Your Works are Evidence
Matthew 25:31-46
25 November 2017 – Redeemer
When Jesus comes for the last time “all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds. And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire.”
What? Did I just say what you think I said? Did a Lutheran pastor say that you will be judged by Jesus based on your works? Actually, you have said those words, at least once a year, throughout your lifetime. Those words are from the Athanasian Creed which we confess on Trinity Sunday.
But those words bother you, as does Jesus in today’s Gospel when He says, “And these (the ones who did not do good works) will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous (who fed the hungry, clothed the naked and so on) will go into eternal life.”
This is not what you would expect from the mouth of Jesus or from a Lutheran pulpit. You have learned from Scripture that you will not get into heaven by being good, because you’re not good. God’s Word says you are a sinner and your own experience and conscience verify that God is telling the truth. If you could get into heaven on your own, God the Father would not have had to send His Son. If your works are good enough, you don’t need Jesus. But that is not what God’s own word tells us. It tells us that Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb so He could be crucified for your sins. By that sacrifice alone God’s anger over your sins is quenched. The death of Jesus takes away your sin. By faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection you are declared righteous before God. You will go into eternal life on judgment day because of Christ alone, apart from your works, by grace alone, apart from your works, through faith alone, apart from your works. You enter into eternal life solely because of Jesus. That is the great comfort of Scripture – Jesus Christ has taken away your sin. You’re good. You’re in.
So how does that truth square with Jesus in today’s Gospel, who basically says, “If you don’t love and serve your neighbor, you’re out, and if you do love and serve your neighbor, you’re in?”
Martin Luther has a great answer for that question. We are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone. “It is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith … It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done them, and is constantly doing them.” (Preface to Romans) We are saved by faith in Christ alone, but there is always evidence of faith. When Jesus speaks of the judgment day He speaks of the evidence of faith. On judgment day the heavenly court will issue a verdict. Verdicts are based on the evidence. That is how justice works. So faith alone saves, but works give evidence to that saving faith.
For the last three weeks we have been hearing about the judgment day from Jesus – about the evidence of faith on the last day. Two weeks ago we heard about the wise virgins who had extra jugs of oil. When the bridegroom arrived their lamps were burning. You could see the evidence. The foolish virgins had no oil, no burning lamps. They thought those oil jugs clashed with bouquets. And they were left out.
The two faithful servants in last Sunday’s parable produced more talents for their master. But the other servant had no evidence that he believed his master. He had made nothing. He didn’t really even know his master. And he was cast out.
Today, Jesus sees a difference between the righteous and the wicked. There is evidence. The righteous performed works of charity and love. The wicked did not. Faith is evidenced in our works.
Note the visible differences in today’s text. Jesus describes the judgement day as similar to a shepherd dividing sheep from the goats. There is a visible difference between sheep and goats, not only in appearance, but in demeanor. Sheep are weak and meek. Sheep are followers. As Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice … and they follow me.” (John 10:27) I hope I don’t offend any goats or goat lovers, but the only goat I ever knew was a stubborn, willful beast who rammed me every time I got out my car at my friend’s hobby farm. Sheep and goats are visibly different.
Jesus also says that the righteous weren’t even aware they had done good works. They weren’t counting or calculating them. They asked the Lord, “When did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or in prison or naked and help you?” They weren’t doing their works to be seen. On the other hand, those on Jesus’ left were quite sure they had done all those good works they just couldn’t remember when. “Lord, when did we not minister to you?” they asked. They were certain they were good people, but Jesus didn’t see it – there was no evidence.
Now, you might say, “But Pastor I don’t see a lot of good works in my life and I see people who don’t believe in Jesus doing a whole bunch more than I do.” It doesn’t matter what you see – it matters what Jesus sees, what God sees. When we believe in Jesus He sees everything we do through the lens of His forgiveness. He sees us without our sin. So He sees every one of our works as good. If you are not forgiven, if you do not believe in Jesus, He cannot see any of your works as good, because you are still sinful. All of your works are clouded and covered by your unrighteousness.
Luther would often make statements like this, “A Christian mom changing a diaper is doing a better work than all the monks in the Catholic church.” Why? First, the mom believed solely in Christ and knew she was forgiven. Second, she was doing the work for another person. Third, she wasn’t doing it so God could see it and give her credit. The unbeliever may indeed do better and more numerous good works in the eyes of man, but faith alone makes for good works, because faith alone in Christ alone makes us righteous in the eyes of God.
On judgment day you will be judged according to the evidence. That evidence might be your struggle against sin or the love you have shown to someone not so lovely or changing a diaper in the middle of the night or shoveling your curmudgeonly neighbor’s driveway or visiting a lonely shut-in. All your good works will follow you and be seen on the last day, but they won’t save you. They simply are the evidence that you believe in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
25 November 2017 anno Domini