IDEA: Unless we separate cause and effect, we can fall into error.
TEXT: Matthew 25:31-40 - When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' "
PURPOSE: To help people understand that Jesus isn't commending philanthropy, but relationship to Himself.
Many people see in this parable a commendation to philanthropy. Anyone who does deeds of kindness is, thereby, qualified to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Would you say from this parable that if you give to the Salvation Army at Christmas or give clothes to the Goodwill Industries, on the basis of this parable, you're qualified to enter the kingdom of God?
I. There is a phrase that is easily overlooked, but is crucial to understanding the passage.
The King says to the sheep, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (25:34).
How would you go about interpreting a phrase such as "blessed of My Father"?
You go back into the context of the book to see how the phrase is used by the same author in other places. This phrase takes you back to Matthew 5:3-9 to what we call "the Beatitudes."
The Beatitudes tell us the kind of people who are described as "sheep" and who enter the kingdom.
II. Look at how the Beatitudes describe Christ's sheep.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (v.3). What does this say about the basic attitude of those who are blessed?
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (v.4). Mourn about what? About their sin, about the fact that they are poverty-stricken.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (v.5). What is meekness? Is it the same as weakness?
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled" (v. 6).
What is meant by "righteousness"?
How does this beatitude grow out of the first three?
Jesus refers to the sheep in Matthew 25:37 as "the righteous."
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy" (v.7). Why do you think this beatitude follows the previous beatitude? How are "righteousness" and "mercy" related?
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (v.8). How is this beatitude reflected in the sheep of Matthew 25?
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall see God" (v. 9). The family likeness is seen in making peace. Would that have anything to do with the kind of deeds the sheep did in Matthew 25?
III. Is Jesus commending philanthropy of just any sort in Matthew 25?
He refers again and again to the fact that "you did it unto Me." Is it possible for people to do good deeds and do them for other reasons?
Do motives matter