Teaching Notes

Matthew 25:31-46 (The Message)

The Sheep and the Goats

MONDAY
31-33"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

There is coming a time when Jesus will return and when he does, he will sort the people into two groups.  Those that will be placed on his right and those on his left.  The scripture says that the goats will be put on the left and the sheep on the right.  This week on the web site I have a list of some characteristics of goats.  If you have had the opportunity to view it, you will see that these characteristics do not match what God would want from his children.  Selfishness, greedy, prideful are not good for God's people. The question then is, which side do you want to be on? Do not think that attitudes and behaviors go unchallenged by God.  There comes a time when our attitudes will call for us to stand before the Savior.  How do you think you will stand up?

Prayer: Lord, help me this day to stand on the side of what is right before you. Help me to be ready for not only the time of judgment but help me right now to be able to stand in every situation and every circimstance.


TUESDAY
34-36"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.'

The message that will come forth from the King (Jesus) is for those that are on his right (sheep) to enter into his kingdom. This kingdom was prepared since the beginning of the world.  God knew even before you were born, that he was going to offer the gift of the kingdom to those that obey him. What things he was looking at is how you treated others.  He says, when I was hungry you fed me...In other words it was not Jesus himself hungry but how did you treat others was also a reflection on him.  What you do to others then is what you do to God.  If you are loving to others, it is as if you are giving God your love.  If you are hateful to  others, it is as if you are being hateful to God.

Prayer: Lord you will reward those that have followed your voice and have lived by your commandments. Help me to love you first and then to love others.  Help me to be mindful of the needs of others and do unto them as if I am doing it to you. Amen.


WEDNESDAY
37-40"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.'

The sheep were surprised and said when did I do this things to you, when did I see you and give you drink? Jesus' answer reflects what we said on Tuesday's note. When we do it unto others, God views it as being done unto him.  It is also important to understand that those that stood in receipt of a reward were surprised.  They were surprised because they were doing what was right but their focus was on simply doing and not on who was seeing it. In other words we need to do things not simply because we expect to receive a reward but because we know it is right to do so.

Prayer: Lord help me to have a heart of service. Help me to take care of others and their needs not only because I will receive a reward but because it is what is right. Help me to have a heart to do what is right. Amen.


THURSDAY
41-43"Then he will turn to the 'goats,' the ones on his left, and say, 'Get out, worthless goats! You're good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because— I was hungry and you gave me no meal, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was homeless and you gave me no bed, I was shivering and you gave me no clothes, Sick and in prison, and you never visited.

Then Jesus will turn to the goats and tell them they are worthless. Jesus will tell them you did not take care of my needs. Again, we say it was not Jesus in jail or sick, but it was the needs of the people. To Jesus, those needs were his needs because he cares for people.  We as God's people become Jesus' hands and feet.  So it should be us that go to see about the sick and those lost.  When we do not we because like the goats that were only worried about themselves and their needs.  Selfishness and not having a heart for God is something that will keep us from received the blessings of God.

Prayer: I do not want to be a goat.  I do not want to see the needs in this world and ignore them to only think about myself. Help me to have a heart for people because you have a heart for people. Amen.


FRIDAY
44-46"Then those 'goats' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn't help?' "He will answer them, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.' "Then those 'goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the 'sheep' to their eternal reward."

The goat will ask a similar question that the sheep asked, which is when did we see you and did not do these things? However the question is slightly different because the sheep did not do anything, where as the sheep did do something.  So we can surmise that the goat were really saying, where were you?  If we had seen you, we would have done something. What Jesus was saying to them is, every time you walked past someone in need, you were walking past an opportunity to serve me.  Every time you left someone in need, you past what I needed you to do.

Prayer: Lord help me see your need. Help me not to miss the opportunities that are there in front of me to give unto others.  Help me to feed you when you are hungry, give you drink when you are thirsty.  For when I do it to even the least, it is done in honor of you. Amen.