Jesus and the Dinner Party

Ever been to a dinner party? I know I have a few times, and we have had people over to our place quite a lot. We had met a few new friends at one time because we had joined a new church.

Jesus was invited to a dinner party at Simon the Pharisee's house, which I can imagine would have been pretty unusual, especially at that time, because let's face it, Jesus wasn't the most popular person among the Pharisees and others in that circle at that time. They were more interested in finding out exactly who this person was and what he was doing coming into their realm of aristocracy.

Jesus did accept the invitation, and having walked all the way there in his sandals, like everyone wore in those days, he found himself reclining at the table along with all the guests. 

I guess he was feeling pretty grubby, like everyone else in those days, after walking the streets. You can read about it in the Bible in Luke 7, starting at verse 41

Then, suddenly, a woman comes in, a sinful woman according to the passage. She had worked out that Jesus was eating at the Pharisees' house, so she suddenly appeared with an alabaster jar of perfume. She stood behind him and, crying, she wet his feet with her tears and then wiped his feet with her long hair and then poured the alabaster jar of perfume on his feet.

The Pharisee who owned the house was utterly dismayed and pretty angry, really! He said, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner."

Well, that said it! Obviously, the Pharisee certainly figured out that he certainly wasn't a sinner, and a lot of people he obviously knew weren't either. How wrong could he be?

Jesus answered Simon, and I quote: "Simon, I have something to tell you/"Tell me, teacher," said Simon.

"Two people owed money to a certain moneylender, one owed him five hundred denarii and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?"

Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven". "You have judged correctly",  Jesus said

Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little."

Then Jesus said to her. "Your sins have been forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" He then said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Jesus must have been getting quite famous in those days because he really did have something different to tell the people. Well-known and pretty superior people really wanted to find out who this person was and wanted to ask him all sorts of questions.

So you can imagine their surprise when a woman with a reputation comes into the home of one of the Pharisees of all people. She must have been really brave and so desperate to see Jesus.

She must have known he was going to be there, and she also must have known what people said about her, but all she wanted to do was to come to Jesus and ask him for forgiveness. She was so very brave and so ready to give her life to him. To have him lead her life and to change her life for eternity.

My mum died a while ago, that's her photo on the left, and before she went, she wrote the following, and you can read it for yourself if you copy the link below:-

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/preview/3490652599496574582/2025970280472155384

and it is so relevant to what that lady felt when she came to Jesus that day, washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair, and then anointing them with expensive perfume. All to ask his forgiveness and to change her heart. Part of what my mother wrote I have included below:-

My mother said:-  No one can be saved unless they are convicted or conscious of sin, and when that consciousness of sin is present, the way is opened to bring that one to the feet of the Saviour.

To confess and repent, that is being sorry for sins committed, and being determined to turn to Christ's way of living, will enable us to partake freely of the peace, joy, and love that can be found on this earth.

Are you conscious of sin in your life? I know I am, and I am always ready to come to Christ and ask him to forgive my sins.

When that lady came to Jesus, she was so aware of the huge sins she had committed, and she really felt she had no right to come to him at all. How wrong could she have been?

On the other hand, here was Simon the Pharisee, who had Jesus come into his home. He obviously felt way above all the guests, especially Jesus. Did Simon make Jesus feel welcome? I don't think so. In those days, the host did all the things mentioned above to make their guests feel very welcome. 

Simon certainly didn't do those things to make Jesus feel welcome in his home. He was much more interested in finding out who this Jesus person was and what he was on about, 

Simon should have made sure that Jesus, as a guest, felt right at home, washing his feet, etc., and making him feel that he was an important guest.  Did Simon do that? No way. Jesus, in Simon's thinking, was way below Him and was not treated like a guest at all. 

Simon reckoned that he personally was one of the best people in the town; he didn't have to earn the respect of the people around him, and being a Pharisee, he reckoned God was pretty good with him.

When the lady came to Jesus, she was totally focused on asking Jesus to forgive her sins and be totally committed to him. Did Simon feel like this? No, because he felt he didn't need to. 

We all need to ask for forgiveness, regardless of who we are. In the Bible, Romans 3:23 says, "We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." That means you and me and everyone else, regardless of who we are or what we have done.

It's truly amazing the depth of God's love towards us, and that God is so willing to forgive us our sins, regardless of what those sins may be. God sees us and not our problems and sins if we ask him to come into our lives. God's amazing grace towards us is truly enough for us to obey our Lord and make him first in our lives.

Putting God first in our lives just means to love him more and more. Putting him above everything and loving him more than anyone or anything. In Matthew 22: 37-38 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind - this is the first and great commandment."

When we truly love God with everything we have, everything else in our lives just falls into its proper place. Our jobs, family, relationships, schools, university, etc., in fact, everything we do and everyone we meet becomes a real channel of his love.

If you feel you would really and truly ask Jesus into your life, you may pray even a simple prayer like this:- Father God, I know I am a sinner, so I truly thank you for sending Jesus to die for me on that cross and kill my sin. Thank you for loving me so much.  Please come into my life and help me to put you first in everything I do.

Hope you have a good week, and I hope to see you soon - God bless.

"BEE READY" - "BEE PREPARED"

Keep watch - that's pretty good and a very wise thing to do. 

If you were a honey bee, that is exactly what you would do. Unfortunately, we are not honey bees, and most of us don't keep watch at all. Well, most of us anyway. Keeping watch is really very important.

Native honey bees in Australia are known as "sugarbag' bees, and they produce really great honey in Eastern Australia, where we live.

Our honey bees produce not only honey but beeswax, and they are really important because they are pollinators of horticultural and seed crops.

Our honey bees are really hard workers, and they keep on producing heaps of honey. They constantly work hard both day and night, and they really keep a close eye on their queen. When she gives them the go-ahead, they swarm out of the nest to find a new place to go and a new queen.

They are constantly on the alert, not only in the production of honey but also in the nurseries for all the new bees produced by the queen.

They are a great example of being prepared and ready when they get the 'go-ahead" to swarm and get a new place to restart the hive.

In the Bible, Jesus told yet another story to his disciples - you can read about it in Mark 13:34-37 

It's a story about a guy going away, leaving his servants in charge, and telling each one to keep doing their assigned tasks, and also telling the one at the door to keep watch! hmm interesting!

"Keep watch because you don't know when I'm coming back - I could come back at any time," says the owner. Jesus went on to say in the story that if the owner comes back suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. Then he said, "What I say to you, I say to everyone. 'WATCH' ". 

Jesus has told us to keep watch, or keep looking and keep an eye out for his return, for when he comes, it will really come in a big way and really quickly.  It will happen when we least expect it. Jesus is alive, and he will come back.

We really need to be ready; we need to stay focused on him, and we need to make him first in our lives. 

It's so easy to get really involved in our everyday lives that we completely ignore what Jesus is actually saying in the Bible. He gives us lots to think about, especially how we really do need to make him the leader of our lives in everything we do. 

Does that mean that we simply can't do anything at all except sit around and keep focused on him? Certainly not, but it does mean that he needs to come into our lives, change our outlook and focus, and then everything else needs to take second place to him.

It is certainly out of love and thanks for everything he has done for us. When you think of the price Jesus paid to gain eternity for each of us, and it was out of pure love, then all we have to do is say thank you so much and ask him to lead us and give him first place in our lives. 

Jesus and what he did for us by paying for our sins on Calvary that day can and will shape us into people of wholeness and even holiness, and draw others to him by what we do or say 

During the Second World War, there was a young lad of 13 who was the only child of a young couple. His mother died young and left him with just his dad. He was left on his own when his dad was called up to war. 

Day after day, he struggled to do what he needed to do. At thirteen years of age, I can see, looking at it now, just how much he actually struggled. You can imagine his absolute delight when the war was finally over to see his dad in his uniform walking from the train station. His dad was the only one there, but he was his dad.

The lad stayed focused while his dad was off fighting in the war; he kept a lookout for what was happening and watched for his dad to return. He was always ready to get on with life, but he was constantly on the lookout for his Dad to return.

Like our honey bees, constantly working so hard and getting on with the running of the hive BUT keeping an eye out for the queen bee and always on the ready to vacate the hive and restart a new one somewhere completely different.

How are you when it comes to the return of Jesus? That's a pretty good question and one that so many people laugh at or even ridicule. I know I have copped a bit of flak over the years when people find out I'm a Christian. Jesus himself copped heaps of ridicule and mocking, and of course, he paid the ultimate price and was brutally killed.

Yes, we so often have to pay the price of believing in Jesus and accepting him into our lives. BUT, of course, there is no going back as far as I am concerned. Jesus means everything to me, considering what he did all those years ago to pay the price for my sins, and do you know what? He is so ready to pay the price for your sins - all you have to do is accept what he did for you on Calvary when he gave his life and paid the price for your sins and mine.

He certainly didn't let death rule - He rose again because he is God, the three in one. God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God's amazing gift to us. We are never alone in the world; he is with us constantly, and all we have to do is accept him into our lives.

Ask him to lead your life and become first in every situation in which you find yourself.

If you would really like to come to Jesus today, praying a prayer like this one and coming from your heart can bring you to a real relationship with our Lord and God. 

Dear God, I come to you today and ask you to lead my life. Take my will and make me yours. Please forgive the sins that I have committed in my life, and help me to be fully aware of any sins that keep happening. Please forgive me, cleanse me, and help me to make you the leader of my life. Amen.

God bless you and hope to see you next time.

Thieves and robbers

Thieves and robbers - hmmm, made me think. Went to church on Sunday, and the sermon was based on John 10 about what Jesus said about sheep pens, thieves, and robbers. Jesus actually told the Pharisees the following story as recorded in the Bible:-

"Anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate. but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

You really need to read the whole chapter of John 10 - it really is very enlightening. In verse 10 in chapter 10, he says, "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Jesus went on with the example that he was bringing out about the sheep. He was the gate, and he was the only one who would let the sheep in. So who were the 'sheep' he was talking about? 

The sheep he was talking about are the people who give their lives to him, regardless of who and where they are. 

Thieves and robbers were mentioned by Jesus in the parable he told the Pharisees and the people all around him. He also mentioned the hired hand, the guy who took off as soon as he saw a wolf coming. He wasn't going to hang around and protect the sheep.

The Good Shepherd, Jesus, would lay down his life for the sheep. Jesus certainly did. He gave up his life for us and paid for our sins.

He also demonstrated his love for everyone who commits their lives to him. He did this by dying for us on Calvary, years ago. Taking our sins upon himself, he gave up his mortal life to pay for all of our sins.

In verse 16, Jesus says, and I quote, "I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me. Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, I lay down my life for the sheep." Jesus took our sins upon himself and killed them when he died on Calvary,

I used to follow a lot of people, and Jesus was just one of many, but then realisation came to me that Jesus really does need to be first in not just some things, but in everything you do, and I mean everything.

Got me thinking about a time way back when we were a tad younger, and the kids and some relatives all stayed at our place one particular night.

I ended up in the lounge, which was good and comfortable, but probably not a place I'd make a habit of. Anyway, things worked out so well for everyone else in the house. They all ended fast asleep, which to my mind was great - it was so quiet.

As for me, well, I never did get any sleep that night. It was around midnight, and I was there in the lounge room, all cosy and comfortable on the lounge, but wide awake when I heard something on the back patio like the screen door was opening. Did I think I heard something, or was it my imagination?

Lying there, thinking, when something made a move on the locked glass door leading into our dining room. I leapt up so quickly and switched on the veranda light so fast that I nearly fell over.

To both our surprise, he saw me, and I saw him. He was a young guy with a mask over his face, with some sort of instrument, trying to pry open the dining room glass door. I nearly fell backward, and so did he. If I hadn't been in the lounge that night, he probably could have broken into our house and taken the car keys, etc.

He took off in great haste down the carport and dodged the cars parked there. He was never seen again. I was in a state of shock.  I called the police, who came and dusted for fingerprints, which really amounted to nothing.

Back to verse 10, when Jesus said, and I repeat, "The thief comes only to steal, and destroy; (just like our thief had well and truly on his mind that night) I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

So here we had our thief coming to 'steal and destroy, ' but what Jesus said then blows it really out of the water. And here it is: "But I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."

What is full life? Am I leading a rich and satisfying life? Jesus is the good shepherd, and he sacrifices his life for the sheep. We are his sheep, and he is our shepherd! So Jesus is pretty plain speaking here - He says he sacrifices his life for us. Coming to Jesus and having him lead us will certainly be a rich and satisfying life.

Examine your life and your heart. Are you judging others? Putting Jesus first automatically puts others ahead of you. It's quite amazing. Just like Jesus himself did.

You know once you give your life to Jesus, he knows you, and you know him.  Obedience to God just means full surrender to him. We can't just push surrendering to Jesus behind the kitchen door and pretend he's there when we need him.

No way! He needs to come first in our lives, and we need to surrender our total life to him.  Jesus said, "I am the way," and he certainly doesn't mean I am the way when you feel like it. He really needs to take first place in your life.

If you have any questions, please contact me. Hope you have a good few days ahead of you. God's blessings to you and yours. 

Singapore, Australia, World War 2 and Radji Beach

It was 12 February 1942, and Singapore was in the grip of a mighty Japanese invasion that would see hundreds of people scrambling onto the wharves to flee.

Among those were 65 Australian Nurses serving their country through the last days of the fall of Singapore.

They boarded a coastal freighter called the SS Vyner Brooke, but it was not meant to be, as the doomed voyage was attacked by Japanese aircraft and sunk.

A group of survivors, including the 22 nurses, eventually washed up on Radji beach, a remote beach off the coast of Singapore, and due to their onerous plight, voted to surrender to the Japanese rather than to starve to death.

A Japanese patrol found the nurses but did not accept their surrender and divided them into three groups. The executions began.

The Australian nurses were in the last group and died in a hail of bullets as they walked abreast into the sea.

Miraculously, there was one survivor, Vivian Bullwinkel, who, despite a bullet wound which actually passed right through her side, missing vital organs and feigning death, she endured 13 days in the jungle before surrendering to another Japanese patrol.

Vivian was reunited with the other surviving Vyner Brooke nurses in a makeshift camp, and these 'beyond' courageous women went on to experience the internment camps, starvation, and disease over the next 3 and 1/2 years. Twenty-four, including Vivien, made it home to their beloved Australia.

(excerpt from ON RADJI BEACH  by Ian W. Shaw)

What courageous, amazing, and gutsy women these nurses were in the 2 World War, suffering so badly there in Singapore, not really all that far away from their homeland, Australia.

Their story touched my heart enormously when I read it and filled me with an overwhelming sense of pride to be an Australian - what fortitude - what bravery.

Even while the SS Vyner Brooke was sinking, these nurses were assisting the wounded and the dying. absolutely astounding!

During the bombing raid, Vivien recalled how many many passengers and crews were thrown into the water. She continued, "No sooner had the passengers hit the water than the enemy aircraft returned, firing into the water and causing utter chaos, devastation, and torturous and lingering death to many."

Vivien eventually made it to the shore of Radji Beach by holding on to the side of a lifeboat. Vivien had watched many of her colleagues swept away in makeshift rafts never to be seen again, she had seen many of her friends brutally killed by machine gun fire, and many others drowned that fateful night horribly.

After her remarkable repatriation to Australia, Vivien was awarded numerous awards for her contributions to nursing, only accepting them to keep the memory alive of her fallen comrades.

I know it is hard to believe, but after 50 years from the massacre on Radji beach, Vivien returned with fellow nurses who were with her aboard the SS Vyner Brooke and unveiled a memorial on the beach to her friends and colleagues whose bodies were never recovered from the terrible massacre.

To my mind, Vivien was a real commander in chief - a woman destined to lead - a woman strong, brave and courageous - always putting others ahead of her own needs - keeping alight encouragement and always building up, never tearing down - a positive and confident young woman showing incentive and fortitude in one of the most horrible and soul-destroying places on earth.

When I think of Vivien and her attributes I can't help but think of another young man who, at only 33 years of age, gave His all to save us - He was our very own Commander in Chief - our own Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.

That same Jesus is coming again one day - he will come in a twinkling of an eye, and every person will see Him - not sure how, but Hey! I truly believe what the Bible says and that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is indeed the Lord, the Saviour of the world.

During that horrible and horrendous experience that Vivien and her nurses went through, one message kept them going, and that was "just hang on". Even though they were brutally treated - even though towards the end their skin was stretched over their skeletons and you could see every bone - even though they were all sickly and frail, that message of "just hang on" rang true and clear.

They did indeed hang on and were eventually rescued - we so need to 'hang on' through today's world.

Every day, it seems it is getting harder and harder to be a Christian. Every day, more and more of the world is turning against our faith and our beliefs. Here in Australia, we are certainly getting the message of hatred and enmity against Jesus and what he taught and stands for.

My message to you is just to "hang on," we need to be true to Jesus and true to ourselves. We need to show the world out there that whatever they throw at us, it will not dampen our will and our love for the Lord who saved us.

Jesus will come back - we do not know when, but we can rest assured that He will one day and when that day comes, we can claim the victory through Him.

No matter what you have done or where you have been, Jesus loves you with an amazing and constant love that can far surpass any human love here on earth.

Come to Him without delay, ask his forgiveness, and accept His free gift of eternal life. It certainly isn't going to be an easy ride, but what Jesus does do is give you a deep-down peace that can surpass anything you have ever experienced before.

His very own Spirit will come and live inside of you, giving you a joy and love for others that you never thought possible. Also, your past is gone - gone and forgotten. You won't have to keep dragging it around behind you anymore. Jesus died to take away that past with all of its twists and turns and guilt.

So hang in there and stride out with Jesus. With Him by your side your life can change in the most miraculous ways.

My prayer this week:-

Lord, when the path seems crooked and I stumble, remind me that you are 

always just ahead of me, leading the way. Amen

Regardless of Persecution

Don't you love liquidambar trees? They are really beautiful. We loved our liquidambar tree.

It was pretty big. It wasn't always big; it had been a little squirt of a plant, and we put it in the lawn just to see how it would grow. It went bonkers.

Every autumn, it was a pretty much a full-time job raking leaves and tidying up.

The kids loved it when they were growing up, and then the next generation of grandchildren really enjoyed it - climbing it continually. It was great.

We really had no idea it would grow as big as it got, but all the kids climbed it. I was always worried that one would fall out, but they all survived, and so did the tree.

In the Bible, in Mark 4:26-29, Jesus gave another parable, this time very close to his death on the cross, which he paid dearly for our salvation. The parable he told went like this:- 

"This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself, the soil produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts a sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

The parable relates so well to the growth of Christianity. Many times, way back, and unfortunately, even today, many Christians were and are still persecuted badly. Many were murdered just like Jesus was, and many were tortured horribly before they were also murdered. 

Even today, Christians can pay the price of following Jesus as Lord and truly as our Saviour. I know as Christians we personally lead a very different lifestyle from many around us. But we are truly blessed living how and where we do.

There are so many people in today's world pushing ahead as fast and as harshly as possible, while others are really struggling with their lives, often having a hard and brutal life.

In this parable, Jesus wants to get through to us that the growth of Christianity will grow and continue to grow, maybe even inconspicuously, right in the middle of all the mayhem and inconsistencies of most of the countries. Christianity will continue to grow amid the many catastrophes that are happening even as we write this blog.

When you think about what is happening in the world, even as we write and read about this horrible, astounding war in Ukraine, it is unbelievably horrible. When we see it on the news, we can be overwhelmed by the disaster. 

Unfortunately, it is not only in Ukraine, but it is pretty much worldwide. We read about all sorts of terrible things happening in our world as we know it. So, where does this leave Christianity or faith in Christ Jesus?

About 40 to 50 years after the death of Jesus, Rome was certainly multicultural and was in world dominance. The Roman people thought Christians were atheists because they only believed in one God, while all the Roman people had heaps of gods, all different and all overwhelmingly abstract in their thinking. 

The early Christians, as in today's society as well, wanted so much to spread the Good News of Jesus and the fantastic and wonderful news of salvation, amazing love, and hope. And so they did!

The spread of Christianity, love, and hope in a turbulent and hostile world grew and grew and grew, much faster than we could ever have imagined, regardless of the persecution of the early church, especially in Rome.

Even today, there are so many countries persecuting and even killing Christians for their belief in Jesus as Lord of their lives. Hence, the parable of the scattering of seeds by the farmer, as mentioned above, and the rise of Christianity, even amid what looks like a devastating effect on many worldwide Christians.

As mentioned in one of the early blogs about Nero, the Roman Emperor who saw that his dedication in life was to kill Christianity. Did it work? No, Nero paid for his wilful dedication to killing as many Christians as possible by committing suicide. 

For so many years, the Roman Empire flourished and tried so desperately to rid itself and the world of Christianity, but Christians grew and continued to grow. Amazingly, Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306 AD, and he was the linchpin of Christian growth in Rome when he himself became a follower of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was so apt in this parable about how the seed grows - it takes its time in fulfilling its needs. Like Christianity, it will take its time, but then it sprouts and grows enormously.

Jesus himself was so right. At that very time, there was really only he and a few of his disciples who knew about what was going to happen. When he was crucified and not long after that, many people came to accept him as their Lord and God, and today His life on earth here and his crucifixion and more importantly his resurrection really pave the way to eternal life.

All we have to do is accept his great love for us and what he did on that cross when he gave his life to pay for our sins. Yes, we have to accept that fact and ask him to lead us and to take our lives and make him the priority in everything we do and say.

Jesus is indeed Lord, and he is so willing even today to accept us into his kingdom. What do you have to do to make Him the ruler of your life?

All you have to do is accept what he did for you on that cruel cross years ago. He rose again to live in glory and is so wanting to lead our lives, yes! every one of us. Accept him into your life and ask him to lead you in everything you do. Confess your life to him and ask his forgiveness.

No matter what you have done, he will forgive you if you genuinely ask him into your life.

God bless you as you go about your daily life, and I hope to see you next time.

Sheep and goats

Ever thought about sheep and goats? I haven't, not really. It wasn't that long ago that one of my blogs referenced sheep, and I mentioned how big sheep stations are in Australia. 

It was then that I thought about sheep and what they were like. I must admit I didn't really think about goats at all.

Jesus told a parable about sheep and goats, which follows, and it is really moving and got me thinking about the future, my future, and your future.

The parables of Jesus never cease to amaze me, and I am the first to admit that since writing these last few blogs, I have learnt so much about what Jesus was actually teaching, and not only that, but he was teaching them about eternity and what was in store for all of us when the time comes for us to face judgement

The crucifixion of Jesus was really coming closer and closer. He was really aware of what was going to happen, and he really wanted to get his message across to a lot of people.

What he was doing was to put the message in language that was understood by the simple folk and also the poor and needy. The rich also were there listening, as were the Pharisees and Sadducees, and those who wanted him dead and out of the way. Some of the rich must have been changed by what he said, but it was the poor ones who really did change.

This particular parable was told to his disciples, and I can imagine when they were around a meal or by the fire. 

Jesus was absolutely sure of what he wanted to get through to his disciples and any of the people around him. He knew he was heading for his death and the price he was going to have to pay to atone for all of our sins.

Just before his crucifixion, Jesus said to his disciples, "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." 

Jesus then told the parable about sheep and goats. You can read it in Matthew 25: 31-46. It tends to be about end times and what will happen. He will separate all of us - those who follow him and those who do not.

The key verse for me is Matthew 24:40 Then God will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." That was Jesus speaking to his disciples. Not very long afterwards, he was horribly crucified.

If you read the whole parable, he was highlighting the difference between those who help and give to others and the vulnerable, as well as those who don't show racism at any time. Jesus brought out who the type of vulnerable people he was talking about, he included the hungry, the thirsty, strangers who have no friends, people who are unable to buy things like clothes or food, the sick and injured, and those imprisoned, etc.

Jesus identified so well with the vulnerable. He understood exactly where they were coming from. That certainly doesn't mean to exclude those who are rich. What he was saying is, will we give to others at all? Or will we be more than happy to keep our riches to ourselves and not give anything?

What he also said is that when the time comes for judgment, those of us who withhold our help or care for the lowly and needy in our society are going to be held accountable for that. Because Jesus identifies so much with the poor and needy, those who withhold from the poor are also withholding from Jesus. That's pretty strong!

This certainly does NOT mean that we only get to heaven if we give to others. What Jesus means here, in my opinion, is that once we give our lives to Christ and make him first in our lives, that becomes faith. Faith produces fruit, and fruit means putting others way above ourselves, and we become true followers of Jesus.

In this parable, he talks about the sheep and the goats. The sheep do exactly what the shepherd says and go along with him, while the goats have a will of their own and completely ignore what the shepherd says and the orders that he gives them.

Jesus talks about the sheep being examples of the followers of God and doing what he wants them to do, and obeying his will, whereas the goats he talks about are examples of those of us who completely ignore what God says and are just too keen to do our own thing all the time.

Those of us who ignore what Christ says and just keep doing our thing and completely pass up any opportunity to come to Him at all, and also to help other people, then that, I'm afraid, will cost them eternity.

In this parable, Jesus certainly is NOT telling all of us that eternity only rests on good works that we do. That is not the point that he is getting through to us.

In the Bible, in 1 John 1:12,  it says that if we receive him as our Lord and Saviour and we believe in his name, then he will give us the right to become children of God (my words only). It is certainly clear that to be reconciled with God, we, by faith, have to come to him and ask him to be the leader of our lives.

Our total aim is to become more like Jesus, and the more this happens, the more we pour our lives into helping others. I will repeat what I said earlier because it is important. Just helping others and giving to them certainly will not get you to heaven if that is all you aim to do. Firstly, giving your life to Christ is the very first step you need to take; then the fact of helping others and putting yourself last actually comes much easier. Jesus did this very thing himself.

After we give our lives to Jesus, we become more like him, and the more our lives are destined to help and be of service to other people.