2/23/25 Weekly Bible Lesson: Kingdom Life

In our text, Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, with the sheep set on the right and goats on the left. The first group (the sheep) will be told, “Come you blessed of my Father.” They are the group that selflessly takes care of those who are in need, who care for those who need help, have a love for God’s people, and a desire to serve them. They serve without grumbling or complaining, utilizing their gifts to help others to know the love of God. 

They practice the golden rule, do unto others as you would want done to you. They follow the words of James, which says, “pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). 

They serve others almost instinctively, without really thinking about it, to the point that when God reveals their deeds, they will be shocked, because they did not realize they were doing anything special. They had fed and watered those who were hungry and thirsty. They gave others shelter and clothing. They cared about those others had written off. The sheep did not do these things to gain notoriety—they did it because it was right. They did it because it was expected of them; they lived by what they believed. They showed their faith by their works (James 2:18). Everyone was their neighbor. Some of the best givers who have ever lived are those who did not have much and who knew what it was like to go without. 

The opportunity to love our brothers is not something we should forget about. We should strive to encourage, to exhort, and to help others finish the race. Jesus is watching and taking note. 

Now we look at the group on the left (the goats). In sharp contrast to the sheep, they were selfish and self-centered. They were like Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. When someone was hungry or thirsty they passed right by. Their attitude toward those who needed shelter or clothing was why bother. When someone was sick or imprisoned, they had no time for them. The heart of the selfish person is one that only cares for himself. 

The selfish person sees no harm in cutting their own path and leaving those who are struggling behind. The religious leaders in Jesus’s day did this to people. Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 23:23, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” Jesus also rebuked the Pharisees sharply in Luke 11:42, “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” 

Sadly, when Judgment Day arrives, the Lord will tell them they are condemned, for they refused to do what they were supposed to do. They did not love God’s people, and ultimately will hear some of the harshest words in the entire Bible, namely Matthew 25:41, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” These words should be enough to motivate anyone to live with charity and hospitality in their lives. 

It is not enough to love God, if we are leaving everyone else behind. However, if we love God and we love His people, taking care of those who are in need, and protecting those who need protected, and caring for the forgotten, while staying faithful ourselves we will hear the words we long to hear, “Well done good and faithful servant … Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matthew 25:21).