Ezekiel 34.11-16, 20-24; Ephesians 1.15-23; Matthew 25.31-46
We come today to the last Sunday of the Church's year and our hearts and minds are encouraged towards heaven in the readings as we think about Jesus Christ King of Kings and Lord of Lords sitting on His throne and from where He ministers His love, mercy and judgement. It's not a bad image with which to round off the year.
The images of judgement we see in the gospel reading are probably the ones that capture the popular imagination. And it's those sadly that most people seem to be left with when they consider the 'merciful judgement of God'. In other words, depending upon your actions in this life you are either in or out, sheep or goat, saved or damned. Jesus the King is on His throne and you'd better watch what you are doing, because He's always watching you and His gaze is ever threatening.
How sad that is because it couldn't be any further from the Truth. We only need to remember what St. John said of God to understand that - 'God is love and those who live in love live in God and God lives in them.' Actually, as far as God's judgement is concerned, we needn't start with God, because by our own actions we condemn ourselves, we bring judgement on ourselves. God, in His love has given us free will, and, when we make a mess of things, the door of repentance leading to forgiveness, always stands open waiting for us to walk through. Having said that, the images in Matthew's gospel that Jesus paints for us this morning do focus the mind and heart. Maybe He painted them so that gazing on them we might be more ready to walk through that door of repentance than we would otherwise. Maybe they are there more for encouragement than a threat of actual punishment. Indeed, we do believe that before being resurrected Jesus descended into hell to save those who had been banished there by their actions in life. Most of us don't realise that God loves us that much that He actually goes Himself into the devil's place of abode to haul us out.
As I said, it's really sad that people still have those medieval images in mind when they think of God's judgement, rather forgetting His merciful side. But it's that merciful aspect of His nature and therefore that of Jesus that we might reintroduce people to in this day and age. The power inherent in the judgement and mercy that Jesus shows as King of Kings, St. Paul talks about in his letter to the Ephesians and it's no less than the power that God the Father used to raise Jesus from death. The remarkable thing is that that power is open and available to us.
St. Paul says that the power God used to raise Jesus also sets Him in the highest place in the universe, the Name above every name, far above all other rulers and authorities and powers. That's why we believe that our faith is THE faith; that the Truth we hold as Christians is THE Truth. Jesus is THE Way, THE Truth and THE Life; everything else is inferior.
Now we have to remember that we come to that not by some superior road, but by way of humility. We have here in Jesus a servant King, who came as He said, not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. Jesus the King ascends His throne via servanthood, humiliation, torture and death. What an example to this present generation. How can a King who inherits His throne that way ever be judgemental without love? How can He be threatening and bullying? It's impossible.
Justice and love go together here in a way that means that we are given life through it. In God's justice there is never anything taken away from us. It may seem like it in purely human terms. We only need to recall parables about the kingdom such as the workers in the vineyard who were all paid the same no matter how long they worked. But the same justice is affirming of the disadvantaged as well as those who have more than others. That is a true equality, equality of love.
There is nothing here to fear, only the condemnation we bring upon ourselves by our own sinfulness. And that only arises because we forget God; we leave God out of our lives so very much. And it's on these terms that we can wait and pray for Christ to return as King, bringing His kingdom into its fullness. We couldn't pray for it or anticipate it on any other terms. And it's in that frame of mind and heart that we conclude our year and move into the season of Advent which focusses the same heart and mind on Jesus first coming and looks forward to His second.
