The Parable of The Sheep and The Goats
Judgement Day. Armageddon. The end of the world.
If you didn't listen to the previous episode, go back and listen to it - The Parable of The Weeds - as this is a kind of sequel, a part 2.
A bit more about Judgement Day:
It is the day that Jesus will come back. People call this bit the Second Coming.
The end times refers to the time between Jesus leaving this earth and the time he returns.
There is going to be a big war, a battle, between God, all his people and angels against Satan and all his demons.
In the last episode I read to you the bit about God winning the war, and all those who aren’t Jesus’s friends ending up in the lake of fire.
Many people have a problem with Judgement Day. God is a loving God. He is so kind and caring. So how can he be so mean as to not let everyone into heaven? There is not a quick answer to this one, but it is something that I answered through The Gospel Story series at the very beginning of the podcast, link to that is in the shownotes.
What do you think?
This is a guessing game and you have to guess which sound is a sheep and which one is a goat!
Story Time! Bible Passage: Matthew 25:31-46
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne.The people of all nations will be brought before him, and he will separate them, as shepherds separate their sheep from their goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, “My father has blessed you! Come and receive the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world was created. When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me.”
Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, “When did we give you something to eat or drink?When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear or visit you while you were sick or in jail?”
The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”
Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels!I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink.I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”
Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”
The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”
Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.”
What is Jesus talking about? Does this mean we have to work to get eternal life? Do we have to love others? Faith vs works.
James 2:14-17 “My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you? If you know someone who doesn’t have any clothes or food, you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help? Faith that doesn’t lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!”
First we need to have faith in Jesus, like the man on the cross next to Jesus who went to heaven. Then we need to show love to others. The man on the cross didn’t get a chance to do that but still got to heaven, but if you get a chance to love others and don’t take it up, then do you have a faith at all? The 2 go together.
It is a bit like growing. If you are a child and you eat food that leads to growing up. You just can’t stop it, it is impossible! Faith that doesn’t lead us to do good deeds is not faith.
Finally, who does this parable specifically talk about loving? It is “my people” that are talked about. We are to love our neighbours, we are to love our enemies, but most importantly we are to love God’s people. They are our sisters and brothers. They are our family.
Question Time!
Share a time when one of God’s people has shown love and care to you when you needed it.
Think of someone you know who is needing help and try and work out a way that you can do something for them.
Chat together about the things you need to do in order to get eternal life.
