The Second Coming: A Wake-Up Call to Love

Nathan Zipfel

New Life Church of the Nazarene

Year A - 2022-2023 • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

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Matthew 25:31–46 NKJV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, 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?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The Second Coming: A Wake-Up Call to Love

Imagine that you are staying in a luxurious hotel, and that the next morning you have an extremely important meeting. You diligently set your alarm clock, check it twice, and even write a note to yourself that says, "Don't mess this up!" You go to bed feeling sure of yourself, and you go to sleep fantasizing about how successful you will be.

The following morning, you are rudely awakened from sleep by a very annoying and loud noise. You awaken with a confused question in your mind: "What in the world is that?" It is not your alarm clock; instead, it is a far more loud source. You are just half awake and you are staggering around the room, knocking over chairs and stubbing your toe on the bed. In the end, you zero in on the source of the noise, which turns out to be the hotel's fire alarm.

You are suddenly wide awake, grab your suit jacket, and rush out of the room into the corridor, where you join a stream of other hotel guests who are similarly unkempt and confused. You suddenly become aware of someone holding a small dog in their arms, seemingly unfazed by the ruckus that is going on around them. You can't help but think, "Even the dog looks more put-together than I do right now."

In the midst of this unexpected wake-up call, you come to the realization of two things: first, that fire alarms could care less about the important meeting you have coming up, and second, that life will occasionally provide us with unanticipated wake-up calls. It serves as a funny reminder that, just as we can't foresee when a fire alarm would disrupt our plans, we also can't predict when the ultimate wake-up call, which is the return of Christ, will occur. This passage is a reminder to us to be spiritually prepared for the unexpected, with our faith and love operating at full capacity, even if the process causes our hair to become a little bit disheveled!

This passage is a wake up call to recognize that the King of all kings, the Lord of all lords is returning. There will be a judgement. Some will enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Some will enter into the eternal fire of hell.

Here in the western church we like to distilled things down to three easy steps. I googled the phrase “3 steps to God” and came up with over 1.2 billion pages.

One example was

Admit that you have a need.

Believe that Jesus is God, the Son, who paid the wages of your sin.

Call upon God.

That is a great starting point. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans - Romans 10:13 “13 All who call on the Lord’s name will be saved.”

It doesn’t end there however. When questioned about the greatest commandment Jesus said it was to love God with everything that we got and the second greatest was to love our neighbor as ourselves. There is more to being a Christian than just those three easy steps. It is about a life-style of living for Him.

These words of Jesus are a wake-up call to love as Jesus loves. Jesus begins by saying Matthew 25:31

Matthew 25:31 NKJV

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

When not if. Jesus is going to come in all of his glory with the holy angels and he will sit on the throne of His glory. One day it will be to late and Jesus will say ready or not, here I come.

Matthew 25:31–36 NKJV

The first thing we can learn from this passage is to

Recognize the Presence of Christ

Jesus is already present with us. Jesus himself said Matthew 18:20 “20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.””

You see Jesus is already here with us. He is here in the person of the Holy Spirit. Jesus came and when he returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit came to fill our hearts and lives and transform us from the inside out.

Jesus is saying that when he comes that there will be a separation, the sheep from the goats. The saved from the unsaved.

This is often said to be a parable due to the use of the sheep and goats. It is more than a parable it is a classification of people. The sheep represent the righteous and the goats the unrighteous.

So how do we recognize the presence of Christ?

What is one of the names given to Jesus that speaks of his presence?

Matthew 1:23 NKJV

23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

God with us. That is one of the mysterious attributes of Jesus that he is with us here today and he is with people gathered on the other side of the globe.

Following his resurrection and before he ascended to heaven he made the following promise:

Matthew 28:20 “Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.””

That promise extends to us today. He emphasizes that promise when he says I myself will be with you every day.

Isn’t that an awesome promise to know that Jesus himself is with us every day. There are a number of verses that support this word picture of Jesus being with us.

Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

What did David write in the 23rd Psalm? Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Paul wrote about this and reminded us

Romans 8:38–39 CEB

38 I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers 39 or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.

Just as Jesus walked among people during his earthly ministry, the same Jesus continues to walk with us today through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit and the assurance of God's unchanging promises.

Jesus had a special affinity for those on the margins of society. Jesus interacted with and prioritized the marginalized — the sick, the poor, the outcasts. When we encounter such individuals today, we are encountering Christ Himself.

We demonstrate that love for our neighbors when we share Jesus with others. That is the greatest act of love. Sharing Jesus with others.

John wrote in his first letter

1 John 4:20–21 NKJV

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Our faith is alive and active when expressed through deeds of love and compassion.

One example that has been provided to you is the opportunity to pray for your neighbors through the phone app that identifies the people right around where you live.

The second point we can find here is from

Matthew 25:37–40 CEB

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.’

These show us

The Urgency of Love in Action

There is an urgency of putting this love into action because the Second Coming is going to happen quickly. Jesus had previously said it will be like a thief in the night.

This is not a time to procrastinate. It is time to be busy because the day is coming quickly. Look closely at what Jesus said there to highlight the sense of immediacy.

When did we see you hungry and feed you?

When did we see you thirsty and give you a drink?

When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you?

When did we see you naked and not give you clothes?

When did we see you sick or in prison and not visit you?

What are those things that Jesus mentioned? They are the most basic needs of humanity. Jesus was way ahead of Maslow who in 1943 identified the hierarchy of needs. Maslow said that the foundational needs of a person are the physiological needs: Food, water, clothing, sleep, and shelter.

If these basic needs are not met then a person cannot address more complex needs in their lives.

There is that urgency to meet these needs. I don’t know about you but when I’m hungry, I want food. It always amazes me that it takes hours to prepare a Thanksgiving meal and in just a few moments it is gone.

They say that you can live about 3 weeks without food. I’m going to guess that I could probably go a bit longer than that!

They say you can live about 3 days without water. There is an urgency about giving someone something to drink.

Each of these examples speak to the urgency of love in action. These examples speak about the eternal implication of our action or lack of action. They have profound and lasting consequences.

You see there is a major difference between passive faith and active, love-driven faith.

It is easy to have passive faith. You don’t have to do anything to be passive. Life just happens, you go with the flow. Passive faith is not saving faith.

Saving faith is active faith. Active faith propels believers to embody the beliefs of our faith and put them into action through tangible actions of love and service.

James wrote James 2:14–17 “14 My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it? Claiming to have faith can’t save anyone, can it? 15 Imagine a brother or sister who is naked and never has enough food to eat. 16 What if one of you said, “Go in peace! Stay warm! Have a nice meal!”? What good is it if you don’t actually give them what their body needs? 17 In the same way, faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.”

Did you catch what he said? “Faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.”

Love acts as a catalyst for active faith, leading believers beyond passive belief into a transforming, action-oriented expression of their devotion to Christ. Love moves Christians beyond passive belief. Believers reflect the love of Christ and become powerful witnesses to the transformational power of the gospel when they obey the call to love one another and act out this love in their daily lives.

Love serves as the driving force or agent that prompts believers to move beyond passive belief into transformative action.

I want to invite you to consider times when you might have encountered someone in need and missed an opportunity to extend love and assistance.

This is not something that can be put off until you feel like it. Jesus is inviting us today to demonstrate this love. He said

Matthew 25:41–46 NKJV

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44 “Then they also will answer Him, 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?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

This leads us to the third point from Jesus words:

The Consequences of Neglecting Love

These verses vividly portray the consequences of neglecting love and compassion. What is the most loving thing that we can do for a person? Share Jesus with them.

When we neglect love and compassion, it can lead to a form of spiritual blindness. Spiritual blindness can lead us to focus on ourselves and miss the opportunities around us.

There is that theological concept of Imago Dei which is the belief that every person is created in the image of God. When we neglect the needs of others it means that we neglect the divine image in them, and, consequently, neglecting the potential encounter with the presence of Christ.

In essence, neglecting the needs of others poses a significant risk — the risk of missing the presence of Christ in our midst.

This passage challenges us to honestly assess our actions and attitudes. Self-examination involves recognizing shortcomings, acknowledging areas where love has been neglected, and understanding the need for repentance.

How much time is spent on personal activities as opposed to engaging with and serving others?

Are there planned opportunities for acts of compassion and service?

How are financial resources distributed?

Is there room for intentional giving or charity support?

Are material goods viewed as tools for assisting others, or as a source of personal satisfaction and accumulation?

Do daily activities deplete or replenish personal energy?

How much emotional energy is engaged in relationships, particularly those that require compassion and care?

How do today's priorities line up with Jesus' mandate to love one another?

How do personal decisions reflect Christ's concern for the underprivileged and vulnerable?

Is it time for a heart exam?

Are behaviors motivated by a desire to love and serve others, or are they primarily motivated by self-interest?

How may priorities be modified to cultivate a heart that is aligned with Christ's love?

Consider a skilled artist working on a masterpiece, methodically weaving vivid threads of many colors and textures together. When the artist takes a step back, the intricate tapestry reveals a story of love, compassion, and transforming action.

Every act of love is a thread meticulously woven into the fabric of life in this masterpiece. Each thread signifies a decision, an act of intentional kindness, a compassionate gesture, and a step toward aligning priorities with Christ's teachings.

Imagine the artist showing the world the finished tapestry. Something spectacular occurs as the masterpiece is revealed. The threads of love don't only stay within the tapestry; they reach out and touch the lives of all who see its beauty.

Our lives, are like threads in the hands of the Divine Artist. The decisions we make, the priorities we establish, and the love we weave into the fabric of existence all contribute to a greater, interconnected work of art.

We contribute to the continual construction of this tapestry by reflecting on our priorities and the call to love. Every intentional act of love enriches the colors, adds depth to the texture, and enhances the overall design. It is a living work of art that evolves, changes, and inspires.

Imagine ourselves as active participants in this magnificent masterpiece. Our decisions have consequences. The threads of love we weave into the canvas of life have an impact not just on our own journey, but also on the larger story of God's redemptive and transformational activity in the world.

May we leave this sacred space today with a renewed desire to weave love and compassion into the tapestry of our lives. As we do, we become a part of a timeless story—a love story that transforms, heals, and gives hope to a world in need.

May the love threads you weave today become part of a masterpiece that will resonate throughout eternity, reflecting the love of the Divine Artist who calls us to be deliberate carriers of His transformational and compassionate love. Amen.

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