The story of the Sheep and Goats is a story about gospel transformation.
Sermon Title: THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS
Sermon Text: MATTHEW 25:31-46 (ESV)
Sermon Series: LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS
By: PTR NESTOR SY
Sermon Notes:
MATTHEW 25:31-46 ESV
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 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. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 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 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal 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 welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, 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, ‘Truly, I say to you, 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 eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
I. THE COURTROOM OF THE JUDGE
MATTHEW 25:31-32 ESV
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
REVELATIONS 20:11-15 ESV
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
JOHN 5:22-23 ESV
22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
ACTS 17:30-31 ESV
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Jesus is the only unavoidable, inescapable person in your life.
II. The Evidence for the Sheep
MATTHEW 25:32-33 ESV
32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
MATTHEW 25:31-46 ESV
33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
nations | Greek: ethnos
“a race, people, nation; the nations, heathen world, Gentiles.”
MATTHEW 25:34-40 ESV
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. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 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 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Who are the “least of these my brothers”?
MATTHEW 12:48-50 ESV
48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” 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 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
The story of the Sheep and Goats is a story about gospel transformation.
Jesus forgets what we remember. And he remembers what we forget.
III. The Verdict for the Goats
Universalism
Wrong belief that everyone goes to heaven.
Annihilationism
Wrong belief that the unsaved will simply be destroyed to non-existence.
eternal | Greek: aiónios
“perpetual, eternal, ongoing, never ending”
MATTHEW 25:46 ESV
46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
REVELATIONS 20:14-15 ESV
14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Born once, die twice.
Born twice, die once.
REVELATIONS 20:15 ESV
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
MATTHEW 25:41 ESV
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
“Let us ask ourselves on which side of Christ we are likely to be at the last day. Shall we be on the right hand or shall we be on the left hand? Happy is he who never rests until he can give a satisfactory answer to that question.”
J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)