Readings: Matthew 25:31-46; Ephesians 1:15-23
MESSAGE
The year is rushing on to an end. On Wednesday I worked out that New Year’s Day would be in 40 days. Speaking about that, it was also 40 days since our general election on that day. Finally, an announcement was made on Friday!
Forty days also crops up in Jesus’ life story.
Forty days temptations in the wilderness (probably a reminder of the peoples’ 40 years of wandering in the desert?)
Forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and his Ascension.
And then he was glorified as King of God’s Kingdom and King of the Universe – seated at God’s right hand, the seat of authority and honour.
I wonder what happened between those forty days, and the 50th day which was the day of the Spirit’s coming? (The Day of Pentecost. By now you probably know that pente means 50.)
Those intriguing 10 days.
Jesus sitting down at the right hand of God. Was there a conversation with His Father? Perhaps some reflection on the 11 and how they were knocked into shape for their mission. Did Jesus perhaps say to his Father – “did you see his face when he began to sink into the waves? I love it when people reach out for help!”
Perhaps something like this: “Did you see Thomas with those eyes wide open in amazement? And the look on the faces of the two on the Emmaus Road?”
Speculation of course. But intriguing.
Perhaps the disciples – now 12 again with the choosing of Mathias – and the larger group of 120 needed the ten days just to regroup and talk among themselves.
What is the promise the Father is going to send?
How long do we need to wait?
They definitely needed to pray – they were probably afraid anyway.
I wonder to what extent they reflected on Jesus as having all things in his hands? Being God’s right-hand person? I wonder if there was a renewed discussion with James and John – maybe one of the others said to them “you know, I really think you were pushing it, wanting to sit at the right and left of Jesus is his glory! If He’s at God’s right hand, where would you expect to be?”
And what about His last words?
Isn’t it true that someone’s last words before leaving (whatever the reason) are usually quite significant? For example, Paul leaving the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 says some really significant things about eldership and ministry. You can’t be sure that it was all taken on board on the day – it was after all an emotional farewell. But it was important – it was almost like Paul’s last will and testament to the churches there. And it’s the only speech of Paul recorded by Luke in the book of Acts.
Jesus’ farewell speech in Matthew is not that different really. It would have been an emotional 40 days really. He’s dead, he’s alive, he appears (like on the Emmaus road) and disappears. And he gives instructions in the garden to the women (two Marys) to tell The disciples to meet him in Galilee. Jump to Matthew 28 and that’s what they do:
Mat 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Mat 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Mat 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name… etc.
The implications of that may not have crossed their minds at the time. Maybe during those ten days of waiting and praying after his ascension they did think about that.
What did he mean? All authority?
Certainly in Paul’s letters you find that he speaks of this authority. Here are some important passages including our epistle reading today:
- Ephesians 1 has amazing insights into Jesus’ role and position in the universe. In Ephesians 1:20-21 we read that God has Jesus “seated at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
- In Romans 8:38-39 where various powers are listed which we are told very clearly cannot separate us from God’s love in Christ our Lord. (“Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation…”)
- In Philippians 2:10-11 Paul writes that “every knee will bow in heaven and earth and under the earth” at the name of Jesus. (“…every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”)
- Colossians 1:15 – 17 is stronger: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Col 1:16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Col 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
AND SO WE HAVE “CHRIST THE KING” SUNDAY EVERY YEAR.
Also known as the “Reign of Christ”.
Whether you are a royalist or a republican you can’t avoid the titles of Jesus.
The Gospel reading today is the parable of the sheep and the goats – and it starts very directly with these words:
Mattew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
Sit on his throne. Then in verse 34 we read: “Then the King will say…
The judgement scene has been portrayed in all kinds of creative ways. It is quite graphic really. Verse 41 speaks volumes really: “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
We may miss the point, however. We obsess about future judgement Sometimes. Jesus seemed to say elsewhere that judgement is also now.
Take this for example: John 3:18 “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” A fascinating verse. Being free from judgement is based on faith in Christ and not good or bad deeds. Those who are condemned are still in the Kingdom of darkness through their lack of faith. (See Col 1:13 – “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…” – 1 Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” And I John 12:46 – “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”)
But beyond that – the Christian life is not really about doing good and ethics. They are part of it – but not the essence of it.
People do sometimes see it like this, however. A conversation with a parishioner from a previous church is a good example (after I left there!). I asked her about her church involvement.
Her response: No I don’t go to church anymore. Just try to live a good life quietly on my own.
I wonder if her good life includes the kind of care Jesus talks about in Matthew 25:
Mat 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Mat 25:36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Probably not, if she is living a good life quietly and on her own.
Don’t you see? Once you make it about what you do – it gets tricky. And we get picky. We tend to decide who should be helped or not, often based on our view of how they should live and balance their budgets.
That’s why the questions about what we must “do” are a distraction.
Commentator Dirk Lang puts it like this: “Like the person who came to Jesus and asked “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16-24), so we too wonder on what side we will find ourselves — the right or the left? The question, however, is simply an excuse for doing nothing, as Bonhoeffer has pointed out. The person attempts to engage Jesus in an endless ethical discussion about works or good deeds.”
In this parable, the question resurfaces but in an importantly different way when the “goats” speak: “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” (25:44).
Those at the left hand of the Son of Man seek an excuse and almost put the blame on the Son of Man himself as if to say, ‘You didn’t reveal yourself; how could we see you?’ ” In other words – if I’d known it was you Jesus when that poor person asked for help, then I would have Jesus! You can see how daft that is.
SO: What’s it all about?
Here’s the clue – the “sheep” who get the prize – who are rewarded – actually had no idea they were doing it to Jesus (or to someone who represents Jesus).
Their response is this: Mat 25:38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? Mat 25:39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 ‘The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
The implication is – they were doing what they were doing because that’s who they were. It flowed out of them without the analysis.
In Matthew 3:10 you may remember John the Baptiser saying this: The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (He was calling them to repentance – probably in a kind of “fire and brimstone” sermon that one of my elders back in the day always wanted me to preach.)
And Jesus takes this theme further: discussing good and bad trees and their relating fruit he says in Mattew 7:20 “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (“By their fruits you will know them” – NKJV)
The implication is that this is gardening again – not philosophy or logic or ethics classes.
It’s an organic growth in character if we are connected to Jesus the Head, and the rest of the body.
- The sheep bear good fruit. (Fabulous mixed metaphor.)
- The goats are fruitless.
The sheep just do it. Nike sheep.
THE SAME THING APPLIES TO CHRISTIANS.
YOU ARE THIS – SO DO IT.
It works like this:
Statement of fact (Indicative): you are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.
Instruction to do it (Imperative): be yourselves – salt and light (note: the light “under a bushel” is no help at all. The good deeds that shine glorify the Father. See Matthew 5:16). And add all the LOVE commands of Jesus.
We know that at the end of it all it’s not about works but faith.
It is always grace, through faith. A gift – not earned by our deeds. Paul also says this in Ephesians 2: Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Eph 2:9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Paul goes on to say: Eph 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Other translations pick this up in Ephesians 2 as well:
(NRSV) For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. That’s no token – no selective good works. It’s all of life.
It’s the fruit. You can’t have it half the time or selectively. We become fruitful.
We do it because we are this.
So, the three parables in Matthew we’ve looked at are linked.
TO SUMMARISE WHAT WE HAVE DISCOVERED:
- Matthew 25:1-13 – The ten girls the wedding – BE READY AND WATCHFUL
- Matthew 25:14-30 – The three men with their talents – PUT GOD’S GIFTS AND RESOURCES TO GOOD USE
- Matthew 25: 31-46 – The sheep and the goats – HOW’S YOUR SPIRITUAL HEALTH CHECK?
Are you fruitful?
Doing what Jesus would have done – looking out for the least of them in need?
Amen.
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