St. Matthew 25:31-46
It is our task as the baptized in Christ to think about why there is church, worship, word, sacrament, joy, Christian life and service. What do these things mean? If you really believe that you belong to Jesus, then this should give meaning to your life, but it should also alter your life. Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year and we Lutherans know that this means we think about the second coming of Christ. We think of judgment--an accounting to be given for our lives. There are the sheep and the goats. Jesus sits on the throne and all stand before Him. The goats shall be cast into hell, and the sheep will come into Christ’s eternal dwelling in heaven. This much we know. What does Christ say that separates the sheep from the goats? The questions are: Did you feed Jesus? Did you clothe Him? Did you visit Him in prison? Did you give Him a drink? When He was a stranger did you take Him in? The sheep did these things; The goats did not. Why does Jesus divide the line between heaven and hell with these questions? Because if we must be baptized and we must have the Holy Spirit and we must have faith and we must do all these things for Jesus, then what is Jesus getting at? We must look into the depths of Christian teaching. Christ commands love. The goats are told, in summary, that since they cared for no one in this life, what they really failed to do was to care for Christ. The sheep, equally puzzled, are told that they did in fact do all these things for Jesus because they did do all these things for other people. Sounds like works righteousness on the surface, but this cannot be: Something deeper must be at work. Here is what we know--Jesus commands us to love God above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We also know from St. Paul that the Holy Spirit is given to us as a guarantee of our salvation. We know that we have put on Christ in holy baptism (Galatians 3:27). St. Paul also says to “walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.....and if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law(Galatians 5:16, 18). Hmm. What do the scriptures mean to tell us? Simply, the scriptures are trying to teach us that when Christ spilt His blood on the cross for the sins of the world and we are baptized into Christ, then we have some really wonderful things happening--our sins are forgiven, and we begin to live holy lives. We begin to live lives that are defined by Jesus. This has a way of freeing us from the sadnesses and the hurts of the world. But do you live holy lives? You might thoughtlessly nod your head saying, “yes, most of the time, pastor. I think I do a pretty good job. There are one or two things I could work on, but I do pretty well.” But, let us think about what St. Paul says. Do you grumble? Do you complain? Do you gossip? Do you listen to gossip? Do you behave as if you are always right? Do you become angry? Do you threaten others? Do you lust? Do you demand your way be done when dealing with others? Do you hurt others, either with words, or with actions rather than showing love and mercy? When we live and behave in these ways, then we are not doing what St. Paul says: “walk in the Spirit.” Walk in the Holy Spirit! Let His ways define you! When we exhibit all these selfish behaviors, there is really something more fundamental at root. We are actually in danger of being like the goats, who show no love. These behaviors come from fear and from a lack of faith that God’s will is being done in our own lives. We often think about ourselves and not about others because of a symptomatic spiritual problem called unbelief. Our lack of faith and trust leads us into a solitary, lonely, and sad life. The gospel, on the other hand, is more than words on a page. It is as simple as looking at the crucifix and seeing God dead and hanging, thereby opening up heaven to us, but it is as deep and deeper than I can explain. Your sadness is dispelled by Christ. The blood of Christ truly sets you free, not just from sin but from the judgment and hatred of the world. Your loneliness is overcome by Jesus. Jesus brings a love that pulls you out of your frustrations and sadnesses, and He shows you a life that is full of peace and joy. Christ’s death on the cross is not just idle preaching. Christ’s cross is the opening of a new road. A new way has been paved for us to walk in this world. We are given inexpressible joys that take away hate, anger, gossip, and frustration as we begin to live new lives. The sheep in the gospel fed, watered, visited prisoners, took in strangers, etc. and thereby did this to Jesus simply because they lived their lives as Christ’s free children. They walked in the Holy Spirit, which is to say that they understood their sins and confessed them--they were mindful of their own wretchedness and it grieved them. And they found a new way in Jesus. In Jesus, the sheep see that all the evil associated with the world doesn’t matter anymore. The things that they used to be concerned about were no longer important. They stopped living for themselves, and they lived in the wonderful attributes of Christ’s cross. Everything the sheep do in life is for Christ. In baptism we put off the old Adam and we put on Christ. Life is about Jesus. Living, working, eating, breathing, serving, loving, talking, sharing, caring, praying.....everything about a Christian is really about Jesus. Feeding the hungry is about the goodness Jesus pours into us. His love that has come into us goes into the one we feed. The person who is sad is brought love and cheer by Jesus through the Christian who shares it. The prisoner is cared for, the stranger taken in, the thirsty are watered, because of the new life we have found in Jesus. The things of the world are of little consequence compared to the eternal love and salvation that comes through Christ’s cross to us. True joy is found when the Christian is wrapped in holy baptism. We are new. And so we start anew. We start with the forgiveness of our own sins. The ultimate mercy and love is that which Jesus shows to you. Jesus shall lead you on His road. Jesus will show you how fleeting your cares in this world really are, as the good things that He brings comes alive. Jesus gives you new definition for your life and for your focus in life. All things around you shall go according to His eternal will. Jesus will guard you in your life and in all your ways. This brings true freedom to the Christian. So, let Jesus come through the clouds with trumpets blasting......you are His holy children who have been ransomed from this world. His coming judgment will be for you a great welcome into the greatest peace and joy that can ever be found. Amen. -- Rev. Chad Kendall Trinity Lutheran Church Lowell, Indiana www.trinitylowell.org http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=243282012833
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