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Matthew 25:31-46
I was thinking about this passage late last night. And it struck me that the final judgement is remarkably personal. The judge is personal - the man, Jesus Christ. The judgement is personal - those welcomed into the kingdom are 'brothers and sisters', those removed are 'cursed' strangers, and the foundation of judgement is personal (how Jesus was treated, through the way in which the least of his brothers/sisters was treated). There is nothing impersonal about judgement day - do you know Jesus? Do you display Jesus?
Prayer:
Father, thank you that you sent the person of Jesus to personally save us. Amen.
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Matthew 25:31-46
The key issue in this closing part of Jesus' sermon is identity not achievement - the sheep and goats are identified by their behaviour, they don't become sheep and goats because of their behaviour.
In fact, the clarity of Matthew is quite clear - identity as a sheep is received as Jesus forgives sins (remember Matthew 1:21?). In this sermon, as Jesus closes, he makes this clear in two ways. First, in vs.34, the sheep are described as 'you who are blessed by my Father' - God has already claimed these as his own. Second, the sheep are described as 'righteous' in verse 37 - this is their identity, not what their good deeds achieve - instead, it is what their good deeds reveal.
So, this much is inescapable: true disciples of Jesus will be revealed on the last day, identified in the judgement by their practice of the proclamation that Jesus is king.
Prayer:
Father, please equip me to practice the good news of Jesus, every moment. Amen.
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