Sheep, Goats, and Brethren

INTRO

The goal for yesterday’s lesson in Matthew 24 is to get ready for the end times. Matthew 25:1-13 is the Parable of the Ten Virgins and talks about some who will be prepared and some who will not. Verses 14-30 talk about the Parable of the Ten Talents. The question is this: how are we using the talents we’ve received for His glory? There’s no heavier topic than what we’ll talk about today.

The Bible talks about two judgments:

1. The Judgment of the Nations––it has no mention of the resurrection and is the judgment for those who are alive. Within this are three groups: sheep, goats, and brethren.
2. The White Throne Judgment––it is for nonbelievers and the wicked, and we’ll cover that later.

TEACHING

Matthew 25:31: This takes place before the Messianic Kingdom (the1,000-year reign) and after the battle of Armageddon. This judgment is after the seven year period of peace and the coming of the antichrist.

In verse 31, when the Son of Man comes with His angels (Daniel 7:13-14), He will sit on His throne of His glory. The people of all nations will come together before Him, just as a shepherd separates his flocks (often with both sheep and goats together). In this context, the sheep are believers, and the goats are unbelievers. I want to paint a picture of sheep with the following verses:

Matthew 10:16: “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves.”

John 10:14: “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me,”

John 10:16: “But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

Psalm 79:13: “Then we, Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever; we will declare Your praise to generation after generation.”

Ezekiel 34:17: “The Lord God says to you, My flock: I am going to judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and male goats.”

The sheep will be placed on His right and the goats on His left. The right symbolizes favor; the left symbolizes disfavor. Nelson’s Commentary points out that sheep and goats can be herded together, but that at some point, they have to be separated.¹

Matthew 25:34: The sheep will inherit the kingdom that has been prepared for them, by the King. It comes first and foremost by the sheep’s faith in the King.

Ephesians 1:4: “For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight.”

Romans 8:29: "For those He foreknew He predestined them to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.”

Matthew 25:35-40: These verses describe the sheep serving or their fruit. The time frame of this happening, is for the people who are alive during the tribulation, that did these things for the brethren––the believing Jews. The sheep ask when they did these things (vv. 37-39). The King responds that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me” (v. 40). This then is the third people group––the brethren.

The sheep served the brethren during the tribulation: The believing Jews are the recipients of the 144,000 sharing the gospel who trust Jesus with their lives. Because this group does not have the mark of the beast on them, they are unable to buy or sell, to make money, or to feed or care for their families. Therefore, the Gentiles step in and provide care for them, at great risk to their own lives.² The Gentiles were prepared to provide help. “Their motive was not for reward, but sacrificial love.”³This means that believers who are still around in the end times should be taking care of these Jews.

Matthew 10:40: “The one who welcomes you welcomes Me, and the one who welcomes Me welcomes Him who sent Me.” The disciples were sent first to the lost sheep of Israel, but they welcomed Him not. So the message went to the Gentiles. Now, these Gentiles are to take care of the brethren who have come to believe in Jesus.

Matthew 25:41-45: Those on the left are cursed and are sent into the eternal fire. They were more concerned about themselves and their own needs than helping the brethren.

Matthew 25:46: Those on the left will go away into eternal punishment, while those on the right receive eternal life. “Eternal” = forever, never stops. “Eternal punishment” = eternal hell. Don’t buy into the idea that hell is not a real place.

Descriptions of hell in Scripture:

A fire that never goes out (Matthew 3:12).

Shame and eternal contempt (Daniel 12:2).

Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:44).

Torment . . . agony in this flame! (Luke 16:23-24).

Flaming fire (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

The smoke of their torment will go on forever (Revelation 14:11).

Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14).

CLOSING

Let’s prevent the goats from even being goats. Let’s represent King Jesus now so people will be prepared to be sheep. Embrace King Jesus who is the resurrection, the truth, and the life. Only through King Jesus can we live on the right side of the King.