Shepherd of the Springs
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod

          Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come you who are blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”. . . .And the King will say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (vss. 34, 40)

          This morning we turn our attention to the last things and the return of our Lord in Glory. We call this Second to the Last Sunday, Judgment Day as our Gospel from Matthew presents that amazing picture of our Lord sitting on His Heavenly throne with all creation gathered before him. Yes, we have historically called this event, Judgment Day after the words in the Nicene Creed we just confessed: He shall come again with glory, to judge both the living and the dead. Let me ask you a question: Are you looking forward to that day? We often speak of the this day as, the better Day that is coming, or the entry into glory when we will be celebrating the return of our Lord. But often the thought of the return of Christ presents some fear and doubt about if that will be a day of joy or terror. If this is Judgment day, we may wonder: How am I going to be judged on that Day? Am I going to be there in with the sheep or will I be consigned with the goats?

          It is important for us to understand this great event - what it means, and what it does not mean - so that as the people of God we may truly look forward to it with great joyous anticipation. In this regard, we need to clear up a common misconception. We do not refer to this day as Judgment Day because it is the Day that our Lord finally makes up his mind about who His people in eternity are going to be. Secondly, it is not the day when each of us can finally know if are to be counted as sheep of the Lord. Concerning the matter of making these kind of Judgments we need to set the record straight and the first point is this. The Lord made up his mind to make you one of his own before the foundations of the world. As the apostle teaches us in Ephesians one: He chose you before the foundation of the world that you should be holy and blameless before him. In love, He predestined you for adoption . . . according to the purpose of His will (Eph. 1: 4-5).

          And you do not have to wait until this Day of Judgment when the Lord returns to find out if, in fact, this is so for you. Adoption Day, the Day that Christ makes us His own is not here in glory, but rather it has taken place with Christ the crucified in the context of His cross. You were adopted into His family as a son or daughter of God in your baptism when you were united with Christ the crucified. There and then He fulfilled his predestining will to make you his own to for you to join the sheephood of all believers who will be gathered there before the Lord in glory. Sooo, Judgment Day - the day of glory in our text - is neither a day when Jesus will finally make the judgment if we are going to make it into the Kingdom as one of His own, nor is it a day when we get to finally make that judgment. Then what kind of Judgment Day is it? In what sense is Jesus going to be judging the living and the dead? We need to recall some teaching from James. It was James who taught us that if you say you would show your faith apart from works, he will show his faith by his works. For as he instructed us, faith without works is dead (James 2:17-18). It is not that works makes faith alive, rather it is that works reveal a faith that is alive. The tree that is alive bears fruit, but the fruit does not make the tree alive. James is teaching us that our faith is recognized by others according to our works.

          The key question, however, is WHEN . . . when will others be able to see our true faith in Christ by our works? It has been a common notion that is something that occurs at the point when people are observing our works here in this life. It has been a common notion that this is to happen in our daily life in Christ here when in this life when we are about our works. It is noted the we are exhorted to let our light so shine here in the world that others may see our good works and give glory to God. But note the connection here with our works. The connection is between our works and how they prompt thanks and glory to God, not our works and how they help others distinguish true faith in Christ from false faith or hypocritical faith. We praise God from whom all blessings flow, and we see them flow through the works of people - believers and non-believers alike. In this life, others may well give glory to God because of your works, and you may do for theirs - but they will not know you are a Christian by your works of love - that is, not yet. Remember how Jesus indicated in the parable of the weeds and the wheat, that even laborers in the Church are not in a position to make accurate judgments that would be able to separate the weeds from the wheat - the sons of the Devil from the sons of God.  Jesus told his disciples, I know my own and my own know me, and no one shall be able to snatch them out of my hand.  He did not say that we all know one another - that is, not yet.

          We know that Christ is made manifest now in the world as his Gospel is preached and taught, and as His sacraments are administered rightly. We also know that members of His body express their faith in prayer, praise, and works of love that certainly others may see.  Yes, they can see these things but for now, they cannot see your faith.  But these are not the only things they can see. They also can see what we come here and confess before God and the world. We come here each Sunday and the first thing that we do is confess that our  lives are shot through with sins and transgressions that make us poor miserable sinners. People see that about us also don’t they? And it prompts them usually to observe that in terms of what we say we are committed to be about with our works, they think we are in the needs improvement category. Right? And moreover, we believe that their judgment is too weak. We confess that we are beyond help, that we are in fact, dead in our trespasses, needing a Savior from sin, not simply Divine assistance. The truth of the matter is this: we can search our own hearts for faith and it is known by God, but a clear judgment about faith by works in this life is just not possible - not by others . . . and not even by us. The Law may show you what a good work is, but it cannot not show you your good works. The Law always accuses us of sin; it does not accuse us of good works.  In this life your good works are an article of faith.

          But now, someday . . . some that Day its going to be different. On that glorious day, the light will shine on us in such a way that all will know that we belong to Christ.  On that day, it will be made manifest to the entire world that you are indeed a true believer.   And that someday is what is Jesus reveals in our text.  It is Judgment Day.   udgment Day is not when believers can finally know if are truly children of God, its when everyone else gets to know.  On Judgment Day, Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats, and all will be able to see, why each is on the side that Jesus has drawn. On Judgment Day, the Lord will reveal and glorify your good works, but your sinful works will all gone - swallowed up in His righteousness.  Then, all will know you are, and have been, a Christian by your love.  On Judgment Day Jesus will turn the tables.  In this life, as a new creation in Christ, you honor Him in all that you do. He gets all the glory . . . in your prayers, your praise, your thanksgiving, and your works of faith that serve your neighbor, day in and day out. Sola gloria Deo! To God alone be glory!  But on Judgment Day, Jesus is going to honor you.  He will parade your fruit of faith for all creation to behold. They will shine like jewels in your crown of life.  Just you wait and see . . .and so will everybody else! 

          In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. A-men.