Matthew 25:31–46

[Jesus said:] “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. ³⁴Then 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. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ ⁴¹“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ ⁴⁶And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

From Saint Matthew we hear Christ’s own words that He has made plans for the world when He returns to “sit on His glorious throne .  . . . [and] separate people one from another” (32).  Jesus will say to those on His right hand, those who are faithful and are counted righteous, “Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (34). Before He made the heavens and the earth, Jesus had you in mind, and had already prepared His kingdom for you to provide you with comfort.  However, for those on His left, He says, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (41).  Jesus reveals punishment was not prepared for people from the foundation of the world.  The “eternal fire” was prepared for the devil and his evil angels because they rebelled against God.  However, those who reject Jesus Christ will go there because the wicked cannot stand with the righteous.  Scripture is clear the Lord did not decide to save some and damn others, since God takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his ways and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).  

What that means is, Christians can eagerly look forward to Jesus’ return because everything that happened concerning the salvation of humanity had been planned and prepared by God from the foundation of the world.  Everything Jesus did on Good Friday is to prepare us for His eternal kingdom.  Saint Peter writes Christ “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God” (1 Pt. 3:18).  God accepted the sacrifice of His Son.  Every act of love Jesus has done is now counted as yours (cf. 35-40).  You have received His righteousness.  And His kingdom, prepared from the foundation of the world, is now yours (34).

As Christ believers we do not need to fear His return, because He has forgiven all our sins.  Jesus sought you out when you were lost, He brought you back into His kingdom, and now you will be found at His right hand to receive the kingdom He has prepared for you.  He loved you so much that He planned your salvation and your inheritance before the foundation of the world.  And your Lord and Redeemer has been waiting to receive you for a long, long time. As a matter of fact, He has been waiting even before time began.

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