WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? HEAVEN AND HELL
MATTHEW 25:31-46 (NIV) When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people from one another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink
MATTHEW 25:31-46 (CONT.) I was a stranger and you invited me in, 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. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?
MATTHEW 25:31-46 (CONT.) 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. 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. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.
MATTHEW 25:31-46 (CONT.) They also will answer, Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you? He will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
CONTEXT Near the end of Jesus ministry on earth The Triumphal Entry Teachings about the end times 10 Virgins Bags of Gold Sheep and Goats
MESSAGE? It seems to matter a lot to Jesus if people are not prepared for his return!
SHEEP VS. GOATS LORD, WHEN DID WE SEE YOU? GOATS SHEEP Jesus was hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned Jesus was hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned But the goats did nothing! But the sheep fed him, gave him drink, clothed him, and visited him
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US? Does it make a difference if I really believe in heaven and hell? For Jesus, heaven and hell are already a given reality! The question that seems to matter most? What have you done for the least of these?
A SHEEP OR A GOAT? Final Judgment Believing in heaven and hell means you have agreed with Jesus teaching, which is good! BUT, that will NOT make the difference for you at the final judgment
MATTHEW 7:21-23 (NIV) Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
CHRIST MAKES THE DIFFERENCE He s not just a Get out of Hell Free card He is the all-powerful, gracious, merciful, life-giving, sanctifying, healing, redeeming, restoring, and reconciling Savior! When we show people who Jesus really is, we shouldn t have to scare them away from hell or point them toward heaven. Just look to Jesus! He makes the difference!
HOW DOES CHRIST MAKE THE DIFFERENCE? Jesus wasn t just speaking figuratively He was actually hungry, thirsty, naked, and imprisoned Jesus became the least of these for us! Heaven is not the end goal in itself The goal is to glorify Christ! We glorify Jesus when we serve him, and we do that by serving the least of these!
SO DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF I BELIEVE IN HEAVEN OR HELL? Yes! But don t let that belief be an end in itself for you!
BEING A GOAT IS EASY! It s always easier to do nothing It s easier to become complacent It s easy to blame the victim
BUT GOD MAKES US SHEEP! On our own, it will always be easier to be a goat But Christ s Spirit transforms us so that we can truly make a difference for the least of these! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=camwjmppqz4
CHALLENGE When you see the least of these, see them as Jesus! Not just as a metaphor, but in reality Could that make a difference?
BENEDICTION May you be blessed by the Father so that you may inherit the kingdom prepared for you since before the creation of the world. Because of Christ s Spirit in you, may you give the hungry something to eat, the thirsty something to drink, and an invitation to the stranger. May you give clothing to those who need it. May you look after those who are sick, and you visit those who are in prison, all because of what Christ has done in you!