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24 May 2020

The Sheep And The Goats [Matthew 25:31-46]
  • Topic: FALSE TEACHING, HEAVEN AND HELL, LOVING OTHERS, THE HOLINESS OF GOD, THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD, THE WRATH OF GOD

Overview

When Jesus returns, He will separate the sheep and the goats. What does that mean? Who are the sheep and who are the goats? And how is this relevant for me? Much ink has been spilt over the centuries regarding the exact understanding of this story in Matthew 25, but we will take a simple, direct and practical look in this sermon here. This is a "must-know" if you want to be ready for Jesus' return. He will come surely, secretly and suddenly, so be sure you are ready today!


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Sermon Transcript

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A very good morning to all of you, welcome to Gospel Light. We are coming to the end of the circuit breaker here in Singapore and it also happens that we are coming to the end of our sermon series called The Signs of the End. This is really a sermon series based on Jesus' teachings in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, where He tells us about His return one day. We've been looking at some of the signs, the events that precedes His coming.

I hope you remember how we talked about the Beginning of Birth Pains, the Tribulation, the Great Tribulation, the Abomination of Desolation and so on. And He also tells us that when these things come to pass, He will come surely, He will come secretly at a time we do not know. And He will come suddenly like that flood that swept through the whole earth during the worst time. So in the light of His return, that it will be at a time we do not know, and in a way that we have no time to react, He calls us to be ready.

He says in the various parables we've studied in the past weeks, be ready today in the light of His return tomorrow, because you do not know when He’s coming and you will have no time to repent and respond correctly when He comes. So be ready today in the light of His coming tomorrow. What do you mean, to be ready? Well, in the parables He taught us, that to be ready means we must have genuine saving faith. To be ready means we must be faithful, faithful to our time, to the treasures, to the ties that He has given to us and to be fruitful, to glorify God with all that we have. So that is what it means to be ready. Now that's a very quick summary of eight sermons gone by.

Today, I'd like us to look at something else that He's going to show us in the passage before us. In Matthew chapter 25 and verse 31, Jesus speaks about something more than what happened when He should return. It's like a kind of sneak peek, a kind of glimpse, a kind of preview as to what is going to take place when He comes to rule and reign on earth. It says when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Now we've already said that Jesus would come in a background of great darkness, the sun, the moon, the stars would fail to shine it's light or their light. And then Jesus on that black canvas comes in blazing glory, He’s going to come with His angels. We noticed that there will be a shout of the archangel, the blaring of the trumpet. And then we are told He will sit on his glorious throne.

So here we are given a picture of a kingdom, a King ruling on His throne. This is a picture of authority, and He is now going to preside over a judgement. So the scene before us is a King pronouncing a judgment upon some people and these people are categorized as sheep and goats. Now, this is a very familiar imagery of sheep and goats, you might have heard it in your life, even if you're not a Christian. These are two similar looking animals that are actually quite different. But on that day, when Jesus comes, people, categorized as sheep and goats will face a judgement. So this is a passage that talks about that separation of sheep and goats.

This is a passage that also talks about the sentencing that will be given to the sheep and goats. And then this is a passage that tells us about the surprise of the sheep and goats. So in a very simple way, we're going to look at this passage, some 16 verses, but it will be simple, it'll be straightforward. I hope it will be a blessing to you. So we're going to see the separation, the sentencing, and then the surprise. So first of all, the separation before Him, before Jesus, before the Son of Man returning in His glory, will be gathered all the nations and He will separate people, one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

So there will be a gathering of all the nations, gathering of all the people who are the sheep and the goats. Now this is not an unfamiliar imagery or picture. The sheep and goats can actually be part of the same flock in shepherding culture. They are different but their needs can be quite similar. So they are gathered together in the same flock, but they will not stay long together, because there will now be the separation. The sheep will be separated to be on the right, and the goats will be on the left.

Now most people are right handed, and the right hand is the preferred hand, that favorite hand. And so it is in Jewish culture and in biblical culture, that the right hand is a symbol of privilege, of favor, of preference, of honor. You recall how Jacob wanted to bless his younger grandson, Ephraim by reaching his right hand to place it on his head. Now, at that point of time, Ephraim was standing on his left. So Jacob wanting to bless the younger grandson reached out his right hand to place it on his head, and then he reached out his left hand to be on Manasseh’s head. So it was like a cross, it's very unusual. Usually, it's easier to bless this way than this. But the point is, Jacob was intentional to use his preferred right hand to symbolize honor and privilege and preference to be on the younger grandson.

You will also remember how Jesus is said, to be ascended to be raised to sit at the right hand of the throne of God, the place of honor and privilege. So this is the simple point, the sheep, whoever they are, we are going to look at that later, they will be on the right hand because they are the preferred ones, the favored ones, the ones who will receive honor, and then the goats will be on the left.

Number two, moving from the separation, we now see the sentencing. So Jesus, the King will now say to those on His right, who are they? The sheep. Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. What joy, what privilege, what honor that these sheep will be called the blessed ones, they have been blessed by God. They are the chosen ones of God. They are the favorite ones of God and they will inherit the kingdom prepared for them.

Now the kingdom, the eternal, joyous, righteous Kingdom of God is prepared for them. It speaks of a realm, of a place, of a time of great privilege and honor and notice this is intentionally prepared for them from the foundation of the world. This is not an afterthought, this is something that God has always intended to. He has designed it to show His favor upon His sheep. Now who are the people who are categorized as sheep? What would their life like be on earth? Well, in verse 35 and in verse 36, we read, “For I was hungry and you gave Me food. I was thirsty and you gave Me drink. You welcomed Me, you clothed Me, you visited Me, you came to Me.” So the sheep are the privileged ones who have been doing these things whilst they were on earth.

And so on the day when Jesus returns, He gathers them, He separates them on the right and says, you are blessed. This has been the manner of life you have had on earth, enter and inherit the kingdom that has been always prepared for you. Now, if you are watching a movie, the music should now change from jubilant celebration here to one that is very somber next, Because the King will now pronounce His sentence for the people who are gathered on His left, the goats. So He says to those on His left, depart from Me, you cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Now this is a scary verse. This is a scary sentencing. It is reserved for the goats. Jesus says to them, depart from Me, you will be banished forever from My loving presence. Depart from Me, why? Because you will be cursed, you are cursed, and you will be thrown into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, you will enter a place of eternal torment and suffering.

Now there is a very subtle but important difference for you to note. When we read about the kingdom, it was prepared specifically for the sheep. But when we read about the eternal fire, it is not prepared for the goats. The eternal fire was prepared for the devil and his angels, the demons. So this is I think, subtle. God's love has always been set upon those who are His sheep. But the goats enter the place of judgment because they follow after the similitude of Satan and his minions. It was not God's will to damn them in that sense, but that they sinned, and they followed after the sins or the similitude of the devil and his minions and therefore they are now judged in a place that was prepared for the devil and his minions. By the way, this verse also tells us that there is no such thing as universalism. You say, what in the world is that? Just universal-ism. There is no such thing as universalism. What is this teaching about?

Well, biblically speaking, or spiritually speaking, this is a kind of teaching, a wrong teaching that people have, that says God will save everyone. They believe that God is too loving, too kind, too merciful to let anyone suffer in hell with the devil and his minions. So they say, God is obliged by His love to save everyone in the universe, none excepted, universalism. But this verse clearly tells us, God does send unbelievers, people who are cursed, into this eternal fire. You see, people teach about universalism, because they might be imbalanced in their theology. They are so focused on the love of God that they forget about the wrath of God, the holiness of God, the justice of God, the righteousness of God.

Now we are not God and we would do wrong. If we suppose or we think of ourselves more loving as God and say that God is too loving to damn anyone in hell, Oh no. God is all love and God is all wrath. God is all merciful, but God is all righteous and holy and in His infinite wisdom, in the outflow of all His attributes, it is right and suitable and appropriate that there will be those who would taste of His eternal blessings forever in the kingdom prepared for them. And there'll be those who will be damned in hell, that His wrath and holiness might be beautifully displayed also. So, the Bible does not argue for universalism.

Neither does the Bible argue for annihilationism. What is annihilationism? The word, annihilate means to absolutely cause you to vanish, to disappear, to obliterate you. Now, there are some people, I think, erroneously believing that when we are judged, we simply disappear. We simply vanish. We simply are no more. But the Bible does not teach annihilationism. The Bible speaks about eternal life in the kingdom to come and about suffering in eternal fire because we will not be God's people. So, we now see the sentencing, the sheep goes to eternal life and blessing and joy, and the goats will go to the place of eternal fire together with Satan and his minions.

Number three, we see the surprise. The surprise is not so much that the sheep and goats are where they are. The surprise is not so much that they did do or they did not do what they are supposed to do. But the surprise is that they did not realize that they did do these things unto Jesus. So, in verse 37, we are told, the righteous will answer Him saying, Lord, when did we see you? I have no problems. You say that we did these things, we helped the poor, we clothed them, we visited them, we gave them food. We did that, yes, we know that. And we are greatly encouraged that we are now today at Your right hand. That's not our surprise. Our surprise is, when did we see you? And when did we do these things unto You? And Jesus would say, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.” I'm sure, I'm confident that Jesus is saying, as far as you have done it to My people, My followers, the Christians, you did it to Me.

So Jesus is saying, when you look at the Bible, Jesus and His people are very intimately related to each other. When you serve My people, you are serving Me. And this relationship is seen also in Matthew 10, “Whoever receives you, receives Me”. It’s also seen in Acts chapter 9, Saul, Saul, Jesus said to Saul, “why are you persecuting Me?” Now Saul was not persecuting Jesus per se, because Jesus has already died and risen and is ascended at the right hand of God. But Saul was persecuting Jesus' people, His church. So that relationship between Christ and His people are so close. That the Bible also describes Him to be our head and we are His body. So I grew up when I was younger, watching a lot of Cantonese drama serials, and I'll remember people, those gung ho heroes, they will say, “Mo yoke hui, lei yoke hui, chao hai yoke ngo” (in Cantonese). What does it mean? Don't touch him. If you touch him, it means you also touch Me, and I will take revenge.

So in a similar way, when we hurt or harm God's people, we are actually doing offense towards Christ. But when we do good to God's people, Christ's people, we are also serving Christ. And that's the surprise that the sheep had to understand. And so truly I say to you, as you did it to one of these or the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me. Now, the same surprise was true for the goats. The goats also answered, 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? You know, what's their point?

Their point is this, if only we had known that it was You, we would have done it. And if You were here, we would have done it. Now, the earlier sheep, they did what they did because it was their, just their normal way of life. That, that was their nature. That was their instinct, they will serve all the brothers and sisters in Christ, and in doing so they ministered to the Son, to Jesus. But now the goats are saying, “Oh, we did not serve them, but we would if we had known it was You and we would definitely have served You”.

But the point Jesus then makes to them is, truly I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. Oh no, He said, you wouldn't do it. You wouldn't do it to Me because just as you did not do it to My people, you did not do it unto Me. So here we see the separation, the sentencing and the surprise of the sheep and the goats. And the necessary question I think, right now you must be having in your head is, am I a goat or am I a sheep? And that's the most important question. Which category will you belong to when Jesus returns? How can we know today where we will belong on that day He comes?

And the point is so that today, you might get ready. So, how can you tell if you are a sheep or a goat? I think the basic idea in this story, in this sneak peek, in this preview, in this glimpse, is God's people are known by the love we show for one another. Let me say that again. God’s people are known by the love we show for one another. It's a very simple idea but a very important one. The sheep will be recognized by the love they show for one another, for the people of God, and the goats will be manifest by the lack of love they have for God's people. Very simple distinction. See, I believe that the goats in this story represent people who claim to love Jesus but who actually don't.

These are people who look like sheep. They belong to the same flock. They may even call Jesus, Lord. That's how they call Jesus, Lord. But they are the ones who will depart from the ever loving presence of God forevermore. They are the ones who are actually cursed, and they are the ones who will be thrown in eternal fire. Why? Because they are a people who are manifest by their lack of love for God's people. Say whatever they want to say, claim whatever they want to claim.

On that Day of Judgment, it will be clear that the goats will be marked by their lack of love for God's people. You see, the love for God's people is a cardinal mark. It's a, it's a clear and obvious mark for God's people. John 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus told the apostles, this is how you will be distinguished. This is how you will be differentiated. This is how people can tell you apart that you have love for one another. Goats will not love God's people.

1 John 3:14 - 15 , “We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers.” How do you know you have eternal life? How do you know you're born again? How do you know you're God's child? Because we know because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death. You are a goat, whatever you say. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. The goats do not love God's people, but instead they may have a hatred towards some of God's people. And so the Bible is crystal clear. It doesn't matter whether you have been to church 1000 times in your life. Doesn't matter if you've read your Bible 1000 times over. You have prayed prayers 1000 times over.

This is how that judgment will be made. Do you demonstrate real love for God's people? I like what JD Greear, a pastor today, a young pastor said today, “There are two ways to tell what you believe, what your mouth says and what your life says and one of them never lies.” So what's your life like? I'm not asking you what you profess to believe. I'm not asking you what you call yourself. I'm asking you what is your life like? Because I believe your life will not lie. Are you someone who loves God's people? Oh, some of you, you may say, I do love. But you know, I could not serve God's people because I'm very busy. I have many problems in my life. I have many children to take care of. I have a lot of work in the office. I've always wanted to but I've never been able to do it.

You know, at the end of the day, God is not going to judge you based on intentions alone. He's going to watch your life. What have you really done? Because God's people will clothe, will feed, will give water, will visit, will love and serve one another. Do you know that in this story of the sheep and goats, nothing is mentioned about what the goats actually did. They are not said to be murderers for example, they are not said to be rapists, they are not said to be thieves. They are just said to be people who did not love and my friends, this is it. You may think of yourself as a very decent man or woman. You do not steal, you do not cheat, you do not lie, you do not murder, you do not have adultery. And you say, surely I'm a sheep. But the question here is, do you love and give and sacrifice and serve because that's the mark of God's people. They will love one another. God's people are known by the love we show for one another.

Just like the parable of the talents. They were fruitful, the first two, and the last was fruitless. He was not a rapist, he was not a murderer. But the pronouncement upon him is that he's a wicked and slothful servant. God's people are known by the love we show for one another. Now, let me get this clear, alright. Don't get me wrong. I am not suggesting to you that because you have no good works shown to God’s people, you are not loving, you are not serving, you are not sacrificing. I am not saying to you, go and love and serve and sacrifice so that perhaps God may accept you. No, no, no, no, no, not at all. I am not saying that you should do these things in order to be loved by God. But I'm saying, because you lack these things, recognize you need to be saved by God. Because these good works of love do not earn salvation, but they only evidenced salvation.

These good works are not the purchase of our salvation, but they are the proof of someone who has received salvation. They are not the means or the method to salvation, but they are the manifestation of salvation. So the point here is, don't be a goat that will do good works but ask God to change you from being a goat to a sheep today. I'm saying, this is a passage that should humble you, that should come, that should cause you to come to God in brokenness, in humility and say, Lord my heart, it is not changed because I know I do not love God's people, I have not loved God's people. And now I know I can't continue being a goat in the church. I can't continue playing the game of hypocrisy. I don't want to delude myself anymore. I'm undone, I need You to save me.

Lord, change my heart, save me, help me to repent and believe in Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm saying to you, come to Jesus today and stop this game of putting on a mask because one day, it will all be made clear. And if it is only made clear on that day, it will be too late for you. So be ready for Jesus' return by coming to God in humility, repent and believe in Jesus.

Don't continue to be a goat. Worse still, don't continue to pretend to be a goat that will do good works. But come to God and ask Him to save you from your sins. I believe He will. God's people are known by the love we show for one another. I believe that's the instinct, the natural desire of the heart of God's people. You see, the Bible tells us that when we are saved, God gives us a new heart, a new heart that is beating for Him, a new heart that is infused with love, a new heart that will love those around us. I read for example, in Ephesians 4, this is one of my favorite texts. It says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor doing honest work with his own hands.”

See, when a man comes to Jesus, he might be a thief. But when he becomes a Christian, when God touches his life, saves him from his sin, gives him a new heart, you know, the thief would not want to steal. That's great. Instead, he will now want to work, doing honest work with his own hands. That's great. But what's even more remarkable is that he does his hard work so that he may have a big house? No. So that he may be rich? No. So that he may be famous? No. But so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

You see, that's his instinct. And that's his desire, that when God saves him, his heart is so changed, that instead of grabbing he’s thinking about giving, in a time where he, where people are instinctively hoarding, he wants to share. That's the mark of grace. That's the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in a man's heart. And so, if you are a sheep today, you will know exactly what I'm saying. And that's what you want, that's what you desire. And that's what the Bible encourages us to do in the power of the Holy Spirit. So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone and especially to those who are of the household of faith. You’ll love God's people. And whilst you would love all, you would love His people particularly, especially doing good to those who are of the household of faith. It gets practical here.

But if anyone has the world's goods, you have riches, you have rice, you have bread, you have toilet paper, and you see your brother in need. That would be terrible if you see him lacking toilet paper. But anyway, when you see him lack anything, toilet paper or not, you will not close your heart against him because if you close your heart against him, how does God's love abide in you? The obvious point is, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” God's people are marked by love and sacrifice and service, not the theorizing or the teaching or the listening of the subject of teaching or serving and giving only. They will love in deed and in truth.

Are you someone who is constantly self absorbed? That your idea of church is, they've got to serve me, they've got to meet my needs. I'm here because they have to serve me. I'm the most important person here. It's my preference, my desires, my wants, and you never think about what your brothers need, and you never lift a finger to do anything for those in need. Well, God's people will love in deed and truth and not just in word or talk. Hey, another passage that I love, Romans 12, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12, what a great verse, it talks about worship.

By the way, this worship is about giving yourself, your life to be that living sacrifice. Worship to God is not singing in church only, it's not sitting in a room and “Ommm”, that's not what worship looks like here. Worship here is about being a sacrifice. Why do you worship God? Because of the mercies of God. Because of what He has done for you in Jesus Christ. Because He sent His Son to die for you when you cannot save yourself. Jesus paid for your sins, He loves you, He saves you, He cleanses you from all sin and because you know His amazing sacrifice in love, you worship Him. And you worship Him by giving Him your life.

But how do you worship? What do you give your life to? Stay in church? Attend every service? Sweep the floor in church? What does worship look like? Most of us think of worship in very mystical exoteric ways. But I encourage you today, even after the service today. This is the Lord’s day, take time to read His Word. I encourage you to look at Romans 12, all the way to Romans 16. And I want you to see that worship to God, who we cannot see, is best expressed by service to His people who we can see. Let me get this clear again to you.

Worship is because of the Gospel. And worship results in a willingness to lay down our lives. But it's not for some weird, mystical, exoteric experience. Laying down our lives in worship looks like serving the people around us because that's what you learn in Romans. Paul, after describing what it means to be a living sacrifice, tells us that you start to use your spiritual gifts. In verses 3 - 8, use your spiritual gifts to serve the church, to serve the people in church, and then love one another affectionately, authentically, appreciatively. Serve and love one another. Don't allow error to creep up in your life. Speak to them the truth, encourage them, provoke them, exhort them to holiness. And then He talks about how that love, that worship is seen in how we do not take revenge on those who hurt us.

Then he goes to Romans 13 who talks about what it means to submit to the government. Submission to the government is not a political matter, it is a spiritual matter. That's what it means to worship God. And then he goes on to Romans 14:15, that talks about how we are to bear with our brother’s spiritual weakness, we do not stumble them. We sacrifice our preferences in order to help them in their spiritual life. Do you see this? That's what it means to be a living sacrifice. That's what it means to worship. You worship the God you can’t see by serving the people you can. So let me ask you, how's your worship? How’s your worship? Do you consider and do you actually practically employ your spiritual gifts to serve God's people?

You know, church is not about your pastor, serving with his spiritual gifts only. I serve you, I'm glad to. But you know, that's your privilege so that you can serve one another, whether it's giving or encouragement, or leadership. You can serve. And I want to encourage you to serve one another even on cyberspace. As you meet up with one another, as you know one another's needs, be the one to meet that need because God's people, the sheep would want to do that. And then love one another in community. It's not just fellowship, eating and drinking. Now, we can't do that at all, but fellowship. That sharing of life together means that you care for one another and do not suffer, do not allow someone to live in sin. You speak truth into his life, you encourage him, you pray for him.

Worship to God means that we should not harbor bitterness or animosity, especially towards God's people. It is so sad when I see Christians argue, fight, and then the next thing you know, they leave church. I don't think that is biblical at all. I mean, worship to God means that I get right with my brother, or my sister, as best as I can, and retreating from the problem, retreating from a difficult relationship is hardly loving. But I worship God, and I want to get right with my brothers and my sisters. I want to live in love, because that is the instinct of a heart that has been changed.

Therefore, John says, If anyone hates the brother, there is no eternal life abiding in him. And then let me say also, our worship to God involves the way we look at our government. I'm not suggesting allegiance to any political party, I'm saying allegiance, submission to the government that God has installed. Now, we all may have different political views, that's fine. But, hey, we should all submit to the government. Pray for the government, pay our taxes. And if there should be disagreements as to our political views, let us realize the Gospel is greater than politics, isn't it?

So I want to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ today. Live out your life of worship in loving one another, because that is the mark of God's people. And it can be very simple things. We read in this passage, for example, it's as simple as providing food and drink and welcome and clothing and visitations. It's not complicated.

Loving, serving God's people can be a handshake, a greeting, a simple text, a simple phone call, in today's context, we send some food. It might look something as simple as that. But that is exactly valuable in God's eyes. Jesus elsewhere said, “And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, because he’s the least of my brethren for example, truly I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” That's, that's amazing. You probably forget 1001 things you have done for God's people. You probably have.

But Jesus is saying, I will always remember it. And you will never lose your reward. Every cup of cold water, doesn't even cost a cent. You will never lose that reward. Spurgeon says, a cup of cold water may contain a warm sea of love and I pray that we will be a people who understand God's love for us. Our hearts are so filled with this Gospel love that we would serve and give and sacrifice. It might be simple things but may your cup of cold water contain a warm sea of love.

So, my brethren, God’s people are known by the love we show for one another. Are you a goat or a sheep? If you realise today you are a goat, I am glad for you because at least you can stop pretending. At least today, you might begin to humble yourself before God and cry out to Him for mercy. You will read the Bible and say, Lord, help me to repent and believe in Jesus. And today might be the day God works in your heart and life, that He might turn you miraculously from a goat into a sheep. Take down that mask and say, Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. I pray this will be a beautiful day for you in salvation.

And then I want to say to my brothers and sisters in Christ, be ready for Jesus’ return. What does that mean? Have faith, have real faith in Jesus Christ and then be faithful in all that you do. Be fruitful in all that you do. In what way? In serving the people you can see because they are God’s people even though you can’t see God. I want you to be ready today. I pray I’ll be ready every single day of my life, loving, serving, giving our best of worship to God by serving His people.

And then lastly, can I remind you, the reason why we are marked by love is because Jesus Christ has first loved us. We love Him because He first loved us. We are giving to people because God has first given His Son for us. So I like to remind you on this Lord’s day, think of Jesus, think of what He has done on the Cross. Think of this amazing love of God. God demonstrated His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And may His Gospel love inspire you to wonderful deeds of love and on that day, we may stand and hear God say, Well done, you good and faithful servant, well done, come you blessed ones, inherit the Kingdom that has been prepared for you. May God bless you richly.

Lets bow for a word of prayer. Father, we thank You so much for this morning we can hear Your Word. This is such a message of eternal significance and we pray that Your Holy Spirit will be merciful to call men and women from sin, from self righteousness, from hypocrisy to true humility at the foot of the Cross. Please grant to men and women repentance and faith that they might be saved for Your glory today. I pray for the church here at Gospel Light, that we will abound in good works, Oh Lord. And the only way this can be so is when we continue to drink in the Gospel and then we can live out the Gospel so that we might also have the privilege and open door to give out the Gospel. Father, we want to thank You for Your love, this day is Your day. May we worship You because You are the God of our salvation, the God of love. We praise You and thank You in Jesus Name, Amen. God bless!

 

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