size of a mustard seed moves mountains.

Nothing is insignificant in the eyes of God.

Everybody can do something to help someone in need.

When we help others in need, we are really helping Jesus.

When we serve children, guests and the poor, we are really serving Jesus.

When we serve others, we serve God.

The New Revised Standard Version The Judgment of the Nations

‘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.’

Jesus is watching and witnessing our acts of faith as everyday people.

As James put it, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:14-17)

When has the Lord witnessed your faith? When has the Lord received your kindness?

Many think he’s a stranger because they do not recognize his form.

He’s abides in the homeless, yet he’s prepared a home for you to share.

He’s abides in the hungry, yet he’s given you the bread of life to share.

He’s abides in the thirsty, yet he’s given you Living water to share.

He’s abides in the naked; yet he has clothed you in his love, peace, and hope to share.

Jesus is watching and waiting for you to share. Look for him in everyday people.

Jesus is looking for his SHEEP.

Jesus is looking for his sheep because generosity brings forth the blessings of God.

Matthew 25:34 ~ “...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”

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Mt 25:34). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

We have been blessed by the gift of Jesus to be blessings to others to be blessed by God.

Share His Empathy with Everyday People.

Love one another as you are loved.

Let the Lord witness your faith. Amen