Over the years it has been amazing, and even amusing to look back at my life and see what God has done and also how big a fool I used to be. The overview of my life could probably be summed up by saying "I had to quit thinking and start believing." I tell you this "I am one blessed man to have had my eyes open to the truth, and that truth has set me free!" I had to quit taking only the things I wanted to hear from the Word and start embracing those things that rubbed me wrong or threw me into utter conviction as truth. Let's take a look at Jesus and how he deals with His disciples and those around Him. We will see that just because they believe in Him for a moment that this did not mean that they would have eternal life with Him. I posted on facebook a saying I saw last week that truly allows us to stop and think "Eternity will be a long time to think about what you should have done." Pretty profound I would say.
Jesus was heading in to the last days of His life when Matthew pens chapter 25. Things are intensifying and His teachings are becoming more 'Servant' related. He knew that the only way the gospel would go on is if He shared the secret to remaining devoted to Him and living in a manner worthy of eternity. He also knew that not everyone would embrace this truth and would perish (There were usually alot more people around than the twelve when He spoke).
Matthew 25:31-46:
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His thronein heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will seperte the people one from another as a shepherd seperates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed be my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For i was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thristy and you gave me something to drink, i was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." "The the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?" "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." "The He will say to those one His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me ntohing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?' He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
So, where are we in this parable? Jesus did not say "But if you have said the prayer or made a confession of faith then you're exempt!" He is sharing with His disciples and those around the same thing we need to know today "Just because you call me Lord it does not get you eternal life" (Parphrased for Matt. 7). They gave up everything for Him and followed Him around in the hot desert for over three years, and He is still lying out conditions to be His.
There are a couple of things worthy of noticing here..... Jesus is speaking 'Physical and Spiritual.' Yes, there are those who need food, clothes, visits, etc... but He is also letting them and and us know that there are many seeking 'Food' (The truth of the Word) 'Water' (He is the living water) 'Clothed' (To be clothed with the Word) 'Sick and in Prison' (Those who are in sin and the prison it places people in). So what are we doing? His disciples understood fully after His resurrection this parable. They spent the rest of their lives serving Him and others. Today people get upset when challenged to 'Do' as the scriptures tell us to. Jesus was not saying "Do these things once a week, month or year, but all the time."
last but not least I need to show you all one more amazing truth. Those who were doing what we told them they had done were doing it not even knowing they were. They loved Him so much and others that they were doing only that which was natural. They were not complacent as the others who thought they were good with their beliefs. What will we do with these scriptures? It would be best to act on them now realizing that His grace is being poured out giving us the opportunity to change and do what He desires instead of what we think. That my friends proves His love for us.... That He gives us the opportunity to get it right~
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