February 8th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

JESUS WILL SEPARATE THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS  

Matthew 25:31-33 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. 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.”  

You confess with your fellow Christians in the Apostle’s Creed that you believe that Jesus “ . . . will come (return on the last day) and judge the living and the dead. . .” He alone will judge all human beings who have ever lived as to whether they will spend eternity in heaven or hell. There is no other judge!   

Jesus sitting as judge is far different than judges in courtrooms here on earth. Earthly judges do their best to know who is innocent and guilty. They try to be fair in determining whether those who stand before them are guilty or not guilty. Jesus will look inwardly examining the heart of every person coming before Him. He will know perfectly the condition of all of these hearts and judge them fit for heaven or condemn them to hell. 

While earthly laws come and go, are changed sometimes even with bias, and punishment is administered imperfectly, God’s law never changes and His verdict is always right. You will stand before Jesus without guilt, not because of what you did or did not do, but because Jesus kept God’s law perfectly for you, paid the terrible price of death on the cross in payment for your sins, and by God’s gracious gift of faith in Jesus your guilt has been washed away. 

Jesus knows you! He says as recorded John’s gospel, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know Me— just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16)   

Prayer: Thank You Holy Father for sending Jesus to save me from eternal death. Thank You Jesus for Your redeeming work for me. Thank You Holy Spirit for Your sanctifying work in me. Keep me in the true faith to life everlasting. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen. 

Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me  
And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am and waiting not
To ride my soul of one dark blot,  
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come,  I come. 

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt, 
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,  
Yea, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;  
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 

Just as I am; Thy love unknown
Has broken ev’ry barrier down;  
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone;
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.  

Just as I Am, without One Plea // LSB 570