Tin anyone complete God'southward intentions for one's life? Because of our weaknesses and sins, our reach will always exceed our grasp. No homo is noble plenty, and no woman has enough years to achieve every goal and dream.

When nosotros are young, this does not occur to united states. In our youth, all of life with all its possibilities stretches out before us. Nosotros experience immortal, and everything seems possible. But and then the years pass—not quickly, but constantly. Our children grow upwardly, and nosotros grow onetime. One by one, options close, and life seems brusque, given all that we hoped to exercise and see. Disappointments make us wonder what comes next. Is there more? Jesus tells u.s.a. what comes next in Matthew 24 and 25.

Matthew 25:forty, "And the Male monarch volition answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you lot did it to one of the to the lowest degree of these my brothers, you lot did it to me.'"

What Is Happening in Matthew 25:40

Jesus says, "When the Son of Man comes in his celebrity, and all the angels with him, he will sit down on his throne in heavenly glory" (25:31). Every phrase makes a point. Jesus, the Son of Man, will return to the earth personally. He will return in celebrity, accompanied by the host of his angels. In his power, he will take his throne.

At that fourth dimension, Jesus will assemble "all the nations" and all angels to his throne and seat of judgment (25:32, 41; Rom. 14:10). Then "he volition split the people one from some other as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats" (25:32). Over and over, Jesus implored his disciples to watch and be ready for that day. Since no signs will forecast the hr of Jesus' return (Matthew 24:36), the only course is to exist ready and watchful at all times. So Jesus told ii parables that describe the way of training; both parables deserve a review.

In the kickoff parable, x maidens await for a wedding procession that was long delayed (25:1-13). Five maidens brought enough oil for the wedding procession, and five did non. The v who had no oil asked the other five to share their oil, simply the five who were prepared refused. This hardly seems loving or neighborly, merely the parable has no business for the gold rule. Jesus bends the story's details to the main lesson: We must be set, and readiness is not transferable. Some things are not transferable; readiness for Jesus is one of them.

The 2d parable, the talents (25:14–xxx), portrays readiness in active terms. David Garland writes in his book that "Vigilance is not a passive waiting and watching, but consists of active, responsible service. When Christ returns, he volition non inquire if one had the engagement right simply 'What accept you been doing?'" Whenever Jesus may return, nosotros will be defenseless in the human action—in the act of serving him, or non.

Throughout Matthew 24–25, Jesus emphasizes deeds. Toward the end, he turns to the origin of those deeds. In the parable of the talents, when the master went abroad, he entrusted his wealth to two servants who gear up to work at in one case. They were eager to delight their master, to labor for his proceeds. When he returned, they gladly gave their profits to him. The root of such service is honey, the kind of love virtually often exemplified in families. We discover satisfaction in serving people whom we love.

The parable also features a third servant who did no piece of work for his master. He did cypher with his main's wealth but buried information technology in the footing and handed information technology back to him. The dialogue reveals his reasons. He says, "I was agape," and calls his chief a "hard homo" who would seize whatever he produced. He has no love for his main. Then then, we prepare for Jesus' render past performing "evidential works of righteousness," works that grow from the love of the male monarch. The virgins' oil and the stewards' talents both represent deeds of loving obedience. Such deeds go on us ready for the mean solar day of judgment, Matthew 25 shows.

Man kneeling in front of the cross on Golgatha

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/GordonImages

What Does Matthew 25:40 Mean?

Jesus praises the righteous for performing these acts of kindness to him, and he blames the residual for failing to show kindness. The righteous are surprised by Jesus' commendation. We should observe the precise class of both his praise and their surprise.

Jesus blesses the righteous non for feeding the poor, but for feeding him. Just they cannot call back the effect: "Lord, when did nosotros see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?" (25:37). Jesus replies, "Whatsoever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (25:xl). By contrast, the wicked are surprised, simply in the opposite manner: "Lord, when did we run across you lot hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not assist you?" (25:44). Jesus replies, "I tell you the truth, whatever y'all did not do for one of the least of these, y'all did not practice for me" (25:45).

Thus, if anyone failed to assistance Jesus' brothers, they failed him. As Jesus sees information technology, failure to aid the to the lowest degree of his brothers is sacrilege—a refusal to aid Christ himself. In Calvin's words, "So then, whenever we are reluctant to assist the poor, let the states identify before our eyes the Son of God, to whom information technology would be base sacrilege to refuse annihilation."

Who Are "the Least of These"?

Jesus describes both what we ought to do and for whom we ought to exercise it—for "the to the lowest degree of these brothers of mine" (25:forty, 45). By "my brothers," Jesus means "my disciples," as Matthew 12:48–49 and 28:ten show. The term "little ones" means disciples throughout Matthew (10:42; eighteen:vi, 10, 14; cf. v:19), and "least" is the superlative of "little." The to the lowest degree seems to be the weakest members of Jesus' spiritual family.

Along this line, when Jesus sent his disciples to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, he said that anyone who welcomed his disciples welcomed him and would be rewarded for information technology (10:xl–42). This makes united states of america wonder: is Jesus saying he will judge the nations based on how they treat his disciples?

Yes and no. The Bible certainly says believers ought to be especially quick to come up to fellow believers' aid (Gal. 6:10). Honey for Jesus' disciples and messengers certainly proves that someone has responded properly to the gospel message. But Moses and Jesus both commands, "Honey your neighbour every bit yourself," and then nosotros also have a debt to all neighbors (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 19:xix; 22:39).

Further, the Bible oft says our treatment of the poor and the needy tests the genuineness of our faith (Prov. 31:20; James 2:14–16). For example, when Amos accuses State of israel of agnosticism, he cites their treatment of the poor. They sell out, beat out, and bruise the needy (Amos ii:half-dozen–7; 4:1; 8:4–vi). But when Job proves he is God's friend, he says, "I was a father to the needy" (Chore 29:16).

What Does Jesus Teach about Helping Those in Demand?

Works are the evidence, merely not the basis for Jesus' judgment. The basis or cause is our eye response to Jesus. But our works either testify or disprove our claim that our heart and mind trust in Jesus. We know the Bible says we are justified by faith. How and so tin can nosotros be judged past works?

Outset, the entire Bible teaches all our works will exist examined. We will business relationship for them all on the last 24-hour interval (Ps. 62:12; Jer. 17:10; Matt. 16:27; two Cor. v:x; 1 Peter 1:17; Rev. 20:12). But this is not salvation by works considering our works follow our heart commitments.

In the final line of Psalm 62, David says, "Lord, … surely you will reward each person co-ordinate to what he has washed" (62:12). But hear it in context. David says,

"My soul finds rest in God alone.…

He alone is my rock and salvation.…

Trust in him at all times, O people …

though your riches increase,

practice non fix your eye on them.…

… y'all, O God, are stiff, …

yous, O Lord, are loving.

Surely you volition advantage each person

co-ordinate to what he has washed. (Ps. 62:1–2, 8, 10–12)

Because David trusts the Lord alone, he is confident that his life, including his works, reflects that trust. He is confident that the Lord will run across David's loyalty in his deeds. Our words and deeds witness and testify to our heart commitment on judgment day. They supply public, verifiable evidence of our heart's condition (Matt. 7:17–18; 12:33–35; James 2:14–26).

friends in face masks due to COVID-19 helping at food pantry small group serving

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Biserka Stojanovic

What Does This Mean for U.s.a.?

Matthew 25:40 teaches several vital things well-nigh eternal destinies. Offset, they are eternal. Jesus tells the righteous: "Come, you who are blessed past my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you lot since the creation of the world" (25:34). But he tells the cursed: "Depart … into the eternal burn down prepared for the devil and his angels" (25:41).

At that place is symmetry hither. The wicked "go away to eternal penalty, but the righteous to eternal life" (25:46). Even so, there is a difference. The Lord always intended to spend eternity with his people. We inherit "the kingdom prepared … since the creation of the world" (25:34). Just God prepared hell for the devil and his angels, not for humanity.

The basis for our eternal destiny is our response to the gospel and the messengers who bring God's word, whether they do so by formal preaching or tranquillity testimony. Jesus says both the sheep and the goats volition exist surprised on the terminal day—but non at their destiny. If you dear Jesus, repent of your sins, know him as Savior, and follow him daily; it is your enduring aspiration to see Jesus face up to face up. Believers will be joyful, not surprised at their destiny. Nor will unbelievers be stunned to hear that Jesus neither knows nor welcomes them. After all, they neither knew nor welcomed him, and they had no desire for heaven.

The surprise lies not with the destiny assigned but with the reason given. Neither sheep nor goats knew their deeds were so weighty. The righteous did not perform to gain a reward but to show love to the needy, particularly Jesus' disciples. But and so such deeds will count because they were free gifts, not calculated acts.

Alive in Faith

Our task today is to prepare to meet Jesus, our good male monarch. Nosotros do this not past looking for signs of his return but past trusting him, loving him, looking to see the Nifty Shepherd, the Son of David, the Son of God, every day. We follow him and live as he lived, not to earn His favor, but from pure please in him. And when we fail, we remember. The same Jesus who urged you to dearest your neighbor died on the cross, to bear the penalization of sin when you exercise non honey him or your neighbour. Grace volition cover those failings, and then that he will bless us.

Because of our faith and the practiced deeds that sprang from it—feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and the prisoner—he will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!… Come and share your chief's happiness" (Matt. 25:21).

This earth is adept simply flawed and very short compared to eternity. Through time and eternity, God the Father, Son, and Spirit is Lord of the living. By his love, he put the powers of death to death through His finished and sufficient work. As we trust him, we prepare to live with him forever.

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Dave Jenkinsis happily married to Sarah Jenkins. He is a author, editor, and speaker living in cute Southern Oregon.

This commodity is role of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. Nosotros want to provide piece of cake to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better empathize the meaning and purpose of God'southward Discussion in relation to your life today.

  • Practice Unto Others
  • The Truth Will Set You Free
  • Guard Your Heart
  • Dear One Another
  • Blessed Are the Meek

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