be sheep

Matthew 25:31&32

"31 When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory:

32 And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:"

We are studying the acrostic GRACED:

Go to God in prayer daily.

Read God’s Word daily.

Attend worship regularly.

Connect in a study group.

Engage in service.

Dedicate yourself to the tithe and beyond.

Last week we focused on “Connect in a study group.” We read about the early Christian church in Jerusalem. Their spirit of harmony gained them favor with friends and neighbors and contributed to the ongoing fruitfulness that followed Pentecost, when about 3,000 new believers were added to their ranks. This incredible growth did not depend on exceptional leadership alone. It flowed from ordinary believers who lived in continual praise, genuine community, and open dependence on God. We can follow their example as we cultivate lives of worship that overflow in joy, pursue unity and integrity that earn favor with those around us, and trust the Lord to add to His church.

Today we begin studying “Engage in service.” Last week’s lesson was to emulate Jesus and His disciples by living in a mutually supportive community. This week’s lesson turns the focus to serving people outside your circle of trust.

Today’s verses describe the Second Coming of Christ and the subsequent judgment of the nations. In verse 31, Jesus, identified as the Son of Man, returns in glory accompanied by holy angels and sits on His glorious throne to exercise His authority as King and Judge.

Verse 32 details the separation process in which all nations are gathered before Him. He distinguishes between two groups as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. This passage is widely interpreted as the judgment of the Gentiles occurring at the beginning of the Millennium, serving as a clear description of the final sorting of humanity based on their relationship to Christ and their treatment of the vulnerable and needy.