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Saints Shall Stand Before the Throne Text:
Matthew 25:31-46 It began and literally “came home” to our American consciousness on September 11, 2001 that there are those who believe so thoroughly in what we have come to call “radical Islam” that many are willing to sacrifice their lives in acts of violent destruction—“many,” that is, except those leaders who (as President Bush has said) “refuse to go along for the ride.” Since then we have been involved in a war against terrorism and we have been bombarded with stories on an almost daily basis of suicide or homicide bombers in more than 25 countries including Israel, Iraq, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Indonesia and, this past week, in Jordan. “Profiles” of suicide bombers show that most bombers are male, educated, many with college or university experience, and come from “middle class” homes. Most are single and between the ages of 18-23. When asked, “what makes suicide bombers tick?” answers vary between political, economic, social and religious concerns. Though suicide is forbidden in the Koran, when it is in the service of jihad or holy war the religious promise has been made that, in return for “martyrdom,” they will earn a special place in heaven. The promise of 72 virgins in heaven, while treated as a bit of a joke among many, is based in the Koran that says the martyrs and virgins shall “delight themselves, lying on green cushions and beautiful carpets” [ http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s37.html ] .
Nor should we think, however, that such radical martyrs belong only to Islam. We recall the infamous kamikaze attacks by Japanese aircrews toward the end of the Pacific campaign of World War II. Last week the History Channel ran a film called “The Crusades—Crescent and the Cross” recounting the bloody story of the nearly 200 year conflict between Catholic Europe and the Islamic middle east between the years 1095 and 1291 a.d. , the Christians equally willing to die in battle under the sign of the cross.
One of the effects of all this on the American consciousness, I fear, however, is for people to completely discount and reject all religion and religious claims as merely the result of human imagination preferring a supposedly enlightened agnostic world view of unbelief. As we finish tracing God's plan of salvation from the Bible at the end of the liturgical year we are presented with the doctrine of the Last Things and the Day of Judgment. And we are called, like Jeremiah, to announce publicly the future judgment day when everyone must give an account to his or her creator, ruler and judge; that there is coming a day of accountability for every person that ever lived. Unfortunately, these words fall on ears deafened and dulled by a worldview, especially in modern America, that is very big on individual autonomy and accountability only to self. Because of an overemphasis on privacy everyone believes that nothing is anyone else's business.
Jeremiah 25:30 clearly says that there is coming a day of judgment “against all the inhabitants of the earth.” St. Paul writes in Second Corinthians, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” [2 Cor. 5:10 (ESV)], and in Romans, “we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” [Romans 14:10 (ESV)]. In today's Gospel Jesus leaves speaking in parables and describes the actual scene of judgment day. In these words He begins by referring to himself as the “Son of Man.” Then He describes his act of judgment like unto a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats. Finally, He declares that He is the King. St. Peter proclaimed that the crucified and risen Jesus Christ “is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead” [Acts 10:42 (ESV)] as we confess in the creed.
On what basis will every person be judged? In these words of our Lord it appears that it will be on the basis of works, “for I was hungry and you gave me food,” etc. And indeed, this is true. But notice in our text that there is no two-column ledger, no balancing measure. The only thing mentioned about the righteous is their good works. For one thing, this is because these works are the proof or evidence of their faith in Christ. The evil or sinful deeds of the believers are not even mentioned on Judgment Day because through the believer's justification they have been cast into the depths of the sea, that is, have been forgiven. The Judgment of the Last Day will not be a long-drawn-out trial as if there will still be any question as to each person's fate. Notice that the population of the world has already been judged as demonstrated in the Shepherd's separation of the sheep and the goats, the believers and the unbelievers before even one word is spoken.
It is striking that, when the evidences of faith are spoken, the believers will be a little surprised asking, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,” etc. This strongly suggests that believers are, most often, quite unaware of their good works as they naturally issue from faith as good, healthy fruit trees naturally produce fruit. And notice the fruit. It includes feeding the hungry and clothing the poorly clad. When it comes to ministering to the sick and the imprisoned, however, notice that not healing or release is mentioned but simply “visiting,” bringing the inner healing of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life to people in the midst of their suffering and struggles.
Now though only the believer's good works will be mentioned at the judgment as evidence of saving faith, in our daily walk we still need to hear the Law which says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” [Matthew 12:36 (ESV)], and as St. Paul wrote, that it is “because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed” [Romans 2:5 (ESV)]. We need to hear the Law because of the flesh and sin which clings and still so easily besets us, to guard us against carnal security, that we may continue in daily repentance and faith. Again, it is not as if you never sinned or only sinned a little, but that your sins are forgiven daily and completely whenever you turn to God in repentance and faith.
Now, as only the good works of the believers will be cited with no mention of the past, forgiven sins, in the same way we should notice in our text that the word of judgment for those on the King's left, the unbelievers, will not be a listing of all the bad things they have done but, rather, the evidence of their lack of repentance and faith, the works of faith and love, “for I was hungry and you gave me no food,” etc. In a different way, and for a different reason, Jesus says, the unbelievers will also protest that they didn't realize that their lack of care and concern for others had anything to do with their eternal lot. But ignorance of the importance of repentance and faith will be no excuse.
The Day of Judgment seals the eternal fate of everyone depending on only one thing: whether a person has received the grace of God's deliverance or rejected it in this life, now, today. The Word of the Gospel, the Good News of the free and full forgiveness of sins, is the power of God to salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16). That salvation is available for all is even proclaimed in the fact that “the eternal fire” of hell was never prepared by God for people, but only “for the devil and his angels”! Indeed, it had to be so. Otherwise John 3:16 would be a false, misleading dream when it says that, “God so loved the world ”! And so certain are Christians to be of their salvation that the King says we inherit the kingdom “prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” This is God's gracious plan and will for every human being. Only those who reject that grace void God's plan and will for their lives and incur judgment.
This kingdom is like no other kingdom. For, though Christ is King, we shall not be merely subjects but fellow heirs and actual reigning kings along side of our Lord, the King of kings! Heaven will be a kingdom composed of all kings complete with crowns as St. Paul said, “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” [2 Tim. 4:8 (ESV)]. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial,” wrote St. James, “for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” [James 1:12 (ESV)].
You see, it is good, very good for you that you are here. Here we gather as refugees, separated from the world while still living in it, from sin, death and devil while still feebly struggling and feeling their effects. Here we receive the grace of God, the forgiveness of all our sins, marked with the sign of the cross on our foreheads, leaving the filthy rags of self-righteousness at the door and being clothed with the white robe of the righteousness of Christ. Here we are the family of God, a community of hope, the household of faith, “the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” [Hebrews 12:23 (ESV)], branches of Christ the Vine producing the fruits of love: welcoming the stranger, caring for the neighbor in his need.
To such the coming Day of Judgment is no threat but a bright promise. As we await the consummation, let us praise God together with the words of the Apostle Peter:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls” [1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)].
Life eternal! Oh, what wonders Crowd on faith, what joy unknown, When, amid earth's closing thunders, Saints shall stand before the throne! [HS98 839:3]___________________
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