No Messenger Newsletter UFN (see News Section)

"Inherit the kingdom prepared for you."
(Matt 25:34)

Christ the King Sunday

The Son of Man Will Judge the Nations

Mat 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
Mat 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,
Mat 25:33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.
Mat 25:34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
Mat 25:35 for 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,
Mat 25:36 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.'
Mat 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?
Mat 25:38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?
Mat 25:39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?'
Mat 25:40 And the king will answer them, '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.'
Mat 25:41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;
Mat 25:42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
Mat 25:43 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.'
Mat 25:44 Then they also will answer, '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?'
Mat 25:45 Then he will answer them, '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.'
Mat 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

NSRV & Believer's Study Bible (BSB) Notes

[Mat 25:31] (vv. 31-46) The sheep and goat judgment should not be confused with other judgments (cf. Rev. 20:11-15, note: (vv. 11-15) Final judgment for unbelievers occurs at the Great White Throne. "Books" (plural form) refers to the cataloging of the thought- and action-life of all men. "Book" (singular) is a reference to the Lamb's Book of Life in which the names of all the redeemed are recorded. The event is for the purpose of demonstrating the perfect justice of God in His judgments. This is accomplished by revealing to men the essential sinfulness of their acts and thoughts and by further reminding them of their tragic failure to respond properly to the atoning grace of Christ. The consequence of these failures is that unbelievers join Satan, the beast, and the false prophet in hell, i.e., the lake of fire.), e.g., the judgment seat of Christ (bema, Gk.) for believers only, which occurs immediately following the departure of the church at the revelation of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 3:13, note); or the Great White Throne judgment for unbelievers, which occurs at the conclusion of the millennial age (Rev. 20:11-15). This judgment of sheep and goats is at the conclusion of the Great Tribulation to determine who may enter the millennial or kingdom age. The basis of the judgment is the relationship of men to Christ, as demonstrated by their treatment of Israel during the Great Tribulation (vv. 34-46). Those who are saved (the "sheep") enter the kingdom prepared for them (v. 34), while the lost (the "goats") are turned away into eternal punishment (v. 46). The kingdom consists only of the saved at the outset of that final age.

[Mat 25:41] Hell was not prepared for men. Hell is a place prepared for the devil and his angels. However, men may choose to spend eternity there by failing to respond to the Creator's saving plan, thus leaving God no alternative except to confine those unbelievers to the place of punishment.

Readings for the week of November 29th
First Sunday in Advent
First: Isaiah 64: 1-9
Psalm 80: 1-7, 17-19
Second: 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9
Gospel: Mark 13: 24-37

Sunday Worship Services at 9:00am and 11:00am (see News Section for details)
Adult Sunday School 9:45am to 10:30am Classroom 5
Youth Sunday School Suspended UFN

Tuesday & Thursday Bible Study (Academic Bldg, Rm 5 & Online) at 10:30 a.m. (see News Section for Details & Online Instructions)
Wednesday Holy Communion Service (Sanctuary) Noon [Suspended UFN]