WHEN HE RETURNS

WHERE WOULD YOU BE TODAY: LEFT, OR RIGHT?

 Matthew 25:31-46

 It is a fact. Christ is returning to earth. The angels, speaking to the apostles even while they were still gazing up to where he had gone from their sight, pointed out that as he went, he will return. He will return through the clouds. He, himself, had told them that as he went, he would return. A number of the parables he had taught involved this thought, so it is an accepted fact. Thy also make it clear, that no one knows when. But, from none of these records can we determine exactly when, therefore, it is up to us to be ready. When we plan to travel about the world, we need a passport so that we an travel at a moment’s time. When a pregnant woman is nearing the time of the birth of her child, she is told to have a bag ready so she can leave for the hospital at any time.

 Our scripture text gives the added information that it will be an awesome event. He will be coming with all the holy angels. We simply can not comprehend that scene, all the angels, and all that will be judged from the beginning of time. He is not returning to save souls, that time will be past. He is coming to separate the lost and the saved, and to send them to their rewards. This parable speaks of goats and sheep. They often graze together in life, but they are totally different animals.

 31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

 (Matthew 16:27f, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, Hebrews 9:28, Jude 14, Revelation 1:7, Matthew 19:28)

 HE WILL SEPARATE THE GOOD FROM THE BAD

 He will not be separating according to ethnic or national origins. We have been given the present time during which we determine our own destination. Scripture tells us that “All have sinned and fallen short,” however, Christ came and through his sacrificial death paid that debt for all who would accept him as their Lord and savior, repenting of their sins and being obedient in baptism. God will not condemn anyone to hell, not even the fallen angels. He simply made a place for them, and they condemned themselves to that destination, as do the souls of the lost, unbelieving, mankind.

 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

 (Matthew 13:49, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Ezekiel 34:17, Ezekiel 34:20)

 THE GOOD SHEEP TO HIS RIGHT HAND

 Even now, we are separating and sorting ourselves out, right or left by our own decisions, and what we consider really important to us. I remember sorting eggs and fruit and vegetables in my aunt’s grocery store as a young boy, a spoiled egg shows it in several ways, as does a rotten potato, or an over ripe tomato or fruit. I tossed the bad into a basket on my left and the good to my right, first washing them clean under running water if they needed it. Of course, with an egg, you don’t just toss it!

 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

 (1 Kings 2:19, Psalm 45:9, Ecclesiastes 10:2)

 THEY SHALL BE BLESSED

 Being on the right is much more that just being saved. As the children of God, the best is yet to come. Touring the world’s wonders may be amazing, but we can not even imagine what heaven is like. Words can not express it. People get excited about seeing this world’s VIPs. Can you imagine God telling you? “inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” He has taken that long to prepare a place for me! And it is not “king or queen for a day.” It is for ever.

 34 Then shall the king say unto them on the right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

 (Matthew 5:3, Matthew 19:29, Luke 12:32, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 1 Corinthians 15:50, Galatians 5:21, James 2:5, Matthew 13:35, Luke 11:50, John 17:24, Ephesians 1:4, Hebrews 4:3, Hebrews 9:26, 1 Peter 1:20, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8)

 What and why we do now makes all the difference.

 35 For I was an hungered, and you gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 

(Isaiah 58:7, Ezekiel 18:7, Ezekiel 18:16, James 2:15-16, Job 31:32, Hebrews 13:2) 

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

 (Isaiah 59:7, Ezekiel 18:7, Ezekiel 18:16, James 2:15-16, James 1:27, 2 Timothy 1:16f) 

37 Then shall the righteous answer him saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 40 And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 (Matthew 25:34, Luke 19:38Revelation 17:4, Revelation 19:16, Proverbs 19:17, Matthew 10:42, Hebrews 6:10)

 THE UNBELIEVING AND DISOBEDIENT TO THE LEFT

 On the other hand what happened to the rotten eggs, and the rotting fruit and vegetables? They just had to be disposed of, banished from sight. If only a “remnant” are saved, then far more will be on the left hand. What to do with them? If we banished the rotten eggs from sight, and smell, then that is what God has done with them. He prepared hell for the fallen angles and Satan, so they go where they will be with him and serve him for ever, out of sight and memory of the saved.

 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, unto everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

 (Matthew 7:23, Mark 9:48, Luke 16:24, Jude 7, Matthew 4:10, Revelation 12:9)

 WHY THEY ARE REJECTED

 They are rejected by what they did or did not do in life. They made the wrong choices in this life.

 42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, When saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me.

 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous unto life eternal.

(Daniel 12:2, John 5:29, Acts 24:15, Matthew 19:29, John 3:15f, John 3:36, John 5:24, John 6:27, John 6:40, John 6:47, John 6:54, John 17:27, Acts 13:46, Acts 13:48, Romans 2:7, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:23, Galatians 6:8, 1 John 5:11)

 WHY EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT?

 The soul is eternal. All the babies aborted, and those who died as infants, and all who could make their own decisions, have souls that are eternal. We may be heartbroken when an infant dies, but we can rejoice that we can spend eternity with that child, not just their childhood.
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 READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2013 FEBRUARY

 4th Sunday - Job 30, 31, Matthew 24:1-25, Psalm 18:16-24
 5th. Monday - Job 32, 33, Matthew 24:26-51, Proverbs 4:1-9
 6th. Tuesday - Job 35, 35, 36, Matthew 25:1-23, Psalm 18:25-36
 7th. Wednesday - Job 37, 38, Matthew 25:24-46, Psalm 18:24-42
 8th. Thursday - Job 39, 40, Matthew 26:1-30, Psalm 18:43-50
 9th. Friday - Job 41, 42, Matthew 26:31-56, Proverbs 4:10-19
 10th. Saturday - Exodus 1, 2, 3, Matthew 26:57-75, Psalm 19:1-6

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 THIS WEEK'S MEMORY TEXT

 “Watch and Pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” - Matthew 26:41

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 Some people are kind, polite, and sweet spirited – until you try to get into their pew. __________

 Most of us spend the first six days of each week sowing wild oats, then go to church on Sunday and pray for a crop failure.

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 May folk want to serve God, but only as advisers.