Stepping Out in Faith - Part 554

Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. (Matthew 25:34-36)

Matthew 25 contains a powerful message for those who will listen with their hearts. Here was Jesus teaching to the multitudes about the ultimate gift of salvation. The endless blessings that fall upon those who love Him. Believers in Jesus whose hearts desire the Word. Herein Jesus was likening His teachings to the kingdom of heaven and eternal life. Jesus elaborates on the parable of the ten virgins and later the parable of the talents --"for unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance."

Jesus continues. He tells the multitudes -- the blessed of His Father -- to come. Come, He says. Come to the one that loves you so much and you will inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. "For I -- [your Lord God] -- was an hungred and you gave me meat. I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and you came to me."

But the righteous in the crowds were unable to grasp the essence of Jesus' message. Instead, they answer the King saying, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungred and fed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison and came unto thee?" In the minds and hearts of the righteous, they had completed all that was required of them to earn their salvation. The righteous had performed good works. They had lived their lives according to the letter of the law.

But obviously their contributions were not enough. For Jesus said, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, "Verily, I say unto you. Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." In other words, all of their worldly contributions missed the point. Here was Jesus -- the Lord of Glory -- wanting to give them the kingdom too and yet, the righteous -- as described in the parable -- were not willing to give their Lord God and Saviour their hearts.

The righteous were not willing to press in to touch the hem of His garment like the woman with the sickness for twelve years. They weren't quite willing to say, "Lord Jesus, here I am -- I am yours." Mold me Jesus into the person you intended me to be for you are the potter Lord and I am the clay.

So instead, as Jesus shares in Matthew 25:41, the king says unto them on the left hand, "Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." He was saying, My desire is to give you the kingdom and yet, you don't see my love for you. You don't understand that I -- Jesus -- grew the tree that was destined to become the cross at Calvary.

Indeed, Jesus repeats these scriptures for a second time in Matthew 25, saying, then shall they also answer him saying, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?"

Therefore, the message for us today is to be not as the righteous. Instead, rejoice in Jesus' abundant love. His grace and goodness today. Pour the expensive ointment on your Lord and Saviour like the woman with the alablaster box of very precious ointment in Matthew 26. Why? Because Jesus - the very same God who created us in the beginning became flesh and shed His precious blood for our sins -- loves us so much that He wants to give us the kingdom.

Jesus wants to give us meat so that we are not hungred and sufficient drink should we become thirsty. He desires to take us in and clothe us and release us fully from the worldy prisons that keep us bound. Most of all, Jesus wants to visit with us and confirm that we can rest in His grace and mercies forever. Stand in the offering plate.