Apostles' Creed - The Coming King

The Coming King

Text: Matthew 25:31–46
Preacher: Pastor Alex
Date: November 15, 2026

Sermon Summary

Judgment day is not like an exam that gets marked on a curve. We are separated by kind, the same way a shepherd separates sheep and goats. We are not weighed on a scale where one person might barely "pass" into eternal life and another "fails" by a hair. It is not what we know, or even what we do, but belonging to Christ that saves us.

The sheep are not surprised to be saved; they were never counting on themselves. Their surprise is the reward: when they fed the hungry and visited the prisoner, they were blessing Jesus himself. They discover that their lives carried eternal weight and were filled with his glory. Like Martin of Tours, the young catechumen in the Roman army who cut his cloak in half for a freezing beggar--we are overjoyed to see Christ standing among the angels wearing the half cloak and boasting of him.

The goats are surprised too, and confused: they wonder are the sheep really better than us? Honestly, no. We have all seen people outside of the faith show more kindness than we manage sometimes. But the curse is not God's spite; it is the default condition of a bent world and broken people. Sin taints everyone of us, and every part of us. Even our best loves and intentions have selfish shades. It's that nature that cannot into the kingdom. Because that nature is part of who we are, we must perish with it.

But our hope is in Christ: He is the judge who was judged in our place. He bore the curse, died, and rose to fling the gates of hades wide open. It's in Jesus that we are recreated and made new. Our nature is changed so that we are children of the living God and coheirs with Christ.

Our response is faith, hope, and love. Faith, because he alone is mighty to save; this compels us to share our faith with others. Hope makes the things of this world "grow strangely dim." And love cannot look at the hungry, the lonely, the sick and the imprisoned and not be moved; that's how Jesus found us, and his love compels us to show mercy to others.

Ice Breaker

Light: Were you the "cram the night before" type, or the diligent "review and study all semester" type? 

Deeper: When you think of Jesus' return, what kind of feelings do you have?

Discussion Guide

1. Remember the Truth. Martin of Tours was a young soldier, not yet even baptized, when he cut his cloak in half for a freezing man. He saw a vision of Christ wearing that half cloak, boasting to the angels that "Martin...dressed me!" What struck you about that vision?

2. Understand the Truth. Read Matthew 25:37–40. The sheep ask "when did we see you?" They were honestly surprised to find out that they were serving Jesus. What does their surprise tell you about their motivations in this life?

3. Test the Truth. Compare the passage today with Matthew 7:21–23 and Matthew 19:25–26. Some think that Matthew 25:37-40 is teaching we are saved by good works. How do you see these three passages fitting together?

4. Be Transformed. The hope of Christ's return makes us less worldly: "the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace." What loses some of its hold on you when you think seriously about his coming? see 1 John 3:2–3

5. Be Transformed Together. Jesus receives what we do "for the least of his brothers" as though we have done it to him. That means he is present in the person beside you who is struggling right now. How does this change the way we look at the nature of our small group community?

6. Be Sent. There’s a difference between winning an argument and calling someone to Christ. Have we been arguing rather than inviting people to faith in Jesus? Who are you praying will come to know Jesus?

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell;
 (hades)
the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,

and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead;
And in the Holy Spirit;

the holy universal church, the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body;

and life everlasting.
Amen.

Supporting Scriptures

1. Psalm 103:12: As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
2. Proverbs 19:17: Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay — Matthew 25's logic already in a proverb.
3. Isaiah 58:6–10: The fast God chooses is bread for the hungry, the homeless taken in, the naked covered — the Old Testament root of the King's list.
4. Ezekiel 36:26–27: God promises a new heart and a new spirit, which is the recreation a tainted nature actually needs.
5. Matthew 7:21–23: Saying the right words is not enough; the terrible verdict is "I never knew you."
6. Matthew 19:25–26: With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible — Matthew's own answer to who can be saved.
7. 1 Corinthians 13:13: Faith, hope and love remain, and the greatest of these is love — the shape of our response.
8. 2 Corinthians 5:9–10: We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, which makes the coming day personal rather than theoretical.
9. Titus 2:11–14: Grace trains us while we wait for the blessed hope, so that waiting and holiness belong together.
10. 1 John 3:2–3: We shall be like him when we see him as he is — and everyone with that hope purifies himself.