Two Surprises

Matthew 25:31-46

Those 'blessed by the Father' will be ushered to a kingdom prepared for them at the time of the foundation of the world. And they'll be surprised by what Jesus Christ tells them.

"But Lord, when did we see you? When did we serve you? Really?"

They will be surprised because this reward was not the reason for their works. They weren't expecting this reward. They served because it was incredibly natural, so natural it was subconscious. It was an overflow of what they had already received. It was compassion that bubbled over. They saw needs, incredibly basic ones like hunger and thirst and clothing and friendship, and they met them without a second thought. Therein lies their blessed surprise.

But if they had served to earn, there would be no surprise in their voice. They would have been works ultimately of self-service. They would have known full well all that they had done. They would be ready with their long list of good deeds to show the King as a justification of why they deserved the reward. They would not have been thinking about those in need, but about themselves. Each work would have been carefully calculated for the profit that would be received. And if this were in fact the case, the King would have said, "Here is your reward," and they would have responded without hesitation, strutting through kingdom gates, "But of course! The moment we've been waiting for! Thank you very much!" A response much different than the honest, humble question that is asked.

But they are not the only ones surprised.

Those who are 'cursed' will be ushered to an eternal fire. And they too are surprised.

"But Lord, when did we see you? When did we not serve you? Really?"

They will have been so centered on themselves that they missed and passed by the most basic of needs around them. But in their blindness, they didn't even know. They weren't expecting this. In their minds, they were good, good enough, deserving enough, not needing anything more outside of themselves. And because they needed nothing more, they looked only to themselves, and their eyes were never directed outwards to others in need.

As Calvin puts it, "They are so intoxicated by their fading prosperity, that they imagine they will always be happy." And therein lies their tragic surprise.