Well, I invite you to turn this morning to Matthew chapter 25 found on page 988. Matthew chapter 25, we conclude our study in the Olivet Discourse this morning and then we move in good timing as we will be coming to Good Friday and then Resurrection. We'll be looking at the passion and death of Christ. And so this precedes that this morning, the final judgment. And so we will give our attention to verses 31 through 46 of Matthew 25. This is the word of the Lord. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 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 and he will place the sheep on his right but the goats on the left 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 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 I was naked and you clothed me I was sick and you visited me I was in prison and you came to me then the righteous will answer him saying Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink and when did we see you a stranger and welcome you or naked and and clothe you and when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you 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 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 for i was hungry and you gave me no food i was thirsty and you gave me no drink i was a stranger and you did not welcome me naked and you did not clothed me sick and in prison you did not visit me then they also will answer saying lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you 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 and these will go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life may the lord bless the hearing of his word well today we come to obviously a very important uh conclusion in the sermon on the mount that Jesus has been working to. And Matthew is very intentional in this passage. This passage is set in a parallel to make the most dramatic contrast possible for us. Did you notice that? That's why the words are repeated. And that's why we have this parallel to understand a very important contrast that our savior is giving to us on the one hand we have the most glorious announcement that could ever be made given here in matthew chapter 25 to people under the sun about eternal life and on the other hand we have the absolutely the absolute most worst and terrifying statement ever made i feel the weight of preaching this today these are the things i think i don't have any sympathy for people who purposely avoid these texts i understand the challenge of preaching these texts i understand that in the modern church these are not texts we want to approach or address but i don't have any sympathy for not addressing it because if this is indeed going to happen what good is it to avoid it now that does nothing for anyone in that sense it is absolutely important for us to take a head-on approach to this and ask very crucial questions so that we are not of those who are thrown into perdition on the last day but i'm reminded in doing this that this is the very last teaching of our lord on the moment here as he describes the final judgment before he goes to judgment himself right that seems to me a very crucial connection it's as if so he is impressing upon us then the importance of taking serious the judgment so that we are not of those who undergo it but those who have a mediator and are spared from it that seems to be the great intention of this i don't know how you would come to a different conclusion if you have come to him and you have believed in christ then this day absolutely throughout the scriptures is nothing to fear that's the whole message he does not want us to live in fear of this if you have a mediator you've been covered you've been justified you've been forgiven he who believes in the son has said jesus john 5 passed from death to life and will not come into judgment but if you don't have a mediator this is the future for all who do not believe and that just underscores the importance of the whole mission of the church the whole reason that we preach the whole reason that we do what we do these are the most important issue this is the most important issue of life that we ensure that we are sheltered and covered in Christ and forgiven of him and know him. But he wants to show you today and capture who is delivered and who is not with those intentions in mind. And that's why I think you have to take the book of Matthew as a whole and appreciate that what we're looking at here is not giving us an exhaustive teaching on the final day, but it is the most clear and direct teaching of Jesus on the final judgment, but that there is indeed a specific theological intention to it. And if you miss that, then you will not understand what he is doing here. It has to fit the flow of the book. It has to fit the thesis of the book as we have been studying it. And there is surprising symbolism here, often very symbolic here. There are emphases here that are intentionally surprising and jolting. And it's not what we would expect. The issues that are raised are not what we would expect. Why so much emphasis on works? See, these are important questions. These are important things we have to wrestle through. And the reason for that initially is the purpose of Matthew himself in this gospel, of what he has been demonstrating each gospel is unique. Luke, more of a gospel to the Gentiles. Matthew, a very predominant gospel aimed at showing the Jews their Messiah. Mark, the power, the different theological purposes. But remember at the beginning, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God. Well, I want everyone to look at verse 34. That's the issue that's raised. The king will say, Come, you blessed of my father, enter the kingdom. Enter the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. So unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter. Come, enter this kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. So whoever this is has exceeded the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees. And what we have here is important then. The lens through which Matthew is describing the judgment day is the lens of the false religion of the scribes and the Pharisees and an external righteousness that did not constitute a genuine reborn heart. True religion, not fake. True religion. well what is true religion what does that look like that's what we've been looking at in the whole book of of matthew and and jesus and this is why people react to the hypocrisy we get it lots of hypocrisy in the church we're not after hypocrisy we're all hypocrites to some degree we all have hypocrisy in us to some degree but we're after true religion from the heart and jesus captures this for us as we look at the final judgment which was been the theological intention of matthew and here jesus says you don't want to mess around this day is coming a great separation is going to occur so we want to ensure that we are those who identify with the blessed and not the cursed two important words in this section after telling verse 31 after telling three parables jesus now describes the final day and what it will be like when the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels all the myriads of angels thousands times ten thousands when they come with him he will sit on his glorious throne it actually reads he will sit on the throne of his glory i think we should see that the throne of his glory this is awesome it it's taken from daniel 7 as i looked thrones were set in place and the ancient of days took his seat his clothing was as white as snow the hair of his head was white like wool his throne was a flaming fire and its wheels were all ablaze a river of fire was flowing coming out from before him thousands upon thousands attended to him ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him the court was seated and books were opened this is the end of the world as we know it his coming has happened when nobody expected it as he has been saying in the last chapter when he appears the sun was taken out the moon was taken out the stars were taken out and it was described as the moment when all the tribes of the earth shall mourn well what we read in this picture of the final judgment jesus's description and it's somewhat parabolic it's not as full of parable language as the previous parables again full of symbolism but much more direct in his description he has gathered together all the nations and i don't see how you take that as as being anything else than all the peoples of the earth the scriptures maintain this for we must all appear before the judgment seat of christ so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body whether good or evil here we are the first thing that he does in the presentation of judgment is describe the great separation then he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from the goats the great separation is him taking those who are the goats and placing them and setting them out taking them out as he has been describing to his left hand in verse 33 he will cause the sheep to stand on his right and the goats on his left the right hand is a place of blessing the right hand is a place of favor the left hand is the place of curse Now we begin with the words to the blessed. Then the king, notice that he is the good shepherd here. There's a shifting of imagery. He is the shepherd, he's also the king. We'll say to those on his right, come, you blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. That is awesome. What is about to be contrasted is as wonderful as it can be and as awful as it could be at the same time. And here we have the most amazing statement made in all scripture. It is just ponder that. That's the verse should be memorized. Come, you blessed. That harkens back to the Beatitudes. Blessed are you, blessed are you, blessed are you as the character qualities of those because he described who you are as the blessed by God. We've been looking at blessing in the Scriptures. It's not what you think. God blesses people. Let me express that you are ultimately blessed and not cursed. Why? Because, Galatians 3, Christ became the curse for you. That you might become the blessed. You see, this is very, in a sense, legal and forensic. That's what the language is. But I want you to notice how tender Christ speaks to his people. That's what I want to focus on for a minute. Come, you blessed of my Father. Inherit the kingdom. Notice that. Your family. This is your Father. You've come to know him. This is who you pray to, your Father in heaven. you are adopted sons and daughters by grace. The Father, remember in John 16, Jesus said, I'm going to make it very clear to you when the Holy Spirit comes that the Father loves you and that He gives you a kingdom. You didn't earn it. This is a gift to you. but that's not all inherit the kingdom in all of its fullness the kingdom when it's fully grown the kingdom in its final consummation glory inherit it i can't describe it today i i can't do it i just know scripture says i has not seen nor ear heard nor entered in the heart of man the things god's prepared for those who love him and he prepared it did you see that and that's just what he says here that was prepared for you from the foundation of the world when was this kingdom prepared from the beginning he chose you for salvation he prepared a kingdom for you he gave you a kingdom can you come up with a more glorious statement now most people are going to get worked up about the curse part whenever they read matthew 25 but this is where our amazement should be right this is amazing it's overwhelming in one sentence he just said at the final judgment day at the great tribunal at the great beam of seat judgment he just said enter forever into eternal life the father loves you he has given his son for you you are given an inheritance because you are sons and daughters all based on his work that was prepared for you since the foundation of the world all in one statement is wrapped up sovereign grace sovereign election and free gift chosen from the foundation of the world to receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places It's Ephesians 1. The basis for this inheritance was nothing in you. And that means your own preparedness is not the basis or ground for even entering or any works. The basis or ground of this inheritance is that it was freely given to you on the good pleasure of your Father's will. Fulfilled by the work of the Son. Applied by the work of the Holy Spirit. Prepared for you from the foundation of the world. You are blessed. You are blessed. Now what you find here is. Not one sin is mentioned. Is it? Not one. There is a terrible teaching out there. That God is going to raise and shame. the sins of his people on that day and drag them out for everyone to see. Show me from the Bible. You are the father's adopted children because of Christ. Jesus' teaching on the matter is clear and consistent. Revelation 20, When two books are opened, for those on the right, that's the Lamb's Book of Life. Your name is written there. And on the other hand, those on the left is the Book of Deeds. And yes, it records the sins of those who don't have a mediator. Not for the righteous. They've been justified by faith. We have peace with God. What we have here is an account at this, what Corinthians talks about, this beam of seat judgment. What is so shocking is, what's raised is him rewarding the works of the righteous. It's meant to be a shock. But it's not what you think. That's why I say it's not even so much about the works here, but about what those works demonstrate as to the character of those who have true religion, who are not phony. That's the point of Matthew. Look at verse 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. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. we shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. What is rendered for those, what is done in the body. Here you go. This is what's raised for those on the right. It's shocking on all levels. What stands out to you about it? It's nothing we're writing home about. Is it? You would think you'd get, oh, that Pastor Gordon, you preach so many years. Let's just say I make it to 40 years of preaching, halfway. You guys all think that's what should be raised, right? Pastor Gordon, you conquered kingdoms. No, I didn't. you were, go down the line here, on this day, you think the things he would raise. You were a great theologian. You wrote a load of books. This is the people we're starstruck over, right? You triumphed over nations. You led your thousands to Jesus. he raises what? Works nobody would know about except the one who received them. Oh, that's Matthew. That's intention. See, the works that get announced on the street corners and in front of the church are, we've been looking at in Matthew, long, pretentious prayers. Just think of the Sermon on the Mount. Not those in the closet. God, I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all I possess to the poor. Everyone knows about that. There was a reason in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus made a tirade against hypocritical, showy religion, disfiguring your face, marking it with ashes, showing everyone you're fasting and giving up something. You got your reward. Making for pretense, long prayers to be heard, or this. Many will come on to me on that day and say, Lord, Lord, now does this work? Did we not take a cup of cold water to someone in your name? No, that's not what they say. We prophesied in your name. We cast out demons in your name. We did many mighty works, quote, end quote, in your name. What Jesus raises here are works that were done were the little things to the little insignificant people. The right hand didn't even know what the left hand was doing. And you see what he's characterizing here is genuine religion. A religion that far exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees. Isn't he? Of course. It flowed out of a love for the Lord. Haven't we seen this in the parables? The parables we just walked through. The first parable, a man said, Ah, my master's delaying, therefore I'm going to go out, I'm going to get drunk all the time, and I'm going to beat my servants. That's a character problem. that man's not saved so he goes out and beats his servants and gets drunk with the drunkards and then the man comes on a day when he least expects it that's not changed heart what are the foolish virgins and the wise virgins the foolish virgins never took this seriously didn't come to jesus for salvation their whole life and were loosely connected to it but the picture of the wise where they were their whole lives preparing for this but the big one was the last parable of the workers who gave an account for their work and master you delivered to me five talents look i brought back five more and this is the one who had two i brought back more there was joy they knew the master they understood the master there was an honor to serve this master i'm just glad to be a christian i'm glad to be a part of this right but the last one came in and dug found out that he had dug and buried his talent and you just hear hear the attitude that comes out i knew you to be a hard man reaping where you you know have not sown and taking where all the you put all these other people to do your work and you reap the benefits here take yours what's yours nothing to do with it because that's not genuine that attitude he should have buried the attitude is what he should have buried that's not genuine it's not real it's not religion of a circumcised heart what was captured is what's driving the service they knew their master they were true on the inside and so jesus raises all these insignificant things he says when you did all these you did them to me and and the righteous says what do you mean we did them to you isn't this beautiful think about isn't this beautiful what do you mean we did them to you when did we see you hungry and and thirsty and a stranger and naked and sick or visit you in prison they are totally unaware that they've done anything good and in the righteous I sure I go around and talk to the righteous isn't that how you feel which beloved is exactly proving why these works as one pastor said are so good here's the heart of it and as much as you have done these things for one of the least of these my brothers and sisters of mine you did them to me you've done them for me you've done them to me well what we see in the righteous is a deep love now here it is a deep love for the people the father gave to the son to die for that evidence love for him you can do many deeds in this world that are good hollywood prays them all the time Philanthropy is what they celebrate. Let me make it very clear here. You can do many good deeds in the world, and we're called to be salt and light in the world. But the true test of genuine religion is loving the people Christ died for. You can see who's blessed by the Father. and who's inheriting the kingdom as jesus said by your fruits you know them you can see it it will be most seen in those whom they're serving in this life where their value is in this life and you see the character of the righteous that enters the kingdom that far surpasses that of the scribes and the pharisees you'll notice here are serving the least of these. Those are the people the world hates. And it vindicates His righteous judgment. And now comes the opposite horrible presentation of those on the left. Then He will say to those on His left, apart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. There are the blessed and the cursed. Coming back to Galatians, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become the curse for us. As it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on the tree. That's about what is about to be described in Matthew. He became the curse so that we can't become the cursed for us. But if you refuse Him, if you don't come to Him, if you don't believe in Him, you are cursed and you remain under that curse this was a big proof test in the time of the reformation for the atonement that there's not double justice that people whom jesus they say died for then at the last day he's going to drag all their sins out and make them cursed again it's impossible if you are in christ you are not the cursed he became the curse for you you can't be called the cursed ever you see but if you don't have Christ you're cursed and that's the basis on which they go into judgment notice that the really eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels and what's raised here is Jesus uses the same words for parallel and emphasis now notice this think about it from the opposite for I was hungry and you gave me no food I was thirsty and you gave me no drink 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 when did we not when did we see you when did we not do these things to you then he will answer saying truly i say to you as you did not do it to one of the least of these my brethren you did not do it to me the actions in their lives showed the true condition of the heart notice what's raised you notice what's not raised here are the great sins that could be raised of murder and adultery and fornication and theft no no the sins of omission are raised here the sins left undone which were entirely demonstrating an uninvolved life among the least of these his brethren that proved nothing was real that's important for Matthew's point unbelief was demonstrated in that they would not lift a finger Matthew 15 for example to help their dying parents in their need said oh Corban it's devoted to God it's devoted to God they use the law to make themselves righteous that's false religion that never lifts a finger in the kingdom of god to love his own people a total unwillingness to serve the least of his these his people and the last terrible words are go away into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels hell is a real place and jesus is saying there's no second chance at this point there is no second chance it is a place of unending torment now what a marvel in the life of his people he has blessed them to inherit the kingdom prepared by the father for the foundation of the world You don't have to wait and figure out whether this is so. We've had this problem. People saying, I hope, I hope I'm in. I hope I'm in on their deathbed. There's numerous ways to approach that. Look to Christ. Look to Christ. You have a righteousness from him that far exceeds that of the Pharisees. Jesus in this passage obviously affected the apostles. The litmus test for a true and genuine religion in this life is how you love his church and his people. The little ones. Great philanthropic works in the world done by Hollywood is not what he's after. That's just show and pretense. Love for his people who are hated in the world evidences love for him. You know, the state of someone's heart by their connection to the local church and their attitude toward the people. It's always been so. You either love God's people or you don't. We know we have passed from death to life. We know. Because we love our brothers, 1 John. And why is Jesus telling us this? Because he wants us to take the final judgment seriously. Once the separation happens, it's done. True religion is a matter of the heart. What is Jesus telling us? We need him. We need him to deliver us. Or else we just live a life serving ourselves. he's telling us this. In Matthew 11, he threw out his arms to people and he said, come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls. My burden is light. My yoke is easy. Come to me for life. From that, follows true religion. See, in the next chapters, beloved, we study His passion and death. He's going to a cross. Why? Why did He go to a cross? Just to be an example for you? Oh, He's more than an example. To love you who were given to Him by His Father to die for and become the curse for and atone for all your sins so that you might hear this. Come, you blessed of my Father on that day. Enter to the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. You are the people of His good pleasure. This day is coming. So I wanted to say strongly, ensure today that you've come to Him by faith. That you believed in Him. You know, when I wrote this sermon, I was sitting in my study, and I'm not, as I'm getting older, I'm getting more weepy, it's weird, but I wept over this. I wept over this. And then I thought about this. As I thought about the terrible judgment to come, I thought about the words of our God. The promise is to you and to your children. I am your God. You are my people. The promise is to you and to your children. And I could dry my tears. Because his promises are yes and amen. So assure that we have come. And now look at this day differently. It's a day of reward for you. It's a day of celebration. Come, you blessed of my Father. Enter the kingdom prepared for the foundation of the world. And it also incentivizes our mission because we are taking this gospel to the ends of the earth so that all might hear and escape the judgment to come. And he has said in Matthew 24, when that gospel is preached in all the world as a witness, then the end will come and he won't lose one of his sheep. Praise God for such a gospel as this. Let's pray. Oh Lord, we thank you for helping us to see clearly of what is to come. We thank you for the faith that you've given to us. We thank you for blessing us so that we are no longer under the curse and not the cursed. We thank you, O Lord, for working by your Spirit in us that which is true and real and that we love the brethren proving we've passed from death to life. Pray all of those who we know outside of your kingdom who have not entered would enter today and believe the promises and receive the same hope in life and in death that are made to us and to our children may we all be believing and trust you your good word to us of the blessing thank you oh lord for this message and thank you for your people encourage them today in jesus name amen