February 16 2014
There Once Was A Perfect Stranger!
Matthew 25:41-46 (NIV)
"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ "They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
"He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
There is a term, “A perfect stranger” I’m sure you have heard it! I do not know where this term came from, but it always made me wonder what it meant A stranger could be considered to be perfect, because you really do not know them, thus until you, do they could seem to be perfect! In the selected verses we find a mention of a stranger where is written, “I was a stranger and you did not invite me in.” This part of these verses deals with the people who did not do what Jesus would have done, and thus, such people are not Jesus’ followers, and thus, they are the goats destined for hell.
These verses and the ones dealing with the sheep, or the people who are saved, has always bothered me, and those people who have attended the Bible Study classes I’ve taught can tell you that these verses are a source of concern to me, and because of that, I have spent much time trying to understand what is really meant by them. What message was Jesus trying to convey to his followers? It seems to me, these people that Jesus is judging in this scene are those people who were left behind, that is to say, they have not been followers of Jesus, and thus, they need to be judged. The followers of Jesus have already been “Raptured” away and are in heaven.
There is certainly theological disagreement about whom these people are and when this judgment is taking place. What do you think is happening here, and who are the people now being judged here? Of course, we are given more information about who these people are, as it says in verse 31-33 that they come from all nations. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33) There seems to be hope here for those people who never truly accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, as they may be selected as sheep here by the great judge, AKA Jesus!
Now let us get back to the term perfect stranger, and what it may mean, as again let me emphasize that Jesus refers to himself as a stranger in these selected verses. So to me, when I use this term, I’m referring to Jesus. Jesus is the only perfect human being on this earth, since the Fall of Man. Paul writes of Jesus as being the Last Adam, because Jesus came here to replace Adam in our linage so that we can be saved from our sinful nature! Thus, Jesus is that stranger in the selected verses, and since He is perfect, He becomes the only “Perfect Stranger” ever to walk this earth!
John wrote about how sheep will not follow a stranger, because they do not know his voice, but they will follow the voice of the shepherd whose voice they do recognize. John is of course, likening the followers of Jesus who recognize Jesus’ voice, and they thus, follow Him wherever He leads them. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice." (John 10:5) This may be the only time any of us like to be referred to as sheep!
I find it difficult sometimes to choose to follow Jesus, as it requires us to believe that we are the only people who can be saved for eternity to be spent with Jesus. After a difficult teaching as Jesus and His disciples were moving on to the next place, Jesus turned and asked the Apostles, if they also wanted to leave Him, or in other words, to turn back to their lives the way they were before and Peter answered Him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:67-69) What about you, do you ever think about turning back to your life before Jesus was central in it?
If you do turn back, maybe even just for a little while, as you choose to sin in some way, do you ever really want to turn away from Jesus? If we turn away, to whom or what is there to turn to that will guarantee you to have eternal life? Jesus promised to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house. This may sound like that we must wait to realize a gain for following Jesus until we die. That is of course not true, as we have the Holy Spirit to help us with our day-to-day life decisions, and also helps us to understand the Scriptures, and even, helps us when we pray.
So as Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Once you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, there is no way of turning back to your previous life. Once you have chosen to follow Jesus there is no need, and more importantly no desire to turn away from Him. I hope/pray that you feel so fulfilled by your choice to follow Jesus! If you have, then it follows that you should desire to be with other people who have also made that decision, they can be found in a church you can choose to attend on almost every Sabbath day.
Paul wrote to the believers who attended the church of Galatians about this idea of following the Spirit, and how that would cause us to want to do good to other people. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:8-10) Notice the reference to “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,” then it goes on to state “especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Could you ever be viewed as that “perfect stranger” as you seem to be the only Jesus someone would meet when you show them the love of Jesus, and to view no one as a sinner who is not due respect and love? Keep working on that lifetime resolution to be more like Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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Matthew 25:41-46 (NIV)
"Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ "They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
"He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
There is a term, “A perfect stranger” I’m sure you have heard it! I do not know where this term came from, but it always made me wonder what it meant A stranger could be considered to be perfect, because you really do not know them, thus until you, do they could seem to be perfect! In the selected verses we find a mention of a stranger where is written, “I was a stranger and you did not invite me in.” This part of these verses deals with the people who did not do what Jesus would have done, and thus, such people are not Jesus’ followers, and thus, they are the goats destined for hell.
These verses and the ones dealing with the sheep, or the people who are saved, has always bothered me, and those people who have attended the Bible Study classes I’ve taught can tell you that these verses are a source of concern to me, and because of that, I have spent much time trying to understand what is really meant by them. What message was Jesus trying to convey to his followers? It seems to me, these people that Jesus is judging in this scene are those people who were left behind, that is to say, they have not been followers of Jesus, and thus, they need to be judged. The followers of Jesus have already been “Raptured” away and are in heaven.
There is certainly theological disagreement about whom these people are and when this judgment is taking place. What do you think is happening here, and who are the people now being judged here? Of course, we are given more information about who these people are, as it says in verse 31-33 that they come from all nations. "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (Matthew 25:31-33) There seems to be hope here for those people who never truly accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, as they may be selected as sheep here by the great judge, AKA Jesus!
Now let us get back to the term perfect stranger, and what it may mean, as again let me emphasize that Jesus refers to himself as a stranger in these selected verses. So to me, when I use this term, I’m referring to Jesus. Jesus is the only perfect human being on this earth, since the Fall of Man. Paul writes of Jesus as being the Last Adam, because Jesus came here to replace Adam in our linage so that we can be saved from our sinful nature! Thus, Jesus is that stranger in the selected verses, and since He is perfect, He becomes the only “Perfect Stranger” ever to walk this earth!
John wrote about how sheep will not follow a stranger, because they do not know his voice, but they will follow the voice of the shepherd whose voice they do recognize. John is of course, likening the followers of Jesus who recognize Jesus’ voice, and they thus, follow Him wherever He leads them. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice." (John 10:5) This may be the only time any of us like to be referred to as sheep!
I find it difficult sometimes to choose to follow Jesus, as it requires us to believe that we are the only people who can be saved for eternity to be spent with Jesus. After a difficult teaching as Jesus and His disciples were moving on to the next place, Jesus turned and asked the Apostles, if they also wanted to leave Him, or in other words, to turn back to their lives the way they were before and Peter answered Him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:67-69) What about you, do you ever think about turning back to your life before Jesus was central in it?
If you do turn back, maybe even just for a little while, as you choose to sin in some way, do you ever really want to turn away from Jesus? If we turn away, to whom or what is there to turn to that will guarantee you to have eternal life? Jesus promised to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house. This may sound like that we must wait to realize a gain for following Jesus until we die. That is of course not true, as we have the Holy Spirit to help us with our day-to-day life decisions, and also helps us to understand the Scriptures, and even, helps us when we pray.
So as Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Once you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, there is no way of turning back to your previous life. Once you have chosen to follow Jesus there is no need, and more importantly no desire to turn away from Him. I hope/pray that you feel so fulfilled by your choice to follow Jesus! If you have, then it follows that you should desire to be with other people who have also made that decision, they can be found in a church you can choose to attend on almost every Sabbath day.
Paul wrote to the believers who attended the church of Galatians about this idea of following the Spirit, and how that would cause us to want to do good to other people. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:8-10) Notice the reference to “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,” then it goes on to state “especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Could you ever be viewed as that “perfect stranger” as you seem to be the only Jesus someone would meet when you show them the love of Jesus, and to view no one as a sinner who is not due respect and love? Keep working on that lifetime resolution to be more like Jesus!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
If you enjoy Verse of the Week and want to share it with others feel free to forward it. You may subscribe to Verse Of the Week by sending an email to [email protected].
To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] and type “unsubscribe verseoftheweek” in the subject line.
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