lessons
15-Nov-2025: Jesus is Separating His True Followers Now from the false followers (Matthew 25:31-46)
Opening Prayer
The sealing of God’s people and the promise of eternal life in the New Heaven and New Earth.
Matthew 25:31-46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? > When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
How Sheep and Goats Are Used in Other Parts of the Bible
Sheep: Symbol of God’s people and faithfulness.
Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
John 10:11–14
** “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
Jesus calls himself the “Good Shepherd” who lays down his life for the sheep. Sheep depend on their shepherd for guidance and protection, symbolizing humility and trust in God.
Goats: Sometimes represent sin, rebellion, or separation from God. Leviticus 16: On the Day of Atonement, one goat is sacrificed, and another (the “scapegoat”) is sent into the wilderness carrying the sins of the people — symbolizing sin being cast away. In some prophetic texts (e.g., Ezekiel 34:17), “‘As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.
Goats are used as images of those who exploit or mistreat others within the flock. So, across Scripture, sheep often represent the obedient and faithful, while goats represent the self-reliant or rebellious. How the Parable Relates to Matthew 7:21
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
This connects directly to the Sheep and Goats parable: Both passages emphasize that true discipleship is shown through action, not merely words or religious profession. The “sheep” do the will of the Father by showing compassion and mercy — living out genuine faith. The “goats” may acknowledge God but fail to live out love and justice, proving their faith hollow. In both, Jesus stresses that obedience and love in action are what mark the truly righteous.
Shepherd Imagery: In ancient Palestine, sheep and goats graze together but were separated at night — sheep preferred open air, goats needed warmth. Jesus uses this everyday image to describe final judgment and moral discernment. Behavioral Contrast: Sheep follow their shepherd and live in community — symbolizing humility, unity, and dependence on God. Goats are more independent and assertive — symbolizing pride, self-direction, and neglect of others. Right and Left Symbolism: The right hand in biblical imagery represents favor, blessing, and honor. The left hand represents rejection or disfavor. The parable’s imagery vividly portrays the final moral and spiritual separation based on how people lived out God’s love in practical ways.
Paul declares that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are perishing and those who are being saved. It is not wealth that separates them. It is not education, personality, nationality, or culture. It is not whether one attends church or stays home. The line that divides humanity is drawn by God Himself — and that line is The Cross of Jesus Christ.
In every classroom, every workplace, every home, every gathering — there is an invisible divide. You cannot see it with the physical eye, but God sees it with perfect clarity. Those who are perishing are on one side; those who are being saved are on the other. And the question that now becomes unavoidable is this: Which side am I on? This separation will not begin at the return of Christ — it is happening now.
Jesus is already distinguishing those who truly belong to Him from those who only appear to. He is revealing who has built their life upon Him, and who has merely spoken His name. And the instrument of that separation is the message of The Cross.
We often divide the world differently. We talk about social classes — upper class, middle class, working class. We speak of titles, income, neighborhoods, education. But God does not divide the world that way. He does not look at bank accounts, degrees, or status. God draws a line that cuts straight through every nation, every city, every school, every home, every church. A line that does not move, does not bend, does not blur. A line drawn not by society, but by The Cross. It is a sobering reality. When you walk into a classroom, God sees two groups. When you step into your workplace, there is an invisible divide.
When you sit on a bus, walk through a supermarket, or scroll online — there are only two kinds of people in the eyes of God: not Republican or Democrat, not rich or poor, not extroverted or quiet, not intellectual or ordinary — but saved or perishing, redeemed or lost, children of God or children of wrath. And here is one of Satan’s greatest lies exposed — the lie that says “we are all God’s children.”
That is not what Scripture teaches. Jesus Himself said to those who rejected Him:
John 8:44
“You are of your father, the devil.”
And those words were not spoken to criminals or atheists, but to deeply religious people who believed they already belonged to God. It is possible to have a Bible in your hand and still be lost. It is possible to attend church, sing hymns, speak Christian words — and still be perishing. The difference is not outward behavior; it is the response of the heart to the cross.
The message of Christ crucified either breaks a person and draws them into surrender — or it offends them and leaves them unchanged. This is the hidden separation: quiet but unmistakable.
Seen not in the mouth, but in the heart. Not in appearance, but in allegiance. Not in religious identity, but in surrender to Christ. And it is happening right now. Even those who do not know the Scriptures know this is true — their conscience affirms it. Yet each of us must confess that we have not lived by this truth. It is not only that we have failed to love God — it is that we have not wanted to. It is not only that we have failed to love our neighbor — it is that we have often loved ourselves instead. Our conscience testifies that this is true. So what is perishing? It is the condition of living outside fellowship with God — to be under the righteous anger of a God who is infinite, eternal, and personal.
The Wheat and the Tares: Growing Together Until the Harvest
Here is a picture of what the two look like. Nearly identical:
The Parable of the Weeds:
Matthew 13:24–30
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up? “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained:
Matthew 13: 36–43
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Jesus often spoke in parables to reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who had ears to hear. One of these profound stories is the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. In this parable, Jesus describes a farmer who sowed good seed in his field, but while everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed tares — poisonous weeds — among the wheat. When the plants began to grow, both wheat and weeds appeared together. The servants, alarmed, wanted to pull up the tares immediately, but the master said, “No, let both grow together until the harvest.”
This story is not only about ancient farming — it is about the Kingdom of God, the condition of our world, and the patience and wisdom of our Lord.
- The Good Seed and the Sower: Jesus later explains that the Sower is the Son of Man, and the good seed represents the children of the Kingdom. The seed is pure, planted by Christ Himself. Every believer, born of the Spirit, is a seed of righteousness planted in this world to bear fruit for God’s glory. Just as the wheat grows in the midst of weeds, believers grow in a world filled with evil, confusion, and temptation. Yet, the presence of the tares does not stop the wheat from growing. God’s people are meant to flourish even in difficult soil. Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
- The Enemy’s Work: While the Sower plants good seed, the enemy—Satan—plants counterfeit seed. The tares look almost identical to the wheat in their early stages. The deception is subtle. This is how evil often operates—not with obvious darkness, but with imitation light. In the world, and even in the church, there will be those who outwardly resemble the people of God but lack the life of the Spirit within. We are warned not to be deceived, but also not to become judges before the time. The Master knows His field, and He alone will separate truth from imitation.
- The Patience of the Master: When the servants asked if they should pull up the tares, the Master said, “No, lest while you gather up the tares you root up also the wheat with them.” This is a profound lesson about God’s patience and divine timing. We often want immediate justice, instant separation, and quick answers—but God allows both good and evil to exist side by side until the appointed time. Why? Because some who appear as “tares” today may yet become “wheat” through the transforming power of grace. God delays judgment to give space for repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise… but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
The Harvest is Happening: Though God is patient, His patience does not mean He is indifferent.
The parable ends with a promise: a harvest is coming and happening. The Son of Man will send His angels, and the tares will be gathered and burned, while the wheat will be gathered into His barn. This is both a warning and a comfort. A warning—to those living in deception or rebellion, that there will be a day of reckoning. A comfort—to the faithful, that every act of righteousness, every tear shed in secret, every faithful stand in the midst of evil will not be forgotten. The harvest will reveal all.
Matthew 13:43
“Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
Ask God for Wisdom, He will give it to you but when you ask you need to believe:
James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
- Be discerning but not judgmental. We must recognize that not everyone who looks like wheat is wheat — but it is not our job to uproot others. Judgment belongs to God.
- Be faithful in your growth. Focus on bearing fruit, not on identifying weeds. The healthiest wheat resists the influence of the tares by staying rooted in the Word.
- Be patient in adversity. Sometimes we wonder why God allows wickedness to persist. This parable reminds us — He is working toward a perfect harvest in His time.
- Be hopeful about the end. The day of harvest is coming when all wrongs will be made right, and the righteous will shine forever.
To ask God for wisdom, pray sincerely and directly, asking for clarity, guidance, and understanding.
- Be sincere: Approach God humbly, recognizing your need.
- Have faith: Believe that God will provide guidance.
- Listen: Wisdom may come through prayer, scripture, others’ advice, or life events.
- Be bold: Trust that God welcomes your request and wants you to seek His direction first.
You see, we walk through this life we have been given, we are surrounded by both wheat and tares. But do not lose heart. The Sower has planted you with purpose. Stay rooted in Christ, keep your eyes on the harvest, and trust that The Lord of the field knows exactly what He is doing.
Let us live as wheat — bearing fruit, growing in grace, and waiting patiently for the glorious harvest when the Son of Man gathers His own into His eternal barn. Matthew 13:43 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.