The Day We Need To Be Ready For

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Text: Revelation 20:11-15

It is always a pleasure to be able to come before you and open up the Bible and speak a message I pray will be faithful to God. We are privileged as men and women to have a God like our God who cares enough for us that He has spoken to us a perfect message about man & his opportunity of redemption through God's very Son, Jesus who is the Christ!

If you have looked at the calendar the last couple of days you may have noticed that we are entering that most precious of seasons where little children make up lists that tell us what their dreams will be about until that blissful morning on the 25th. This is also the season that husbands will either make 2002 a wonderful year or unfortunately make 2002 a year where make-up gifts will have to be given every couple of weeks or so. Young men & women will grow closer and closer in their relationships all because of the wonderful time known as Christmas time.

Having said all that, would you please raise your hands if you've finished all your Christmas shopping?
Well I guess you have no reason to not pay attention this morning. Actually, whenever we gather to think about Jesus none of us have a reason not to give the King of the entire Universe our undivided attention!!

This morning I am going to speak about a very important subject. One that as the church of God today and as ambassadors in the world for Christ we can never forget to think about, speak about & teach others about. It is a day that all people far & wide, young & old need to be ready for!

Please turn in your Bibles to Acts 10:36-43 & Revelation 20:11-15!
One of the most important teachings of the entire Bible is the teaching that as certain as there was a Yesterday there will be a judgment day. Unfortunately many people have mistaken views concerning this aspect of God's word!

Some people hold the same view that the Epicurean philosophers of Paul's day held that the basic theory of life was this:
eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!
Basically one's view of life & eternity resulted in this:
what you see is what you get, nothing more and nothing less. Just imagine for a moment what this idea does to the search for youth, cloning etc. Somehow we are tempted to create for ourselves some form of eternal life!

However the Bible speaks of a very different view concerning the future of all of men & women!
Acts 10- Peter is speaking to the first Gentile converts, Cornelius and his household. In his wonderful sermon he speaks about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth!
Then he goes further and speaks about the responsibility of those people (the apostles) who witnessed the gospel in front of their very own eyes!
Vs.42- he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.
One thing we understand from this is that as the people of God we have not fulfilled our missions until we declare this truth concerning Christ. We need to understand as comfortable as we get in today's world, a day is coming when everything is going to end and all men and women will stand before the great judgment seat of Jesus Christ! (Romans 14:10-12, John 5:22-29, Hebrews 9:27).

This brings to mind some questions:
What is judgment day?
What happens at judgment?
What is actually being judged?
Do Christians have to be worried about it?
Who is the judge of all?
  1. Let's begin by noticing that Judgment day is the grand consummation of God's dealing with man!
    From the beginning we notice that God created the world including man & woman and everything was good! (Genesis 1:31, Ecclesiastes 7:29)
    Man however disobeyed the Lord and fellowship was broken because of this (Isaiah 59:1,2)
    Next, we see that God gave a promise that one day from His love a source of restoration would be given to the world! (Genesis 3:15)
    Down we go through the years until a man by the name of Abram was called by God and he would produce a seed that would be a blessing to all nations! (Genesis 12:1-5)
    Abraham's descendants became God's chosen people in the world and the promise was given that through them a Messiah was to come into the world!
    Finally when God's time was fulfilled in a tiny manger in Bethlehem, God's own Son came into the world as a human and showed the light of God to a dark, sin filled world. (Galatians 4:4-6)
    In an act of pure self-less ness, Jesus of Nazareth died on a tree and three days later rose from the dead.
    Those who accept Him as Lord & Saviour by submitting to His rule make up the church.
    This all leads to one final day, the day we read about in the Book of Revelation- 20:11-15
    Notice this grand display: everyone standing there:
    Adam, Eve, Noah, David, Peter, Paul, Nero, Hitler, and You & Me!
  2. Well, what happens at judgment?
    Did you notice what John wrote?
    The books are opened and all of are judged according to our works. Now, one of the things we must take care is this:
    I am judged for what I have done! 2 Corinthians 5:10. There are two things to take from this:
    1. I can not enter heaven on someone else's coattails. For some reason or another nobody is able to stand on high and bring me in with them.
    2. Even if all others are condemned, I don't have to be!
  3. What are these works that will be judged?
    Is John saying we can somehow save ourselves by our works?
    That somehow if our goods outweigh our bads, we're going to be alright?
    No, we cannot save ourselves by our works! Ephesians 2:8,9
    The question is going to be 'are we in Jesus?'
    If we are our sinful deeds will have been obliterated! If we are not, then our sins will have to be answered for and what answer can we give?
    What answer can we give for not seeking forgiveness for the very deeds that killed his Son?
    but what we've done will be brought into judgment! (Matthew 25:31-46, 24:45-51) How we live in our relationship with Jesus makes a difference!
  4. Who is going to be the judge?
    This is good news when you really stop to think about it. Peter told Cornelius in his lost state that the One who would be his Saviour would also be his judge! The good news for us today is that with Jesus as the judge all will be judged righteously!
  5. What follows Judgment?
    This is the big question for the entire world. Why it is so important for men and women to at least be warned about the great day that is coming?
    Why it is so important for Christians to be prepared for that day?
    When Jesus came the first time he did not come to judge the world but save it! John 3:16,17
    The second time he comes though will be different! What is it going to be like?
    Is it really as bad as they say?
    Revelation 20:15- the lake of fire! John 5:28,29, Luke 16:22,2 just a drop of cold water- a relief that never comes! For those not with Jesus, a terrible place waits. There is one good thing about Hell:
    you don't have to go there. The bad thing about it is this:
    once there, you can't leave.
  6. What about Christians?
    Those faithful to Jesus have no worry about judgment! 1 Corinthians 16:22- O Lord come. Why could they say this prayer?
    How come the church isn't praying it as much today? Romans 8:1, Revelation 14:13.
What does the prospect of judgment mean to His faithful people?
  1. The future judgment is looked forward to not something constantly worried about!
    By the way, judgment day will not be decision day. The decision will already be made. There will not be a surprise from God saying 'just kidding'. If God tells us we are alright, we're alright! I'm not perfect, but I've been cleansed by the One who is!
  2. The future judgment means the terrible mistreatment of this life will give way to the greatness of heaven. Luke 16:25
  3. The future judgment gives me a purpose for today! 1 John 3:2,3
Now, some people not only think there is no such thing as a judgment day, but others think that judgment day is something that is far off, but not something we must think about in the near future! (2 Peter 3:3-10)
My friends, judgment day is coming. Judgment day may even be today some time. Some time a preacher is going to get up and say that this is the last sermon you will ever hear preached, and he'll be right!
What about you?
Where do you stand today?
Are you living as one of Jesus' followers?
Are you living through tough times unsure of where life is heading?
But you can know one place for sure you are heading:
eternal bliss with God.

My friends, in all sincerity however we must speak this:
if your name is not written in the Lamb's book of life: Revelation 20:15,21:27
Would you like to know how to get your name written there?
John 8:24, Luke 24:47, Matthew 28:18-20 Revelation 2:10

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