Matthew 25

In light of reading Stop Dating the Church I have resolved, by God's grace, to be much more attentive during the sermons and try to apply what I am learning throughout the week. Last night, Don preached from Matthew 25:31ff. Basically, Jesus is teaching here what the final judgment will be like with a separation of sheep (believers) from goats (unbelievers). Jesus explains that what the sheep and goats did in life were very different and serves to reveal to which group each belongs. Don explained several things last night that were very instructive to me, but a few of them stand out in particular as especially memorable. First, Don explained that the sheep are doing these 'works' because they are sheep, they are not sheep because they are doing the 'works'. This may sound a little confusing, but it's very true. God sheds his mercy on undeserving sinners, makes them believers, and they begin to do good works as a result of the mercy they've been shown by Christ in salvation. That statement leads me right into the other comment I want to make about the sermon. I was struck and convicted last night, hearing Don talk about this mercy-evoking grace, at how often I have heard Don and my pastor, Ryan Fullerton, talk of 'mercy ministry' flowing out of the abundant mercy we've been shown in salvation, but how little of the time I am able to focus on this truth when serving. I pray I will be able to remember and apply these truths to my life and so glorify God in my service to Him.