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.
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.
