Matthew 25:34: Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come…”

Reread a book. Unless it's a very simple book you probably noticed something new on your second reading. This happens because we are physically limited and how much information we can process at one time. On the first reading, we are taking in the basic story and ideas. On the second reading, since we already know some things, we can pay attention to things we missed, or make new connections. Our understanding deepens.

Something similar happens when we read Scripture for the second, third, or fourth time. There is a natural reason for this: God has given us minds with which to read, think, remember, and understand. But there is also something more. The Holy Spirit works through God's Word to enlighten us and bring us to a deeper understanding of what God has already revealed.

This reality was brought home to me yesterday when I was reading Matthew 25—the passage commonly called the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. (Matthew 25:31-46) But is it really a parable?

Jesus has been teaching His disciples about the Last Day. He says that THE SON OF MAN will come in His glory, accompanied by the angels, and will sit upon HIS GLORIOUS THRONE. Then He uses the picture of a shepherd separating sheep from goats.

Then comes a detail I had not noticed before. Jesus says, “Then the KING will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father…’” (Matthew 25:34) And to those on His left, “Depart from me…” (Matthew 25:41)

The Son of Man IS the King— the One sitting on the throne and speaking the final verdict.

That connection is easy to miss because Jesus does not directly state, “I am the King.” But the connection is there. The Son of Man is the One seated on the throne, exercising the authority of the King and judging the nations.

Perhaps that doesn't seem like news to you because we are so well taught that Jesus is king of heaven and earth. We know this from Old Testament passages like Zechariah 9:9, “Behold, your king is coming to you…” And Paul speaks of Christ Jesus as “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:14–15).

Jesus also presents Himself as a royal figure in several of His parables, such as the Parable of the Wedding Banquet. And He acknowledges that He is a King before Pilate. But Matthew 25 gives us a particularly direct and striking picture: Jesus uses the title of King for Himself as He teaches His disciples that He will come in glory to judge the nations.

I certainly cannot claim to be the first person to notice this. Christians have been reading this passage for nearly two thousand years! But this is the first time I noticed it. And it made me wonder whether Jesus’ teaching inspired the disciples to ask Him after His resurrection, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6) Were they expecting the promised Messiah to establish His kingdom in an earthly way they could see and understand?

Did you ever notice this?

We've read and heard the story of creation, David and Goliath, Jesus feeding the five thousand, the Nativity and the crucifixion so many times, we may think we know everything there is to know. But there’s always more. Not because God’s Word changes, but because the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and minds to see how much more He has put into the Scriptures.

So don't let familiarity keep you from reading the familiar passages again, and again.

I often like to start Bible study by asking, after we have read the passage, “What struck you this time?” May I suggest you try something similar in your own daily reading. Before you begin, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of your heart to His Word—to help you understand it, believe it. You may discover something you had never noticed before, and this may help you see Christ more clearly.

✝️ Pastor Deming

The full newsletter can be found here:
https://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2026/2026-09-Newsletter.pdf

Colossians 3:16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

I really wanted to lash out with all the anger that was in me. But then I remembered His words, “let us not grow weary of doing good.” (Gal. 6:9) I also remembered that He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5) The occasion was the appearance of one more frustrating complication as the details of my divorce were being worked out.

I have no doubt that the Spirit brought these verses to mind, to comfort me, and to keep me from sinning in my anger. But the reason the Spirit was able to bring them out was because years ago I had committed these verse to memory.

Decades prior, I had heard a pastor (on a thing called radio) say that the best advice he ever received was to memorize the Word of God. I took that thought to heart and began to memorize Scripture. One verse at a time.

I picked groups of verses on various topics: verses that told the story of salvation, verses that demonstrated the deity of Christ, verses about fulfilled prophecy, and the like. Over the following decades the number of verses grew, like single drops that eventually fill a bucket. Obviously, the effort to memorize those verses is paying off in my new role as pastor, but those verses were ready to help me on that difficult day long before.

Perhaps my favorite group of memorized verses come from the Psalms, and were chosen to be used as prayers throughout the day:

Upon Waking
Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

During Your Shower
Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Getting Dressed
Psalm 104:1-2
Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent

Commuting
Psalm 25:4
Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;

Beginning the Day’s Work
Psalm 90:17
May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands.

Thankfulness
Psalm 72:18
Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does

During a Difficult Day
Psalm 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.

When You Regret Doing Something
Psalm 25:11
For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

At the End of Work
Psalm 145:10
All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you.

At Bedtime
Psalm 16:7
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

I started by memorizing the first Psalm, and I didn’t move to the next until I naturally prayed it when I woke up. Then I memorized the second Psalm. Rince and Repeat. Before long I found I was praying throughout the day, which helped me keep my mind on God, and it often led to longer times of prayer as the day allowed.

The benefits of memorizing God’s Word are innumerable. As another Psalm says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)

If you’d like to give this a try, but don’t know where to start, you could try the Psalms above. I would also be happy to help you select other verses if you have another area of interest or concern.

God’s Word carries the wonderful news of the gospel, but it also teaches, encourages, and comforts. And it does this through the very words of Scripture. Give memorization a try and “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (Col. 3:16)

✝️ Pastor Deming

The full newsletter can be found here:
https://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2026/2026-08-Newsletter.pdf