Matthew 25:31–46 - The Least of These

Scripture Reading

Introduction

Bold, biblical, sacrificial, Christ like love for the "least of these" is a defining characteristic of a Christian. The question I want to address today is simply this. "Is bold, biblical, sacrificial, Christ like love what you are known for?

Context

Today we continue through a sermon series that we began last week called No Place Left. In this sermon series we are laying out Park’s vision and mission. We’re answering the question—what is this Church and what does it mean to be a part of this Church. Last week we lazered in on the calling on every follower of Christ’s life to be an Ambassador for Christ, one who represents the King everywhere he goes. Today, I want to focus in on the third part of our mission statement. If you recall, there are four key components to our Mission Statement. Make Disciples means we actively proclaim the good news of Christ to those around us. Equip the Saints means that your Church is devoted to teaching you the Scriptures and strenghthening your prayer life and your resolve in Christ. The third component is Send them Out. What this means is that as a Church we want to actively send all of our members into the world around us to be salt and light, in order to love the least of these. We step into broken places and dark places, with the light of the gospel. I want to deeply understand this passage today, and then by way of application I want to unify this Church as a people of God who are living on mission as Ambassadors for Christ, and show us how this Church is actively attempting to love the least of these. I want to say up front that today is Pro Life Sunday. And around the globe faithful pastors are preaching on the topic abortion. As part of my application today I will be discussing that topic as well as a few others.

Body

When the Son of Man Comes in His Glory

Let’s look at this passage. Jesus invites us into a moment where we are permitted to peer into the future. This is not allegory or parable. This is a fixed vision of what is to come. Specifically we are peering into the Final Judgment. He begins with the words, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory.” As Christian, we believes that Jesus Christ has come once in the flesh in the form of a servant in order to defeat sin, Satan, and death. He will come again in the future victoriously in all of his glory, as the rightful King of Kings. And at that point of his return every human will be brought into judgment.

The Angels are brought with Him

Notice also in verse 31 that the angels are with Christ in this moment. We find out elsewhere from Scriptures that humans will judge the angels. What a vision that will be. To see the Lord in all his glory surrounded by the full heavenly host in preparation for the final installment of history. As Christians this scene should be ever on our mind. The Christian eagerly awaits this day with a childlike anticipation for the Christian walks daily in the full assurance of their faith, knowing that because of what Christ has done on the cross this final judgment will be a day of great celebration for them. The non Christian despises talk of this future moment, and casts it far away from them, refusing to deal with the reality that judgment is coming, that there will be a reckoning for this sin. The nonbeliever mocks this certain future. But their mockery is rooted in a deep seated fear and knowledge that this judgment day will not go well for them.

Romans 2:15-16 “15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”

That passage in Romans states that every human being, by virtue of being made in the image of God knows deep down in their inner being that a judgment day is coming. And on that judgment day, you will either be found in Christ or you will be found outside of Christ.

Before him will be gathered the nations

Before Christ will be gathered the nations. Tomorrow is MLK Day, a day where in this country we recognize an important component of history, namely how people groups have often separated themselves by culture and ethnicity, very often with direct harm to particular groups as a result. But look at this scene in heaven. The nations, the ethnos, will be gathered before Christ. All of them. Imagine people from every tongue, tribe, nation, and language. All of them gathered before the throne. What a scene!

And the judgment will be thus, that those who are Christ’s sheep will be placed on his right hand side The right hand of the King is the place of honor & blessing. Imagine that moment when the King, surrounded by angels, looks to you and says, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” If that doesn’t give you chills down your spine, I have to question to question if the Spirit of God is alive and well in you.

Faith Without Works is Dead

Jesus lists six separate ideas that are communicated of ways that faithful Christians demonstrated the authenticity of their faith while in this life. These are six separate ways of demonstrating your Christian faith. Feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner. If you think about what Jesus is saying here, he is looking at the fundamental needs of life: Food, shelter, and companionship. It is interesting to note that the acts of love that are discussed by Jesus here are not just issues you can solve with money. Money is a wonderful gift that God invites us to steward well and give extravagently. However, this passage highlights ways to love that are costly and sacrificial of time and emotional energy. Have you ever visited someone in prison? That’s not easy. Have you sat and prayed with the sick and dying? You can’t rush that.

Is Jesus Saying We are Saved By Works?

Is Jesus saying that these sacrificial, bold, acts of love are the very works that will save us on our judgment day? The answer is a resounding no. Scripture is fundamentally clear that we are not saved by our works. Our salvation comes by receiving the free gift of forgiveness of sins that is a result of placing our faith in Jesus Christ. We read in Romans 10:9-10,

Romans 10:9-10 “9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

The basis of our justification before God is our confession of faith. Our salvation hinges on grace alone, by faith alone. This passage however is demonstrating what an authentically saved life ought to look like? I think this is shown clearly in verse 34:

Matthew 25:34 “34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

The father has blessed us with an inheritance that he planned long before the foundations of the wolrd were ever created. Long before you ever performed one of thees actions, your inheritance was secured. You see, Christ’s free gift of salvation comes first into your life, then what necessarily m ust follow is a life of Christ like service. Think of it this way. If you claim you have made Jesus the Lord of your life. Yet, your life on the whole bares no resemblance of the bold, sacrificial love of Jesus, you probably have not made Him Lord yet? Our lives, over the long haul, are a reflection of that which is truly Lord of our life.

As You’ve Done to the Least of These

Oh—what would we do to have Christ in our room with us right now, if only we could wash his feet. If only we could seat him in the seat of honor. If only we were given an opportunity to stand up for him against his detractors. What would we give for such a noble cause? Christ says—when you do these things for the least of these you have done them for me. But then he goes further by saying that when you failed to do these things for the least of these you failed to do them for me. Notice, that the unregenerate are guilty because of their sins of ommission. It’s not that they went out murdered people or stole, those are sins of commission where a person actively sins. These were all sins of ommission, where you failed to do what was right. Those who have been changed and saved by Jesus will not fail to do what is right. Loving the least of these is not optional for a Christian, it’s part of our Christian mandate.

Why Then Is This So Abnormal

I have to ask the question, why then is this kind of bold, sacrificial Christ like love of the least of these so rare among Christians? Many of us treat concern for the least of these as a peripheral tack on to our faith at best. I believe there are a few core reasons why Christians are asleep at the wheel on this one. First is that we have been lulled to sleep by lives of distraction and comfort. Like the gentle rocking a train car that puts a person to sleep and causes them to miss their exit, Satan has so filled our minds and hearts with distractions that we have been distracted from our most powerful weapon against the enemy, Christ like love. And secondly, I believe many Christians have simply never been told that to be a Christian will cost you something. Many Christians were sold a salvation that cost them nothing, that permitted them to go on essentially the same as they were before they knew Christ. But you won't that in the Bible. Once you believe in Jesus, you are a new creation called to love the least of these.

Application

Family of Interdependent Churches

Okay, that’s the passage. I think this passage begs a bit of an extended application. Let’s back up now and look at Park Community Church South Loop. We are one Church in the city of Chicago. We cannnot do all things that this city needs. There’s too many needs. And so what we have intentionally done is we have studied the needs of the city, and we listened to the Spirit as best as we could, and we have developed a few core competencies that we exert our energy into in order to collectively step into brokenness. The beauty of Park is that we are a ‘Family of Interdependent Churches.’ What that means as part of this family there is great work happening at other Park locations that we can celebrate and even be a part of, just as there is great work happening here that other locations can celebrate be a part of. As an example, Park North Rogers Park has a wonderful ministry ministering to gang members. We support that, we champion that. And although its not Park South Loop’s primary effort collectivvely, we’re a part of it. Our Park location on Devon Ave reaches many muslims and Hindus, and offers English classes as a way of developing relationships with local Muslims. We love that. We support it. Forest Glen is reaching refugees from Afghanistan. We celebrate that as vital Christian work. Work like that is happening all over the city of Chicago through this Church. Here at South Loop, we have few places we major in.

Four Key Issues

At Park South Loop, we have four key issues that we focus on: Fatherlessness, Abortion, Education, and Homelessness. Today with my time I am going to focus on two of these four issues: Fatherlessness and Abortion. You have already heard today from a few about our ministry serving the homeless, and next week you will hear directly from one of our partner ministries that helps us in the schools of Chicago.

Issue 1: Fatherlessness

Fatherlessness Statistically

The first core area of caring for the “least of these” is the way in which this Church steps into Fatherlessness. I believe that the issue of fatherlessness in Chicago is the #1 issue facing our city. If we can heal that gap, many other issues get fixed. In a book titled ‘Father Absence and Youth Incarceration’ we learn that “Boys who are fatherless from birth are 3.061 times as likely to go to jail as peers from intact families.” We go on to learn that fatherlessness impacts the rate of drug abuse, gang activity, dropping out of school, developing poor friendships, remaining in poverty, and ultimately early death. Now, briefly to our single mothers. I know you, and you are doing a great job. Lean into your Church family. Well done—We support you.

Fatherlessness Disproprotionately Hits the Poor

I want to have an important word here. Fatherlessness disproprotionately hits low income neighborhoods, and in Chicago that means fatherlessness disproportionately effects neighborhoods that are not majority white. Why do I mention that? From time to time I have people ask me what we are doing as a Church to be intentional about issues connected with race in our city. My answer is always very consistent. In this Church, we believe the power fo the Gospel properly lived out brings people from every culture together. We prioritize the dinner table as a place to intentionally get to know each other nad learn to love each other. And when it comes to issues, we are passionate about the key issues that impact generational brokenness. Fatherlessness, Abortion, and Education are those three key issues. This is a Church of action.

Adoption, Foster Care, & Safe Families

How do we step into Fatherlessness? Compehensively. We have a many multi-pronged approach. This Church is passionate about caring for orphans. My wife and I have three children, two of whom are adopted through Chicago Foster Care System. Over the last few years we have seen well over dozen families actively become adoptive parents, become foster parents, or become a Safe Family (that’s essentially an organization that provides short term foster care for families in need). My wife and I are regularly having conversations with people about how they might take next steps in that process. As a Church, I have watched this Church come around those families in support. Providing meals, breaks, babysitting. This is far more than an individual effort. We do this biblically and powerfully. In this small Church of ours, we blow the roof off what is normal for the amount of people in a Church stepping into this need. And we are just getting started.

Adoption Fund

A few years ago we took about $70,000 of our annual giving for the year and earmarked it for financially supporting families who are adopting at Park Community Church. My wife helps administer that fund. We have given tens of thousands of dollars to families. Just a few months ago my wife got to call a family and let them know they were approved to receive their finances for their adoption. What joy! So when you give financially to this Church—that’s where your money is going. Further, we regularly are providing coaching and direction for those beginning the process. This is happening all the time behind the scenes. Many of you are involved.

Partner Ministries (GRIP & By the Hand)

That’s not the only way we care for the Fatherless, we also partner with a number of ministries in Chicago that are powerfully stepping into the lives of the youth of our city. And many of those roles that I’ll describe in just a little provide outlets for becoming a role model in troubled youths lives, in such a way that where there is a vaccuum of a father or a mother in a child’s life, you can step in and serve as a strong mentor. Again we’ll talk about those ministries much more next week.

Illustration: My Adopted Children’s Birth Certificate

Becoming a father to the fatherless is a Christian virtue? Through Christ, each of you have been adopted into God’s family. Once, God was not your father, but now by faith in Jesus Christ you have been adopted into God’s family… Expand...

Issue #2: Abortion

The second issue is Abortion. And I’m going to spend a few extra minutes here becuase usually there are questions here. I have preached a number of sermons solely dedicated to this topic. And before I go any further I want to say right up front that in this Church we aim to be the kind of place where a woman with an uplanned pregnancy can come and find the actual practical help they need. And so I want to say this out loud. If you are listening to this and you have an unplanned pregnancy, please reach out to us. Let us help you. We have incredible partner ministries and resources to come alongside. You don’t need to do this alone. Please do not seek an abortion. Or if you are listening to this and you have had an abortion, and want to talk to somebody about it. We have a number of women at this Church who have had abortions, who would love to connect with you, and hear your story.

Why Is Abortion a Key Issue

Why is abortion a key issue for us? Well as a Church we are passionate about what God is passionate about. God is passionate about Biblical Justice.

Proverbs 31:8-9 “8 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

An abortion is the termination of the life of the most vulnerable among us, those in the womb. I believe that there is no greater injustice happening right now in our country than abortion. It’s #1. The Bible is fundamentally clear, with no question that life begins at conception. Again, I have preached multiple sermons and provided many resources for our Church to be equipped with what the Bible says on this issue. That is not debateable biblically. But it is also not debateable scientifically. As one article put it:

The conclusion that human life begins at sperm-egg fusion is uncontested, objective, based on the universally accepted scientific method of distinguishing different cell types from each other and on ample scientific evidence (thousands of independent, peer-reviewed publications). Moreover, it is entirely independent of any specific ethical, moral, political, or religious view of human life or of human embryos.”

This is Not Political

Some of you may be thinking something like this, “This is just the Church being too political. The Church should stay out of politics.” I have a few responses to that. First, is that before this is a political issue, this is a moral issue. And since the Bible provides our foundation and framework for morality, we must speak into this as a moral issue. But secondly—Yes this is a political issue. And yes—We do want the law changed becasue we long for a just society, justice being determined by God’s Word. And so we want to hold our legislators accountable for acts of injustice. Very similarly to how great men and women of faith in the early phases of American history stood up and made their voices heard, and worked to change the law to outlaw slavery. Many Christians of that day were not content to just say, “That’s a political issue” so we’ll stay out of it.” No, they preached on. They fought to change it. It was Christians who have always led the way around the entire globe of ending Biblical injustices.

Redefinition of Justice

When a society redefines the word "Justice" to mean something other than how God has defined justice, that's a problem. And Christians need to boldly step into that place and stand up for the least of these—The little lives in the womb. America, and many other nations, have adopted a distorted vision of "justice" that is somehow detached from God's Word. But justice cannot exist apart from God's Word. Without a God centered universe, the term "justice" has no meaning, it has no basis or substance, its just people's opinion. We cannot redefine justice. And so as much the pro choice movement wants to claim that "justice is allowing people to terminate their pregnancies," the Christian must boldly stand on the word of God and call them out on their hypocrisy, and pray and act towards a more Christian world, where the least of these are cared for. America’s abortion policies are unique in the world placing us in the unique camp of being so extreme that the closest countries with similar abortion policies are China and North Korea.

How Do We Do This

How do we do this? We have four pronged approach to our Abortion Ministry.

1 Education: First is education I try to put out many resources for you to continue to engage and think critically about this very important issue.

2 Care for Women: Secondly is that we have a team that is prayerfully working on a holistic ministry for women with unplanned pregnancies. Everything from providing help getting to doctors visits, to finances, to supplies, to adoption resources. We want this Church to have testimony after testimony of women who were considering getting an abortion, but then met this Church, met Jesus, chose life for the Child, and then stayed and was a part of our Church. We have a number of women in this Church who have had abortions who can be wonderful resources for women in need.

3 Abortion Clinics: Third, we are present outside abortion clinics. This is an area that is developing but is one that is very important. There are two major clinics close to here, a Planned Parenthood on Michigan Ave in the Loop, and a Family Planning Services on the Western Edge of the Loop. We go out front, and we pray. We hold signs that communicate our message. We look for opportunites where God might be opening conversations with people. Conversation with women who were going into the clinic. Our prayer is that these conversations and prayers would be so powerful, that we would see many babies saved as a result, and women get the proper help they need. There is a well known fact in the abortion industry that simply by having people praying outside an abortion clininc drastically reduces the amount of women that go in for an abortion.

4 Change the Law: Fourthly, we want to change the law. I confess with this goal, being in Chicago we are up against a seemingly impossible task. The good news is that there is a chance Roe v. Wade may get overtuned this year with the Supreme Court deciding on the Dobbs case. If it does, Illinois will become a sanctuary state for abortions. While the overturning of Roe v. Wade would save upwards of 120,000 lives a year. In this city, we would see a massive uptick. I don’t know, but I am praying that David would once again beat Goliath, and that we would see the law change in this state. If you know where to begin, please get in touch with me. We have been slowly building a network of people with influence and sway in this state, and I believe we’ll get it done.

Conclusion

Park, let me close by reminding us the purpose of today's sermon. My aim is to convict our hearts by preaching the Word of God. My aim is to allow the words of Jesus to so penetrate and convict your Spirit that you cannot leave here undetermined to care for the least of these. My aim is to present the Scriptures so clearly that wherever there is a lack of the Lordship of Jesus in your life, you determine in your soul that not another day will go by without repentance and a change. And my aim is to lead this Church in unity towards Christ like sacrificial that costs you something. And to build a movement of Christians who are living boldly and Biblically in the eyes of the world around us.