​​"HERE COMES THE JUDGE!"
​"Judgement of the Sheep and Goats"

TEXT: Matthew 25
 
THESIS: To show that Christ will begin His Millennial reign by purging Jews and Gentiles who are unsaved and stop them from entering.
 
INTRO:

A. No one looks forward to going to court to be sentenced by a judge.  The innocent fears that the judge may be biased or prejudiced or simply incompetent to make a fair judgment.  The guilty fear that the judge may give him what he deserves.
 
B. When Christ comes back He will not only sit on a throne as King but will sit on the bench as Judge.  Thank God that the innocent have nothing to fear from Him, but those guilty of rejecting Him will indeed get what they deserve.  Now is the time to prepare for the inevitable judgment.
 
TRANS: The saved of this age will all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ where rewards are determined; the unsaved of this age will appear before the Great White Throne Judgment to receive their sentence of hell.  But after the Judgment Seat of Christ and before the GWT other judgments take place...
 
I.  JUDGING THE JEWS:  v.1-13
 
NOTE: This Script. is a part of what is referred to as the Olivet Discourse and deals with Christ, the Bridegroom returning from the Wedding with His Bride to set up His earthly Kingdom.  Since this is Kingdom truth it deals primarily with the nation of Israel, then the nations in relation to her...
 
QUOTE: English: "The 10 virgins represent the remnant of Israel after the church has been taken.  (After the Tribulation P.F.)  The 5 wise virgins are the believing remnant, the foolish virgins the unbelieving, who only profess to be looking for Messiah's coming in power."
 
A.   Those With Light and Life: (Wise)
 
   1.   Both possess lamps which suggests that all had an opportunity, a chance to hear that Christ is the Messiah. v.1
   2.   Those with oil in their lamps speak of those who received the message and were spiritually prepared for His coming Kingdom. v.4
 
ILLUS: There is obviously an application we can make to the Church age as well.  Those who are wise will receive the Savior and will be ready for the rapture; those who are foolish will reject Him and be ready for Judgment.
 
B.   Those Without Light and Life: (Foolish)
 
   1.   All had lamps (opportunity because of testimony - if not of the 144,000 or 2 special Jewish witnesses - surely the witness of the "time of Jacob's trouble;" the Tribulation).
   2.   All "slumbered and slept" ... "while the Bridegroom tarried..." v.5
   3.   All "trimmed their lamps (wicks)" when He came.  v.7
   4.   The foolish begged the wise to share their oil with them. v.8
   5.   The wise refused their request; not out of selfishness, but out of faithfulness to the Bride-groom. v.9
   6.   The foolish are shut out of the Marriage Feast, (v.10) and though they begged (v.11), the Bridegroom answered "I know you not!" (v.12)
   7.   Christ gives the final warning to the nation in v.13.
 
ILLUS: Several important truths can be gleaned from this parable by way of application:
 
   1.   Christ's life is not transferrable (oil).
   2.   Lost opportunities are not always possible to regain.
   3.   The Lord always comes when He is least expected, even though a general warning is given.
   v.6
   4.   Don't wait till the crisis comes to prepare...it may be too late. (v.10)
 
NOTE: Israel has had 2000 years to prepare for their Messiah, plus they will receive one final opportunity during the Tribulation.  If they fail again, the only alternative is for Judgment.
 
II. JUDGING THE GENTILES: v.31-45
 
QUOTE: D. Pentecost - "While military powers will be broken and brought into subjection to Christ, multitudes of individual Gentiles will not be judged when armies are destroyed and military might is broken.  And in order to determine who from among the Gentiles will enter into Christ's earthly millennial kingdom, there must be a judgment in which these Gentiles are judged concerning their salvation, concerning their faith in Jesus Christ.  So it is for this point that Christ will gather all nations before Him."
 
A.   Those Who Are "Sheep"
 
   1.   Note the awesome scene depicted in v.31 and 32!
   2.   The "nations" are Gentiles; Israel was to be God's channel of blessing, but Gentiles were to be recipients as well.
 
Gen. 12:1-3  
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
 
   3.   Note the startling statement in v.34 that His Kingdom was prepared "from the foundation of the world" for Gentiles!
   4.   The basis of their judgment is their treatment of Israel during the Tribulation.  v.35-40
 
NOTE: This is not a "salvation by works" setup.  These nations have heard the message of the 144,000 witnesses and have responded in belief, and on that basis their treatment of Israel changed.  "Faith without works is dead."  The 144,000 are all Jews and their only source of sustenance and support during the reign of Antichrist will be their converts among the nations.  These converts are not saved by the way they treat the witnesses, but they treat the witnesses right because they are saved!  Their works demonstrate their faith.
 
   5.   The "right hand" is the place of honor and their destiny would be determined by which hand was placed on them.
 
ILLUS: The right hand indicated the heir, e.g., Jacob deliberately crossed his hands and put his right hand on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh.  These are the "sheep" nations!  v.33
 
B.   Those Who Are "Goats":
 
   1.   Note the terrifying sentence by the Righteous Judge in v.41
   2.   Note the final, irrevocable nature of the sentence in v.46
 
ILLUS: So it will be when YOU stand before the Judge.  You will be considered a lost goat or a saved sheep based upon what you have done with the warning message delivered to you.  You WILL stand at His bar of justice.  How will you fare in that day?
 
CONCL: ⭐How embarrassing to be unprepared to meet the Lord.  Even the "wise" virgins were caught sleeping in His absence.  How about YOU?
        ⭐How stupid not to respond NOW to the warning: "HERE COMES THE JUDGE!" Why not trust Christ now?

1. Five Current Events in the last days!
2. End Times Markers in 2021 
​3. End Times Timeline
​4. YOU WILL ESCAPE THE TRIBULATION
5. HERE COMES THE JUDGE!
​6. I WANT YOUR REWARDS!
7. THE END OF THE WORLD