Sheep and Goats
Matthew 25:31-36 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.’
Today is Holy Tuesday.
We tend to celebrate Palm Sunday with the Triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem riding humbly on a donkey.
The people shout Hosanna! They throw Palm branches at His feet.
The Coronation of the King!
If they only knew that in a few short days instead of shouting ‘Hosanna’ they would be screaming ‘Crucify Him’!
Unfortunately we tend to gloss over the rest of the week.
We pause until Good Friday then celebrate again at the Resurrection of our King!
But what happens throughout the rest of the week is absolutely amazing!
Tuesday Jesus makes many statements and gives many teachings.
He gives His last Sermon, the Olivet Discourse.
The last teaching he gives during this is about the separation of the sheep and the goats.
As Jesus is preparing for His final Judgment He is preparing us for ours!
There will be only two distinctions of people.
Wealth or poverty has no value.
Race and color gives no concern.
What about the poor in spirit?
Are these the ones that hunger and thirst for the Righteousness to the Throne of Heaven! The humble and meek yearning to be healed and restored by the power of the One that sits on this heavenly seat!
What about the ones that see the Cross from a far and never come close enough to embrace it. The ones with the hardened hearts, the proud.
Only two distinctions of man will be at the Judgement seat of God,
The sheep and the goats!
During the Olivet Discourse Jesus is no longer trying to convince anyone of Salvation. He is condemning the religious leaders. He teaches about the coming horrors of the tribulation.
He talks about the warnings and the signs.
He talks about the end times, which so many of us concern ourselves with, even today!
Those that didn’t believe that He is the Messiah did themselves a disservice.
They shut the door of Salvation on themselves in their disbelief!
Salvation was looking right at Him and they didn’t accept Him as such.
As Tuesday continues Jesus gives warnings about being prepared. He teaches about the 10 Virgins and their lamps being filled with oil.
What’s amazing about Holy Tuesday is that Jesus is already beginning to speak about His mighty return!
He is preparing the hearts and giving hope to those that believe in Him.
He explains to them that He will return in the clouds.
Yes, in just a few days He will be betrayed by one that was walking with Him that day. He will be given up and arrested. They will see Him be convicted as a Criminal! Beaten, scourged, pierced and left to die on a Cross!
His concern is that those that have ears to hear, hear what He is saying.
They will be only two distinctions of man,
Sheep and goats.
Which one do most identify with?
Both sheep and goats hear the voice of the Master, but only one truly listens and follows His commands.
The goats tend to hear but still choose to do what’s right in their own eyes.
The sheep that listen and obey the Lord brings them into His fold. He ushers them with a mighty hand to the inheritance that is promised to them by the Father!
And inheritance of eternal life! Resting in the pastures prepared by His hand for His servants!
Those that did the work of the Kingdom.
These helped the building of the Kingdom of God by showing the love and compassion of Christ.
This same Christ that was about to freely go to the Cross in the same love and compassion for the lost and sick soul!
The sheep will live in the same righteousness that was shown to them.
The righteous will not understand why the promise of Heaven is given.
When did these see Jesus in such a pitiful condition and help Him?
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’”
Their reward will be given.
The sheep will all be gathered, just like the goats. But Instead of being brought back into the pastures of plenty, they will be cut off.
When the opportunity was there and available to be a minister of the Kingdom of Heaven, no ministering of hope and salvation was given. When compassion was needed none was shown.
They may have generosity in their hearts but it is not to glorify Jesus!
There is a difference between the Righteous sheep and the unrighteous goats.
They are two different creatures, they are completely different from one another. They have a different genetic makeup. Their characteristics are different. How they behave is different. Everything about them is different.
So why do the sheep enter and the goats don’t?
The sheep have a tendency to offer Sacrificial love, just as the Lamb of God was about to be sacrificed for the sins of the world!
As the Shepherd calls them to listen. And they follow His voice. Their ear becomes accustomed to hear His call. What He calls them to do, they obey.
Goats are not so.
I encourage you today to go and read the full Olivet Discourse. Reflect deep into your spirit. Take heed of the warnings and lay in His promise!
Look for the Hope that is coming!
Pastor Ed