The Sheep and the Goats

Matthew 25:31-46

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kindgom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.


Classification:  The Final Judgment

Interpretation:  The sheep are the righteous people and the goats are the unrighteous. The division and classification of which group one is placed in is based on the good works one did during their lifetime.

Application:  This is the last parable He gives us before He is crucified. This ends three years of teaching us how to live and our reward for living the way He wants us to live. So how does He want us to live? 
Read and listen to His words.
Make and keep sacred covenants.
Make room in your heart to be His disciple. 
Do all you can to be a good wheat and help others do likewise.
Allow your faith to grow.
Seek the treasures of Heaven.
Show mercy for your fellow men.
Help one another at all times.
Share what you have.
Allow the Atonement, it's power and mercy, into your lives.
Follow Him.
Seek out the lost and help them return.
Listen to the prophets, do as they say.
Do the Lord's work and invite others to do the same.
Do all you can to increase the gifts you have been given.
Do what you covenanted to do.
Watch for His return, be ready for His return.
And finally, in this last parable, take care of each other.  None of us travel this world without being wounded by the enemies of truth. Many of His children need help taking care of their most basic needs. Seek them out and help them.

With Christmas so close let's try to all live the way He would want us to live and help each other to feel His love. Let's think of those we have feelings of animosity towards. If the German, French and British soldiers of WWI can set aside their differences for one Christmas (1914) then let's try to follow their example and do the same with our enemies.