Matthew 25:31-46 (#90_2024.03.17)

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:03

Hi. If you're looking for greater hope, assurance, and confidence through the shifting sands of life, then join me on today's episode as we dig deep into the bible to discover rock solid truth for life and living from the God of the bible. I'm your host, Scott Keffer. I'm about teaching through scripture line upon line, precept upon precept, I get to study and teach things I like and the things I don't necessarily like. Right? The good news and the seemingly not so good news. Right? It forces you to go through every part of scripture and see what you like to see and see what you don't like to see. So we are here through challenging section of the discourse, and Jesus is kind of topping this off. He's talked about these parables of maidens and good stewards, and now he's talking about prophecy and what's happening in the future.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:00

So stand with me, if you will, as we read the section at the top, Matthew 2531 through 46. Stand out of reverence to the God who spoke. But when the son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, come, you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:53

I was a stranger, and you invited me in naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me. Then the righteous will sit and say, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? And when did we see you a stranger and invite you in? Or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and come to you? The king will answer and say to them, truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me. Then he will also say to those on his left, depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire, which has been 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.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:57

Naked, and you did not clothe me. Sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they themselves also will answer, lord, when do we see you hungry or thirsty or stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not take care of you. Then he will answer them, truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Well now, that's one of those well now sections of scripture, isn't it? What do we do with this? So we're moving a great reminder here.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:47

We're moving from parable. Parables are stories with with concepts and principles in them. We're moving here seemingly to prophecy. Right? And in the prophecy is a set of principles. And when I think about prophecy, prophecy is that which is known beforehand. It is pray proclaim beforehand, and it unfolds over time. Sometimes, oftentimes, partially in the the kingdom and the purpose of God, but fully over time. Prophecy is an unfolding scroll of God's purposes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:25

That make sense? Prophecy is just God proclaiming ahead of time what he has purposed. So I put their prophecy will be fully fulfilled when the son of man comes back again. The administration suitable to the fullness of times, it says in Ephesians. The administration, alright, of of that which is full. He is summing up all things into Christ. So prophecy will be fully fulfilled. We see this idea that the clouds of heaven will have one like the son of man coming, right, spoken of in Daniel. So he says at the very beginning, when the son of man comes in his glory, he is indeed the son of man.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:04

So on Thursday, you all have been praying and continue to pray for Corky. I met with Corky. New not sure where he is. Quite a believer yet. Maybe. You know? Some uncertain. You never know how that journey unfolds for people. Some of it, they can clearly say it was on this day.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:21

Others, it was kind of the light dawned over time. And so we're sitting there. So he shows up with his questions. And they're they're always fun to me, rattles through his questions, and he says, he reads my wife and I are reading this. He reads this long section in Corinthians about, you know, women and and tongues and all of that. He says, what does all this mean? I said, well, let's talk about scripture. Talk about what it is. Right? Let's talk about what it is indeed.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:49

So I said to him he was a school teacher. So I said to him, if I gave you, right, to give to your students who were in 3rd grade or 4th grade, a book on quantum physics and mechanics, and you handed it to them, what would they say? And you said, read this. Read this. What would be their response? He said, well, they wouldn't understand it. I said, quite true. So I said, if you think about what you're reading here, if if this is indeed all scripture is inspired, god breathe, all scripture is god breathe, No prophecy of scripture is written by human will, but God moved men and spoke. They spoke from God. So I said, if this is God speaking, right, I understand when you look at scripture, there's gonna be 3 responses.

Scott Keffer [: 00:06:43

Number 1, there'll be some stuff you agree with. Right? God loves. God loved the world. He sent his only begotten son. That seemed like good news. There'll be stuff that you don't agree with, and there'll be stuff that you don't understand. And, likely, when you're beginning the Bible reading, there'll be a lot of stuff you don't understand and a lot of understand and a lot of stuff you don't necessarily agree with. There is a reason.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:09

1, we've been you've been stewed or in or or, you know, marinated in by the prince of the power of the air, right, by the world system. So we're marinating the world system. The other is understand that we are god is speaking about that which is is eternal, that which is eternal and that which is infinite, and you are neither. Right? We are neither. Right? We're finite, that which is eternal and that which is infinite. Eternal truths and infinite truths. So by its nature, you better be stunned and sometimes don't understand and sometimes not agree. Doesn't that make sense? He said, yes.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:53

It does. Imagine if you were reading a postgraduate, right, treatise on anything, and you were reading it as a 3rd grader. What do you think's gonna happen? There's gonna be a lot of stuff you don't understand. So as you go through scripture, if you don't remain right? Because it's the nature of good evangelicals to have all the answers. We think that Christianity is a multiple choice test that we have to get a 92 on. Right? You have to get all the answers right. You never wanna say, I don't know. I don't know.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:27

Always afraid. Right? Well, I don't know. Well, you better have lot I know knows. You better. Right? That's why my principle is what? Run to the core. Run to the core. So I said to him, look. I said, you better run to the core.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:42

Run to the core is what you're that it is sure because the further you go out here and we used to say to the kids, you know, like, we sit down with them and they'd say you know, argue with them, and I said, Josh, get a BB. The BB is what you know. The outside of the BB touches what you don't know. Pretty soon, you'll be a ping pong ball and then a tennis ball and then a basketball. Right? The more you know, the more you realize you don't know. And so Corky said, oh, that's really interesting because he said Einstein used to put a flashlight against the wall, and he pulled it back. And he said, you know, the the more you know right? What you know is the light. The more you know, the more it touches what you don't know.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:27

I said, exactly. So you run to the core. The further you get out, the further it's gonna be a mystery and the further we get in trouble, trying to figure out what is not meant to be figureoutable. Does that make sense? So the assumption is because God wrote it, it's gonna be clear and understanding. No. The assumption is if God wrote it, it's not gonna be clear because he's eternal and he's infinite, and he's revealing eternal and infinite truth. Does that make sense? Because the people say, well, why is it that they don't agree on everything? Because they're eternal and infinite truths. Does that make sense to everybody? So, you you know, godly people will disagree on truths, eternal and infinite.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:10

Therefore, this kind of stuff has multiple interpretations, multiple, depending on where you are theologically. McLaren said, pastor Scottish pastor, many questions are raised by it, which will never be solved till we stand there, And then we'll see. Then we'll see. Now we see dimly. We see dimly. Right? We're kinda looking through this. Right? So that's why. And you gotta be okay with that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:39

You just have to be okay with that. I don't understand everything. And the more you know of him, the more you realize you don't know. Right? Or you realize you do not know. Many questions. Many questions. So he says, the son of man comes in his glory saying he's coming in his glory, which what's interesting is Jesus said the word became flesh and tabernacle. We look at that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:09

We we looked at the tabernacle. Right? That the tabernacle was a place where God met with man, where God revealed his glory. Right? Jesus said, the word became flesh and became tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth, full of grace and truth, Grace and truth. And in the old testament, it was loving kindness and truth go before him. Right? The foundation of the lord is righteousness and justice and loving kindness and truth goes before him. Loving so Jesus shows up, shows us loving kindness and truth, but we remember that also righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. So he's before he is with them in his glory. He is with them.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:05

That's the whole idea of tabernacle. Jesus is now with them in his glory, The glory that he is showing them at the time. So he's sitting there with them, but he's saying there's more glory to come. Forget this? There is fuller glory to come. And, again, we're we're unscrolling the eternal and infinite one who's beyond comprehension. He's incomparable. Right? He's indescribable, and he's inescapable. That's just who he is.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:38

So he's with him in his glory, but he's coming back in fuller glory. He's coming back in fuller glory, and he's coming back as Yahweh of hosts, which means he's coming back as the lord of the armies of heaven. He's coming back as the lord of the armies of heaven. Why? How do we know that? Says the angels will be with him. The angels will be with him. So in some sense, wherever they are inhabiting in heaven, it will be empty as they come back with the lord Jesus and the angels are with them. What he's showing us and he's reminding us that he is Yahweh of hosts. He is the lord of hosts.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:22

I love this because they said lift up your heads, oh, gates, and be lifted up, oh, ancient doors, that the king of glory may come in. There's this invitation. And then he asked, who is the king of glory? The lord, strong and mighty, the lord mighty in battle. And then he says, lift up your gates. Lift up your heads, oh, gates, and be lifted up, oh, ancient doors. Like the the the opening of the city to come in the lord of hosts. Who is it? Right? Who is the king of glory? Yahweh of hosts is the king of glory. Right? So it's it's it's saying open up and let him proceed in.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:59

Right? Yahweh of hosts. So Jesus sitting with them is saying there's fuller glory to come. It's me, and I'm the lord of hosts. I am Yahweh of hosts. What? You get so he's shown glory. Right? Loving, kindness, and truth, and he's gonna come back with the angels, and he's gonna show righteousness and judge justice. Jesus is coming back in fuller glory, and he will sit on his glorious throne as judge. Yao.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:28

And it said he says he will separate he will separate them one from another. He says, all the nations will be gathered before him. All the nations. So we go to our normal reporter mode. Who's he talking about? When is it happening? What's the deal? Right? Who are all the nations? Right? Is it happening before the millennial kingdom? Will there be a millennial kingdom? Is it after the rapture tribulation? Right? Where does it go? Because we are chronological. Let's put it in there. He's just saying this idea that all the nations will be before him, and he will separate all. Right? Again, it's that it's an idea of all the nations, both Jews and Gentiles, all the nations, and he will separate them into how many groups? 2.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:19

So our little little PT Therese, you say, how old are you gonna be? She says, 2. 2. So he's separating all into just 2 groups. And he calls 1 the sheep, the other the goats. The sheeps are in the place of of favor, the right hand. Right? He separates them into sheeps and goats. And he he says he does that as a shepherd. Right? He does that as a shepherd.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:52

I have no idea what that means. I can read about it, but I have no idea what it means. But, apparently, they mix together. We now have Annie now has sheep. Oh, she didn't have sheep. She has goats and chickens and all of that. But they, apparently, they they are all together, sheep and the goats. And at night, when they're bringing them all in, the shepherd separates them mostly by the sound of his voice.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:19

Sometimes he touches them and kinda, you know, feels them and figures out. But they also they would say even before that, he can tell the difference. Not only do they hear his voice, but they act differently. Goats are goats and sheep are sheep. Right? That they'll act differently. So this is the picture, right, that the shepherd knows the sheeps and the goats. And he says that the sheep will inherit the kingdom. And the kingdom that has been prepared, he says, for you when? From the foundation of the world.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:54

From the foundation of the world. In Revelation, it says, everyone whose name has not been written in the book of life, right when, from the foundation of the world. Literally, at the beginning, if you had from the foundation, which can be indicative of the fact that it happened at the time, we tend to think chronologically, but, generally, it would be before. But also, he says in in Ephesians that he chose us in him before the foundation before the foundation. So there's 2 groups, sheep and shepherds. And John he says in the book of John, he said, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. My sheep hear my voice. I know my sheep.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:39

He says, I know to separate the 2. And he says that there's a kingdom prepared for them when? From the foundation. He says, inherit the kingdom, which has been prepared for you from the foundation. Right? That there's there's a kingdom for them before the foundation. So I said in there, okay. So what are the principles I see in here? Besides answering, most people wanna answer, who is it? When is it happening? Who isn't it? Right? All of that. Does the fact that there are sheep and goats that are separated right, are they separated based upon the fact that they did certain things? Are they separated based on the fact that they were certain things? And I'm suggesting that they were certain things. Right? And everybody's trying to figure out what's it mean.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:23

You know? Does it negate something? And scripture is always answered by scripture. It's always consistent with scripture. And that's why I said to Corky, if you read something, it doesn't make sense. He said, what is this about prayer? Know, if you ask me anything in my name, I will give it to you. He said, why doesn't that happen? I said, well, what we need to do is lay out all the the scripture on prayer to understand what he's saying. Right? There's no way for me to know except we lay out all the same way. We lay out all the scripture to get a sense of it here. That make sense? So the first thing we see is that the sheep displayed kindness, charity.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:03

Right? How do I know? What was it? It was verbs. You could say love, but love is greater because love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous. Right? Christian love is greater than that. Right? So one of this is kindness. Right? And the verbs are feed, give, drink, welcome, clothe, care, visit. Those are very specific and practical, are they not? And it's about the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner. Well, that's very specific. Right? But they displayed kindness.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:38

And Jesus said that as you do, right, unto these, you'll do it unto me. The principle is in this action that you are doing it as if you were doing it to me, which is not a principle just here because we say when you work as unto the lord when you work. Right? As as if your employer is Jesus, as if he is your boss at work. We work as to unto him. He's doing the same thing here. Display kindness as unto him, as unto Jesus. And he says, literally, to other sheep, one of these brothers of mine. So he seems to be specifically saying when you do this to these.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:24

Right? He's saying when you do this to these brothers of mine. Right, he seems to be saying he did say to these brothers of mine very specifically. However and he said even to the least of them even to the least of them. You mean the annoying sheep, the frustrating sheep? I mean, the sheep that so we think. Right? The application of that is, yes, even to the least of them. Right? But then I said that in the context of Galatians says, do good to all men, especially to the household of God. So is there a distinction? Yes. But the application, of course, is to all men, but but especially to the household of God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:09

Within that, he's saying, there will be least of them who you will not be interested in helping. Right? Even to the least of them that I don't want to give food or or drink or welcome or clothe or care or visit. Right? Hungry, thirsty. So he says, do good to all men, especially to those who are of the household of faith. So we have the sense that the sheep display kindness. They're particularly attuned to those who are amongst them, but to all men. And it's a reminder to me that the sheep are created for good works, that we are created for good works, and that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for what? For good works. Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:00

Which God prepared when? Oh, beforehand, just like he prepared an inheritance beforehand, just like he wrote our name in a book beforehand, he prepared good works for us to walk into them. Walk is a verb again. Reminder, this is displayed in action. This is displayed in action. Created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, which begs the question, what are the good works you've prepared for me? Because the indication is that he does custom work. God does custom work. So Josh got this great idea, and we're working on them together. He bought a plank from a, you know, cut out of a a a tree, and he saw these videos on how you put epoxy into the middle of it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:50

Have you ever seen those videos? So you you prepare the 2 pieces and you pour epoxy in the middle and then you right? So we were over there yesterday, and we're getting near the end near the end. Right? The epoxy is in the middle, and we had to square up the edges. And Josh is even he's I'm reasonably meticulous, but he's anal. Like, he's he's and I I I go like, come on, Josh. And and I said to him, I can't stand that edge. He said, dad, if you can't stand it, I'm really right. So we're working on it. I said, that's good.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:22

I'm telling you that's good. Because at the end of the day, Josh, I said, this is the table you created. Right? So it's the table for you. You picked out the color. You picked out, right, the design. So the picture here is god's created you specifically, created good works, purposes, and plans just for you. In fact, in Psalms, it says, your thoughts toward me are more than the sand upon the seashore. Lord, I can't stand to think about myself that much.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:57

You have that many thoughts. Yes. Detailed thoughts about his plans and purposes for you, and God has prepared them beforehand that we should walk into them. Right? That we should step into the pages of the story that he has for each of us. Right? That he had. So he called us to step into that because we've been created in Christ Jesus for good works for good works, which is a challenge for us because, dang, dang, dang, we preach, you're saved by by grace and that through faith. Right? So it's a gift. Right? And so we we tend to bang against good works, of course.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:36

Right? Because we'd almost say you're saved by good works. You're saved by good works. But where are they? Well, they show up. They show up. They're part of the deal. Right? They're part of the deal. So that's what he's saying. You've been created for good works.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:48

Can't separate the 2. Sometimes you wake up and you think, does my life really matter? You ever think that? My life really matter. Is this all there is? That kind of stuff. Or he reminds us here, whether it's the maidens or the good stewards, that life has eternal destinies, consequences. Right? Eternal. This is this is indeed eternal. The gay the the this that we can see is part of a grander, greater plan with eternal destinies and consequences. That's That's a good reminder because sometimes you think, does it matter? Right? Do you ever wonder that? Does it matter? That's what he says.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:29

Keep going. So we're walking down the hall, Beth and I, and and we see Joe and Ginger. And Joe's making his way across there, and he says, we keep crossing paths. And are we you know, how long are we gonna do this? I said, well, you know, long as I as long as I can get up on the horse, I'm going. You know? Stick my boots on, throw me on the horse, and keep rolling. Because I said to Joe, remind ourselves, it matters. The work we do has eternal consequences. Right? It matters.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:56

It matters. So if you wake up one day and say, who cares? I'm too old. What's the difference? You just say, that's a lie. It's a lie from the Peddle. God has eternal purposes and eternal destinies, and they're at work until the day he calls you home. Till the minute he calls you home, there are eternal destinies at work. So Jesus bids the righteous here the most important thing that he could say, which is come to come. He says in John 17, this is eternal life that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou sent.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:32

See, that's eternal life. That's eternal life is not what we get. The the eternal life is our relationship with the one who is life. He says, the your relationship, your your connection or disconnection from the lord who is life, he's the way, the truth, and the life determine who you are. That's your that's the definition of who you are, your connection or disconnection from him, your your relationship. So he says, come. You're blessed to the father, inherit the kingdom, and eternal life. Eternal.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:06

I don't know what eternal is. I'm not eternal. But he's saying you're going to inherit eternal life. When you see me, you will be made like me. And what he'll do is he will transform the body of this humble state into conformity with the body of his glory. He's gonna conform me to the body of his glory and transform me into his very right? His the the it's the fullness of our adoption, if you will. We become truly sons of god. It's the fullness of our adoption.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:44

It is eternal. And he says, oh, by the way, in your presence is fullness of joy, and at your right hand are pleasures forever. What does that mean? Is that golf forever? Or is that is that pickleball where I always win and I'm never score? Right? So all we can do is take here and sort of project it up. And he's saying, no. So CS Lewis, you said it was kinda like you're you know, think about a woman in a dungeon with her son, and she's scratching out on a piece of paper. The outside world looks like this. She takes stuff from the fire, and she's scratching out stuff. And one day, they get set free, and he goes outside, and he says, what is this? She says, well, when I was and he said, well, no.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:32

What you had was flat, and it was black. And he said, I thought that was the world. They stepped outside. No. It's 3 d in its color. He said, so we see flat, but we're gonna step into a 3 d world. In fact, it's a it's a infinite d world with the glory of God, and it won't be anything like not like this projected up. It's like none other.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:57

He said, then his presence is fullness of joy. There will be no lack of joy when we get there. It's fullness of joy and pleasures forever. And then he bids the accursed, the worst thing you could say, depart depart from me to eternal punishment. He says, first of all, understand this punishment is prepared for the first rebel. The first one who was under allegiance to me, who broke allegiance, and said, I wanna be like you. In fact, I wanna be higher than you, and I'm out of here. That's who is that? The devil and then the third of the angels went with him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:44

So they broke allegiance. They no longer swore allegiance. So Spurgeon said they joined the devil in refusing allegiance to the Lord, so it it was but right that imitating his rebellion, they should share his punishment. So the punishment is really the fulfillment of what you wanted, which is to be your own god. Satan, you wanna be you wanna be god? Be your own god, apart from me apart from me. Eternally, apart from me. Yeah. That's hard to think about, isn't it? Eternal punishment.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:20

Ye. Eternal punishment. Can't even fathom and not even fathom. How to how to reconcile this destiny, which seems inconceivably terrible with God's mercy, love, and justice, What would commentary said has always proved the stumbling block to free thinkers? It is indeed a mystery, which we cannot understand, which Christ has purposely left unexplained, fully explained, hard to comprehend. The best explanation I have for it is that in our system now, that punishment is equated with the value of that which has been, a crime against. Does that make sense? Yeah. So if you if you kill, yeah, if you kill a squirrel, unless you're, you know, in the Sierra Club, I mean, you're not going to jail because, right, because it's a squirrel. It's an ant.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:16

It's what it's whatever that is. Right? Unless you believe that God's in everything, right, as opposed to God created everything. And then as you go up the ladder of value, the punishment rises with the value. At the top is what? Right. If any man sheds blood, you shall shed his blood. Why? Because man is valuable, right, from from god's creation. So god says that the consequence for taking a life is you lose your life, that the the the value of the punishment equals the value of the crime. Does that make sense? Who it's been perpetrated against.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:55

So if god has eternal value, then it would make sense that the punishment is eternal, including the fact that it's also depart from me. It is without him. Right? It is without him. Hard to comprehend, isn't it? So some suggest that the cursed are eventually rehabilitated, brought to heaven. I guess it's called the larger hope or purgatory or some version of purgatory, or others believe they will just cease to exist. I hope they're annihilated. The the fact is I don't know the answer. That's up to God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:32:32

But whatever it is, it it's not good. Right? Because it's a consequence that is based upon the relationship with or without God. Does everybody get that? It's either with him or without him. We either have in allegiance with him or not. Eternal punishment, which would suggest eternal destinies, eternal consequences. Right? Why do we carry out the gifts that God has given us? We do that for the common good of all believers, but we stand as a light in the world, don't we? As a dark light in the world, we set our light upon a hill and and do what we can. Pray for those who we know, who aren't believers. Right? We pray that they would be convicted and convinced on a regular basis I am reminded that, you know, praying praying all the time and share when you can.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:25

So eternal punishment. Age long eternal. Yeah. And so lastly, a reminder. So Jesus is sharing with them. You think about this. He's sharing with them. I'm coming back in glory.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:37

I'm gonna be the lord of hosts, and I'm gonna sit and judge the world sitting together. In 3 days, I'm gonna be crucified. We're we're on the precipice of his trial crucifixion. And he's saying, I'm coming back in glory with the angels of heaven, and I'm gonna sit on the throne. Yeah. Seriously? Right? Is there a bit and even as they step through, right, what is about to uncover, it's a reminder that present circumstances aren't the same as future realities. Right? They aren't the same as future realities. So I remind, they do not nullify future realities.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:22

Sometimes you wonder about that. Right? If if even if it's looking around the world and saying, what's up? Or how about these leaders in the Psalms, they would say, how come the wicked seem to prosper? And he said, I was stupid until I went into the throne of God, and then I realized, oh, they don't prosper forever. Jesus is saying, all will be brought to account either on the cross or in eternity, either way. Right? All will be brought to account. Present circumstances. For I consider that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared. What's his so he says, take your present circumstances, always put them on the scale of eternal realities And weigh them. Guess what? They don't weigh.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:11

Right? They don't measure up, if you will. Or I consider I consider considers more than that. Be thoughtful about it. That the present world, no matter what it looks like, is not the way it will be in the future. God will take care of all of that. So I said, alright. So what are the principles for us from this passage? First of all, he says he's going to separate them as a shepherd. Right? So my sheep hear my voice and I and they follow me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:44

Underline that. They follow me. They follow me. He's the shepherd. I'm the sheep. He says, Yahweh, the lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Right? In other words, are you operating with the sense of, I'm okay.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:01

I'm okay where I am. I shall not want. Right? He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the path of righteousness. The shepherd takes care of the sheep, the sheep who follows him. So I said to the lord, you have to keep me because I'm the sheep that heads over the hill.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:28

I mean, I see the Chinese stuff over there, and I'll I'll be over the cliff. I'm down in the creek. I'm stuck in the briar bush. That's me. I'm I'm running after that. Right? So I ask, how are you doing following, underline, Jesus as your shepherd? And here, he's called the king, but he's separating them as the shepherd. It's the same thing. So one is I'm my own captain.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:54

I'm doing I'm doing well. 5 is I'll call you when I need you. On a scale of 1 to 10, how are you doing?

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:59

Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:00

Yeah. How are you doing following? Oh, I didn't make that clear. Sorry about that. 1 to 10. I should put that on there. 1 to 10. But it's the question. Yeah.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:07

It's the the you know, it's the question. Stop and think. How am I doing as a sheep following the shepherd? He's the shepherd. What does that mean? He feeds me. And the picture over there is not you know, I tend to think of just gigantic green fields. But over there, it's just barren, and they're little puffs so you can't see the green grass. So so he's the one who feeds me. He's the one who gives me rest.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:34

Right? He restores my soul. So, yes, inherent in that is that I trust you. Right? I trust you. So that begs the question, are you or are you not? Like, we shared that before. We've we've been looking around for for a house and a house. We drove by this house. This was a year ago, and we said, that house comes comes up for sale. That is everything we want.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:55

We're buying it. That said, it came up for sale. I said, no. No. Joe, yes. Came up for sale. We went over there, and we're looking through that. Lord, give us right? We had the sense.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:05

He's saying move forward. You know? And then we went through it on a Saturday. We're gonna go back on a Sunday, and and so we should fast and pray. Just fast and pray. So we we did, and then the lord just shut the door. And that afternoon. And I wanted it. Oh, I wanted it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:22

I mean, I was I was I said, lord, I really want that, but I don't want that more than you. I don't want that more than you. Moses said, if thy presence does not go with us, do not lead me up from here. I I don't want that more than you. Right? And we felt, like, disappointed and, you know, but just keep letting go. Right? So it's the combination of John MacArthur said early in my Christian life, if you're meeting with him day by day, right, as the day unfolds, he's leading you. But certainly with bigger I always think of the decisions that change my course significantly, move, change of career, those big ones that put put us on a new course, we just seek him more more diligently. Does that make sense? Looking for him to speak directly.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:15

So follow him as the shepherd. Next thing he says, through him, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. Okay? What is that? It's the fruit that gives fruit of the lips that give thanks. So we praise him for who he is, and we thank him, but he says, and do not neglect doing good and sharing. Right? Doing good and sharing. Why? Those are sacrifices to God. Oh, so we don't sacrifice animals anymore. The one once for all sacrifice, he sacrificed once for all.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:51

What do we sacrifice? Praise and thanksgiving. So in my personal worship, in corporate worship, and in in doing good and sharing. You said those are the sacrifices of the the the Christian now. Does that make sense? How do we sacrifice unto him? So how are you doing? Number 1 to 10. Number 1 is it's all mine. How are you doing with doing good and sharing? As we balance, right, always learned you just balancing, increasing your standard of living and your standard of giving, making sure we're balancing the 2 of those. Right? Increase your standard of living and giving. Good and sharing.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:33

Right? 3rd thing I thought is he says, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and choosing you. Well, it doesn't make sense. See, if he call if you chose me and called me, why do I have to make certain about it? Right? Build upon it. Build upon it. Right? Choosing you. For as long as you practice these things, you'll never stumble. That combination of that. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:01

Why? For it's God who's at work in you. Well, then why do I have to work it out? Because he says work it out. Make certain about the calling. Ain't that right? Make certain about the calling. So how diligent, underlying diligent, are you these days working out your salvation? Again, 1 to 10. Number 1 is I'll get serious on my deathbed. Get it cranked up then. Or number 5, when I'm less busy.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:25

When I have more time, I'll I'll get serious about working out my salvation and being all the more diligent. My brother was a a wrestler, state champion wrestler. And when you wrestled in duo pairs, right, you could hand off to the other guy, your your partner or whatever. You know? I hated wrestling. I tried to, you know, bloody my face, and I said, what do I do this for? But you learned that, right, when when they were in bad circumstances or they retired, they would they would hand off to their partner and bring their partner in. Right? So sometimes we think, well, that's how we live life. Right? I'll do my best when I run out of energy, then I'll call the Lord in. Right? Break glass in case of emergency.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:10

Right? The god that we call in when we, right, when we're out of. Right? But he reminds us that's not the case, That Yahweh of hosts, he's the lord of the armies of heaven, and he's the lord strong and mighty, and he's the lord mighty in battle. And so my question is, how much are you engaging him to be the one who fights your battles on a daily basis on a daily basis? The good thing about it, he says, I'm up here and not many people call upon me. Not like he's overloaded. You know? And not like he could ever be overloaded.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:53

So you you use the word fight, which, like, did confuse me. That's you're you're speaking to what's been happening to me. I am using him to soften myself, like, how I deal with my battles

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:10

Mhmm.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:10

Which are really nice because I would come out, you know, right at all, and then the battle would be bigger. But now he is helping me. It's, like, constant, like, every day. Not that I get all these battles But it's always on my mind, and you're I think about that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:26

Yeah. Well, you have health battles. You have family battles, all of those. So the question is, are you engaging him? It would be your the Old Testament says he's your champion. He's your dread champion. Right? He's mighty in battle. He's the Lord mighty in battle, you know, from health and and and whatever the the strategy or whatever the battles are. But do you call on Jesus to fight your battles? And then I put on there daily daily.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:54

He is the lord mighty in battle. So I didn't rate yourself, but just said, why wouldn't we? Why wouldn't we? Why am I why am I doing this until I'm exhausted with the idea that I'm gonna tag team him when I can't do it myself, when I run out of it, right, of energy or just the ability to battle. Right? Do you call upon him? So he says follow him as a shepherd. He says, offer up sacrifices. Care. Right? Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving with sacrifice of good works and sharing. Be diligent to work out our salvation. It has eternal consequences.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:30

Consequences. And we know there are eternal rewards. How do they work? I don't know. I just know there are them. Right? We're gonna figure out how's that gonna work. How many rewards are I getting? I don't know. Just like there's eternal, right, consequences, there are eternal rewards. I just know he is righteous and just.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:52

He's also loving kind he has loving kindness and and truth go before him. Right? He is all of those things. Right? And that we can call upon him to fight our battles. And that's just not theory. He says to you, what are your battle rep what battle are you fighting right now? And are you fighting it in your own strength? Are you calling upon me to be the lord strong and mighty, the lord mighty in your battle, right, today? Be let him let him be your dread champion. Yeah. Amen. May the lord, who is our shepherd, may he bless you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:45:27

May he keep you. May he cause his face to shine upon you. May he lift up his countenance, engrave his shalom deep in your soul. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and until he comes again or calls you home. Amen. Thanks for listening. I hope you have greater hope, assurance, and confidence in your life and a deeper trust in the God of the bible and his son, Jesus Christ. Until next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you.

Scott Keffer [: 00:46:00

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. And may the Lord lift up his countenance on you and give you his peace, his shalom in your soul and in your life. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you.