Day 312 – Matthew 25

Talking Points

• At the midnight shout! Jesus tells a parable calling people to be ready. When Christ comes again, we must each possess a personal faith in Jesus. The preparation of others will not help us. Traveling through life with those prepared will be of no benefit. We must know Jesus. It is the only way to be ready.
• Each believer is given talents and gifts to use in Christ’s service. When we are faithful to develop and use those for His glory, it showcases our Lord’s grace. It is a flip in mindset — once we follow Jesus in faith, we are to be fully committed to His cause instead of serving our own.
• There is surely coming a day of judgment. Non-believers and believers will be separated, like sheep from goats. Those who are outside of Christ will be cast into a literal place of eternal torment, a place built for Satan and his demons. This reality reminds us of the urgency of Proverbs 24:11-12: “Deliver those who are being taken away to death, And those who are staggering to slaughter, Oh hold them back. If you say, ‘See, we did not know this,’ Does He not consider it who weighs the hearts? And does He not know it who keeps your soul? And will He not render to man according to his work?”

Thoughts

Throughout Scripture, there is a command and an expectation of believers — love others, do good to others, and give generously to others. In many verses, it is made clear that our love for others will show up in our actions, and it flows from and reflects our love for the LORD. In fact, it is so integral to our love for Him and our trust in Him, that if it is absent, it is an issue of your heart. You are either in disobedience, or you are not actually His.

In these verses about the judgment to come, we are confronted with the truth that those who love and trust the LORD and therefore love others and do good to them will be declared righteous and inherit eternal life, while those who do not will “go away into eternal punishment” (Matthew 25:46).

Because of who God is, because of His nature, because of His love for people, He commands and expects His children to follow His example and His desire and to treat people accordingly.

The crazy part of all of this is He promises to bless it all. In His grace and in His infinite love for people, He both commands His people to love people and will bless anyone who obeys Him. He loves people who love people. He blesses people who bless people.

“One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.” — Proverbs 19:17

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” — Galatians 6:9-10

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.” — 1 John 5:1-2

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” — 1 John 4:7-11

“‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.'” – John 13:34-35

May our love for the LORD and our desire to walk in trusting obedience to Him show up in our extravagant, faithful love for the people He loves.