10/13/02

FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net

RAY RUSS - PASTOR-TEACHER

MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 171

TITLE: THE JUDGMENT OF THE SHEEP AND GOATS, PART I

TEXT: MATTHEW 25:31-40

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK OF MATTHEW CENTERS ON THE THEME OF JESUS' KINGSHIP.

* IN FACT, JUST AS VIRTUALLY EVERY PARAGRAPH OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN POINTS TO SOMETHING OF CHRIST'S DEITY, SO VIRTUALLY EVERY PARAGRAPH OF MATTHEW POINTS TO SOMETHING OF HIS KINGSHIP.

** MATTHEW PRESENTS JESUS CHRIST AS THE MESSIAH KING WHO IS REVEALED, THE KING WHO IS REJECTED AND THE KING WHO WILL RETURN.

*** AND IN OUR STUDY OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW TODAY, WE SEE JESUS PRESENTED AS THE KING WHO RETURNS TO JUDGE.

**** AND WE SEE JESUS AS HE RETURNS TO EARTH SEATED ON A GLORIOUS THRONE IN V. 31.

(2) AND IN THE FIRST TIME IN MATTHEW'S GOSPEL JESUS MAKES REFERENCE TO HIMSELF AS "THE KING" IN V. 34.

* AND HE DECLARES THAT WHEN HE TAKES HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS KING, HIS FIRST DUTY WILL BE TO EXECUTE RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT, AND THUS TO DETERMINE WHO WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO ENTER HIS KINGDOM.

** HERE HE COMES BACK AS KING OF KINGS TO RULE AND REIGN UPON THE EARTH.

*** AND JESUS' CLOSING WORDS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE - A SERMON ON HIS SECOND COMING GIVEN PRIVATELY TO HIS DISCIPLES, WAS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE AND SOBERING WARNINGS OF JUDGMENT IN ALL OF SCRIPTURE.

**** PICTURED AS THE DIVINE SEPARATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHEEP FROM THE UNRIGHTEOUS GOATS, THAT JUDGMENT WILL OCCUR JUST BEFORE CHRIST ESTABLISHES HIS KINGDOM ON EARTH.

(3) AND NOT ONLY WILL IT DETERMINE THE ULTIMATE, ETERNAL DESTINIES OF EVERYONE LIVING AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION, BUT WILL ALSO DETERMINE WHO WILL AND WILL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM.

* AND ONLY THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE KING, BELIEVERS WHO HAVE BEEN BORN INTO GOD'S SPIRITUAL FAMILY AND BEEN MADE CITIZENS OF HIS SPIRITUAL KINGDOM, WILL ENTER HIS GLORIOUS KINGDOM.

** AND THE JUDGMENT OF THE SHEEP AND GOATS IS NOT MENTIONED IN ANY OF THE OTHER GOSPELS, NO DOUBT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FOCUS ON CHRIST'S KINGSHIP, AS DOES MATTHEW.

*** AND FOR THAT SAME REASON MATTHEW PLACES MUCH GREATER EMPHASIS ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE LORD'S SECOND COMING THAN DO THE OTHER GOSPELS, BECAUSE IT IS AT HIS RETURN TO EARTH THAT HE WILL MANIFEST HIMSELF AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

**** WHICH LEADS US TO OUR TEXT TODAY, FOR IN V. 31 JESUS COMES IN HIS GLORY, WITH HIS ANGELS, AND HE WILL SIT ON HIS GLORIOUS THRONE.

(4) AND HE WILL GATHER THE NATIONS BEFORE HIM, AND HE WILL SEPARATE THEM FROM ONE ANOTHER, AS A SHEPHERD SEPARATES THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.

* BECAUSE OF THAT, I'VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE TODAY, THE JUDGMENT OF THE SHEEP AND GOATS, PART I. AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE FIRST PART OF THIS PARAGRAPH THIS WEEK AND LORD WILLING, FINISH IT NEXT WEEK.

** AND WE'LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS THIS WEEK: NO. 1 THE SETTING, V. 31; NO. 2 THE SEPARATION OF THE SHEEP AND GOATS, VV. 32-34; AND NO. 3 THE SERVICE OF THE SHEEP TO THEIR SHEPHERD, VV. 35-40.

*** SO WE'LL LOOK AT THE SETTING, THE SEPARATION AND THE SERVICE. AND LET'S BEGIN BY LOOKING AT THE SETTING IN V. 31. LOOK AT V. 31 PLEASE.

I. THE SETTING, (READ V. 31)

A. NOW V. 31, PICTURES JESUS WHEN HE WILL RETURN, NOT AS THE HUMBLE CARPENTER FROM NAZARETH, BUT IN HIS GLORY.

* AND FIRST OF ALL, JESUS USES THE TITLE SON OF MAN HERE. AND THAT TITLE AFFIRMED HIS INCARNATION, HIS IDENTITY WITH MANKIND, HIS TIME OF HUMILIATION AND SACRIFICE.

** IT REFLECTED HIS CONDESCENSION, HIS SUBMISSIVENESS, HIS HUMILITY AND HIS MEEKNESS.

*** AND JESUS USES THAT TITLE TO BEGIN WITH IN V. 31 AND THEN CONTRASTS IT WITH THE TITLES AND ROLES HE WILL HAVE WHEN HE COMES IN GLORY.

**** FOR REMEMBER HE IS NOT ONLY THE SON OF MAN, HE IS ALSO THE SON OF GOD.

1. AND AT HIS FIRST COMING, HE CAME AS THE SON OF MAN, BUT IN HIS SECOND COMING TO EARTH, HE COMES BACK AS KING.

* TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THE CONDESCENDING, HUMBLE AND HUMILIATED SON OF MAN WILL RETURN ONE DAY AS THE GLORIOUS, SOVEREIGN, REIGNING, AND JUDGING KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

** AND THE SETTING OF ALL THIS IS WHEN HE COMES IN GLORY, IN MAJESTY WITH HIS ROYAL COURT, HIS ANGELS WITH HIM, READ MATTHEW 16:27 AND II THESS. 1:7-9.

*** AND AS JESUS COMES BACK FIRST OF ALL TO JUDGE, IT SAYS AT THE END OF V. 31 TO SIT ON HIS GLORIOUS THRONE.

**** AND BELOVED THIS MARKS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRIST'S EARTHLY KINGDOM. THE KING WILL HAVE AN EARTHLY KINGDOM AND HE WILL RULE FROM HIS THRONE.

2. AS ISAIAH 9:7 SAYS: "THERE WILL BE NO END TO THE INCREASE OF HIS GOVERNMENT OR OF PEACE, ON THE THRONE OF DAVID AND OVER HIS KINGDOM, TO ESTABLISH IT AND TO UPHOLD IT WITH JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THEN ON AND FOREVERMORE. THE ZEAL OF THE LORD OF HOSTS WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS."

* AND CHRIST'S FIRST REIGN OVER THE RESTORED EARTH FOR A THOUSAND YEARS AND THEN OVER THE NEWLY CREATED HEAVENS AND EARTH THROUGHOUT ALL ETERNITY.

** AND IN LUKE 1:31-33, WHILE MARY WAS STILL ONLY BETROTHED TO JOSEPH, THE ANGEL TOLD HER, "AND BEHOLD, YOU WILL CONCEIVE IN YOUR WOMB, AND BEAR A SON, AND YOU SHALL NAME HIM JESUS."

V. 32 - "HE WILL BE GREAT, AND WILL BE CALLED THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH; AND THE LORD GOD WILL GIVE HIM THE THRONE OF HIS FATHER DAVID."

V. 33 - "AND HE WILL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOREVER; AND HIS KINGDOM WILL HAVE NO END."

*** AND UNDERSTAND THAT DAVID'S THRONE WAS IN JERUSALEM, AND THAT IS THEREFORE WHERE CHRIST'S THRONE WILL BE.

**** FOR WHEN JESUS RETURNS ACCORDING TO ZECHARIAH 14:4, "HIS FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHICH IS IN FRONT OF JERUSALEM ON THE EAST; AND THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WILL BE SPLIT IN ITS MIDDLE FROM EAST TO WEST BY A VERY LARGE VALLEY, SO THAT HALF OF THE MOUNTAIN WILL MOVE TOWARD THE NORTH AND THE OTHER HALF TOWARD THE SOUTH."

3. AND FROM THAT PASSAGE, WE SEE THAT JERUSALEM WILL BE CATACLYSMICALLY TRANSFORMED TO BE MADE SUITABLE AS THE PLACE OF CHRIST'S DIVINE GLORIOUS THRONE.

* AND LET ME ADD AT THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST, AFTER HIS RESURRECTION, AN ANGEL MADE CLEAR THAT JESUS' RETURN WOULD BE BODILY AND HISTORICAL, NOT FIGURATIVE OR MERELY SPIRITUAL, FOR HE TOLD CHRIST'S ASTONISHED DISCIPLES THIS: (READ ACTS 1:11).

** AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHEN JESUS RETURNS TO EARTH HE WILL REIGN PERSONALLY ON A LITERAL THRONE, IN A LITERAL JERUSALEM, OVER A LITERAL PEOPLE.

*** AND AS ZECH. 14:9 SAYS: "AND THE LORD WILL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH; IN THAT DAY THE LORD WILL BE THE ONLY ONE, AND HIS NAME THE ONLY ONE."

**** AND BELOVED, THERE IS NO GOOD REASON TO INTERPRET THE VERSES I'VE GIVEN YOU IN ANY SENSE EXCEPT A LITERAL ONE. SO JESUS IN HIS RETURN COMES AS KING TO THE EARTH TO SIT ON HIS GLORIOUS THRONE, AND THAT'S THE SETTING.

4. WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2'D POINT TODAY, THE SEPARATION. LOOK AT V. 32 PLEASE.

II. THE SEPARATION, (READ V. 32)

A. NOW CHRIST'S FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS FROM HIS THRONE WILL BE TO SEPARATE THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.

* AND THE SUBJECTS OF CHRIST'S JUDGMENT WILL BE ALL THE NATIONS. AND THE GREEK WORD FOR NATIONS IS ETHNA FROM WHICH WE DERIVE OUR ENGLISH WORD ETHNIC, AND IT SPEAKS OF PEOPLES AND HERE REFERS TO EVERY PERSON ALIVE ON EARTH WHEN THE LORD RETURNS, NOT JUST GENTILES AS SOME BELIEVE.

** AS D.A. CARSON SAYS: "ALL THE NATIONS MEANS ALL PEOPLES AND CLEARLY IMPLIES THAT ALL THE NATIONS INCLUDES MORE THAN GENTILES ONLY." (END QUOTE)

*** NOW BEYOND THAT IT SPEAKS OF PEOPLES, NOT POLITICAL OR NATIONAL ENTITIES. FURTHERMORE, THE CONTEXT MAKES CLEAR THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE IN VIEW IN THIS JUDGMENT.

**** FOR THE CONTEXT DESCRIBES A JUDGMENT BASED ON ACTIONS FOR WHICH PEOPLE ARE INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE. THE PUNISHMENT APPLIES TO INDIVIDUALS NOT CORPORATE GROUPS.

1. AND THE IDEA THAT POLITICAL ENTITIES COULD BE THE SUBJECTS OF THIS JUDGMENT IS COMPLETELY FOREIGN TO THE TEXT.

* NOW UNDERSTAND THAT THE FOCUS AND GOAL OF THIS IS THE SEPARATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS FROM THE UNRIGHTEOUS.

** AND THE RIGHTEOUS ARE THE SHEEP AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS ARE THE GOATS.

*** AND JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD, THE CHIEF SHEPHERD, THE GREAT SHEPHERD WILL SEPARATE THEM.

**** FOR YOU SEE IT WAS COMMON IN THAT DAY FOR SHEEP AND GOATS WERE WITH EACH OTHER DURING THE DAY, BUT AT NIGHT, THEY WERE OFTEN SEPARATED BY THE SHEPHERD.

2. FOR SHEEP TOLERATED THE COOL AIR WITH THEIR WARM COATS OF WOOL, WHEREAS GOATS NEEDED TO BE HERDED TOGETHER FOR WARMTH.

* ALSO SHEEP ARE DOCILE, GENTLE CREATURES, WHEREAS GOATS ARE UNRULY AND RAMBUNCTIOUS AND CAN EASILY UPSET THE SHEEP.

** BECAUSE OF THAT THEY DO NOT FEED OR REST WELL TOGETHER, SO THE SHEPHERD OFTEN SEPARATES THEM FOR GRAZING AND FOR SLEEPING AT NIGHT.

*** WELL, IN A SIMILAR WAY, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WILL SEPARATE BELIEVERS FROM UNBELIEVERS WHEN HE RETURNS. AND NOTICE HOW HE DIVIDES THEM IN V. 33. LOOK AT V. 33 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 33. NOW JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD WILL PUT THE BELIEVING SHEEP ON HIS RIGHT, THE PLACE OF FAVOR AND BLESSING.

* BUT THE UNBELIEVING GOATS HE WILL PUT ON THE LEFT, THE PLACE OF DISFAVOR AND REJECTION.

** AND NOTICE THAT THIS JUDGMENT OR DIVISION IS NOT DESIGNED FOR CHRIST TO DISCOVER WHO ARE SHEEP AND WHO ARE GOATS; HE ALREADY KNOWS THAT.

*** HE JUST DIVIDES THEM AT THIS TIME, HE JUST MAKES THE FORMAL VERDICT BETWEEN THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS.

**** FOR THE LORD ALREADY KNOWS ALL HIS, (READ II TIMOTHY 2:19).

1. AND ALSO IN JOHN 10:3 IT SAYS THAT JESUS "CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME AND LEADS THEM OUT."

* NOW BEFORE I MOVE ON TO V. 34, LET ME MAKE CLEAR THAT THIS JUDGMENT IS NOT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT IN REV. 20:11-15.

** THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT TAKES PLACE AFTER THE MILLENIUM, WHERE THE UNSAVED ARE CALLED UP FROM HADES (HELL) THE TEMPORARY PLACE OF TORMENT UNTIL THEIR JUDGMENT IS PRONOUNCED FOR EVER AND THEY ARE THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.

*** AND NOW FOR THE UNSAVED GOATS WHO ARE ALIVE AND LIVE THROUGH THE TRIBULATION, THEY ARE SEPARATED AND THROWN INTO HELL, VV. 41 & 46, UNTIL THE FINAL JUDGMENT.

**** BUT IN CONTRAST NOTICE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SHEEP WHO ARE ALIVE AND HAVE LIVED THROUGH THE TRIBULATION, LOOK AT V. 34 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 34. NOW AFTER CHRIST SEPARATES THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS, KING JESUS WILL SAY TO THE SHEEP, "COME, YOU WHO ARE BLESSED OF MY FATHER, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD."

* NOW THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT, FOR SOME COMMUNICATE A DOCTRINE OF SALVATION BY WORKS IN JESUS' WORDS TO THE SHEEP THAT WILL FOLLOW IN VV. 35-40.

** BUT THE CONTEXT CLEARLY RULES OUT SUCH AN INTERPRETATION, BECAUSE OUR LORD MAKES CLEAR THAT THEIR DESTINY WAS SETTLED AND THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR THEM BY THE GRACIOUS DECREE OF A SOVEREIGN GOD "FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD".

*** IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR INHERITANCE WAS SETTLED IN ETERNITY PAST, LONG AGES BEFORE THEY HAD DONE ANY GOOD OR EVIL, "SO THAT THE PURPOSE OF GOD ACCORDING TO ELECTION MIGHT STAND, NOT OF WORKS BUT OF HIM WHO CALLS", ROMANS 9:11.

**** SO THE WORDS OF CHRIST UNDERSCORE THE BIBLICAL TRUTH OF DIVINE ELECTION. THE SHEEP ARE SHEEP BY THE SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD ALONE, NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING THEY HAVE DONE TO MAKE THEMSELVES WORTHY.

1. YET WE WILL SEE THAT THEIR DEEDS ARE CLEAR EVIDENCE OF THEIR ELECTION. THESE DEEDS ARE THE FRUIT OF FAITH.

* BROTHERS AND SISTERS, KING JESUS IS IN EFFECT SAYING, "YOU ARE THE CHOSEN CHILDREN OF MY FATHER, AND YOUR FAITH IS MADE CLEAR BY THE SERVICE YOU HAVE RENDERED TO ME. WELCOME INTO MY KINGDOM."

** AND THEIR SERVICE, THE FRUITS OF GENUINE SAVING FAITH BY GRACE ARE COMMUNICATED BEGINNING IN V. 35, WHERE WE'LL SEE OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE SERVICE. LOOK AT V. 35 PLEASE.

III. THE SERVICE, (READ V. 35)

A. NOW BEGINNING IN V. 35 AND CONTINUING IN V. 36, JESUS WILL COMMUNICATE SIX DIFFERENT KINDS OF WORKS OF SERVICE TO MEET NEEDS OF OTHER BELIEVERS THAT REPRESENT AREAS OF NEED FOR ONE ANOTHER DURING THE TRIBULATION.

* FOR REMEMBER, THESE ARE TRIBULATION SAINTS HELPING EACH OTHER. THE CONTEXT IS PEOPLE WHO LIVE THROUGH THE TRIBULATION.

** AND REMEMBER FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUY OR SELL ANYTHING ACCORDING TO REV. 13:17.

*** AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE PERSECUTED, AND THE ONLY HELP TRUE BELIEVERS WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE IS FROM ONE ANOTHER.

**** SO IN V. 35, THIS WILL CREATE HUNGER FROM LACK OF FOOD, AND THIRST FROM A LACK OF WATER AND HOMELESSNESS FOR SOME BELIEVERS.

1. AND THE MEAGER SUPPLIES AND HOUSING THEY WILL HAVE THEY WILL SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER. THERE WILL BE COMMUNITY LIKE IN THE BOOK OF ACTS, AS THEY SHARED ALL THINGS COMMON. (ILLUSTRATE ESTONIA AND RUSSIA)

* SO BELIEVERS HELP ONE ANOTHER. THERE IS A REAL VITAL LIVING ACTIVE FAITH IN THE LIVES OF GOD'S PEOPLE. AND IT CONTINUES IN V. 36. LOOK AT V. 36 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 36. NOW AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE JUDGMENTS OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, PEOPLE WHO BECOME BELIEVERS DURING THIS TIME, A NUMBER WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER FROM EVERY NATION ACCORDING TO REV. 7:9, WILL BE GOING THROUGH VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TIMES COMPOUNDED BY PERSECUTION FROM THE ANTICHRIST AND HIS FOLLOWERS.

* SO THERE WILL BE A LACK OF CLOTHING, SICKNESS, AND BELIEVERS WILL BE PUT IN PRISON BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH.

** WHICH MAKES SENSE OF WHY BELIEVERS ARE IN PRISON, FOR THEIR FAITH, NOT LAWLESSNESS.

*** AND AGAIN, LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER WILL BE MANIFEST BY HELPING ONE ANOTHER, THE FRUIT OF FAITH.

**** AND NOTICE THE PERSONAL PRONOUNS USED IN VV. 35&36. JESUS SAID I WAS HUNGRY, I WAS THIRSTY, I WAS A STRANGER, YOU CLOTHED ME, I WAS SICK AND I WAS IN PRISON.

1. AND THIS LEADS THE SHEEP TO ASK A QUESTION IN V. 37. LOOK AT V. 37 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 37. NOW NOTICE THAT THE SHEEP ARE CALLED "THE RIGHTEOUS" IN V. 37. THESE ARE ONES WHO HAVE BEEN DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BY CHRIST THROUGH SAVING FAITH, AND RIGHTEOUS ACTS ARE AGAIN A FRUIT OF THEIR FAITH, READ ROMANS 4:5, ROMANS 5:1, ROMANS 5:9, ROMANS 5:19 AND II COR. 5:21. 

* SO WE THAT HAVE BEEN SAVED BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE BECAUSE OF CHRIST ALONE ARE RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST AND PRODUCE RIGHTEOUS ACTS AS FRUITS OF OUR SALVATION.

** AND THE GOOD DEEDS MENTIONED ALL DEAL WITH COMMON EVERYDAY NEEDS, ROUTINE ACTS OF KINDNESS WHICH THE BELIEVERS PERFORMED TOWARD OTHER BELIEVERS.

*** BUT THEY ASK WHEN DID WE PERFORM THESE TOWARDS YOU LORD? WE NEVER SAW YOU IN THE TRIBULATION. AND THE QUESTIONS CONTINUE, LOOK AT V. 38.

D. READ V. 38. NOW THE QUESTIONS CONTINUE, LORD WHEN DID WE SEE YOU AS A STRANGER AND NEEDED A PLACE TO STAY? AND LORD WHEN DID WE SEE YOU NAKED, LIT. WITHOUT ADEQUATE CLOTHES AND CLOTHE YOU?

* LORD, WE CAN'T REMEMBER DOING THOSE THINGS FOR YOU. AND THE QUESTIONS CONTINUE IN V. 39. LOOK AT V. 39 PLEASE.

E. READ V. 39. NOW IN V. 39, WE HAVE THE CONTINUATION OF THIS MYSTERY OF THE TRIBULATION SAINTS OF WONDERING WHEN JESUS WAS SICK OR IN PRISON AND HELPING HIM.

* FOR THEY REALIZED THAT THEY NEVER HELPED JESUS IN PERSON. SO THIS IS THE MYSTERY THAT GENERATES THE QUESTIONS.

** AND KING JESUS WILL ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS IN V. 40. LOOK AT V. 40 PLEASE.

F. READ V. 40. NOW OBVIOUSLY THE KING HERE IS JESUS, AND HE MAKES IT CLEAR HOW THESE SHEEP SERVED JESUS DIRECTLY.

* AND THAT IS WHATEVER BELIEVERS DO FOR EACH OTHER THEY ALSO DO FOR THEIR KING, THE LORD JESUS.

** BELOVED, THE SELF GIVING SERVICE OF CHRISTIANS TO EACH OTHER IN CHRIST'S NAME IS A KEY EXTERNAL MARK THAT IDENTIFIES THEM AS GOD'S PEOPLE.

*** FOR JESUS SAID IN JOHN 13:34&35 (READ THEM)

**** AND IN ACTS 9:5, WHEN SAUL WAS PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS, HE WAS ACTUALLY PERSECUTING WHO? CHRIST.

1. AND THEN IN MATT. 10:40, JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES ON ANOTHER OCCASION, "AND HE WHO RECEIVES ME RECEIVES HIM WHO SENT ME."

* SO TO DO SOMETHING FOR A BROTHER IS TO DO SOMETHING FOR CHRIST AND TO DO SOMETHING FOR CHRIST IS TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE FATHER.

** AND WHO THE BROTHERS ARE HERE SPARKS A LOT OF DEBATE. AND THERE ARE AT LEAST 4 INTERPRETATIONS OF WHO THE BROTHERS ARE.

(1) NO. 1, ANYONE WHO IS HUNGRY OR WHO HAS PHYSICAL NEEDS.

(2) NO. 2, THE JEWS.

(3) NO. 3, THE APOSTLES AND OTHER CHRISTIAN MINISTERS.

(4) AND NO. 4, TO CHRIST'S FOLLOWERS, TO ALL CHRISTIANS, AND THAT'S THE INTERPRETATION I LINE UP WITH.

* AND CONTEXTUALLY HERE TO TRIBULATION CHRISTIANS, WHO WILL OFTEN BE WITHOUT NECESSITIES BECAUSE OF THAT TERRIBLE TIME THEY ARE LIVING IN.

AND I CONCLUDE OUR TEXT TODAY WITH A COUPLE OF APPLICATIONS: NO. 1 IN I JOHN, JOHN GIVES AT LEAST 3 TESTS TO KNOW THAT WE ARE TRUE CHRISTIANS.

* ONE IS OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST'S COMMANDS, (READ I JOHN 2:3&4).

** NO. 2 IS WHETHER WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS GOD IN HUMAN FLESH, I JOHN 4:1&2 (READ THEM).

*** AND THEN GUESS WHAT THE THIRD ONE IS? IT'S WHETHER WE LOVE EACH OTHER AS CHRISTIANS, I JOHN 3:14; 4:7&8 (READ THEM).

**** NOW CLEARLY LOVING THE BRETHREN IS A CLEAR TEST OF TRULY KNOWING CHRIST.

(2) AND THIS LEADS TO MY 2'D APPLICATION TODAY, AND THAT IS TRUE BELIEVER'S LOVE IS SHOWN BY ACTIONS, NOT JUST WORDS, READ I JOHN 3:18.

* AND BELIEVER, WE ARE FAMILY, AND THE CHURCH IS THE FAMILY OF FAMILIES, AND THAT SHOULD LEAD US TO CARE FOR EACH OTHER AS FAMILY AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS FAMILY.

** AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM THE FAMILY. IF YOU JUST POP IN ON OCCASION, COMMUNITY, BODY LIFE, AND PRACTICING THE ONE ANOTHERS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

*** LET'S BE REMINDED OF OUR NEED FOR EACH OTHER AND BE REMINDED OF OUR NEED OF COMMUNITY.

**** AND FINALLY LET US BE REMINDED THAT HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER IS HOW WE ARE TREATING CHRIST AND THAT'S A SOBERING THOUGHT THAT WILL EITHER BRING JOY OR CONVICTION.

(3) I CLOSE WITH JOHN 15:12 (READ IT AND PRAY).