Series A – Last Sunday of the Church Year – Sunday, November 22, 2020 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough
| Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough: |
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:28 | the holy gospel according to saint |
| 0:30 | matthew the 25th chapter |
| 0:32 | [Music] |
| 0:40 | Jesus said when the son of man comes in |
| 0:42 | his glory and all the angels with him |
| 0:45 | then he will sit on his glorious throne |
| 0:47 | before him will be gathered all the |
| 0:48 | nations |
| 0:49 | and he will separate people one from |
| 0:52 | another |
| 0:52 | as a shepherd separates the sheep from |
| 0:54 | the goats he will place the sheep on his |
| 0:57 | right |
| 0:57 | but the goats on the left then the king |
| 0:59 | will say to those on his right come you |
| 1:01 | who are blessed by my father |
| 1:03 | inherit the kingdom prepared for you |
| 1:05 | from the foundation of the world |
| 1:07 | for i was hungry and you gave me food i |
| 1:10 | was thirsty and you gave me drink i was |
| 1:12 | a stranger and you welcomed me i was |
| 1:14 | naked and you clothed me |
| 1:15 | i was sick and you visited me i was in |
| 1:18 | prison and you came to me |
| 1:19 | then the righteous will answer him |
| 1:21 | saying lord when do we see you hungry |
| 1:22 | and feed you or thirsty and give you |
| 1:24 | drink |
| 1:25 | and when do we see you a stranger and |
| 1:26 | welcome you or naked and clothe you |
| 1:28 | and when do we see you sick or in prison |
| 1:30 | and visit you |
| 1:31 | and the king will answer them truly i |
| 1:34 | say to you |
| 1:35 | as you did it to one of the least of |
| 1:36 | these my brothers you did it to me |
| 1:38 | then he will say to those on his left |
| 1:40 | depart from me |
| 1:42 | you cursed into the eternal fire |
| 1:44 | prepared for the devil and his angels |
| 1:46 | for i was hungry and you gave me thirsty |
| 1:49 | and he gave me no drink |
| 1:50 | i was a stranger and you did not welcome |
| 1:52 | me naked and you did not clothe me |
| 1:54 | sick and in prison and you did not visit |
| 1:57 | me then they also will answer saying |
| 1:59 | lord |
| 1:59 | do we see you hungry or thirsty or a |
| 2:01 | stranger or naked or sick or in prison |
| 2:04 | and did not minister to you then he will |
| 2:06 | answer them saying |
| 2:07 | truly i say to you as you did not do it |
| 2:10 | to one of the least of these you did not |
| 2:11 | do it to me |
| 2:12 | and these will go away into eternal |
| 2:14 | punishment but the righteous into |
| 2:17 | eternal life |
| 2:18 | this is the gospel of the lord in the |
| 2:20 | name of Jesus |
| 2:22 | all right it’s the end of the world |
| 2:24 | we’ve been talking about it for weeks |
| 2:26 | now |
| 2:26 | just going on and on and on about the |
| 2:28 | end of the world don’t let anyone ever |
| 2:29 | tell you that lutherans don’t have |
| 2:31 | a good rich theology regarding |
| 2:33 | eschatology we have |
| 2:34 | three to four weeks every year dedicated |
| 2:37 | to talking about it |
| 2:38 | so the rumors are not true but all that |
| 2:41 | being said |
| 2:42 | i will continue to point out that when |
| 2:44 | it comes to the day of judgment |
| 2:46 | it sounds like an ominous and terrible |
| 2:48 | thing and for some it will be |
| 2:50 | but the point is is for those of you who |
| 2:52 | are in Christ and i’m assuming that you |
| 2:53 | all are in Christ |
| 2:55 | that you are forgiven you believe that |
| 2:57 | Jesus is |
| 2:58 | the son of god who bled and died for the |
| 3:00 | sins of the world then note this |
| 3:02 | your judge is the one who loved you so |
| 3:06 | much |
| 3:06 | that he laid down his life so that you |
| 3:09 | would |
| 3:09 | live rather than perish eternally |
| 3:13 | if you think about it this way when |
| 3:15 | somebody commits |
| 3:16 | a crime or maybe they have to go into |
| 3:19 | some kind of |
| 3:19 | civil litigation always and again the |
| 3:22 | attorney will take into consideration |
| 3:24 | which judge it is that’s going to handle |
| 3:27 | the trial |
| 3:28 | and it’s usually a bad sign when your |
| 3:30 | attorney says to you |
| 3:32 | um yeah we got that judge |
| 3:35 | they call him the hanging judge you’re |
| 3:37 | not you’re not so |
| 3:38 | keen on that but understand this your |
| 3:42 | judge is not the hanging judge |
| 3:45 | your judge is the one who loved you so |
| 3:47 | much |
| 3:48 | so much that he took your sin upon |
| 3:50 | himself |
| 3:52 | and died in your place |
| 3:55 | suffering the wrath of god in your place |
| 3:57 | so that the day of judgment is not |
| 3:59 | something that you |
| 4:00 | should fear in fact as you kind of walk |
| 4:02 | through this text with me |
| 4:04 | you’ll note that there’s some kind of |
| 4:06 | funny things going along here and we’re |
| 4:07 | going to note that |
| 4:09 | one of the common ways in which this |
| 4:11 | final parable of Jesus |
| 4:13 | gets twisted is that people will turn it |
| 4:17 | into a text that somehow teaches that we |
| 4:20 | are |
| 4:20 | saved by how we treat the poor |
| 4:23 | or the needy that’s not what this text |
| 4:26 | is saying at all |
| 4:27 | think of it this way is that if you’re |
| 4:29 | going to take this text and turn it into |
| 4:31 | a text that teaches that we are saved by |
| 4:33 | our works |
| 4:34 | well that’s like having a toilet that’s |
| 4:36 | backing up and all the sewage is coming |
| 4:37 | out the wrong way |
| 4:38 | that’s a bad thing you don’t want to do |
| 4:40 | that with this text and we’ll pay |
| 4:42 | attention to some of the details because |
| 4:43 | when you see it |
| 4:44 | it’ll actually be quite comforting so |
| 4:47 | here’s what our parable says Jesus said |
| 4:49 | the son of man when he comes in his |
| 4:50 | glory |
| 4:51 | and all the angels with them he will sit |
| 4:53 | on his glorious throne |
| 4:55 | before him will be gathered all the |
| 4:57 | nations |
| 4:58 | and he will separate people one from |
| 5:00 | another as a shepherd separates the |
| 5:02 | sheep |
| 5:02 | from the goats and a lot of people miss |
| 5:05 | this even exegetes who are |
| 5:06 | careful to try to rightly understand |
| 5:08 | god’s word and the point |
| 5:10 | is this is that once this happens the |
| 5:12 | judgment |
| 5:13 | has taken place it’s over it’s done with |
| 5:17 | it’s like when you go to you know the |
| 5:19 | cvs pharmacy to get your annual flu shot |
| 5:22 | i know i don’t like getting shots |
| 5:24 | and so have you ever noticed that people |
| 5:25 | have like me they have a tendency to |
| 5:27 | turn away i just don’t even want to see |
| 5:29 | it |
| 5:29 | because if i see it i’m all anxiety |
| 5:31 | written and so what ends up happening |
| 5:33 | when i go and get a shot |
| 5:34 | what over and again i avert my eyes i |
| 5:37 | talk about the weather so how about the |
| 5:40 | how about them vikings how oh well |
| 5:41 | that’s a terrible topic let’s talk about |
| 5:43 | something else |
| 5:44 | and while i’m looking away the |
| 5:47 | the woman gives me the shot oftentimes i |
| 5:50 | don’t even feel it she says all done and |
| 5:51 | i go that’s it |
| 5:52 | it’s all done i feel like a |
| 5:54 | five-year-old kid i want a lollipop |
| 5:56 | afterwards |
| 5:56 | but anyway you get the point is that |
| 5:59 | that |
| 6:00 | the judgment has already taken place |
| 6:02 | Jesus says all right all you sheep over |
| 6:03 | here |
| 6:04 | that way that way okay you goats you |
| 6:06 | over there |
| 6:08 | the judgment’s taken place you you are |
| 6:11 | either a sheep |
| 6:12 | or you are a goat and those who are in |
| 6:15 | Christ |
| 6:16 | who trust in him for the forgiveness of |
| 6:19 | their sins |
| 6:20 | through the mighty working of the holy |
| 6:21 | spirit through his word and sacraments |
| 6:24 | have been brought to penitent faith in |
| 6:26 | Christ they have been transformed |
| 6:28 | from sheep from goats into sheep |
| 6:32 | if you remember our epistle text talking |
| 6:34 | about |
| 6:35 | how in adam everybody has been brought |
| 6:38 | into death and to sin not one of us is a |
| 6:41 | good person not me not you not anybody |
| 6:44 | with the exception of Christ as in adam |
| 6:46 | all die so also in Christ shall all be |
| 6:49 | made alive and so you’ll note then that |
| 6:52 | being born dead and trespasses in sin |
| 6:54 | it’s god who has to raise you to life in |
| 6:56 | him |
| 6:57 | and so that being the case once he’s |
| 6:59 | done that you’re a sheep |
| 7:00 | and once you’re a sheep well on the day |
| 7:02 | of judgment you got nothing really to |
| 7:04 | to fear and you’re going to note this |
| 7:06 | that sheep aren’t exactly the brightest |
| 7:08 | animals out there in the animal kingdom |
| 7:11 | goats are pretty clever they’re very |
| 7:12 | smart |
| 7:14 | sheep not so much so |
| 7:17 | then the king will say to those on his |
| 7:18 | right his sheep |
| 7:20 | come you who are blessed by my father |
| 7:23 | inherit |
| 7:24 | the kingdom prepared for you from the |
| 7:26 | foundation of the world that’s an |
| 7:28 | important word by the way |
| 7:29 | inherit i’ve said it before and i’ll |
| 7:32 | continue to say it |
| 7:34 | an inheritance is not something you earn |
| 7:37 | an inheritance is something that is |
| 7:39 | given to you as a gift |
| 7:41 | and we always hear stories you know |
| 7:44 | oftentimes it’ll show up in a movie or |
| 7:45 | in a book |
| 7:46 | of some fellow who has a rich uncle he |
| 7:48 | didn’t even know he had |
| 7:50 | who was a bazillionaire you know rich |
| 7:52 | beyond his wildest imagination |
| 7:55 | and upon his uncle’s death his uncle has |
| 7:57 | given |
| 7:58 | the entire estate to him |
| 8:01 | what is he going to do with that and |
| 8:02 | what do you know it’s an amazing gift |
| 8:04 | so think of it this way and part of the |
| 8:06 | job of a pastor |
| 8:08 | is i get to do the job of one of those |
| 8:12 | attorneys who well |
| 8:16 | divvies out the the will the inheritance |
| 8:20 | and so think of us right now we’re |
| 8:22 | gathered around the conference room |
| 8:23 | table |
| 8:24 | and maybe i’m wearing a tie rather than |
| 8:26 | a collar and so |
| 8:27 | i’m looking at the will and uh well i |
| 8:30 | got good news |
| 8:31 | for you who are in Christ you’re in |
| 8:34 | your names are right here you’re and |
| 8:36 | you’re in cinema going really yeah yeah |
| 8:38 | your names are in the will and um i’ve |
| 8:41 | got even better news for you |
| 8:43 | he’s given you the whole estate he’s |
| 8:46 | given you |
| 8:46 | land property he’s given you a place |
| 8:50 | in a world without end all of this he’s |
| 8:52 | given to you for free |
| 8:54 | you see think of it this way Jesus |
| 8:56 | knowing that he was going to die |
| 8:57 | and die for our sins took advantage of |
| 9:00 | one of those loopholes |
| 9:02 | that we have here in this world that |
| 9:04 | people who die can and |
| 9:05 | can will their things to others and |
| 9:07 | since Jesus is king of kings and lord of |
| 9:09 | lords |
| 9:10 | and he is the one who possesses and who |
| 9:12 | has made and who owns |
| 9:14 | the heavens and the earth he has chosen |
| 9:16 | as his |
| 9:17 | last will and testament to make it so |
| 9:19 | that you by grace |
| 9:21 | through faith can inherit the world |
| 9:24 | without end |
| 9:25 | and so he’s given it to you completely |
| 9:27 | free and when he returns |
| 9:29 | that will be the day when you will first |
| 9:32 | see your inheritance and you will first |
| 9:34 | see your great benefactor face to face |
| 9:37 | and this kingdom has been prepared for |
| 9:40 | us |
| 9:40 | from since the foundation of the world |
| 9:42 | those are interesting words because you |
| 9:44 | recognize then if this has all been |
| 9:46 | prepared for us |
| 9:47 | since the foundation of the world that |
| 9:49 | when adam sinned and fell into sin |
| 9:51 | god didn’t have come up with plan b he |
| 9:54 | knew all of this was going to go down |
| 9:56 | long before it ever happened and then |
| 9:58 | now |
| 9:59 | having declared to them that they are |
| 10:02 | receiving an inheritance |
| 10:03 | having separated by what they are now |
| 10:07 | then good works come into play and we |
| 10:09 | have to make a distinction here |
| 10:11 | the good works being mentioned here are |
| 10:14 | of a unique |
| 10:15 | type not a general type so when i talk |
| 10:18 | about a general type of good work |
| 10:20 | note this that scripture is clear that |
| 10:24 | we are tasked by god to |
| 10:27 | not only care for those who love us but |
| 10:32 | we are to pray for |
| 10:33 | and meet the needs of even those who are |
| 10:36 | our |
| 10:36 | avowed enemies so scripture is clear |
| 10:40 | when your enemy is hungry you feed him |
| 10:44 | when your enemy is thirsty you give him |
| 10:47 | something to drink |
| 10:49 | when your enemies ox has strayed and |
| 10:51 | gone off his property and |
| 10:53 | is out wandering the highways of oslo |
| 10:57 | you help your enemy to recover his |
| 10:59 | animal |
| 11:01 | that is the general thing that we are |
| 11:02 | called to do we are called to love our |
| 11:04 | neighbors |
| 11:05 | as ourself and if you’re not sure who |
| 11:07 | your neighbor is |
| 11:09 | just anybody who’s breathing will do |
| 11:12 | period but these works here are unique |
| 11:16 | they’re different because this gets at |
| 11:18 | the heart of the matter |
| 11:19 | what do you do with those who bring the |
| 11:22 | gospel to you |
| 11:23 | with those who are the saints the ones |
| 11:25 | who have been made holy by the blood of |
| 11:27 | Christ |
| 11:28 | what is your disposition towards those |
| 11:31 | who confess |
| 11:32 | humbly that they are sinners and trust |
| 11:34 | Jesus for the forgiveness of all of |
| 11:36 | their sins |
| 11:37 | and for life eternal given as a gift |
| 11:39 | what is your disposition towards |
| 11:41 | them Jesus says to them i was hungry you |
| 11:45 | gave me food |
| 11:46 | i was thirsty you gave me drink i was a |
| 11:49 | stranger and you welcomed me i was naked |
| 11:52 | and you clothed me |
| 11:53 | i was sick and you visited me i was in |
| 11:55 | prison and you came to me |
| 11:58 | and boy that’s quite the litany here and |
| 12:01 | then listen to this next part |
| 12:03 | then the righteous will answer Jesus |
| 12:06 | don’t let that word pass you by either |
| 12:09 | the sheep |
| 12:11 | are righteous not |
| 12:14 | because they have done good works enough |
| 12:17 | to earn salvation |
| 12:18 | and have made themselves righteous but |
| 12:22 | again i remind you scripture is clear |
| 12:24 | that by grace through faith we receive |
| 12:26 | the righteousness of god |
| 12:28 | the righteousness of Christ which covers |
| 12:30 | up our unrighteousness and our sin |
| 12:33 | and here it says Christ says of the |
| 12:35 | sheep that they are the |
| 12:37 | righteous so the righteous will answer |
| 12:39 | Jesus |
| 12:40 | and this is kind of dumb sheep talk well |
| 12:42 | when do we see you hungry and feed you |
| 12:44 | or thirsty and give you a drink |
| 12:46 | oh boy yeah it’s hard see |
| 12:49 | when sheep do sheepy things they kind of |
| 12:51 | forget that that’s kind of a unique |
| 12:53 | thing |
| 12:54 | sheep do sheepy things because they’re |
| 12:55 | sheep goats do goatee things because |
| 12:57 | they’re goats |
| 12:58 | but here you got the sheep doing the |
| 12:59 | sheepy things and Christ is rewarding |
| 13:01 | for the sheepy things |
| 13:02 | they’re going huh huh all right |
| 13:06 | so when do we see you hungry and feed |
| 13:07 | you thirsty and give you a drink when do |
| 13:09 | we see you a stranger and welcome you |
| 13:11 | naked and clothe you |
| 13:12 | when did we see you sick or in prison |
| 13:14 | and visit you |
| 13:16 | and the king will answer them truly i |
| 13:17 | say to you as you did it to one of the |
| 13:19 | least of these and here’s the important |
| 13:20 | words |
| 13:21 | my brothers you did it to me |
| 13:26 | who are the brothers of Christ well |
| 13:28 | earlier in the gospel of matthew |
| 13:30 | Jesus makes that very clear those who |
| 13:32 | believe in him those who are |
| 13:34 | his disciples those who trust in him are |
| 13:36 | his |
| 13:37 | brothers and so as you did it to the |
| 13:40 | least of these my brothers you did it to |
| 13:42 | me |
| 13:43 | so a good way to think of it then is how |
| 13:45 | then are you sheep fulfilling this and |
| 13:47 | doing this |
| 13:48 | well by how you care for each other and |
| 13:51 | i would even note |
| 13:52 | that as a pastor i come to you and my |
| 13:55 | needs have to be met |
| 13:56 | by you and so because of your generosity |
| 14:00 | and your disposition towards the one who |
| 14:02 | brings the word |
| 14:03 | of god to you and preaches the gospel to |
| 14:06 | you you give me money |
| 14:07 | so that i can clothe myself and my wife |
| 14:11 | and when my kids lived |
| 14:12 | with me my kids were clothed as well and |
| 14:15 | so you’ll know that |
| 14:17 | this is how we treat each other and you |
| 14:20 | are already |
| 14:20 | doing these good good works |
| 14:26 | and so you’ll note that when we treat |
| 14:28 | the brothers and the sisters |
| 14:31 | with kindness meet their needs when they |
| 14:34 | are hungry and naked |
| 14:35 | when they are thirsty when they are |
| 14:37 | strangers |
| 14:38 | or when prison or when they are sick |
| 14:41 | that you’ll note that the good works |
| 14:42 | that we do for each other |
| 14:44 | Christ takes it personally |
| 14:48 | and he rewards his sheep as if they |
| 14:51 | were the ones who were ministering |
| 14:53 | directly to him |
| 14:55 | but now we get on to the scary part |
| 14:59 | those are the goats the ones on the left |
| 15:02 | to the ones on the left Christ says |
| 15:04 | depart from me |
| 15:06 | you cursed into the eternal fire |
| 15:09 | and do not think for a second that hell |
| 15:11 | is not eternal |
| 15:12 | it is the whole point of the fire being |
| 15:14 | eternal is the description |
| 15:16 | of the length of time in which |
| 15:19 | hell lasts and that should sober us up |
| 15:22 | because we recognize then that what we |
| 15:24 | have been saved from |
| 15:26 | is the just and i do mean just |
| 15:29 | the just punishment for our sin and |
| 15:31 | rebellion against god |
| 15:33 | and our sin and rebellion against god |
| 15:35 | has earned for us |
| 15:36 | an eternity in hell in all of the ways |
| 15:39 | in which we |
| 15:40 | have not obeyed god where we have not |
| 15:43 | loved god with our whole heart mind soul |
| 15:45 | and strength |
| 15:46 | where we have worshiped false gods that |
| 15:48 | are not gods at all who cannot save |
| 15:50 | where we have taken god’s name in vain |
| 15:52 | or where we have despised the preaching |
| 15:55 | and the hearing of god’s word |
| 15:56 | or even despise those authorities whom |
| 15:59 | god has put over us and dishonored them |
| 16:01 | or in our different ways in which we |
| 16:03 | murder and don’t think for a second that |
| 16:05 | just because you haven’t killed somebody |
| 16:06 | with a gun |
| 16:07 | or with a knife or with a rope or maybe |
| 16:10 | like |
| 16:10 | you know you can say it was done by |
| 16:12 | professor plum in the library |
| 16:14 | with a hammer it doesn’t matter how you |
| 16:16 | do it |
| 16:18 | you know if it even if it’s physical |
| 16:19 | it’s done even in your heart when you |
| 16:22 | hate another human being and i want you |
| 16:24 | to think about that |
| 16:26 | murder is so deep of a sin and it’s |
| 16:29 | ingrained in us |
| 16:30 | that we’re all guilty of it to one |
| 16:32 | degree or another |
| 16:33 | when we say of that particular group |
| 16:35 | over there they are despised they are |
| 16:38 | dogs god hates them and i hate them well |
| 16:41 | you are guilty of murdering them of even |
| 16:44 | committing genocide within your own |
| 16:45 | heart |
| 16:46 | it doesn’t matter which group it is |
| 16:48 | maybe it’s maybe it’s those illegal |
| 16:50 | aliens |
| 16:51 | maybe it’s it’s the germans or maybe |
| 16:53 | it’s the jews or maybe it’s the |
| 16:55 | norwegians |
| 16:56 | or the you know name the group right |
| 16:59 | so you’ll note the Christ says that when |
| 17:01 | you hate somebody you’re guilty of |
| 17:03 | murdering them how many of us are guilty |
| 17:05 | of doing that |
| 17:06 | and then all of the different ways in |
| 17:08 | which we commit adultery |
| 17:10 | and sexual immorality even with our |
| 17:12 | physical bodies |
| 17:13 | and with our minds and then don’t even |
| 17:15 | get me started on the way in this in |
| 17:17 | which we |
| 17:18 | lie and steal and covet things that do |
| 17:21 | not belong to us don’t think for a |
| 17:23 | second that somehow |
| 17:24 | you stand guiltless before god you |
| 17:28 | don’t i don’t |
| 17:32 | and you’ll note that the just penalty |
| 17:34 | for our sin |
| 17:36 | is an eternity in the lake of fire with |
| 17:38 | the devil and his angels |
| 17:40 | and so when we talk about salvation |
| 17:43 | that’s |
| 17:44 | what we’re being saved from but the |
| 17:46 | amazing thing here |
| 17:47 | is that although hell is an eternity god |
| 17:51 | according to scripture has laid on |
| 17:52 | Christ the iniquity of us all |
| 17:54 | and in six hours on a friday morning on |
| 17:57 | into the afternoon |
| 17:59 | the son of god suffered and bled and |
| 18:01 | died for your sins and for mine |
| 18:03 | and met the just requirements |
| 18:06 | of a holy god so that we can be forgiven |
| 18:10 | he accomplished in six hours what no |
| 18:12 | human being can accomplish |
| 18:14 | in any eternity and so you recognize the |
| 18:17 | depth and the magnitude of the salvation |
| 18:19 | that we are given in Christ |
| 18:21 | and now Christ turns to these goats |
| 18:24 | and explains to them and again this is a |
| 18:26 | very specific type of |
| 18:28 | omission of good works and this has to |
| 18:30 | do with their disposition towards those |
| 18:32 | who bring the message of Christ to them |
| 18:35 | i was hungry you gave me no food i was |
| 18:38 | thirsty |
| 18:39 | you gave me no drink i was a stranger |
| 18:41 | you did not welcome me naked and you did |
| 18:43 | not clothe me sick and in prison |
| 18:45 | and you did not visit me it kind of kind |
| 18:48 | of harkens to |
| 18:49 | those words that Christ spoke to saul of |
| 18:52 | tarsus while he was on his way |
| 18:54 | to damascus in order to round up arrest |
| 18:57 | and then beat flog persecute maybe even |
| 19:00 | kill |
| 19:01 | the Christians who were confessing |
| 19:03 | Christ in the city of damascus |
| 19:05 | while on his journey Jesus himself |
| 19:07 | appeared to saul of tarsus and said to |
| 19:09 | him saul |
| 19:10 | saul why do you persecute me |
| 19:14 | who are you lord i am Jesus |
| 19:18 | whom you are persecuting so note then |
| 19:23 | when we as Christians are persecuted for |
| 19:26 | our faith our confession of Christ |
| 19:28 | and we are made to be hungry or thirsty |
| 19:31 | we are |
| 19:31 | cast out and driven away in such a way |
| 19:34 | that we become strangers to everybody |
| 19:36 | we are even stripped of our own clothes |
| 19:38 | and made naked or sick or in prison for |
| 19:40 | our confession of Christ |
| 19:42 | that Jesus takes it personally |
| 19:46 | and he will repay well |
| 19:49 | then the goats answer saying lord when |
| 19:52 | do we see you hungry |
| 19:53 | or thirsty or a stranger or naked |
| 19:57 | or in prison and did not minister to you |
| 20:00 | and then Jesus will answer them truly i |
| 20:01 | say to you as you did not do it to the |
| 20:03 | least of these the least of who |
| 20:04 | the sheep he’s pointing to the least of |
| 20:07 | these you didn’t do it to me |
| 20:10 | and very firm words these will go |
| 20:13 | away into punishment |
| 20:17 | eternal that’s how long |
| 20:20 | it lasts and here’s the thing i don’t |
| 20:22 | have to convince you of that |
| 20:24 | we all already know that we all already |
| 20:27 | have those |
| 20:28 | fears those night sweats those times |
| 20:31 | when we wake up in the middle of the |
| 20:32 | night with a start |
| 20:34 | and we take that deep breath and we |
| 20:36 | recognize that we’re going to have to |
| 20:37 | stand before god someday |
| 20:39 | we all already know this |
| 20:42 | this isn’t some revelation that has to |
| 20:44 | come from outside of us we all know that |
| 20:46 | this is what we’ve earned but the |
| 20:48 | righteous those who have been |
| 20:50 | gifted the righteousness of Christ these |
| 20:53 | go |
| 20:53 | into life eternal |
| 20:56 | well brothers and sisters this is an |
| 20:58 | ominous text but i would remind you |
| 21:01 | what is said in psalm 95 psalm 95 is a |
| 21:05 | wonderful psalm and it says these words |
| 21:07 | you might be familiar with them oh come |
| 21:09 | let us sing to the lord |
| 21:11 | let us make a joyful noise to the rock |
| 21:14 | of our salvation you’ll note that praise |
| 21:18 | go goes up to our lord god to yahweh |
| 21:21 | himself |
| 21:22 | because he is the rock of our salvation |
| 21:25 | the worship continues let us come then |
| 21:28 | into his presence with thanksgiving |
| 21:30 | ah thanksgiving that’s this week isn’t |
| 21:32 | it but we’re coming into his presence |
| 21:34 | with thanksgiving for what reason |
| 21:36 | because he is the one who has saved us |
| 21:39 | so let us make a joyful noise to him |
| 21:41 | then with songs of praise |
| 21:43 | and the reason why is because the lord |
| 21:44 | he is a great god he is a great king |
| 21:47 | above all gods |
| 21:48 | and in his hands are the depths of the |
| 21:50 | earth the heights of the mountains are |
| 21:52 | his also |
| 21:53 | the sea is his for he made it and his |
| 21:56 | hands form the dry land |
| 21:58 | so come let us worship and bow down |
| 22:01 | and let us kneel before the lord our |
| 22:03 | maker for he is our god |
| 22:06 | and we are the people of his pasture |
| 22:09 | and we are the sheep of his hand |
| 22:12 | brothers and sisters |
| 22:14 | if you believe that Christ has bled and |
| 22:16 | died for you then you are |
| 22:18 | the people of his pasture you are the |
| 22:20 | sheep of god’s hand |
| 22:21 | and notice it’s already now we are not |
| 22:24 | sheep in potentia hoping that someday we |
| 22:27 | can be transformed from goats into sheep |
| 22:29 | we’re not like pinocchio hoping someday |
| 22:31 | to become a real boy |
| 22:34 | we are who are in Christ we are now |
| 22:37 | his sheep and so consider then our old |
| 22:40 | testament text in this context |
| 22:41 | for thus says yahweh elohim behold i |
| 22:45 | myself i will search for my |
| 22:47 | sheep and i will seek them out as a |
| 22:50 | shepherd seeks out his flock when he is |
| 22:52 | among his sheep |
| 22:53 | that have been scattered so i will seek |
| 22:55 | out my sheep |
| 22:56 | i will rescue them from all places where |
| 22:58 | they have been scattered |
| 23:00 | on a day of clouds and thick darkness |
| 23:02 | note then that your good shepherd Jesus |
| 23:05 | has made it clear |
| 23:06 | that on the day of judgment he |
| 23:08 | personally is going to seek out |
| 23:09 | each and every one of his sheep and you |
| 23:12 | who are in Christ |
| 23:14 | are already that and he says i will |
| 23:16 | bring them out from the peoples gather |
| 23:18 | them from the countries i will bring |
| 23:20 | them into their own land ah this is a |
| 23:22 | good bit too |
| 23:23 | by the way i know we’re all americans |
| 23:25 | here i think we’re all americans at this |
| 23:27 | point |
| 23:28 | but we serve some people online who are |
| 23:30 | joining us from the united kingdom and |
| 23:31 | other places from around the world |
| 23:33 | and you’ll note here that this reveals |
| 23:36 | to us |
| 23:36 | that although we might have passports |
| 23:39 | that say one of the nations |
| 23:41 | from the world that we live in right now |
| 23:43 | on the passport but our true land is the |
| 23:46 | one that is coming the world without end |
| 23:48 | and in that world without end in the new |
| 23:50 | earth there are no borders the whole |
| 23:52 | thing is the kingdom of god |
| 23:54 | you won’t need a passport to travel from |
| 23:56 | one area to another |
| 23:57 | because there will only be the kingdom |
| 24:00 | itself and this is our true homeland |
| 24:02 | god goes on to say i will feed them on |
| 24:04 | the mountains of israel by the ravines |
| 24:06 | and all the inhabitant places of the |
| 24:08 | country |
| 24:09 | i will feed them with good pasture and |
| 24:11 | on the mountain heights of israel shall |
| 24:13 | be their grazing land |
| 24:14 | and in the book of revelation we learn |
| 24:16 | one of the things that’s on the menu |
| 24:18 | for us in the new earth is that we will |
| 24:20 | be permitted to eat of the fruit of the |
| 24:22 | tree of life itself |
| 24:24 | which yields its fruit once a month 12 |
| 24:27 | times a year that’s what’s on the menu |
| 24:30 | life eternal for us |
| 24:31 | they shall lie down in good grazing land |
| 24:33 | on rich pasture they shall feed on the |
| 24:35 | mountains of israel |
| 24:37 | i myself will be the shepherd of my |
| 24:41 | sheep and i myself will make them lie |
| 24:44 | down |
| 24:44 | declares the lord these are good |
| 24:47 | comforting |
| 24:48 | words and so brothers and sisters we who |
| 24:50 | are in Christ |
| 24:52 | we have nothing to fear on the day of |
| 24:55 | judgment |
| 24:56 | we’ve already already been sheep is that |
| 24:59 | a verb can you make sheep a verb |
| 25:01 | we’ve been sheeped we’ve been sheeped by |
| 25:03 | Christ himself we are already his |
| 25:06 | and so he then ends with these words i |
| 25:08 | will rescue my flock they will no longer |
| 25:10 | be a prey i will judge between the sheep |
| 25:13 | and the sheep |
| 25:14 | and i will set over them one shepherd my |
| 25:16 | servant david and that’s Jesus |
| 25:18 | the one who is the descendant of david |
| 25:20 | who will sit on the throne of david |
| 25:22 | forever |
| 25:23 | he shall feed them he shall feed them |
| 25:25 | and be their shepherd |
| 25:26 | and i yahweh will be their god and my |
| 25:29 | servant david shall be a prince among |
| 25:31 | them |
| 25:32 | i am the lord i have spoken |
| 25:35 | so bad self-righteous preaching at this |
| 25:38 | point would say |
| 25:39 | well what are you doing to make sure |
| 25:41 | that you you can become a sheep |
| 25:43 | ba humbug i declare to you what the word |
| 25:46 | of god already says |
| 25:48 | you have received the inheritance you |
| 25:50 | who trust in Christ you are already his |
| 25:52 | sheep |
| 25:53 | and so the day of judgment is not |
| 25:54 | something we should fear it’s something |
| 25:56 | we should look forward to |
| 25:58 | so congratulations you have once again |
| 26:00 | survived the end of the world |
| 26:02 | in the name of Jesus amen |
| If you would like to support the teaching ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, you can do so by sending a tax-free donation to: Kongsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th Ave NW, Oslo, MN 56744 We thank you for your support. All of our teaching messages may be freely distributed as long as you do not edit or change the content of the message, and, again, thank you for listening. |
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