Archives for

Sermon Audio

The Parables #115

The sheep and the goats, Pt12.

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

“Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal,” verses 45-46.

These verses bring the parable to a close. What a solemn word we have here!

The Lord will answer the questions posed by sinners! How often the Lord has been challenged and questioned throughout the ages! I read just yesterday where there are those who wish to change the Law so that they can ‘blaspheme’ without fear of prosecution!
God’s Truth has been questioned as have His Justice, His Love, His very Existence!! All will be answered one day.

The very heart of man’s rebellion against God is seen in his attitude toward Christians! Sin against a Christian is deemed a sin against Christ! Please remember that when you feel like hurting or annoying a Christian. Some time ago I mentioned Galatians 5:14. “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” If you love your neighbour then you love God and the reverse is true. If you hate and abuse your neighbour you hate God!

The dreadful price of sin and rebellion! “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” verse 41. “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment,” verse 46.

Please note some words.

1. ‘Depart from me’. No place in Christ’s company or in Heaven.

2. ‘Ye cursed’. They refused the Saviour and remain cursed! “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” Only the Lord Jesus can deliver us from under the curse that our sins bring upon us!

3. ‘Everlasting fire’. Hell is where “The fire . . . never shall be quenched,” Mark 9:43.

4. ‘Prepared for the devil and his angels’.

5. ‘Everlasting punishment’. Or ‘torment’!

Please note the great difference of the eternity of the sheep and the goats. ‘Everlasting punishment’ – ‘life eternal’. Please consider this today! As our study of parable has come to an end so too will life and we will all face eternity!

The Parables #114

The sheep and the goats, Pt11.

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Stream or download The Parables #114

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” verse 41.

The sheep and the goats are separated for the first time. They were part of the flock of the professing or the ‘Visible Church’ but the Lord has now separated His sheep from the goats, those who were not saved.

Part of the judgement of the wicked is their hearing the righteous rewarded and honoured. The wicked have been listening to what the Saviour said to His flock and they must have become aware that what He said to them would be different from what He would say to them, since they were separated from the righteousness.

* If you are not one of Christ’s flock, you cannot expect to be dealt with in the same way as they are dealt with and blessed!

* Hell is made all the worse by a knowledge of the heaven that your unbelief and disobedience robbed you of!
What a dreadful contrast between what the Saviour said to the sheep and that which He says to the goats!
“Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

* There is a great difference between the Saved and the Lost but it will be never so plain and obvious as on this day!

* Its is obvious from what the wicked say that they considered there to be no difference between them and the saved! They have never understood the difference that is pointed out in God’s Word. Just like Nicodemus, John 39. “Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?”
* Even here they argue and show their IGNORANCE! See what Paul said: “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” That is why they are still puzzled and arguing!
They were sent to hell because they did not love Christ and this was seen in how they treated Christians.

Note how the ungodly dare to challenge Christ. “They answered Him, when . . .” This is not the humble response of the righteous, verse 37. No this is a disputing and arguing with Christ and daring to suggest He is wrong and unjust!.

This how men react to the gospel! Matt 15:8-12. Rejecters of the gospel remain in darkness and ignorance. The purpose of the gospel in bring sinners into the light. “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me,” Acts 26:18.

The Parables #113

The sheep and the goats, Pt 10.

Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46

Stream or download The Parables #113

Just a final remark on the command: “Bear ye one another’s burdens”. I read on Wednesday in my daily reading these words: “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith,” Galatians 6:10.
While Christians should bear one another’s burdens, they are not to ignore or forget the unsaved!

“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death,” 1 John 3:11-14.

Even though the world hate us we are to seek to ‘do good unto all men’!

Note the term used by the Saviour of His people. “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me,” verse 40. “My brethren”. This is what Christians are to the King of Kings!

We are part of his family of God. We are related to the Lord Jesus Christ. Man recently said to Prince Charles that they were related! No great honour given his many sins and wicked opinions and notions!

But what an honour to be related to Christ!

It is a close relationship. The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is our Father also. “When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name,” Luke 11:2.

Listen to these words! “And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother,” Mark 3:32-35.