This is a guest post by Michael Ehrhart. Michael is the lyricist for the Christian rock group Beautiful Mess. Beautiful Mess is the brainchild of brothers Mike and Chris Ehrhart, fueled by the musical vision and leadership of Mike’s son, Tim. Their aim is to help bring truth to those searching and create a space for honest, open communication.
You may connect with Mike through the Beautiful Mess website or on Twitter @BeautifulMessP
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Have you ever read the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 and wondered whether you are a sheep or a goat?
You know the story. The nations gather before Jesus, and He separates them into two groups, the sheep and the goats. The deciding factor on who belongs to which group is whether or not they served others, and in so doing, served Jesus.
Here is what Jesus says to the “sheep” in Matthew 25:34-40 (NIV):
Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
First Responders
Lately, I have been thinking about this passage in the context of first responders in our communities. Do you know any first responders? These are the folks that charge into burning buildings, race to accident sites and protect others from the hostile. You ever wonder what makes them tick? I wish I knew. I am amazed at how they willingly put themselves at risk attempting to help and even rescue others for little or no personal gain.
They seem to have this fearless commitment to rescue, even when the the odds are against them. Think of 9/11. Think of the house fire in your community last winter. Think of the car accident last spring on that back road in the pouring rain.
Even when the prospect of success is dim, these first responders press on.
I’ve heard first responders say things like “There was a slim chance of rescue, but we had to try.” Or “We didn’t know if anyone was alive, but if we could save just one…”
You can be a First Responder
What if us regular folks took a first responder approach in our communities? That is, don’t we know folks that need to be rescued? People that need to be assisted, or even carried, from their current situation because they can’t escape on their own. How about people that need financial, or emotional wounds to be bandaged? Or people that need protection from verbal, emotional or physical attack?
Whether in our work, school, play, or even in our families, don’t we know folks that need to be lifted up?
You probably can think of several, but my question is “Who is your one?” Like that first responder charging into that burning building, maybe you can’t save everybody, but who is your one? Who is the one you won’t let be consumed by that addiction (drugs, alcohol, porn, work,)? Who is the one you will come along side and shepherd out of financial challenge? Who is the one you will stand in front of to protect from abusers?
Think about how our communities would thrive if the healthy, stable and strong just rescued someone that is within their reach.
Isn’t this what Matthew 25 and the parable of the sheep and the goats is describing?
Being this first responder doesn’t take a lot of money, a superior intellect or Herculean strength. It’s not like we need a new law or some great technology that hasn’t been invented yet.
Who will you throw on your back and carry them from THEIR fire, THEIR car wreck, THEIR attack?
It’s a simple question that needs your answer. It’s a simple question we’re compelled to answer by the scripture in Matthew. Who’s your one? Who is the one person you can love today?
How to be a Sheep that Follows the Shepherd
The true heroes in the Kingdom of God are not those who feed 10,000 people while the television cameras are rolling. The true heroes, the true sheep, the true followers of Jesus, are those who give a smile to the check-out lady, a word of encouragement to the troubled, a hug to the lonely, a cup of water to the thirsty, a cup of coffee to the cold, a meal to the hungry, and helping hand to the weary. These are things that can be done every day. These are things you can today.
The truth of the matter is that it is much harder to be a goat than a sheep. When you see a need, be a first responder.
To be a sheep that follows the Shepherd, all you need to do is find the one person He leads you to today, and love them in whatever way you can.
Thanks for the guest post, an honor to be on your site… We pray people are moved
Good read but is this a general judgement of all? Is this the great white throne judgement? Or could this be a dispensational judgement for those surviving the tribulation? Thus making Jesus’ brethren the Jews who survive? I’m not 100% where I’m at with the passage, but I am often amazed the eschatological context is often ignored and simple exhortation is given? Truth is we’re in gospel preaching church planting mode. Surely that should come into play in the final judgement of the sheep if the passage were a blanket statement on the judgement of all? Some go so far as to call Christians to meet a final criterion for salvation. They use this passage?
People often do this… They get the Judgement seat of Christ and the Great White Throne judgment confused. There are two final judgements in the Bible. The first one is for believers. The second one is for unbelievers. Believers lose rewards but not salvation. Unbelievers are judged for their works or sins and then are destined for a Christless eternity.
This idea is an extension (so to speak) of the ‘faith without works is dead’ argument. If we’re truly saved/delivered, then our lives will show that. We won’t let things like inconvenience or comfort get in the way of serving in whatever way we’re called to serve.
It doesn’t mean you serve your way into heaven: Jesus did that for you. It means you serve because you’re already in and you hear God’s voice.
If we claim to be saved, but our hearts are still so unchanged and hard that we stand by while people are hungry, naked, sick, in gaol, or homeless, then it probably isn’t too far off the mark to ask what Jesus would have to say about us.
As you can see from John chapter 10 the main difference between the sheep and the goats is not by works because even the goats can do mightier works than the sheep (Matthew 7:21-22). In John 10 Jesus says ” I know my sheep and they know me.” Cathy is correct this a message by Jeremy of being doers of the word than being just hearers only. But when I read this passage the works that seemed to be the most important for the sheep of God is to witness the gospel to the goats. Its compelling Christians its to late when we stand before Gods judgment to do anything more about the people we lived with all our lives and did not have a heart to witness Jesus to them
Beautiful Mess. . . great name! Checked out Never Too Late, album’s sweet. . . Make His Love Real & Have You Ever Been Loved echo your post.
Sometimes just too blind to see that Jesus is already there in the hurt and pain and we serve Jesus best by following him there. On this journey, it’s grace to know Jesus in others’ brokenness as well as our own.
Why do the conversations so often come down to scripture-quoting? Scripture is hard to interpret properly. It certainly means much more than what is understood from a simple, literal reading. End-times and the “last judgment” are also confusing, because we tend to see things in only four dimensions. Each of us faces our own “judgment day” when time ends for us, and we join all those who have already reached the end of time. Meanwhile, don’t worry about the future, ” for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Today, people are starving, sick, lonely and hurting, and they need you now. When you yourself get to the end of time, do you want to hear, “I was hungry, but you were too busy studying scriptures to help me?”
Thanks Jeremy!
This is so true and can be practiced and done daily. This must be one of every human being’s values that must run through our veins to live it.
“Whatever you do for the leaast of these…”
Thank God for His grace being a sheep good or not so good does not depend on a merit system we are His sheep no matter what or how bad we are at it . Grace is amazing!
I think one way to sum up what Jeremy is saying is what Jesus said about the greatest commandment, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. Matt.22:38-39.
Not sure if I’m an atheist now, but my former church definitely SHOVED me in that direction:
I decided to attend church (because I was invited by a friend in July 2013) and it was good for awhile, but then their “true colors” emerged. The pastor’s wife asked me after service (one Sunday in late November 2013) if I had pre-marital sex with my fiancé (because she knew about a 3 day vacation we took to Biloxi, MS during the previous month)
Note: I’m a divorced mother with 3 children from a previous marriage
I answered her honestly (big damn mistake) and she swiftly escorted me to a conference room, where all the church elders were eagerly awaiting my arrival, plus her husband (the pastor was there too)
They started preaching to me, and quoting various passages from the Bible, etc.
I started shaking, and went into a full-blown panic attack. I couldn’t talk, couldn’t even BREATHE.
I ran from the room & hid inside a utility closet, wishing my panic attack would stop!
Then the pastor’s wife FOUND me, and her husband following right behind her.
It was hours of harassment that they forced onto me. I was taken by complete surprise & felt trapped in a room surrounded by so-called Christians…
I married my fiancé a few months later…
However, I will NEVER trust another church for the remainder of my life.
I never in a million years expected that type of experience from any church.
One of the church elders sent me a note written on the church bulletin every week (saying how much they missed me) this was constant for almost 2 years after I ran out the doors in tears (and in a full blown panic attack)
Then they wrote me a full page heart-felt letter describing how they want me to reconsider attending, 1 year after I ran out the door.
It was a nightmare they put me through, something I cannot ever forget how they “bullied” me.
I hate her for that unnecessary BS she spewed onto me.
And to make this even more unbearable, this Pastor’s wife teaches 3rd grade at my children’s school. I’m thankful that my child has the other 3rd grade teacher.
Because I’d say “over my dead body will I allow my child to be in her class”
And I saw the Pastor’s wife at my favorite salon (we both were in the color processing room at the same time for over an hour) and she refused to acknowledge me, or even look at me directly. Like she was too good for me, SMH
I feel that this woman is EVIL!
I may be open to attending church, if 1 was highly recommended to me by someone I trust.
But I have great anxiety about putting myself or my children into any situation where we may be judged (due to me being divorced)
That church judged me harshly due to me being divorced, and IDK why.
Like am I supposed to stay in an abusive relationship and die at the hands of my husband, or stand by my man while he beats me in front of my children?
The church pastor actually refused to marry me in October 2013- then his wife bullied me in November 2013 because I was not married‼️
Kimberly, your post really resonated with me in a different way. I am so sorry for your experience and obviously love and wisdom was not what you experienced. I could so relate to this as I recently experience a similar situation with two managers in the workplace that put me into a near panic- attack posture. I did hear the voice of God through it though and although the outcome was not ideal it was significantly better than it could have been. Nonetheless because trust was so broken with these individuals (not the company) I have struggled with unforgiveness and am still going through the healing process. Hope the best for you and that you can find a great support network who can lift you up.