Jesus Returns as the Glorious King and Judge
Jesus returns as the glorious King and Judge
Today, we look at the conclusion of the answer of Jesus to the disciples’ question, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3. We have been told by Jesus to be ready for his sudden and soon return. We have also been told to be watchful and occupy and do the good works in our being ready. There is no room for laziness but we are to employ all that God has given us to serve others.
As we read Matthew 25:31-46, it sounds like the judgment here is based on doing good and being nice to people. It could be misunderstood and must be viewed with everything else Jesus said and the entire counsel of God in the Scriptures. No one will inherit the kingdom of God on the basis of being nice and doing good. The good works we must do as those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus shed for the forgiveness of our sins. The key here is that they were called “the righteous ones”. We know there is none righteous except those who believe and trust in God and are washed by the blood of Christ.
There is another description of judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. Everyone’s works or acts done in this life were judged. There, those whose names were not found in the book of life were thrown into everlasting hell fire. One thing is for sure. Jesus is coming to judge. I want my name found in the book of life. How about you and the people you know and come across? Hell is real and we must warn all. Jesus can and could return today but very soon for sure.
The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations. Matthew 25:31-46:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [c]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.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer [d]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
What do we learn from this judgment as described by Jesus?
We note that the plan of God for eternal life has been there from the beginning before the foundation of the world. Also, note that hell had been prepared for the devil and the bad angels from the beginning. The only humans who end up in hell are those who refuse the offer of salvation in Christ but choose to align with the devil.
Note also that the righteous were not going around counting and ticking off their good deeds. They were surprised about their good deeds. They just did good works and it flowed from their love for God. When Christ is in us, we have a new nature and God the Holy Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit lives through us and produces all the love and goodness we do and show to others as we hear and obey His voice.
We must warn this generation specially the “millennia” who are very much motivated by good works and social justice. We thank God for our young people and we must direct them to faith in Jesus Christ who is the only way, the only truth and the only one who gives true life worth living. Without Jesus Christ in any life, good works amount to nothing at the end – Ephesians 2:8-10. It is not one or the other. Faith in Christ is accompanied with good works.
Oh friends, there will be a separation into two camps – the sheep and the goats, the wise and the foolish and the righteous and the unrighteous. May we be found among the wise and the righteous; and help others see Christ Jesus and be found in Him – the righteous One. Amen.
Today, we look at the conclusion of the answer of Jesus to the disciples’ question, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3. We have been told by Jesus to be ready for his sudden and soon return. We have also been told to be watchful and occupy and do the good works in our being ready. There is no room for laziness but we are to employ all that God has given us to serve others.
As we read Matthew 25:31-46, it sounds like the judgment here is based on doing good and being nice to people. It could be misunderstood and must be viewed with everything else Jesus said and the entire counsel of God in the Scriptures. No one will inherit the kingdom of God on the basis of being nice and doing good. The good works we must do as those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus shed for the forgiveness of our sins. The key here is that they were called “the righteous ones”. We know there is none righteous except those who believe and trust in God and are washed by the blood of Christ.
There is another description of judgment in Revelation 20:11-15. Everyone’s works or acts done in this life were judged. There, those whose names were not found in the book of life were thrown into everlasting hell fire. One thing is for sure. Jesus is coming to judge. I want my name found in the book of life. How about you and the people you know and come across? Hell is real and we must warn all. Jesus can and could return today but very soon for sure.
The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations. Matthew 25:31-46:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [c]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.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer [d]Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
What do we learn from this judgment as described by Jesus?
We note that the plan of God for eternal life has been there from the beginning before the foundation of the world. Also, note that hell had been prepared for the devil and the bad angels from the beginning. The only humans who end up in hell are those who refuse the offer of salvation in Christ but choose to align with the devil.
Note also that the righteous were not going around counting and ticking off their good deeds. They were surprised about their good deeds. They just did good works and it flowed from their love for God. When Christ is in us, we have a new nature and God the Holy Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit lives through us and produces all the love and goodness we do and show to others as we hear and obey His voice.
We must warn this generation specially the “millennia” who are very much motivated by good works and social justice. We thank God for our young people and we must direct them to faith in Jesus Christ who is the only way, the only truth and the only one who gives true life worth living. Without Jesus Christ in any life, good works amount to nothing at the end – Ephesians 2:8-10. It is not one or the other. Faith in Christ is accompanied with good works.
Oh friends, there will be a separation into two camps – the sheep and the goats, the wise and the foolish and the righteous and the unrighteous. May we be found among the wise and the righteous; and help others see Christ Jesus and be found in Him – the righteous One. Amen.
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