Matthew 25:31-34
25:31. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
25:32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
25:33 "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
25:34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: "
Verse 31-32: Jesus will appear as King of all kings and Great Shepherd at the time of His second coming to divide His sheep from the goats. We must be alert because this year is the year of separation, so we have to try that we do not enter into the separation but the revival and the miracle.
We cannot rely on other people in the matter of spirituality.Two people on one bed can be separated. We have to make effort that we are not separated!
Verse 33: The sheep are at the right hand of God but the goats are at the left hand.
The base of separation is not physical thing, but the things as follows:
Matthew 25:35,39-40,41-42,44-45
25:35 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
25:39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
25:40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
25:42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
25:44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'
25:45 "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
The sheep are at the right hand of God because of loving attitudeas follows:
The goats are at the left hand of God because of egoismas follows:
Consequently, s/he has to enter into everlasting fire.
Matthew 24:12
24:12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
The lawlessness will abound in these last days and the love of many will grow cold. In such condition, God's servants or God's sons are being in the winter of love, there is no love but rebellion.
Do not think about quantity only because the ten spies are described as the goats, and the two spies are the image of the sheep. 603.548 peoples of Israelites who went out of Egypt are the image of the goats and only two peoples became the sheep.
The facts found in the rebellion in the winter of love are as follows:
25:31. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
25:32 "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
25:33 "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
25:34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: "
Verse 31-32: Jesus will appear as King of all kings and Great Shepherd at the time of His second coming to divide His sheep from the goats. We must be alert because this year is the year of separation, so we have to try that we do not enter into the separation but the revival and the miracle.
We cannot rely on other people in the matter of spirituality.Two people on one bed can be separated. We have to make effort that we are not separated!
Verse 33: The sheep are at the right hand of God but the goats are at the left hand.
The base of separation is not physical thing, but the things as follows:
- [Ecclesiastes 10:2] Heavenly wisdom.
- [Matthew 25:35-45] Character/attitude.
Matthew 25:35,39-40,41-42,44-45
25:35 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
25:39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
25:40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
25:42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
25:44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'
25:45 "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
The sheep are at the right hand of God because of loving attitudeas follows:
- Loving other people who need, giving, and visiting them.
Loving God but not loving other people means one becomes a liar. - Obeying the Lord.
The goats are at the left hand of God because of egoismas follows:
- Not loving other people who need, not being willing to give and visit other people who need. It means s/he does not love God.
- Not obeying the Lord.
Consequently, s/he has to enter into everlasting fire.
Matthew 24:12
24:12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
The lawlessness will abound in these last days and the love of many will grow cold. In such condition, God's servants or God's sons are being in the winter of love, there is no love but rebellion.
Do not think about quantity only because the ten spies are described as the goats, and the two spies are the image of the sheep. 603.548 peoples of Israelites who went out of Egypt are the image of the goats and only two peoples became the sheep.
The facts found in the rebellion in the winter of love are as follows:
- Burning the Word of God = rejecting the Word of God, especially the hard, sharp one.
Jeremiah 36:22-23,25
36:22 Now the king was sitting in the winterhouse in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him.
36:23 And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe's knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
36:25 Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them.
The scroll of the book of prophet Jeremiah was consumed in the fire.
There are two witnesses in holy bible, namely King Jehoiakim in old testament, and King Herod in new testament.
Matthew 14:2-5
14:2 and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."
14:3 For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
14:4 Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."
14:5 And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
King Herod hated and got angry, even rejected the teaching Word sharper than any two-edged sword which corrected his personal life, especially his marriage life.
2 Timothy 4:2
4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
The content of the teaching Word is as follows:- Convincing our hidden sins, in marriage, or in all aspects of our life.
The hidden sins must be shown so we can realize them, confess them, and be forgiven to have salvation. - Rebuking us,in order to make us stop sinning to return to God, or repent.
The teaching Word will always be hard rebuke as long as the sins are kept, so there are many people cannot stand hearing it until they reject it.
For example, King Herod kept his hidden sin in his marriage life, so he hated John, and rejected the true teaching Word.
Consequently, John the Baptist was killed, meaning s/he never experiences life renewal and sanctification, so s/he cannot see heavenly kingdom.
John 3:3
3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The Word will become advice if the sins are settled. - Advising,so we can keep on living in righteousness and holiness.
The advice is also the way out of all problems.
On the contrary, any advice that is outside the Word of God is a dead-lock and perdition.
If we have the fire of God's love, we will have the right attitude, namely OBEDIENCE to the true teaching Word whatever risk may come,so we may experience these two things:- The first sharp edge sanctifies us from hidden sins.
- The second sharp edge renews our life.
It happens continually until we are perfect as Jesus is. - Convincing our hidden sins, in marriage, or in all aspects of our life.
- Rebellion caused by the biting of viper on the hand of God's servant or God's sons.
Acts 28:1-3
28:1. Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta.
28:2 And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
28:3 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
The viper 's biting on the hand means as follows:- To make Paul the apostle cannot write the epistles, or minister in the preaching of gospel of salvation and gospel of glory.
Galatians 6:11
6:11. See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!
The preaching of the gospel of salvation is obstructed so the sinful cannot be saved.
The preaching of the gospel of glory is also obstructed in order to make the saved unable to reach the perfection but be left at the time of Jesus' second coming.
For us now, the hand is bitten to make us unable to serve and minister God, both in marriage and shepherding.
Hebrews 10:25-27
10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
10:26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
10:27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. - To make the sons of God unable to return tithes and offerings which are the possession of God.
Malachi 3:8-9
3:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings.
3:9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
Not returning the possession of God will make these consequences:- Living in curse, as if being among thorns.
- There is no spiritual food in the house of the Lord, there is no revelation of the Word of God so all of the congregation enter into spiritual famine.
Malachi 3:10
3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
Amos 8:11-14
8:11. "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD.
8:12 They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it.
8:13 "In that day the fair virgins And strong young men Shall faint from thirst.
8:14 Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, Who say, 'As your god lives, O Dan!' And, 'As the way of Beersheba lives!' They shall fall and never rise again."
Men will fall and rise in sins up to the peak, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-giving in marriage, which bring perdition. The men will fall and never rise again because there is no resurrection power of God's Word.
The tithe is our confession that we have already been blessed by God, not a confession that we have already got salary, et cetera.
Acts 28:5
28:5 But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.
If we have the fire of God's love, we will be able to shake off the viper.
Meaning we will keep on being faithful in serving and ministering God, and returning the tithes and offerings to God.
- Living in curse, as if being among thorns.
- To make Paul the apostle cannot write the epistles, or minister in the preaching of gospel of salvation and gospel of glory.
- Denying Jesus.
Luke 22:54-60
22:54. Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance.
22:55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.
22:56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."
22:57 But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."
22:58 And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"
22:59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."
22:60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
Our experience in ministering God cannot be a guarantee that we have love like Peter who was a senior servant of God.
He has denied Jesus in winter, in the time of there is no love.
John 18:18
18:18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.
All we do must be checked whether we have the love or not.
Denying Jesus means as follows:- Being unfaithful and not fervent in spirit in serving and ministering God, even leaving them.
We all are consecrated by God, do not leave the ministry! - Not confessing sins, even blaming other people.
- Departing from faith, not confessing Jesus' name anymore, not confessing the true teaching Word which has become life experience.
Peter denied Jesus three times, meaning his body, soul, and spirit have denied Jesus three times and he must be judged and perished.
Matthew 10:32-33
10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
10:33 "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
The Lord did not want the redeemed and employed ones perish, so He poured His love through the crowing of a rooster.
The crowing of rooster refers to shepherding Word, namely the true teaching Word God trusts to a pastor to preach to the congregation faithfully and repetitiously to remind and lift us up until we realize, are sanctified, and perfected.
The crowing of rooster is simple and understandable, so we need not read other books.
One will not understand the shepherding Word if s/he is hard-hearted.
No matter how deep we have fallen, we can be helped if we can hear the shepherding Word.We experience these two things in the shepherding Word like Peter has experienced.- Merciful sight of the Lord.
Luke 22:60-62
22:60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
22:61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
22:62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Peter also saw Jesus. We meet Jesus, eye to eye and heart to heart, through the shepherding Word, so we can cry and confess all our sins and failures. Afterward, the Lord forgives us, and He gives us His mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
28:13. He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. - The stretched hand of the Lord.
John 21:15,17
21:15. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Shepherding Word is the guidance of Jesus' hand to bring us to enter into sheepfold. In Tabernacle, the sheepfold refers to Holy Place, in which there are three equipments referring to perseverance in committing three main services to the Lord as follows:\- Golden Candlestick -->perseverance in committing General Service.
- Table of Showbread -->perseverance in committing Bible Study Service and Holy Communion.
- Golden Altar of Incense -->perseverance in committing Prayer Service.
In our perseverance in the sheepfold, The Lord is pouring His love to us so we can stretch our hand to Him.
John 21:18-19
21:18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
Stretching our hand to God means as follows:- Being obedient, whatever risk may come.
- Being willing to sacrifice all things for the Lord.
- Worshiping God, trusting and surrendering ourselves totally to Him.
Afterward, He will stretch His hand for us, and we live in the hand of Great Shepherd, who is responsible for our life, fights for us, and sacrifices His life for us.
The results will be real as follows:- The Good Shepherd gathers us with His arm, meaning we are preserved and protected in the middle of difficulties in the world, even the hand can unite what that has been scattered.
Isaiah 40:11
40:11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. - The hands of Good Shepherd carry us, meaning all our burdens are born by Him, we find peace for our soul, all things become easy and light, and He settles all our problems/failures/falls.
- The hands of Good Shepherd lead usto good future life, all things become beautiful, even we are lead to the last shepherding in New Jerusalem, where there is no more tear.
Revelation 7:17
7:17 "for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Revelation 21:14
21:14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Peter has denied Jesus, and cut the ear of other people, et cetera, but he can reach New Jerusalem. On the other hand, Judas cannot reach New Jerusalem because he left his ministry.
We can still be helped tonight as long as we hear the crowing of rooster.
- Golden Candlestick -->perseverance in committing General Service.
- Being unfaithful and not fervent in spirit in serving and ministering God, even leaving them.