MATTHEW CONNECTION #4
Matthew connection
There is an end, there is a judgment. Key factor that ties Matthew 24 and 25 together:
Jesus doesn’t say “you never knew me”, he says “I never knew you”
So the big question when it comes to the end times is not “when”, “Where”, “what”, “how”, “why”, or even “who”, it is: Are you known by God?
An interesting question in the light of the fact that God is omniscient, all-knowing.
In fact, he knows us better than we know ourselves.
He formed us
Created us
He knows the things that will cause us to thrive, overcome, bring us joy, create peace, he knows what eating and workout practices will be best for us, he knows what motivates us, he knows what we think and feel, he knows everything about us better than we do.
So clearly if Jesus is highlighting that we need to be KNOWN by God, it’s not all the things God knows about us that are the crux of the matter, but rather whether we are engaged in relationship with him, not just relationship, but vibrant, virtuous, vintage relational ecstasy
This is highlighted in Luke 13:
22 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ 26 then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ 27 But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’
So, how do we make sure we are known?
There are several scriptures that give insight into whether or not a person knows and loves God
John 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.
SO what do scriptures say about God knowing us,
We already heard about the oily virgins and the talents.
The oily virgins show us that a key to being known is preparation, being filled and being on being filled (within and without - Spirit of Lord upon me - when we preach the cross it releases living waters from within and the spirit to move from without - when we have this happening we will be motivated to be a good steward for God), and occupying till he comes.
Keys to knowing you’re doing God’s will
Be church
Be a joyful house of prayer for the nations
Be an apostolic team member helping to disciple and teach all nations all things
Parable of Talents shows us a key to being known is Take responsibility, be proactive, focus on what we HAVE and using our God-given initiative to grow it rather than what we don’t have or having expectation that someone else will do it for us
This enables us to have to give
Sheep and goats
Natural difference between sheep and goats
Different amount of chromosomes
Horns
Tails
Wool vs Hair
How they eat
Biggest and most relevant to this story difference is:
Goats are independent
Sheep are interdependent and run in flocks.
The sheep in this scripture are those who are driven to serve OTHERS. Particularly the least, last, and lost. AND even more particularly, the least of God’s brethren, of the fold.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Someone may be a goat - and we don’t mean in the good way. Someone who ends up on wrong side of eternity, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from them - I.e. Luke 16
People of the world sometimes have greater understanding re money making - we can learn from them but we don’t want to use it the way they do.
Proverbs 27:23-27
Knowing the condition of your flock necessary, wherever you’re at in community
To care for people you’ve got to have, to have requires discernment. Different things generate different levels of provision. Doesn’t cost as much to get clothing as to buy a field. To get clothing you can shear the wool off the back of sheep.
Not a direct reference or link between the two, but does give insight into some applications of being able to be a successful steward.
Left and right:
Not talking about politics
Originally the left and right of government, related to whether you were pro the monarchy or not.
And even now right-wing and left-wing depends person to person, nation to nation. Generally broken down into how you deal with money and how you deal with social or people issues.
In God, you need both wings to fly, you need a heart for both, and that what gets you put on the right side as a sheep.
Wolves in Sheep CLOTHING
Matthew 7:
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
BID:
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.