The Truth We Can't Handle

November 26, 2023

Matthew 25:31-46 | Christ the King Sunday

The truth we cannot handle is that this final parable is not about the list of do-gooder achievements each of us counts. Before any of our good, bad, or indifferent works, God has been preparing a place for you for every last one of us.

The sheep were invited to a place that was prepared for them, prepared for you.

The place of punishment was not prepared for the goats. The goats do not have to go where they are going. They get to where they are going because they bought the lie they have earned, that which can only be inherited.

Heaven is full of nothing but forgiven sinners, who, through grace, become saints.

The truth is that whether you think of yourself as a sheep or a goat, we all find refuge in Christ Jesus abiding with us. Jesus is for you and always will be. Jesus’s promise to be with us is not because of your list of good things. No, Jesus is yours, mine, because of our inadequacy.

Here’s a truth I hope you can handle: Jesus is present in your hunger and thirst. Jesus is present when no one welcomes you. If you are sick or naked, remember you are clothed in the grace of God. And when you feel as though you are a prisoner to the demands of the goats, know that the Good Shepherd invites you to an inheritance greater than any nation or lesser lord can offer.