“And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.”
Today we set off to go to a community sale. A bit like what we know as a car boot sale. People from the surrounding communities coming together on a regular basis, once a week on the run up to Christmas. They sell or buy mainly second-hand goods and some locally grown food.
It’s an opportunity for some to get rid of their unwanted products, things that they have no use for anymore. I had a real problem too, in the fact that I have been unable to find a Spirit filled Church in Brittany at present and it is Sunday. The day that my heart is normally geared and focused on attending a Church to be able to worship with other believers. I have information on two that have a part – English service. One is Anglican the other is Roman Catholic.
I have had a thought about advertising in the Brittany journal and enquiring if there is other Spirit filled believers in the area who would like to meet up for a home worship. My days are filled with reading and studying God’s word, praying, worship and listening, I’m just missing the fellowship.
As we go outside to the motor home to set off, the first things we see directly across the road in the corner of a field are, the sheep and a goat eating together. I consider the scripture in the gospel of Matthew 25. The Lord Jesus uses a parable referring to Sheep and Goats. He explains how at the end of days, the Son of Man will come in His glory with all His holy angels. Then He will sit on the throne of His glory, and with all the nations before Him, He will separate them, one from another.
We got to the little village of Plusquerrec that was holding the sale and it’s a bit grey and drizzly this morning. There is a diversion system set up in the centre of the village, “DEVIATION > “shouts the road sign at me, there’s several of these set around. They are obviously pointing the way for any traffic to follow, but like in our spiritual lives, we may see the signs quite clearly, but we have to steer the vehicle!
As we walk around, we see the big Church in the centre of the village. It’s an ornate looking church but quite a strange design, wise as it looks too big for itself? Then as I observe it from a different angle it appears as though it is out of proportion by a whole floor. Like if it had another ground floor it would look complete? What is apparent is the stalls that surround the church. Plenty of people outside trading their wares. Nobody inside praising their Creator.
We don’t stop long. Just enough to get a feel for what’s going on and for Bertie to have a snout about. Then we are off on our way back. I thought further about the earlier scripture and the separation of the sheep and the goats. More specifically, what could be worrying, what is the difference between the two, especially as the scripture says that there are some goats who are expecting to inherit the Kingdom.
It is quite clear when Jesus says this parable that He is referring to who will be redeemed and saved (the sheep), Against those condemned and lost (the goats) and it is His judgement that separates them. Jesus says, that the place has been prepared since the formation of the world.
I am not inferring that this is predestination Calvinism, just stating the scripture. Jesus also says that it is potentially the people who have helped strangers and people in need of love, without doing it for their own purposes, their own notoriety.
Earlier in the scripture, in verse 32, Jesus says quite clearly that, “He will divide them as a shepherd divides His sheep,” We have confirmation of this in the gospel of John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd, and I know My sheep, and am known by my own,” Then again in 10: 27,” My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
It doesn’t matter where we are, or what we are doing, we need to stay close to The Good Shepherd.
God Bless