Matthew 25: 31-46

Due to the topic of the message this morning, I feel compelled to start this message off with something lighthearted. A house painter was cheap and sought to cut costs wherever possible. His primary device of cutting costs was to thin the paint with turpentine. He was hired to paint the steeple of a local church. He thinned the paint more than normal because he believed no one could see his work because of the height. He finished the job. Later that day, clouds formed and a hard rain ensued. Afterward, the painter inspected his work and found the paint washed off. He gasped, “What will I do?” He then voice say loud and clear, “Repaint and thin no more!”

To review what we’ve discussed these recent Sundays from the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, in regard, first, to the bridesmaids, to be prepared for what is coming, it is best to have both a lamp and oil, the Word and Spirit. Last Sunday, the three servants of the master were given portions of his resources, his talents, while he was away.  We’re given resources while our Lord is away to do what would please him, with him on our minds. The resources are revelation, the Holy Spirit and opportunity. This week, there is another illustration of his return from Matthew 25 for an accounting of what was done in his absence. The bridegroom returned after a delay, the master returned after a long time, and “the Son of Man comes in his glory.”

From our parable today, neither side, neither group, sheep nor goats, recognized the Son of Man among those hungry, thirsty, sick, jailed, naked. Rightfully, they wouldn’t have recognized him. He revealed to them a spiritual reality. “Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

If they would have recognized him among them, he would have been singled out and treated well. The Son of Man’s language of incorporating himself into each of the least of these would not permit any single one being treated differently than all of them. All the hungry were fed, all the thirsty were given drink. . . .  All were treated well so the Son of Man, the exalted Christ, was treated well.

The two previous parables have the bridegroom and the master returning after a long delay. This illustration today of the end of the age depicts the Son of Man not away and delayed, but embodied among the hungry, sick and imprisoned. The two parables we read the previous two weeks encourage the listener and the reader to be attentive to their present and to not focus their attention on the future. The future will take care of itself. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own (Matt. 6:34).” The Sermon on the Mount, chapters five, six and seven in Matthew, is the first message from Jesus in the gospel of Matthew. The last set of teachings in Matthew prior to his arrest, crucifixion and resurrection is what we’ve read and heard in Matthew 25. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.   The bridegroom will return. The master will come back. There will be an accounting. Its unavoidable. The lessons of all three stories in Matthew 25 call us all to be aware of our devotion, attention and spiritual focus to be in our present. What’s the condition of our lamp (Word) and oil (Holy Spirit) in our possession?  Are we being trustworthy with what our master has left us – revelation, Holy Spirit, opportunity – in the days we live? Are we treating the hungry, poor, broken & convicted as we would our Lord today? These stories don’t direct our spiritual and physical attention to what we can’t control. These stories compel us to live, act and do today.

There’s an old fable that describes Jesus returning to heaven after his sojourn here on earth. The angels gathered around the Lord to find out about all the things that happened on earth. Jesus explained to the angels how he lived among the people, shared his teachings, expressed his love, died on the cross to atone for humanity’s sins and was resurrected to declare that the new Kingdom is at hand. When he finished telling his story, Michael the archangel asked the Lord, “What happens now?” Jesus answered, “I left behind a handful of faithful men and women. They will tell the story! They will express the love! They will spread the Kingdom!” “But what if they fail?” asked Michael. “What will then be the plan?” Jesus answered Michael by saying, “There is no other plan.”

It cannot be the plan for believers to simply long for our Savior’s return and to assume a simple prayer or utterance of faith is all any of us were required to do in this life to then be in our Lord’s company for all eternity. I believe we are saved by grace through faith, by confessing our faith in our resurrected Lord that eternal life is ours. I also believe the church has wasted precious opportunity in focusing on what isn’t ours to control. This last portion of Jesus’ teaching in the gospel of Matthew informs us of the ultimate accounting of our lives based on how we treated the hurting, hungry and lost. In the treating of them, we treated Jesus. What if we’ve failed? There’s no other plan. This is the only life we have.

“Oh, Jeff,” you might ask, “where’s the good news in this?” Well, the good news in this message is that every time you reached out to bless a hungry or thirsty person, be it physically or spiritually, you’ve done it to the Lord. Every. Single. Time. Every time you donated clothing or filled a shoebox to bless a child in a foreign country at Christmas, you did it to Jesus. Every time you filled or delivered or donated a box of food to a family who is food insecure in this community or this world, you did it to Jesus. Every time you taught a Sunday school lesson to children or taught them their multiplication tables, you did it to Jesus. Every. Single. Time. He is present in the lost and forgotten. He is present with them, and he is present with you and me when we feel hungry for hope and thirsty for grace or companionship. When someone reaches out to us they encounter the same Jesus we encounter when we bless others.

This year you’ve done great things by blessing the hurting and hungry, lost and forgotten. Next year, we can’t determine what 2021 will turn out to be, but we can determine how great it will be by bringing good news in word and deed to those we encounter. In so doing, we’ll see the Lord receive what we give, and he will be pleased.

Preached at Lincoln UMC in Lincoln, AL, November 22, 2020