Supreme Court Justice Horace Gray once informed a man who had appeared before him in a lower court and had escaped conviction on a technicality, “I know that you are guilty and you know it, and I wish you to remember that one day you will stand before a better and wiser judge, and that there you will be dealt with according to justice and not according to law.”
Taken from “A Bundle of Laughs” J. John and Mark Stibbe, Monarch Books.
Matthew 25: 31-46
Jesus used the title Son of man in reference to him being the Judge.
“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of man.” John 5: 26, 27.
The Messiah’s Secret PART TWO – What is this? A New Teaching.
“The leaders, the shepherds of Jesus’ day were looking for the Christ to bring in the Day of Judgement, the Day of Wrath and establish the eternal throne and kingdom of God.
But, these same leaders were not aware that the Christ had to die on a cross before he could bring in the Day of Judgement.
“I came to cast a fire upon the earth; I would that it was already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how I am constrained until it is accomplished.” Luke 12: 49, 50.
Jesus couldn’t bring in the fire of judgement upon the earth until he had fulfilled the baptism of his death and resurrection and ascension and he was constrained because he saw how sinful the leaders of Israel were. Under the law the Jewish people earned their righteousness so to increase their righteousness to please God they added extra laws to the ones given to Moses by God.”
In verse 32 Matthew records that Jesus spoke of every nation coming to his throne of judgement. True justice means that every nation including the Gentiles coming before his throne of judgement having heard the same message about Jesus Christ being the Saviour of the world.
“Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles. that you were at the time separated from Christ alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made us both one . . . . . that he might create in himself one new man in place of two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross. Ephesians 2: 11-16
The wall in the temple that separated Jews and Gentiles broken down by the reconciling power of the cross.
In verse 34 Jesus introduced another of his titles ‘The King.’
The King relates to a King having a Kingdom like: King of Greece, King of Jordan etc Jesus the King of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus the Son of man is the Judge and he is also the King of the Kingdom of God.
The King gives us understanding of what separates the sheep from the goats
The sheep are the believers in Christ, whose faith has born fruit having given shelter, food and drink, clothes, visiting the sick and visiting those in prison. The goats are the unbelievers, those who deny that Jesus is the Christ and as a result they will not do these things in the name of Jesus.1 John 2: 22
Paul and Silas give us an example of what separates the sheep from the goats.
In Acts 16 we read that Paul and Silas have reached Philippi in Macedonia. They stayed in the city for a few days, then on the Sabbath Day they went to the riverside where they hoped to find people praying. When they got there they found a group of women sitting there, one of them was called Lydia she was a worshipper of God. Paul told her about Jesus, maybe he told her about Jesus fulfilling the covenants and promises given to the prophets especially those that spoke of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, also of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit by the prophet Joel. Lydia believed and invited Paul and Silas to her house to stay.
A fortnight ago at one of our churches house groups we were looking at the passage from Ezekiel 34: 1-24 and what came from our discussions was that as Christians we prepare ourselves for the day by reading from the Bible or daily notes and prayer and we make plans for the day or evening. But if the phone rings or gets a text or email to go to someone’s aid, we may wrestle with it, but more often than not, we drop what we’ve planned and respond to their need.
Lydia had probably made plans for that day, but her priorities changed as a result of her new found faith in Jesus she took Paul and Silas into her home giving them shelter, food and drink.
During Paul and Silas stay at Philippi they were followed by a slave girl who worked as a fortune teller. She annoyed Paul because she announced that they were servants of the Most High God, who proclaimed the way to be saved. Paul discerned that she was giving the impression that she was one of them, a follower of Jesus; she was masquerading as a sheep. Paul delivered her from the spirit of fortune telling.
The Roman men who owned the slave girl were furious with Paul and had them both seized and taken before the Magistrate. They accused Paul and Silas of advocating customs that were unlawful for Romans to accept or practice. Paul’s words had rendered the girl powerless which made her unable to predict the future, this meant loss of revenue for her Roman owners they were no longer able to fleece the sheep. These Romans I think we would be portrayed as unbelievers and according to this reading they would be described as ‘goats.’
The Magistrate or Judge was pressured by the indignation of the crowd and sentenced Paul and Silas to be flogged and put in secure prison cells.
God intervened by using natural forces, a slight earthquake that must have damaged the structure of the building to open the cell doors and loosen the stocks and chains so that all the prisoners were set free.
The jailer woke up hearing no doubt excited voices and noticing that the cell doors were open he thought that the prisoners had escaped. The jailer knew that he would face a terrible death as punishment from the Romans so he reached for his sword and was about to kill himself when Paul shouted to him, “Don’t harm yourself, we are all here.”
The jailer called for a light, when he saw Paul and Silas these two high security prisoners before him, he fell on his knees and said, “What must I do to be saved.” Perhaps he recalled the prayers and the singing of the hymns before the earthquake struck or maybe to him it was a miracle that the prisoners did not escape.
Paul responded, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
To receive knowledge about Jesus is life giving food and drink to our inner being.
Through faith in Jesus the jailer was set free from the prison of guilt were his conscious had convicted him of sin. The stocks and chains, the evidence that bound him he received forgiveness from God and entered into the King’s eternal kingdom. As a result he was clothed in righteousness, white fine linen depicting the righteous deeds of the Saints. Revelation 18: 8
The jailer could see in Paul and Silas something that he wanted and needed. The Roman way of life did not fulfil that need. Every human being needs to be filled with the love and knowledge of God. It can only be received through faith in what Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross.
Paul and Silas were taken to the jailer’s home where their wounds were dressed, Paul witnessed to all the household about Jesus and they went outside and they were all baptised. Afterwards they returned to the house and rejoiced over a meal.
Rita Nightingale
Rita Nightingale told us her story when she visited one of the churches in Rossendale. Rita had been on a visit to Thailand unknown to her drugs had been planted in her suitcase, as she went through customs at the Airport the drugs were found and she was accused of drug smuggling and was put in jail. Two Christian ladies visited her in prison where they gave her scriptures about Jesus, as she reflected on the words Rita came to know Jesus as her Saviour. Later her innocence was proved and above all expectations Rita was given a free pardon by the King of Thailand.
Acts 16 continued
Early next morning the Magistrate sent his officers with an order to release Paul and Silas. The jailer must have been relieved and rejoiced as he told them. However, through Paul’s Godly wisdom and courage he made it known to those present that the Magistrate had acted against Roman citizens when he had them flogged and thrown into prison. Paul insisted that the Magistrate should come and release them publicly.
The Magistrates Injustice he was a shepherd who cared nothing for the sheep
The Magistrate was alarmed he heard that he had acted against Roman citizens so he came probably out of fear of the Romans he escorted Paul and Silas from the prison. Justice needed to be seen to be done as this would have had its effect on the Gospel being taken out at Philippi. Afterwards Paul and Silas met at Lydia’s’ house were Paul encouraged them before they left them and went on their way.
Judgement
Jesus will judge the church for rewards. This judgement takes place before the Son of man comes with the angels to sit on his throne judging the nations.
On Jesus’ return he will take up the eternal throne of King David which was prophesied “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.” 2 Samuel 7: 36