sf932 - The Second Coming Of Christ 11 Of 11 - The Judgment Of The Sheep And Goats (Matthew 25 31-46)
Matthew 25:31-46
Introduction
The Bible makes clear that all sin is known to God and that all sin must be punished. Moses declared, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Num. 32:23).
No sin escapes God’s notice or God’s judgment.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness
God’s judgment is a repeated theme both in the Old and New Testaments. The judgment emphasized in the Old Testament is primarily temporal, whereas that in the New Testament is primarily eternal.
With significant exceptions, the Old focuses on punishment suffered in this world and the New on punishment suffered in the next.
The Old more often speaks about God’s physically destroying nations, punishing cities, or afflicting individuals because of their wickedness. The New on the other hand, more often speaks of judgment that lasts through all eternity.
Pictured as the divine separation of the righteous sheep from the unrighteous goats, that judgment will occur just before Christ establishes His millennial kingdom on earth. Not only will it determine the ultimate, eternal destinies of everyone living at the end of the Tribulation but will also determine who will and will not enter the kingdom. Only those who belong to the King, believers who have been born into God’s spiritual family and been made citizens of His spiritual kingdom, will enter His glorious kingdom.
The judgment of the sheep and goats is not mentioned in any of the other gospels,
1A. The Setting of the Judgment
1B. The Judge
His identity –
Ø The Son of Man (25:31)
Ø The King (25:34)
His authority
John 5:22 "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son
His ability
Revelation 19:15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
His attendants
Ø The angels
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ø The saints
Jude 14-15 …Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
2B. The time – When He comes in His glory (Revelation 19:11-21)
3B. The place – He will sit on the throne of His glory
This will be the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant
(2 Samuel 7:12-16; 1 Chronicles 7:11-15; Psalm 89:3-4; Zechariah 14:9)
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Jeremiah 33:15 In those days and at that time I will cause to grow up to David A Branch of righteousness; He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
Luke 1:31-33 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
When He returns to earth He will reign personally on a literal throne, in a literal Jerusalem, and over a literal people.
Acts 1:11 Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.
4B. The subjects – All the nations…
Ethna (nations) has the basic meaning of peoples and here refers to every person alive on earth when the Lord returns
2A. The Process of the Judgment (25:32-46)
1B. The commendation of the righteous (25:32-40)
The inheritance they receive (25:32-34)
Ø It is an inheritance not a wage!
Ø It is prepared and pre-determined
Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 9:11 …that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls
The life they lived (25:35-40)
Ø This is the fruit of salvation
Ø These are representative of everyday living not extra ordinary things.
1 John 3:17-18 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Ø Whatever believers do for each other they also do for their Lord Jesus Christ, and the person who genuinely receives and serves Christians in Christ’s name proves he himself is a Christian
John 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
2B. The condemnation of the wicked (25:41-46)
The life they lived (25:42-45)
Ø The evidence that those rejected people never belonged to Christ will be that they did not love and serve His people.
Ø It is significant that the marks of lostness Jesus mentions here are not gross sins committed but rather simple acts of kindness not committed.
The punishment they receive (25:41; 46)
Ø Hell means separation – Depart from me
Separation here means to be separated from the love and mercy of God.
Ø Hell means association – the Devil and his angels
Ø Hell is a place of fire – everlasting fire
Revelation 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Ø Hell is a place of darkness
Matthew 22:13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Burning and darkness are not mutually exclusive, ie radiation.
Here it appears to be symbolic or at least not only physical; speaks of God’s wrath.
Ø Hell is eternal - Jesus uses the same word (aionios, eternal) to describe salvation and condemnation. If believers will be in heaven with God forever, the lost will be in hell with the devil forever.
Matthew 25:31-46
1A. The ________________________ of the Judgment
1B. The _____________________________
His identity –
His authority (John 5:22)
His ability (Revelation 19:15)
His attendants
Ø The angels (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8)
Ø The saints (Jude 14-15)
2B. The _________________ – When He comes in His glory (Revelation 19:11-21)
3B. The place – He will sit on the throne of His glory
This will be the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16; 1 Chronicles 7:11-15; Psalm 89:3-4; Zechariah 14:9; Isaiah 9:7; Jerermiah 33:15; Luke 1:31-33)
When He returns to earth He will reign personally on a literal throne, in a literal Jerusalem, and over a literal people. (Acts 1:11)
4B. The ______________________ – All the nations…
2A. The Process of the Judgment (25:32-46)
1B. The commendation of the righteous (25:32-40)
The ______________________ they receive (25:32-34)
Ø It is an inheritance not a wage!
Ø It is prepared and pre-determined (Romans 8:29; 9:11)
The ____________________ they lived (25:35-40)
Ø This is the fruit of salvation
Ø These are representative of everyday living not extra ordinary things. (1 John 3:17-18)
Ø Whatever believers do for each other they also do for their Lord Jesus Christ, and the person who genuinely receives and serves Christians in Christ’s name proves he himself is a Christian (John 13:35)
2B. The condemnation of the wicked (25:41-46)
The life they lived (25:42-45)
Ø The evidence that those rejected people never belonged to Christ will be that they did not love and serve His people.
Ø It is significant that the marks of lostness Jesus mentions here are not gross sins committed but rather simple acts of kindness not committed.
The _____________________ they receive (25:41; 46)
Ø Hell means separation – Depart from me
Ø Hell means ____________________ – the Devil and his angels
Ø Hell is a place of _____________ – everlasting fire (Revelation 21:8)
Ø Hell is a place of darkness
Matthew 22:13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Ø Hell is _______________________ - Jesus uses the same word (aionios, eternal) to describe salvation and condemnation. If believers will be in heaven with God forever, the lost will be in hell with the devil forever.