Writings: Hey You ... to the left!

By: Dr. Gregory S. Neal

“Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” (Matthew 25:44)

About six years ago a group my friends and I were disembarking a cruise ship at the Saigon cruise port of Phu My, Viet Nam. We had come down the gangway and were making our way, wide-eyed with curiosity, into the cruise terminal when we encountered a line of stern-faced, heavily armed soldiers. They didn’t look too happy; they didn’t smile; they weren’t very polite. The officer at the head of their group shouted orders at us, directing some of us off to tables on the right while others were being herded toward tables on the left. They were splitting us up, and at first it was hard to see any rhyme or reason why some went to the right while others were directed to the left. Yes, we were being divided up for passport control and inspection, and while that was not uncommon it did feel a bit unusual for married couples to be separated. Distracted by the consternation of some of my friends, who were being sent in opposite directions, I subsequently missed hearing where I was supposed to go.

“HEY, YOU!” a shout went out.
“Who, me?” I asked?
“Yes, you in the black shirt! To the left!”

After processing through passport control and being reunited aboard the tour bus – where our guides were all politeness and smiles – I had a moment to reflect upon the experience and started laughing. While everything had turned out ok, it nevertheless struck me funny that the command: “HEY, YOU … to the left!” is not something you want to hear when waiting in line for “passport control” at the Judgment Seat of Christ! At the time, none of us knew why we were being directed either to the right or to the left. Likewise, the sheep and the goats in today’s story about the Final Judgment had trouble figuring it out. Keep in mind, the term “sheep and goats” reflects a metaphor, not reality; we’re not talking about actual sheep and goats – animals that need to be separated so that they don’t hurt each other when they fight. Rather, we’re talking about people, and at the time of the division it wasn’t obvious why some were being directed to the left, and others to the right. In Viet Nam, it wasn’t obvious to us at the cruise terminal why we were being separated; the separation just occurred.

There are two thing I want us to note in today’s story. Firstly, this is a story about the final judgment at the end of time. Matthew’s Gospel has been leading to this point, and chapter 25 has already explored it with The Parable of the Bridesmaids and The Parable of the Talents. In the Parable of the Bridesmaids we are encouraged to be prepared with enough oil – with sufficient spiritual disciplines – for a long wait. And, while waiting, we mustn’t think that we can depend upon the faith of others for our own spiritual vitality: we have to exercise our own faith, and partake of the means of grace, for our lamps to stay lit. In the Parable of the Talents we are encouraged to apply the gifts and graces we have received: don’t hide, bury, or neglect them; use, apply, and grow them so that when the master returns we will have not only improved upon them, but will be given much more.

In Mathew 25:31-46 we have the third and final story: the last public teaching of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel prior to the Last Supper, his arrest, trial, conviction, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. In this story, Jesus paints a challenging picture of the Final Judgment in which he has returned, is sitting on his throne, and we’re all gathered there before him: sheep and goats, good and bad, righteous and unrighteous, believers and unbelievers. We’re all there, and we’re being divided up, and we don’t want to hear: “You … go to the left!” What we want to hear is “Go to the right!”

Do you remember the song from Vacation Bible School?

I Just wanna be a sheep: ba ba ba ba
I Just wanna be a sheep: ba ba ba ba
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I Just wanna be a sheep: ba ba ba ba

This is what we hope, which brings me to the second thing that I want us to note today. You see, the sheep and the goats are both surprised by the division. Jesus says to the sheep:

"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." (Matthew 25:34-36)

And they were astounded by his words. “Lord, when did we help you this way? When did we feed you or give you water, clothe you, or visit you? Others, yes, but not you!” Jesus’ response acknowledges this:

‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ (Mathew 25:40)

In reaching out to those in need with acts of grace, they were actually serving Christ! They didn’t realize they were doing
it; they didn’t think they were earning brownie points by helping others. They simply served others because … well … that’s what God’s children do! Unfortunately, Jesus then has to tell the goats:

"I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me." (Matthew 25:41-43)

“But, Lord, when did we see you suffering in any of these ways and ignore you, pass you by, fail to help or take care of you?” It’s as if they’re saying: “If we’d only known it was you, we would have helped!” And, here, Jesus’ response is convicting:

‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ (Matthew 25:44)

And, sadly, we are often guilty of the same thing.

Jesus is saying that what happens to us in the “hereafter” is largely dependent upon how we live our lives in the “here-and-now.” Do we treat others with the grace and peace of Christ, or do we walk past them with indifference? This challenge takes us all the way back to Jesus’ two greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God … and love your neighbor as yourself.” If we’re truly doing both, we are the Lord’s sheep.

“But, Greg, I’m not sure I like that! Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by doing the works of the law!” True … but this isn’t about “doing the works of the law.” This isn’t about keeping dietary regulations or ritual purity laws as a way of being righteous. This is about depending upon God’s grace and actually living by faith. Faith is an action; it’s not a passive set of beliefs; it’s not a collection of doctrines or precepts; faith is a way of living, a way of responding to God, a way of treating others with the respect and love with which God has treated us. That’s what Jesus taugh. That’s how Jesus lived. That’s how Jesus wants us to live.

Next week, as we step into the Season of Advent, let us do so with a renewed understanding of the way of life that the Baby Jesus would have us live. In Advent we prepare for our annual celebration of the incarnation and birth of Jesus, who is Emmanuel: God with us. There is no better time for us to live into the calling that Jesus has for us, and to treat others as we would treat Christ.

I’m truly thankful for the joy of being part of the Family of God, where I am told: “You, there, go to the right!” I look at myself and realize: “I don’t have any business going to the right.” And, so, I’m thankful for God’s grace and forgiveness. Indeed, I’m thankful for yet another chance to live as Christ has taught me to live.

© 2020, Dr. Gregory S. Neal
All Rights Reserved