Final Judgment

31 “Now when the Human One comes in his majesty and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his majestic throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them from each other, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right side. But the goats he will put on his left. 34 “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who will receive good things from my Father. Inherit the kingdom that was prepared for you before the world began. 35 I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. 36 I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then those who are righteous will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or naked and give you clothes to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “Then the king will reply to them, ‘I assure you that when you have done it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you have done it for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me, you who will receive terrible things. Go into the unending fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 I was hungry and you didn’t give me food to eat. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me anything to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t welcome me. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothes to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ 45 Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment. But the righteous ones will go into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46, CEB)

What you have done to the least of these you have done it to me…

Whatever you do to anyone it is something you have dome to Christ.

Every time you act, every time you speak, you are doing it to Christ.

Think on that before you do something to say something. Every action you do is doing it to Christ, and everything you say, you are saying to God.

Jesus’ Family

46 While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside trying to speak with him. 47 Someone said to him, “Look, your mother and brothers are outside wanting to speak with you.” 48 Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 He stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, “Look, here are my mother and my brothers. 50 Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50, CEB)

We are all a part of the family of God.

This reminds me of a song, Family by Todd Agnew. Here are the lyrics:

Who’s my brother in Nashville, Tennessee?
Who’s my sister in the village in Malawi?
Who’s my lover in Washington DC?
Who’s my neighbor, who’s my loved one, who’s my friend?

We are all family, we are all family
We are all family, we are all family

If we’re all under one Father that makes us all brothers
We are all family

Who’s my brother in a different kind of turf?
She’s my sister struggling with her work
She’s my mother, gave me all at birth
Who’s my neighbor, who’s my loved one, who’s my friend?

We are all family, we are all family
We are all family, we are all family

If we’re all under one Father that makes us all brothers
We are all family

Who’s my neighbor, who’s my loved one, who’s my friend?
Who’s my neighbor, who’s my loved one, who’s my friend?

We are all family, we are all family
We are all family, we are all family

You don’t have to look like me for us to be brotherly
And you don’t have to be like me for us to be family
You don’t have to think like me for us to speak intimately
Don’t have to agree with me for us to be family

You don’t have to live near me for us to be neighborly
You don’t have to dress like me for us to be family
You don’t have to speak like me to love each other, you see
You don’t have to be like me for us to be family, oh no

If we’re all under one Father that makes us all brothers

We are all a part of God’s family and siblings of Christ. We need to act like it and show the love God has given us to the world.

And here is a video of Family:

Jesus is coming soon

Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, shining like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb 2 through the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river is the tree of life, which produces twelve crops of fruit, bearing its fruit each month. The tree’s leaves are for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more. They won’t need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shine on them, and they will rule forever and always. 6 Then he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. 7 “Look! I’m coming soon. Favored is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I’m a servant just like you and your brothers and sisters, the prophets, and those who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:1-9, CEB)

When Jesus comes there will be no more curse or fear. We will see face to face and have no need for light, for He is the light of the world. Not like the sun or stars, but a light to illuminate everything and show all there is to know about us.

All will be revealed and we will not worry or be ashamed.

All will be made known and all will be known and all will be in the light and love of God.

So be prepared and know we will always be loved.

Messages

Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion. With him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 I heard a sound from heaven that was like the sound of rushing water and loud thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sing a new song in front of the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. 4 They weren’t defiled with women, for these people who follow the Lamb wherever he goes are virgins. They were purchased from among humankind as early produce for God and the Lamb.5 No lie came from their mouths; they are blameless. 6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead with eternal good news to proclaim to those who live on earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” 8 Another angel, a second one, followed and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She made all the nations drink the wine of her lustful passion.” 9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them and said in a loud voice, “If any worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or their hands, 10 they themselves will also drink the wine of God’s passionate anger, poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will suffer the pain of fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 The smoke of their painful suffering goes up forever and always. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, and those who receive the mark of its name.” (Revelation 14:1-11, CEB)

Worship God and give God glory. That is the message.

God loved you when you were unloveable.

Therefore we should hold God in awe and give God glory and worship God.

All others will fall and be made to the wine of God’s passionate anger and that is cheap bitter wine.

Love God as God loved you and share the message with the world!

bad servant

45 “Who then are the faithful and wise servants whom their master puts in charge of giving food at the right time to those who live in his house? 46 Happy are those servants whom the master finds fulfilling their responsibilities when he comes. 47 I assure you that he will put them in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose those bad servants should say to themselves, My master won’t come until later. 49 And suppose they began to beat their fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunks? 50 The master of those servants will come on a day when they are not expecting him, at a time they couldn’t predict. 51 He will cut them in pieces and put them in a place with the hypocrites. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. (Matthew 24:45-51, CEB)

A wise man told me a long time ago that integrity is everything. People will despise you because you are a person of integrity.

Integrity is doing what you say, and living how you say you will. Integrity is doing the right thing even when someone is not looking.

It is not that difficult to be a person of integrity, it actually takes more work and energy to lie and cheat because you have to have a good memory to remember all the lies you told and to who.

So be a person of integrity. It is easier and shows love to all!

Final instructions

12 Brothers and sisters, we ask you to respect those who are working with you, leading you, and instructing you. 13 Think of them highly with love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are disorderly. Comfort the discouraged. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure no one repays a wrong with a wrong, but always pursue the good for each other and everyone else. 16 Rejoice always.17 Pray continually. 18 Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-18, CEB)

This is basically the instruction manual for following Christ.

respect those working with you
live in peace
warn the disorderly
comfort the discouraged
help the weak
be patient
do not repay wrong with wrong
pursue good for others
rejoice always
pray without ceasing
always give thanks

Jesus is always with us, and we need to help the world see that.

no excuse

So every single one of you who judge others is without any excuse. You condemn yourself when you judge another person because the one who is judging is doing the same things. 2 We know that God’s judgment agrees with the truth, and his judgment is against those who do these kinds of things. 3 If you judge those who do these kinds of things while you do the same things yourself, think about this: Do you believe that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you have contempt for the riches of God’s generosity, tolerance, and patience? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is supposed to lead you to change your heart and life? 5 You are storing up wrath for yourself because of your stubbornness and your heart that refuses to change. God’s just judgment will be revealed on the day of wrath. 6 God will repay everyone based on their works. 7 On the one hand, he will give eternal life to those who look for glory, honor, and immortality based on their patient good work. 8 But on the other hand, there will be wrath and anger for those who obey wickedness instead of the truth because they are acting out of selfishness and disobedience. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 10 But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 11 God does not have favorites. (Romans 2:1-11, CEB)

God does not have favorites. And when you judge you are guilty of what you judge in others.

How many of us look at other people and judge them? We all do if we are honest. That is human nature. So how do we look on others and love them?

We love others because the one that can look on us with judgment looks on us with love. God loves us in-spite of what we do, have done, will do. And that is why we look on others in love.

We love to help others know that God loves them.

So love the world and know that God loves you!

Parable of coins…

14 “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was leaving on a trip. He called his servants and handed his possessions over to them. 15 To one he gave five valuable coins, and to another he gave two, and to another he gave one. He gave to each servant according to that servant’s ability. Then he left on his journey. 16 “After the man left, the servant who had five valuable coins took them and went to work doing business with them. He gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two valuable coins gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one valuable coin dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. 19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received five valuable coins came forward with five additional coins. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Excellent! You are a good and faithful servant! You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’ 22 “The second servant also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two valuable coins. Look, I’ve gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done! You are a good and faithful servant. You’ve been faithful over a little. I’ll put you in charge of much. Come, celebrate with me.’ 24 “Now the one who had received one valuable coin came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest grain where you haven’t sown. You gather crops where you haven’t spread seed. 25 So I was afraid. And I hid my valuable coin in the ground. Here, you have what’s yours.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You evil and lazy servant! You knew that I harvest grain where I haven’t sown and that I gather crops where I haven’t spread seed? 27 In that case, you should have turned my money over to the bankers so that when I returned, you could give me what belonged to me with interest. 28 Therefore, take from him the valuable coin and give it to the one who has ten coins. 29 Those who have much will receive more, and they will have more than they need. But as for those who don’t have much, even the little bit they have will be taken away from them. 30 Now take the worthless servant and throw him out into the farthest darkness.’ “People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth. (Matthew 25:14-30, CEB)

If you served someone you knew was stealing and they gave you money to take care of while they were gone, what would you do with it?

And then there is the understanding of the parable, what does this mean, and where is God in all of this?

Is God the man who gave the money to the servants? If so how do we then account for the harvesting where they haven’t sown?

Is God one of the first two servants?

Is God the last servant? Who knows that others are doing wrong and keeps what is theirs hidden only to return it later?

Or is God in the weeping and grinding of teeth?

And what really does this tell us about Heaven? That those who have will have more than they need and those that do not have even what they have will be taken away? I’m not sure I follow Jesus. How does this help us show God’s love here in this place?

Jesus is always with us, and helps us through every situation and while we may not understand this parable, we can trust that God never forsakes us. So God is with the land owner and the servants, even the one cast into outer darkness. God is always with us.

Unclean spirit seeks home

43 “When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the place vacant, cleaned up, and decorated. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and make their home there. That person is worse off at the end than at the beginning. This is the way it will be also for this evil generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45, CEB)

Wow. So if an unclean spirit leaves you it will be back with a vengeance!

Because we as a generation are more consumed with ourselves than with others we will be worse off in the end then now.

What if we loved as God commanded us to love? Would the spirits come back? Because when they leave the place would be cleaned up but it wouldn’t be vacant so they wouldn’t return…

Love as you were loved.

7 bowls

8 The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to burn people with fire.9 The people were burned by intense heat, and they cursed the name of the God who had power over these plagues. But they didn’t change their hearts and lives and give him glory.10 The fifth angel poured his bowl over the beast’s throne, and darkness covered its kingdom. People bit their tongues because of their pain, 11 and they cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores; but they didn’t turn away from what they had done. 12 Then the sixth angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water was dried up so that the way was ready for the kings from the east. 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, come from the dragon’s mouth, the beast’s mouth, and the mouth of the false prophet.14 These are demonic spirits that do signs. They go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (15 Look! I’m coming like a thief! Favored are those who stay awake and clothed so that they don’t go around naked and exposed to shame.) 16 The spirits gathered them at the place that is called in Hebrew, Harmagedon. 17 Then the seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out from the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 There were lightning strikes, voices, and thunder, and a great earthquake occurred. The earthquake was greater than any that have occurred since there have been people on earth. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered Babylon the great so that he gave her the wine cup of his furious anger. 20 Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared. 21 Huge hailstones weighing about one hundred pounds came down from heaven on the people. They cursed God for the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. (Revelation 16:8-21, CEB)

They saw all of this happening and they cursed God and yet they did not change their lives to follow God, they just blamed God for their troubles.

Ok in some sense I guess it is God’s fault, but as I said yesterday if we were loving and taking care of each other following what God has commanded would there be wrath from God? All of the bad things happening in the vision are on those without the mark of God, those whose lives do not show love of God and neighbor. So who really is to blame?

What would the world be like if we actually loved each other and creation cared for creation?