Matthew 25: Wise and Foolish (5)
Pray Psalm 24.9, 10.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
Sing Psalm 24.9, 10.
Foundation: How Firm a Foundation
O Who is this King, Who approaches our gate? His might is before us, His glory is great!
This King is the LORD of all glory above, Who comes to indwell us in mercy and love!
Read Matthew 25.1-40; Meditate on verses 31-40.
Why does Jesus see us as sheep?
Prepare.
1. Why were the “sheep” wise and received by the Lord?
2. How can we show Jesus that we love Him?
Meditate.Jesus directed the attention of His followers to the judgment that will occur after He returns. We note again that the focus is not on being ushered into some paradise of pleasures, but on being received by Jesus and blessed by our Father, and in Them, knowing the Kingdom of God in all its fullness (vv. 33, 34).
When Jesus comes in glory, “all nations will be gathered before Him” (v. 32). Jesus is Lord of all nations—King of kings and Lord of lords. We don’t “make” Jesus Lord, or “let Him be the Lord” in our lives. He is Lord, now, universally, cosmically, over everyone and everything. Our calling in His Kingdom is to bring His Lordship to realization on earth as it is in heaven, by keeping our lamps lit, using our talents to increase His glory, and serving Him by serving others.
The wise sheep are easily seen as such. Jesus explains, just as He had said, that He would recognize them by their works (cf. Matt. 7.20). Sheep are as sheep do; wise people as wise people do. And wise people who are the Lord’s sheep emulate the example of the Lord in serving others (vv. 35, 36; cf. Phil. 2.5-11).
It may come as a surprise to the wise—who are humble, self-effacing, and servant-like—that their good works to the poor, needy, naked, and imprisoned were actually done to Jesus Himself. But Jesus is in His people and with them in all situations. And when we love His people and serve others, we love Him. Because if we love Him—thus showing ourselves to be true sheep – we will love those He loves, all those who fall within our part of God’s world (Jn. 3.16; 1 Jn. 3.16, 17).
When we love others in Jesus’ Name—especially our brothers and sisters in the Lord—He manifests Himself through us, and we know the joy of His Presence.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him…” (Matt. 25.31).
All the angels? Of all time?
Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of them?
The glorious hosts of heaven.
Can you picture that scene?
The majestic multitudes with The King they lovingly and obediently serve?
All those who have been running interference, for all the saints, through all of time, will be there.
Accompanying The LORD, The Messiah, The Savior.
“For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways” (Ps. 91.11).
“Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength,
who do His word, heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
you ministers of His,
who do His pleasure” (Ps. 103.20, 21).
“ [God] makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire” (Ps. 104.4).
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven
their angels always see the face of My Father Who is in heaven” (Matt. 18.10).
God, in preparing His people to enter the Promised Land, said of the one He would send to guide them,
“Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared” (Ex. 23.20).
This Angel was likened unto Jesus, as God continued to explain:
“Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him…” (Ex. 23.21).
All these glorious angels will be with Jesus as He takes His seat on the Throne of glory.
When all nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them (Matt. 25.32).
At that time, those who believe in Him and have not denied Him,
will inherit the Kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25.34).
Think of that for a moment, or for the rest of your life.
He knew about you from the very beginning.
He knew about the Kingdom He would create here and now and there and then.
He knew who would inhabit that Kingdom.
He knew who would love, trust, and obey Him.
He knew who would be one of His beloved sheep.
He knew who would join that great heavenly throng with Jesus and all His holy angels.
He knew you. His wise sheep.
Reflect.
1. How did the Lord’s “sheep” prove they were His “sheep”? What does that mean for us?
2. Why do you think Jesus added, “and all the holy angels with Him” to the promise of His coming again?
3. How might you expect the angels to help you prove your faith in Jesus today?
“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ ” To what other blessedness could this blessedness be compared? To be blessed of the Father! Why were they counted worthy of such a great honor? “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.” What honor! What blessedness! John Chrysostom (344-407), The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 79.2
Pray Psalm 24.1-8.
Jesus is Lord over all the earth, and all your life. Offer yourself to Him as a living sacrifice today (Rom. 12.1, 2), and pray about the many opportunities you will have for serving others.
Sing Psalm 24.1-8.
Foundation: How Firm a Foundation
The earth is the LORD’s, as is all it contains; all the world and its peoples He daily sustains.
He founded it fast on the seas long ago, and bid gentle rivers throughout it to flow.
O who may ascend to the LORD’s holy place? And who may appear to His glorious face?
All they who are clean in their hearts and their hands and true in their souls with the Savior shall stand.
A blessing all they from the LORD shall receive who seek Him and on His salvation believe.
For these are His people, the children of grace, who earnestly, eagerly seek for His face.
O lift up your heads, all you gates of the soul, for the Savior would enter and render you whole!
The LORD strong and mighty in battle draws nigh; He rules in His glory above us on high.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast features excerpts from the book, Patrick: A Devotional History. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column continues our study of “Everyday Christianity”. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
